In this article we will see the review of the Lian Li GA II LCD heat sink. Have its beautiful design, its high-level performance and its customization really convinced us? Let's find out!
In recent years, as the thermal demands of high-end CPUs have increased, cooler manufacturers have released upgraded liquid heatsinks to effectively dissipate more heat. This summer in particular has seen the launch of many impressive coolers from companies like Cooler Master, DeepCool, and more.
Today we'll be looking at 's latest 360mm AIO Lian Liil Galahad II LCD. The latter is equipped with the latest eighth generation Asetek pump, as well as fans optimized by Asetek for low noise levels. But will it all be enough to earn a place on our list of the best AIO coolers? We'll have to test it to tell for sure.
But first, here are the specs of the cooler, straight from Lian Li.
Technical Data Sheet | Lian Li GA II LCD review
- Model: GA2ALCD36B
- Pump model: Asteck 8th Gen Pump
- Pump Speed: 3600 RPM (Max.)
- Pump noise: 32.1 dBA
- Dimensione del waterblock: 72.15 × 73.05 × 61.98 mm
- Radiator size: 399.5 x 120 x 30mm
- Tube length: 385mm
- Fan size: 123 x 120 x 25mm
- Fan speed: 300~2450 RPM
- Display LCD: 2.88” IPS
- Risoluzione Display LCD: 480 × 480 pixels
- Display sharpness: 500 nits
- Socket compatibili: Intel: LGA 1700 / 1200 / 115x, AMD: AM5 / AM4
- Warranty: 6 years
Packaging | Review Lian Li GA II LCD
The Lian Li GA II LCD cooler comes inside a sturdy black patterned box, with a touch of blue on the edges, which shows off the hardware in action on the front. On the sides, texts show all the features of the heatsink.
Inside, a pressed cardboard shell protects the contents, while plastic bags surround the pump block, hoses and radiator.
The accessories they include the various cables for connecting the display and RBG lighting, fabric ties and mounting plates for the various motherboard sockets.
The Lian Li GA II LCD heatsink is equipped with a Built-in 2.88 inch IPS display with 480 x 480 resolution to display various system information, such as CPU and GPU temperature and load, and coolant temperature.
Additionally, users can also use the L-Connect 3 software to show images (jpg, png), GIFs, videos (mp4) and text within the display.
Assembly and installation | Lian Li GA II LCD review
For the AM4 socket, the existing motherboard backplate is reused, but the plastic brackets on the front are replaced by larger parts with integrated screws. The heatsink is then positioned and secured with four screws. The fans are all interconnectedtherefore only one cable needs to be connected to the power supply.
The installation was pretty simpleHowever the wiring presented some problems. In fact, the heatsink has separate cables for the LCD, fans and controller, and this may not be very functional for small cases.
Build the test and benchmark | Review Lian Li GA II LCD
For testing within this Lian Li GA II LCD review we used the following build:
Motherboard: MSI PRO B760M-P DDR4
CPU: Intel i5-13400F
Ram: 32 GB Corsair Vengeance 3600 Mhz
Video Card: Nvidia GTX 3080
We performed the tests with all the components in stock, therefore without any overclock or undervolt, with an ambient temperature of 22°.
To ensure the most complete idea, we chose to carry out the following tests idle, gaming, Cinebench R20 e Prime95.
The results that you can read through the graphs below show the average temperature value found in the indicated time band. To monitor these temperatures we relied on software HWiNFO64.
Idle
To carry out the idle test we started Windows 11, let it load and monitored the temperature for 10 minutes, in which the PC was completely unused. The final result is satisfactory.
Gaming
We carried out 2 sessions of approximately one hourplaying the new release Horizon Forbidden Westand testing the new update of Diablo 4 which introduced Raytracing. Both video games were set with the same QHD resolution (2560×1440)the settings at Ultra and the refresh rate at 144hz.
The heatsink did its job and kept the temperatures at bay.
Cinebench R20
One of the most intuitive and widespread synthetic benchmarks in the PC landscape. The result in this case too is excellent.
Prime95
Finally, last simulation using Prime95 (CPU stress, FPU stress and cache stress enabled and Maximum Heat). Results also valid in this test.
Price | Lian Li GA II LCD review
The Lian Li GA II LCD heatsink is available in white or black colorwith prices of $289.99 in the United States and around €200 in Italy.
Of course, we're talking about a steep price for a cooler, but keep in mind that a lot of the investment goes into those gorgeous RGB fans and, of course, the huge LCD display on the pump.
These are therefore optional components if the focus is on obtaining great cooling performance, but the overall design will please those looking for great aesthetics, and not just high quality components.
Conclusions
We loved this cooler, it's by far one of the nicest and most feature-rich we've ever seen. Many coolers have built-in displays, but we think the Lian Li GA II particularly stands out. In fact, the screen is much more colorful and bright, as well as larger than those of many other rivals.
The build quality is exceptionalwith a high-quality radiator, supported by angled and rotatable tubes.
However, its price, more than doubled compared to products of similar quality, is justified only by the presence of the LCD display. If you are looking for a product that has similar performance and a much less attractive design, then the Lian Li GA II LCD is not the product for you.
And you, what do you think of this heatsink? Do you believe that there is more than power? Let us know in the comments, and don't forget to follow us here on techgameworld.com!
An excellent heatsink, but..
Points in favor
- Performance of the highest level.
- Beautiful fan design and LCD display.
- Excellent customization.
Points against
- Software not (to date) perfect.
- You can get the same performance at a much lower price.