Founded in 2008, Cougar has become a household name in the PC hardware market, especially among gamers and enthusiasts. While Cougar may seem like a relatively new addition to the industry, it is backed by HEC/Compucase, a veteran in the PC market, known primarily for its OEM products. Cougar was created as a subsidiary to focus on developing and marketing high-performance products tailored to the needs of gamers and PC enthusiasts.
Initially focused primarily on PC cases, Cougar gradually expanded its product offering as the brand gained recognition. Over the years, Cougar has successfully diversified its offering to include a wide range of products, from gaming chairs to mechanical keyboards. This strategic expansion has allowed Cougar to establish a strong position in the gaming hardware market.
In this review, we’re focusing on Cougar’s latest entry into the liquid cooling market, the Poseidon Ultra 360 ARGB cooler. The Poseidon Ultra 360 ARGB is a high-performance, all-in-one liquid cooler with a 360mm radiator and vibrant ARGB lighting, designed to appeal to both performance enthusiasts and those looking for a visually striking build. This review will delve into the AIO cooler’s key features, cooling performance, and noise levels to determine how it stacks up against the competition in an increasingly crowded liquid cooler market.
| Cougar Poseidon Ultra 360 ARGB AIO Cooler Specifications |
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| Type | All-in-one liquid cooler | ||
| Dimensions | 397 x 120 x 52 mm (radiator with fan) | ||
| Fans | 3 x 120mm HDB bearing fans 2200 rpm (max) |
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| RGB | Yes (ARGB) | ||
| Supported sockets | Intel: LGA1700 / LGA1200 / LGA 115x
AMD: AM5 / AM4 |
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| Guarantee | 5 years | ||
| Price | 119 dollars | ||
Packaging and package
Cougar packages the Poseidon Ultra 360 ARGB cooler in large, sturdy cardboard boxes. While the box retains the company’s signature black and orange color scheme, it features vibrant images showcasing the cooler’s RGB lighting capabilities, making it a visually striking package. Inside, the cooler and its components are safely protected by custom cardboard inserts for safe transport.
The box contains a fairly basic premium CPU cooler kit. Cougar includes the necessary cables to power the fans and controller, a single dose of thermal paste, and the hardware required to mount the cooler to the CPU socket. There’s no standalone RGB controller, the cooler requires a compatible motherboard or controller to work.
The cooler is equipped with three 120mm fans that feature a unique frame design, blades with raised ridges, and an advanced hydraulic bearing for improved performance and durability. While the specific original manufacturer of the fans is not disclosed, the part number is DF1202512FDMN. These fans are equipped with ARGB LEDs and have a semi-transparent blade and inner ring assembly that is designed to gently diffuse lighting, enhancing the overall aesthetic of the cooler.
Cougar Poseidon Ultra 360mm ARGB AIO Liquid Cooler
Cougar’s Poseidon Ultra 360 ARGB cooler maintains the design typical of all-in-one (AIO) liquid coolers, consisting of a single radiator, two hoses, and a block that integrates the CPU’s breadboard with a compact liquid pump. Cougar has opted for typical rubber tubing with an outer nylon sleeve for added mechanical protection. The fittings are plastic, as with most AIO coolers today.
The radiator on the Poseidon Ultra 360 ARGB follows the industry standard dual-flow crossflow design, with thin fins soldered to thin longitudinal tubes. This design remains the industry standard for AIO systems due to its higher efficiency within the required compact dimensions and temperature fluctuations that these coolers can handle. The hose connections on the cooler are fixed, which can limit installation flexibility somewhat. Cougar has designed the cooler to be just 27mm thick for greater compatibility. However, with the included fans, the entire AIO system still requires at least 52mm of clearance, making it essential to install this cooler in a case designed for AIO systems.
Cougar’s design efforts are especially evident in the main block assembly. Other than the contact plate, the rest of the assembly is made of plastic and acrylic, and Cougar goes to great lengths to make the block as visually appealing as possible. The top of the block assembly can be removed by turning it slightly counterclockwise, allowing the user to adjust the orientation of the logo (yes, the large hex head bolts are fake). The 90° hose fittings can be rotated, adding flexibility to the installation process.
The main mounting block has a squircle-shaped metal contact plate made of copper. The plate is not machined to a mirror finish, but is smooth and flat enough. The designer hid the screws that secure the cooling plate behind a plastic cover. No thermal paste is pre-applied, giving users the option to use their preferred thermal paste. The contact plate is large enough for all the CPUs that this cooler is compatible with.
Cougar has put a lot of emphasis on RGB lighting on the Poseidon Ultra 360 ARGB, which has resulted in an impressive display. The lighting is both vibrant and smooth, effectively dispersed by the semi-transparent fan blades and the top of the main block. When connected to a compatible motherboard, the cooler will sync with the system’s lighting theme. Please note that if your motherboard does not support 5V ARGB LEDs and there is no other controller available, the Poseidon Ultra 360 ARGB lighting will not turn on at all.
