If you’re a fan of Fractal Design’s cooler and are searching for an efficient one, we’ve got you covered. Today, we will focus on an all-in-one liquid cooler here in our Fractal Design Celsius+ S28 Prisma review.
Fractal Design is a popular brand for their Define series of chassis. Yet their Celsius collection of all-in-one coolers has also become well-known and reliable with their older designs. These perform exceptionally, combined with interesting and efficient features for use.
This company has gained a large following throughout the years. It’s due to their commitment to quality, efficiency, and elegant designs.
One of the best products they offer is the standard-sized, 280mm liquid cooler, the Celsius+ S28 Prisma. It provides RGB lighting, sleek & elegant looks, plus an integrated PCB that handles fan controls and RGB on its radiator.
The PCB helps limit cable clutter, giving it a cleaner and neater look with everything configured.
We like that this cooler is 280mm, which is different from most of the all-in-one coolers around. These coolers often feature a 240mm or 360mm radiator.
Fractal Design Celsius+ S28 Prisma Packaging
Let’s begin our Fractal Design Celsius+ S28 Prisma review by checking out the packaging of the cooler and its contents.
The Celsius+ S28 Prisma came in a colourful-looking box. It sports an image of the cooler displayed in front, giving you an idea of how it looks.
At the left portion of the box, there’s another image that details the dimensions of the radiator. You’ll even find a note on the fans, as well as on the sockets this cooler supports.
The box’s rear displays the cooler’s features like the auto-temperature controls and glass-topped pump that comes with an ARGB LED ring. On the right side, there aren’t any images or essential details. That also goes for the space at the top of the box.
When you look at the bottom of the package, you’ll see the list of features again. The difference is that it’s written in various languages for every customer purchasing the cooler.
Contents
Like other similar products in the market, the Celsius+ S28 Prisma is set on a sturdy cardboard tray. It’s generally an industry standard for these types of items today.
The Celsius+ S28 Prisma supports every possible socket around, including the TR4 socket from AMD. This is possible because of the included hardware that comes with the CPUs.
Note that extensions, adapter cables, and the like aren’t necessary due to the integrated PWM and ARGB hub. These are present to keep things neat and manageable.
Standard parts for mounting include x8 radiator screws, x8 radiator screw washers, and x8 fan screws. There are also x4 LGTA-115x mounting standoffs, x4 LGA-2011 mounting standoffs, x4 thumbscrews, an AMD mounting standoff, and AMD bracket.
Additionally, you’ll find a 5V ARGB cable, Intel backplate, a pre-filled liquid cooler, plus the user manual.
The next section of our Fractal Design Celsius+ S28 Prisma review is the cooler’s design and functionality.
Fractal Design Celsius+ S28 Prisma Review – Design and Functionality
The main attraction of the Celsius line is its simplicity & elegance, and the latest generation keeps this mantra. The company redesigned the hub at the radiator’s end and now comes with connectors. These are specifically for the fan’s ARGB and PWM cables.
The setup makes for a neat and clutter-free installation. Cables will be neatly concealed in the braided nylon sleeves wrapped along the 400mm rubber tubes.
This Celsius+ S28 Prisma can work with a single cable. It is the default 4-pin header that appears along the side of the pump. If you plan to synchronise the lighting with a motherboard, it will be possible. However, you’ll need to link the optional ARGB cable to the base of its pump.
The pump for the Celsius+ S28 Prisma isn’t as wide as before. Instead, it sports a tapered design that’s smaller along the top. It also features tempered glass to display its illuminated logo that’s encircled by an ARGB ring for added aesthetics.
For the coolant outlet and inlet, both utilise swivel fittings that are always good. It’s because these allow for better tubing placement within the chassis.
It’s good to note that the PWM/AUTO switch stays as a feature for the cooler. And like earlier designs, the Celsius+ S28 Prisma requires a slight twist to shift between the switches.
Also, the AUTO selection aims to limit pump noise while simultaneously maximising performance. With the PWM mode, it offers you complete control.
Fans
Fractal Design paired their Celsius S28+ Prisma with the Prisma collection of fans. So, two Prisma AL-14 PWM ARGB fans are present.
These fans feature a vast PWM range of 500 to 1,700, plus an airflow of 103.9 CFM.
Easy Installation
It’s one of the most user-friendly kits on the market when it comes to usage and installation.
It’s sleek, black design allows the cooler to match and blend with any PC easily. The cooler is also a great alternative to heat pipe coolers with its added features and benefits. Specifically, it’s fairly silent while providing a nice exterior.
We love its simplicity: one wire goes through the water block then to the board. With that, the fan only needs a fan header along the mobo too.
Its installation process is quick and straightforward. No special skills are necessary, and you only need about ten minutes or less to install.
The next part of our Fractal Design Celsius+ S28 Prisma review will focus on the cooler’s key features.
Key Features of the Fractal Design Celsius+ S28 Prisma
The Brilliance of Prisma
The Prisma ARGB PWM fans offer excellent airflow with outstanding lighting effects. It features finely designed fan blades, as well as an outer ring, to produce a fine uniform glow.
Enhanced fan geometry helps balance airflow with additional emphasis on static pressure. It also features the Trip Wire technology that decreases blade turbulence.
Also, D the LLS or Long Life Sleeve fan bearings offer silent operation with a lengthy lifespan.
Get the Right Balance
Fractal Design’s smart auto mode actively adjusts the pump and fan speed for better and quieter performance. Give the pump face a simple twist to quickly shift to the PWM mode for maximum user controls.
Colour Coordinated Cooling
Now, there are more options for managing colour effects of the Celsius+. This is due to current certifications that include Gigabyte Fusion, ASUS Aura, MSI Mystic Light, ASRock Polychrome, and Chroma support.
Everything Made Easy
The Celsius+ S28 Prisma can support a lot of the standard sockets for both AMD and Intel. Plus, the braided tube sleeves easily keep both ARGB wires and fan control cables.
Up next on our Fractal Design Celsius+ S28 Prisma review are the specifications of this cooler.
Specifications
Now, we’ll focus on the different specifications of the Celsius+ S28 Prisma in our Fractal Design Celsius+ S28 Prisma review.
Cooler Specifications
The Celsius+ S28 Prisma supports Intel sockets including LGA-1150, LGA-1155, LGA-1151, LGA-1156, LGA-2011, LGA-1366, and LGA-2066. For AMD sockets, these include AM2, AM3, AM2+, AM3+, FM1, FM2+, FM2, AM4, and TR4.
The base material used for the CPU block is copper while the entire unit is made from aluminium. For its pump, it has an RPM of 800-2,800, yet reaches 3,500 when in Thermal Protection mode.
Its radiator is 143 x 30 x 324mm, and the Celsius+ S28 Prisma includes a five-year warranty.
Fan Specifications
Fans used for the Celsius+ S28 Prisma is the Prisma AL14 PWM ARGB that measures 140 x 140 x 25mm.
The fan speed is 500-1,700 RPM (+ / – 10%). Its airflow is 103.9 CFM, while fan noise is at 34.1 dBA.
Hands on with the Fractal Design Celsius+ S28 Prisma
This section of our Fractal Design Celsius+ S28 Prisma review is where we get more hands-on with the cooler.
When we checked the cooler’s performance at stock speeds, the CPU we utilised was able to keep its low temperature. Basically, its performance at stock speed was excellent since the Celsius+ continued cooling whether the CPU throttled or not.
Overclocking the CPU displayed an increase in its idle temperatures slightly. During full load tests, the temperatures also increased slightly. The cooler was able to keep the CPU running nice and cool, even under stressful workloads.
For the noise, we can say that this is an entirely silent cooler. The cooler remained silent under standard conditions. Though of course, when you sit close to the pump, you’ll hear very minimal buzz coming from it. Yet in a closed case, it won’t be heard at all.
Overall, the Celsius+ S28 Prisma performed excellently and efficiently. It was able to keep the PC cool despite heavy loads, and it remained silent all-throughout, which is excellent.
Fractal Design Celsius+ S28 Prisma Review Summary
For its price, the Fractal Design Celsius+ S28 Prisma performs well compared to stand-alone kits. Its cooling performance is great and offers excellent silent operations.
For its build quality, we have no complaints. Its tubing keeps everything neat, and it’s also stylish with the ARGB lighting. Overall, this is a high-quality cooler that does its job, making it easy to recommend to everyone.
To conclude our Fractal Design Celsius+ S28 Prisma review, we highly recommend this product. If you want to purchase this cooler, check out the store locator for authorised sellers.
