Ocypus Iota L36 WH Liquid Cooler Review

Good cooling is essential when you’re pushing your hardware, especially with today’s powerful CPUs. Liquid cooling offers better thermal performance and a cleaner look compared to traditional air coolers, which is why more builders are leaning toward AIOs. Ocypus, a relatively new name in the PC Hardware space, recently sent over their Iota L36 WH, a 360mm all-in-one liquid cooler. Following our look at the Iota C70 ARGB WH case, this cooler is the next piece in their growing lineup. This Cooler is available in both black and white colors, giving builders some flexibility when matching components.

The most eye-catching feature is the pump block, which includes a circular digital display that shows real-time system temperatures, surrounded by a clean ring of ARGB lighting. Wrapped in a curved aluminium shell, the design leans more toward subtle elegance rather than aggressive styling. This unit is available in both black and white, giving builders some flexibility when matching components. Ocypus clearly focused on presentation, but it also looks like they’ve put effort into the overall build. The cooler uses three 120mm fans mounted on a slim 360mm radiator, aiming to provide enough thermal headroom for modern CPUs under both gaming and productivity loads. The screen on the pump isn’t just for show; it offers quick system feedback, which can be useful without adding clutter.

In this review, we will cover all the key aspects—installation, cooling performance, noise levels, and overall build quality. Ocypus seems to be aiming for the mid-to-high-end market, so it’ll be interesting to see if the Iota L36 WH can compete with more established brands in this space. Let’s take a closer look and see what it’s made of.

Specifications

Unboxing

The Ocypus Iota L36 WH comes in a sturdy gray box that feels well-built and protective. The front shows a clear image of the white 360mm cooler with its three fans and digital pump display, along with simple branding and the model name. There’s nothing flashy—just a clean look that tells you what you’re getting. On the back, the key specs are listed in a practical layout. You’ll find details like socket compatibility, fan and pump speeds, noise levels, and RGB support. Everything is easy to read and straight to the point, without any over-the-top marketing.

The cooler comes securely packed in a Styrofoam-padded box, with all parts held firmly in place to prevent damage during shipping. The radiator has the fans pre-installed, which is a nice touch and makes setup a bit quicker. Inside the box, you get mounting brackets for both Intel and AMD platforms, along with the necessary screws and thumb screws. There’s also a tube of thermal paste, a Y-splitter for the fans, twelve radiator screws, and two Velcro straps to help with cable management. A basic user manual is included as well.

Design

Radiator

The Ocypus Iota L36 makes a strong first impression with solid build quality across the radiator, hoses, and fans. Everything feels well put together, matching what you’d expect from well-known brands like CoolerMaster or DeepCool. The fans come pre-installed on the radiator, which is becoming more common and makes the installation process a bit quicker. The cooler is available in both black (BK) and white (WH). We received the white (WH) version, which has a clean, sharp look that should fit well in most setups. This is a sealed, ready-to-use unit with no maintenance required, which is standard for coolers in this category.

The radiator is made from aluminum and comes clean with no bent fins or damage. Its size is 397mm long, 120mm wide, and 27mm thick. When 120x25mm fans are installed, the total height reaches about 53mm, including the screw heads. With a fin density of 20 FPI, this radiator is built for performance and works best with high static pressure fans—something Ocypus includes in the box. There are 12 coolant channels inside for efficient flow, and the mounting holes follow the standard 105mm spacing, so it should fit in most cases without any issues.

The Ocypus cooler features white metal clamps over the tube connections, offering a clean, no-nonsense finish that keeps everything in place. A serial number sticker is attached to the main unit, useful for support or warranty claims. There’s also an extra capped port that looks like it’s meant for factory servicing only. It’s not something end users should touch; removing it could release the vacuum seal and cause issues with the cooling loop.

On the side of the radiator, there’s a small Ocypus logo near the right edge of the frame. The tubes are made of rubber and covered with a nylon braided sleeve for added durability. They measure about 400mm long, which should fit well in most cases. The tubing near the radiator head is thicker, while the far end is slimmer. The inner diameter of the tube is 6.5mm, and the outer diameter is 12.5mm, which is pretty typical for this kind of cooler.

CPU Head and Pump

The pump housing has a clean and modern design that moves away from the usual ring shape. It measures 70 by 70 by 65 millimeters and has a clear cover on top, giving it a neat look. The mounting bracket comes pre-installed and uses a two-point contact system, making it easy to install. When tested, the pump spun close to the stated 3100 rpm, and noise stayed under 27 decibels, which is fairly quiet. The pump’s power draw is low too, at just 3.6 watts.

On the side, the Ocypus logo matches the cooler’s color scheme well, keeping things simple but nice to look at. The top of the block features a digital display covered by a clear window, surrounded by a ring of ARGB lighting that shines all around. The screen shows CPU or GPU temperatures in Celsius or Fahrenheit, with a maximum of 199°F. The lighting adds a bit of style without being too flashy.

One downside is that the display cannot be rotated. This means the block must be installed with the tubes at the 3 o’clock position to have the screen upright and easy to read. This limits how you can position the block inside your case. The fittings on the back are 90 degrees and can rotate, which helps with tube placement. The silver clamps and black fittings look good together, matching the white tubes. Three flat cables come out of the main housing, keeping things neat.

Underneath the pump is a copper water block with a microchannel design for better cooling. The contact surface measures 56 by 56 millimeters. There’s a protective cover on the copper base that needs to be removed before installation. The block connects via a USB 2.0 cable for the display, a 3-pin DC cable to power the pump, and a 3-pin 5V connector for the ARGB lighting. All these cables are standard and easy to set up in most systems.

Fans (Pre-Installed)

The Ocypus Iota F12 fans that come with the L36 cooler have a simple, no-RGB design. The white version uses white fans with seven blades each, and there’s a silver cover in the center that adds a bit of style. It’s not clear if the fan frames are metal-reinforced or if that’s just a sticker, but they feel solid. The frame is square with slightly sloped edges, and there are anti-vibration pads on the corners where you mount the fans, which should help keep noise down.

These fans use fluid dynamic bearings, which generally last longer and run quieter than basic sleeve bearings. Each fan runs on 12 volts and draws 0.2 amps, and they connect with a 4-pin PWM cable, so fan speed can be controlled by the motherboard. On the back, there’s a four-arm structure designed to help direct airflow better, though there are no arrows on the frame to show which way the air moves. Overall, the fans are well-built and designed with practical features rather than flashy looks.

Installation

Installing the Ocypus Iota L36 is a simple and straightforward process. With the fans pre-installed on the radiator, you’re already a step ahead. For our test system, we used an Intel Core i7-13700K on the MSI MPG Z790 CARBON MAX WIFI II motherboard. The Intel backplate aligns easily with the mounting holes, and the standoff screws thread in cleanly. The mounting brackets sit neatly on top, held down with thumb nuts that don’t require any tools. Everything fits without needing to force anything, which is always a good sign.

Once the brackets are secured, the rest of the setup is quick. After removing the protective film from the cold plate and applying thermal paste, the CPU block drops right into place. The spring-loaded screws tighten down with just a screwdriver and give an even mount without much pressure. Mounting the radiator to the top of the case was easy, and the tubing length worked well with typical mid-tower layouts. Routing cables took only a few minutes, and the connectors are clearly labeled. After installing the software from Ocypus’ website, everything was up and running. Overall, the process is quick and doesn’t require much tweaking, even for a first-time builder.

Software & ARGB Lighting

The software is very basic and doesn’t come with a separate user interface. Instead, it runs in the background and can be accessed through the system tray on the Taskbar. From there, you can switch between Celsius and Fahrenheit, choose whether to show CPU or GPU temperature, and turn the display on or off. It works as intended, but there’s nothing extra here—no advanced controls, no extra monitoring tools. It’s a simple utility that gets the job done without adding any complexity.

The cooler uses standard A-RGB connectors, so it works with the lighting control software from most motherboard brands. I tested it with an MSI MPG Z790 CARBON WIFI II, and it synced with Mystic Light without any issues. The lighting on the pump block looks clean, with smooth color transitions and no flickering. It’s not overly bright, but it adds just enough glow to highlight the digital display. The screen shows either CPU or GPU temperature, depending on what you select in the software. It’s not fancy, but it’s practical and easy to read.

Testing & Performance

For testing the Ocypus Iota L36 WH AIO liquid cooler, we paired it with Intel’s Core i7-13700K and the MSI MPG Z790 CARBON MAX WIFI II motherboard. The test environment maintained a steady ambient temperature of 28°C to simulate warmer real-world conditions. At idle, the CPU consistently held around 35°C, indicating that the cooler is well-optimized for managing heat even before any load is applied. This level of idle performance is a positive first impression, especially given the heat output characteristics of the Core i7-13700K.

Under a standard CPU-Z stress test, the processor drew approximately 195W, with core temperatures rising to 64°C. These results show that the Ocypus Iota L36 WH is capable of maintaining thermal stability under sustained multi-core workloads. The cooler handled the load without issue, and the temperature remained within safe operating limits throughout the duration of the test, with no signs of throttling or instability.

To evaluate thermal performance under maximum load, we ran an AIDA64 single FPU stress test, which pushed the CPU power draw up to 240W. During this scenario, the core temperature peaked at 72°C. While this is approaching the thermal threshold for the I7-13700K, it’s important to note that this is a highly demanding scenario. The cooler managed to maintain stable operation without thermal throttling, showing that it can keep up with the demands of intensive workloads such as high-resolution video rendering or extended gaming sessions.

Acoustic performance was also within expectations for a 360mm AIO unit. At full load, the system recorded a noise level of 40.1 dB(A). While audible, the noise was controlled and not disruptive. Overall, the Ocypus Iota L36 WH delivers reliable cooling with consistent performance across different loads, while maintaining reasonable acoustic levels. It’s a well-rounded thermal solution for users running high-performance CPUs who also value system stability and noise control.

Conclusion

The OCYPUS Iota L36 WH makes a strong case for itself as a capable and thoughtfully designed 360mm AIO liquid cooler. Thermal performance is solid across various workloads, keeping the Intel Core i7-13700K well within safe operating temperatures, even under extended high-power stress tests. The cooler delivers consistent results without thermal throttling, which speaks well to its efficiency and heat dissipation capability. For a relatively new brand, Ocypus has managed to dial in the essentials of what a performance-oriented liquid cooler should deliver.

Build quality and design are also commendable. The radiator, fans, and tubing all feel durable and well put together, and the all-white aesthetic offers a clean, understated look that will suit a range of system builds. The digital display on the pump block is a nice functional touch, offering at-a-glance system temperature monitoring. While the fixed screen orientation does limit flexibility in mounting, the overall installation experience is smooth, and the cable layout is easy to manage.

In day-to-day use, the Iota L36 WH strikes a good balance between performance and acoustics. The noise levels remain reasonable even under full load, and the standard ARGB compatibility makes integration with motherboard lighting ecosystems hassle-free. While it doesn’t introduce any groundbreaking features, Ocypus has delivered a dependable, well-built AIO that competes comfortably with more established names in the market. For builders looking for clean styling and reliable cooling, the Iota L36 WH is a well-rounded option that’s easy to recommend.