MSI MPG CoreLiquid P13 360 Review

Final Score: 90 out 100

In a marketplace filled to overflowing with just minor variations on the Asetek standard blueprint the MSI MPG CORELIQUID P13 360 is a cool drink of water on a hot summer’s day. Which should come as little surprise, as MSI is one of the few ‘All In One’ cooling solution manufacturers who actually… you know… design their own kit. Yes. Instead of opting for a slightly tweaked ODM blueprint from Asetek/Alpatek/CM/etc., MSI took the time to actually research what professional system builders, amateur enthusiasts, and even novice system builders actually want, need, and desire in an AIO. Then they set about giving precisely that to them… by designing it themselves. The end result is an AIO series which can do more than just merely hold its own against the competition… rather, it will help lead the entire industry into a new and exciting direction. A direction where focusing on a clean design with polished functionality, rather than flashy gimmicks, is what will become the new de facto standard for excellence.

So for buyers who prioritize a premium/professional look, ease of installation, and/or quiet operation, you will appreciate the overall experience the CoreLiquid P13 360 has to offer. Equally impressive, for builders who want a cooling solution that integrates seamlessly with modern cases and offers customization options without headaches, it is equally a strong contender that can go toe to toe with the very best and walk away with a split decision more often than one would think. So if you do not care about the nitty-gritty details… rest assured that buying a CoreLiquid P13 AIO is a good use of your budget’s limited monetary resources.

For those interested in more than just a surface-level analysis, this departure from the previous ‘good enough is good enough’ design philosophy means an AIO that will net you many tangible benefits. First is an insanely ‘clean’ final build. A clean final build that is not only theoretically achievable by experienced professionals but also easily achievable by first-timers. So easy that the days of AIO manufacturers being able to get away with simply hiding the power and control wires for the fan (and block) underneath the main tube’s sheathing is no longer “good enough”. Instead, other companies are going to have to follow MSI’s lead and take the time to hide all the mounting hardware underneath a clean-looking fascia. Until the competition catches up on this highly innovative addition, the CoreLiquid P13 is the cleanest looking premium AIO you can buy ‘off the shelf’. So if a premium-looking build, or conversely an understated aesthetic, is your top priority the MSI MPG CORELIQUID P13 360 is in an entirely different league compared to the rest of the marketplace.

Equally impressive is this new hardware is also just as easy to work with as it is pretty. The combination of innovative (and factory-installed) “Uni bracket” with a standard thickness rad, that is fully populated at the factory, means that (by 360mm standards) MSI’s new P13 360 AIO is right up there with the best of the best of the best in the ease of installation department. Furthermore, since the CoreLiquid P13 does not suffer from many compatibility issues with its new fancy block it is not only eons better than the ALF 3 it is arguably (almost) as easy to work with as many 280mm class Asetek ODM’ed AIOs. Making this the first in recent memory where ‘universal’ hardware can be considered a net positive… instead of the usual ‘meh’ to net ‘negative’ that “universal” usually translates into in the real world.

For those interested in a ‘standout’ / ‘look at me’ type premium build, the MSI MPG CORELIQUID P13 360 is once again a Rockstar in a room full of cover bands. Rocking a fully protected 2.1-inch IPS based LCD screen that actually has a good resolution (no more 8bit looking “art” on this screen)… makes full customization a breeze. Especially when backstopped by ARGB fans that you will not be in a hurry to replace.

For those who prioritize performance and just consider aesthetics a nice bonus, the new CoreLiquid P13 series has one of the more advanced blocks going. Yes. It offers performance for days compared to most AIO blocks. So much so that if MSI opted to scale back in the ease of use department a smidgen and bestowed upon a “P13 Plus” series a rad as thick as what Arctic uses… well, Arctic would be in serious trouble in trying to sell to the ‘performance is all that matters’ crowd.

Now with all that said, the MSI MPG CORELIQUID P13 series, in general, and the 360mm variant in specific, is not perfect. Close. But not perfect. Firstly, is the lack of “older” Intel socket compatibility. By removing the smaller LGA115x compatibility, MSI was indeed able to make the block’s base coverage bigger, but LGA1700 only came out in late 2021. Meaning there are a lot of potential system upgrade buyers who are being left out in the cold. Mix in a lack of VRM heatsink cooling baked into said block, and the end result is a darn excellent AIO… but one where there is still room for improvement.

As such, it may not be ‘perfect’, but it is one of the few non-ALF III AIOs we would wholeheartedly recommend to novice and experienced system builders alike. In fact, we can see many scenarios where we would recommend it over the ALF III… especially for Intel system builds and/or builds where an overly thick rad will not fit. As such, what was once a marketplace where it was (basically) Asetek vs. Arctic, it will now come down to a case-by-case basis on what is best for meeting the needs of a given build. Needless to say, this change from a two-way battle royale into a three-way battle for supremacy is a major milestone for MSI and the general buying public.

So if you can live with a few minor imperfections, then the MSI MPG CORELIQUID P13 360 demands to be on your short, short list for serious consideration. Now, if only they would make a 420mm version, and fellow Core Ultra 9 and Ryzen 9 owners would be truly happy with this new high-end AIO series.