Enermax has a solid contender in the LIQMAX 120S. While its performance is exceptional with its fan at full speed, it also offers the ability to adjust the speed at which the fan peaks for lower noise levels, giving you the ability to fine tune its performance-to-noise ratio, which is simply fantastic. As with every other all-in-one liquid cooler, memory clearance is exceptional, and a blue LED on the pump makes for a nice bit of flair to an otherwise black design. Packaging is also above average, offering solid protection, so you shouldn't have to worry about damage during shipping. On to the truly interesting things Enermax has done with the LIQMAX 120S: First up, it has the best mounting pressure I have ever seen from an all-in-one liquid cooler. That pressure translates into better performance. Second, the fan blades on the included fan can be removed for easier cleaning, which is a nice bonus. Finally, unlike many other manufacturers, Enermax included extra screws for a second fan. Overall, there is a lot to like with the LIQMAX 120S.

Its not all gravy, however, as a few issues do exist. For one, the cooler is loud at full speed, hitting 56 decibels with a single fan. Getting noise levels down to 45 or below requires you to set the fan's maximum rotational speed to its lowest setting, 600-1300 RPM. While this is an option and a good one at that, it does mean performance suffers. In fact, performance drops a full 3°C, which makes the LIQMAX 120S a tougher sell versus cheaper, quieter competitors like the Deepcool Lucifer and SilentiumPC Grandis XE1236. Like many other all-in-one liquid coolers, it is not expandable. Let's face it, blue LEDs are not for everyone. Before I forget, this unit's mounting pressure is insane, which makes installing the cooler a bit daunting. Its nothing to be afraid of as it's supposed to be that way, but it did catch me off guard.

I am genuinely impressed by Enermax's effort and attention to detail with the LIQMAX 120S. Considering it is a single fan, 120 mm radiator, all-in-one liquid CPU cooler, it does very well, especially while my test system's Intel i7 4770k is overclocked. Even better, it has a few nifty features which set it apart from the competition. The only thing that caught me off guard was the amount of pressure it took to get this thing mounted. I actually had to fight with it and thought it was a design flaw at first, but it was worth the effort once I got it mounted. Compare it to other all-in-one liquid coolers and the performance speaks for itself.

The LIQMAX 120S by Enermax proves to be a great performer with nice features. Be it high performance or quiet computing, this all-in-one liquid cooler can do the job!