EK XTX 360 Radiator Review

Techincal Specifications as listed by EK:

“Material:
– Copper fins
– 90% copper tube (H90)
– Brass chambers
– Steel housingDimensions (LxWxH): 400x130x64mm
Weight: Approx. 1496g
Liquid Capacity: Approx. 510 ml (17.25 fl oz)
FPI: 11
Fan installation: 12 x M3 threads on both sides each (for 3x120mm fan each)
Pressure tested: 1bar”

Dimensions Measured on the radiator tested (retail unit):

Note: the extra 3mm length is added for the fill port plug being fitted.

Radiator Core Dimensions:

The core is 3 tubes deep x 13 tubes wide. 13 tubes wide means they are split so that 6 tubes are in one pass of the U-Flow flow path and seven on the other. Hence you may notice that one of the port tanks is wider than the other.

Looking inside I noticed something else unusual. One of the tube layers is larger in depth than the other two and by a significant amount (though unable to measure).  This larger tube array is on the core face with the deeper shroud height (10mm side). Given the U-Flow design I don’t think that the tube arrangement makes a difference for performance in regards to fan installation (intake or exhaust), but in the thermal testing I ran the larger shroud side (deeper tube) as the fresh air inside.

The single louvered fins were spaced very evenly down the tube rows with measurements taken of 11 – 12 FPI – (Fins Per Inch). The core structure looks excellent and appears to have the right ingredients for some really good heat dissipation.

Finish and Features

I was pleased with the port options offered on the XTX360, having ports on both sides of the port end tanks offers alternate options for inlet/outlet fittings or fill/drain ports depending on the end user’s installation orientation.

The addition of another port on the return end tank offers opportunities to be utilized as a bleeding/fill port or drain port when mounted vertically depending on orientation.

NOTE: The bleed port is not intended for use as an inlet or outlet port.

The satin black finish had just a couple of grit spots under the paint. Nothing to complain about though, so overall a very good quality finish.

An EK logo is stamped into the side casing panels and the return end tank. Personally I prefer a smooth clean finish without such “branding”, but this is common among manufacturers and it is at least all black so it doesn’t attract too much attention.

There are no screw protection plates, however the fan mounting holes are not directly over the tubes, and so only minor fin damage would be the outcome for using an incorrect screw length.

The internal shrouds are very different in depth on each side, being 10mm and 5mm. An argument could be made for using deeper 10mm side for either air intake or exhaust. I’ll be using the 10mm side for intake to try to minimize the fan hub’s dead spot. The other argument being possible higher air pressure on the core from using the 5mm shroud as the air intake side.

Lastly…. On the box I can’t help but notice the last point:

“Ready for use, no need for internal flushing/cleaning”

I always clean out rads prior to use, and recommend that all users follow their preferred cleaning method prior to installation. During the pre-test clean of the XTX360, there was definitely particles that came out (as with virtually all radiators) with the hot water flush, shake and rinse method that I use. Who knows about water soluble flux that also was removed. This is a bold statement being made by EK, and unfortunately one which I believe is incorrect. It always is best practice to flush any radiator prior to use.

Let’s see how it performs…