Dumpster Diving Success: A Fortunate Find of Computer Hardware

While taking out the trash at my apartment complex, I stumbled upon an unexpected treasure: an Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360mm all-in-one (AIO) CPU cooler, along with an assortment of Arctic fans. This unexpected haul included four P14 Max fans, three P12 Max fans, an anti-GPU sag bracket, and surprisingly, a PS4 controller! It got me thinking—who discards such valuable equipment instead of donating it to a local charity just down the street?

After salvaging my intriguing find, I couldn’t help but wonder about the cooler’s backstory. It appeared to be just two to three months old, still under its generous six-year warranty. What could possibly have prompted someone to dispose of such a high-quality item? Concerned about the risk of a leaky AIO, I decided to perform a quick test. To my relief, everything powered on seamlessly: water began to flow, the VRM fan was operational, and all three 120mm fans spun perfectly without any leaks. It was evident that the cooler had been used, as there was thermal paste present.

This discovery left me scratching my head. Could it be that the previous owner simply lost track of what they were tossing during a spring cleaning marathon? Alternatively, perhaps there was a significant other involved, acting out of frustration by disposing of a beloved tech item. Or maybe this cooler came from a pre-built system, and the owner thought the trash bin was the best solution. After all, this is not a low-end cooler, and it was puzzling to see it in the garbage.

As I plan my next steps, I’m hoping Arctic will be willing to assist me in acquiring the AM5 mounting hardware, along with a splitter cable. Now comes the thrilling challenge of figuring out how to install this impressive cooler in my well-aged Cooler Master Storm Stryker case.

With the new Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro in mind, I also have to consider the potential performance boost compared to my current NH-U12A with my AMD 9800X3D processor. What sort of temperature improvements should I expect with this upgrade? The anticipation is building, and I’m excited to dive into this new endeavor!

If anyone has spare AM5 mounting brackets lying around, I’d greatly appreciate the help!