PC parts / CPU coolers
NZXTCPU cooler
Kraken Plus 280
Released May 2025.2Maker product pagenzxt.com/products/kraken-plus-280.jsonRead 15 October 2026The maker's store feed shows the product page published on 2025-05-13 and created on 2025-05-07. It lists the black variant RL-KN280-B2 at 159.99. Last checked 15 October 2026.
- Cooler type
- AIO liquid
- Fans
- 2
- Rated TDP
- Not available
- CPU sockets
- AM5, AM4, LGA1851, LGA1700, LGA1200, LGA1156, LGA1155, LGA1151, LGA1150
31 of 54 fields known.
General
- Model numbers
- RL-KN280-B21Maker product pagenzxt.com/products/kraken-plus-280Read 15 October 2026Product info: RL-KN280-B2 (Black).
- GTIN / EAN
- 5056547205205, 8100748452981Maker product pagenzxt.com/products/kraken-plus-280Read 15 October 2026Product info: UPC 810074845298 (Black), EAN 5056547205205 (Black).
- Announced
- Not available
- Status
- Available1Maker product pagenzxt.com/products/kraken-plus-280Read 15 October 2026On sale on nzxt.com at $159.99 on the access date.5Press articlehardcoregamer.com/nzxt-launches-four-new-pc-componentsRead 15 October 2026The article says the components are available now. nzxt.com still lists the 280 at the same price.
- Predecessor
- Not available
- Successor
- Not available
- Launch price (US)
- $159.991Maker product pagenzxt.com/products/kraken-plus-280Read 15 October 2026The page price is $159.99. The same price is in the May 2025 launch article. US prices exclude tax.5Press articlehardcoregamer.com/nzxt-launches-four-new-pc-componentsRead 15 October 2026Kraken Plus 280 $159.99. US prices exclude tax.
- Markets
- US, EU5Press articlehardcoregamer.com/nzxt-launches-four-new-pc-componentsRead 15 October 2026USD pricing for the US.6Press articlegeektopia.es/es/technology/2025/05/21/noticias/nzxt-anuncia-la-serie-kraken-plus-de-refrigeraciones-liquidas.htmlRead 15 October 2026EUR pricing next to the USD pricing of the US launch.
- Cooler type
- AIO liquid1Maker product pagenzxt.com/products/kraken-plus-280Read 15 October 2026
- Air cooler layout
- Not available
- Rated TDP (claimed)
- Not available
- Base material
- Copper1Maker product pagenzxt.com/products/kraken-plus-280Read 15 October 2026Tech specs: cold plate material copper, a 56 x 56 mm split-flow plate.
- Thermal paste
- Pre-applied1Maker product pagenzxt.com/products/kraken-plus-280Read 15 October 2026Overview: pre-applied thermal paste.9Reviewginjfo.com/dossiers/tests-materiel/composants/refroidissement/watercooling-aio/test-kraken-plus-280-de-nzxt-20260916Read 15 October 2026Thermal paste is pre-applied on the copper base.
Compatibility
- CPU sockets
- AM5, AM4, LGA1851, LGA1700, LGA1200, LGA1156, LGA1155, LGA1151, LGA11501Maker product pagenzxt.com/products/kraken-plus-280Read 15 October 2026Tech specs: Intel LGA 1851, 1700, 1200 and 115X, AMD AM5 and AM4. 115X is stored as LGA1150, LGA1151, LGA1155 and LGA1156 by the plan rule. The FAQ says mounting hardware for all of them is in the box.3Owner's manualcdn-g.nzxt.com/dl/Kraken%20Plus_Manual_240919_V2-WEB.pdfRead 15 October 2026Component list: Intel 1851/1700 and 1200/115X standoffs, AMD AM5/AM4 retention bracket and standoffs.
- RAM height clearance
- Not available
- Offset mounting
- Not available
Heatsink
We could not find any of these 3 fields. Show them
- Heat pipes
- Not available
- Heat pipe diameter
- Not available
- Direct-contact heat pipes
- Not available
Liquid cooling
- Radiator size
- 280mm1Maker product pagenzxt.com/products/kraken-plus-280Read 15 October 2026Cooler type: liquid AIO, 280 mm radiator, with two 140 mm fans.
- Radiator dimensions
- Length321Width140Thickness27mm(12.6 × 5.5 × 1.1 in)1Maker product pagenzxt.com/products/kraken-plus-280Read 15 October 2026Tech specs: radiator 321 x 140 x 27 mm (12.6 x 5.5 x 1.1 in), aluminum. Length runs along the two fans, so 321 is the length, 140 the width and 27 the thickness. The FAQ adds 25 mm of fan thickness.7Reviewhardwareand.co/dossiers/refroidissement/nzxt-sort-ses-kraken-plus-le-280-est-en-test-sur-h-coRead 15 October 2026Aluminium radiator of 321 mm length, 140 mm width and 27 mm thickness.
- Radiator material
- Aluminium1Maker product pagenzxt.com/products/kraken-plus-280Read 15 October 2026
- Tube length
- 400mm1Maker product pagenzxt.com/products/kraken-plus-280Read 15 October 2026Tech specs: tubing length 400 mm, CIIR rubber with nylon braided sleeve. Both tubes are given one length.7Reviewhardwareand.co/dossiers/refroidissement/nzxt-sort-ses-kraken-plus-le-280-est-en-test-sur-h-coRead 15 October 2026Review text: 400 mm of sheathed tubes.
- Max pump speed
- 2,800rpm1Maker product pagenzxt.com/products/kraken-plus-280Read 15 October 2026NZXT Turbine pump, motor speed 1,200 - 2,800 +/-300 RPM, 12 V DC 0.3 A. The rated top of 2,800 is stored.4Maker product pagenzxt.com/blogs/news/nzxt-kraken-aio-coolers-explained-elite-plus-and-coreRead 15 October 2026Kraken Plus pump 1,200 to 2,800 RPM, adjustable.7Reviewhardwareand.co/dossiers/refroidissement/nzxt-sort-ses-kraken-plus-le-280-est-en-test-sur-h-coRead 15 October 2026NZXT Turbine pump running between 1200 and 2800 rpm.9Reviewginjfo.com/dossiers/tests-materiel/composants/refroidissement/watercooling-aio/test-kraken-plus-280-de-nzxt-20260916Read 15 October 2026The pump speed is adjustable from 1200 to 2800 rpm.
- Pump power connector
- SATA power3Owner's manualcdn-g.nzxt.com/dl/Kraken%20Plus_Manual_240919_V2-WEB.pdfRead 15 October 2026Hardware introduction lists the breakout cable set with an 18-pin connector, a 3-pin pump connector, an 8-pin female connector, a pump SATA power connector and a USB connector. Powering the pump: the pump SATA power connector goes to a PSU SATA power connector, and the 3-pin pump connector goes to the CPU_FAN or AIO_PUMP header. A note says the fan-fail warning may need disabling if CPU_FAN is unused, so the 3-pin plug carries the pump speed signal. GinjFo also says a SATA connector is needed for power. The pump is powered through SATA, so sata_power is the closest option.9Reviewginjfo.com/dossiers/tests-materiel/composants/refroidissement/watercooling-aio/test-kraken-plus-280-de-nzxt-20260916Read 15 October 2026A SATA connector is needed for power and a USB 2.0 header for CAM.
- VRM fan
- Not available
Fans
- Included fans
Model Size (mm) Fans Min speed (rpm) Max speed (rpm) Airflow (CFM) Static pressure (mmH₂O) Noise (claimed) (dB(A)) Bearing Connector F140P Static Pressure Fan 140 2 500 1,700 93.2 4.45 30 Fluid dynamic (FDB) 4-pin PWM Source1Maker product pagenzxt.com/products/kraken-plus-280Read 15 October 2026Included fan specs for the F140P Static Pressure Fan: 2 individual fans, 140 x 140 x 25 mm, 500 - 1,700 +/-170 RPM, 93.2 CFM, 4.45 mmH2O, 30.0 dBA, fluid dynamic bearing, 4-pin PWM, 0.23 A at 12 V. The FAQ says each fan is rated 30.00 dBA at full speed. Zero RPM Mode stops the fans at low loads.3Owner's manualcdn-g.nzxt.com/dl/Kraken%20Plus_Manual_240919_V2-WEB.pdfRead 15 October 2026The F Series static pressure fan has a 4-pin PWM fan cable. The fan splitter cable has an 8-pin male plug for the breakout cable and 4-pin PWM headers for the fans.7Reviewhardwareand.co/dossiers/refroidissement/nzxt-sort-ses-kraken-plus-le-280-est-en-test-sur-h-coRead 15 October 2026Two F140P fans running between 500 and 1700 rpm, 158.3 m3/h (93.2 CFM) and 4.45 mmH2O.- Fans
- 2
Display and lighting
- RGB lighting
- No1Maker product pagenzxt.com/products/kraken-plus-280Read 15 October 2026The F140P fan spec lists LED quantity 0. The overview sentence about RGB fans is shared text from the RGB models and is not followed.4Maker product pagenzxt.com/blogs/news/nzxt-kraken-aio-coolers-explained-elite-plus-and-coreRead 15 October 2026Lineup table: RGB on the fans only for Kraken Plus RGB. The non-RGB 240, 280 and 360 have no RGB fans.
- Lighting standard
- Not available
- Built-in screen
- LCD1Maker product pagenzxt.com/products/kraken-plus-280Read 15 October 2026Display: transmissive TFT, 262K colours, 30 Hz, 300 cd/m2, software-adjustable orientation.4Maker product pagenzxt.com/blogs/news/nzxt-kraken-aio-coolers-explained-elite-plus-and-coreRead 15 October 2026Kraken Plus has a square 1.54-inch TFT LCD, 240 x 240, 30 Hz.
- Screen size
- 1.54in(3.9 cm)1Maker product pagenzxt.com/products/kraken-plus-280Read 15 October 2026Diagonal 39.1 mm (1.5 in) in the spec table. The overview and FAQ say 1.54 inch, and 39.1 mm is 1.54 in.
- Screen resolution
- 240 × 240px1Maker product pagenzxt.com/products/kraken-plus-280Read 15 October 2026240 x 240 px.
- Needs a USB header
- Yes3Owner's manualcdn-g.nzxt.com/dl/Kraken%20Plus_Manual_240919_V2-WEB.pdfRead 15 October 2026Powering the pump and fans: connect the USB connector to an available USB 2.0 internal header on the motherboard.9Reviewginjfo.com/dossiers/tests-materiel/composants/refroidissement/watercooling-aio/test-kraken-plus-280-de-nzxt-20260916Read 15 October 2026A USB 2.0 motherboard header is needed for customisation through CAM.
Measured
- Cybenetics THETA, AMD AM5
- Not available
- Cybenetics THETA, Intel LGA1851
- Not available
- Overall performance at 30 dB(A), AM5 (measured)
- Not available
- Overall performance at 30 dB(A), LGA1851 (measured)
- Not available
- Noise at 100% fan setting (Cybenetics)
- Not available
- Thermal tests (measured)
Test CPU Load CPU power (W) Fan setting Noise (dB(A)) CPU temperature (°C) Above ambient (°C) Intel Core i7-14700K OCCT 12.1.18 CPU-only, 30 min pass, max temperature of the pass, CPU set to the 65 W profile, LGA1700 65 PWM 32 Not available 18.2 Intel Core i7-14700K OCCT 12.1.18 CPU-only, 30 min pass, max temperature of the pass, CPU set to the 65 W profile, LGA1700 65 100% 44 Not available 14.3 Intel Core i7-14700K OCCT 12.1.18 CPU-only, 30 min pass, max temperature of the pass, CPU set to the 65 W profile, LGA1700 65 50% 33.2 Not available 14.9 Intel Core i7-14700K OCCT 12.1.18 CPU-only, 30 min pass, max temperature of the pass, CPU set to the 181 W profile, LGA1700 181 PWM 35.3 Not available 37.1 Intel Core i7-14700K OCCT 12.1.18 CPU-only, 30 min pass, max temperature of the pass, CPU set to the 181 W profile, LGA1700 181 100% 44 Not available 35.7 Intel Core i7-14700K OCCT 12.1.18 CPU-only, 30 min pass, max temperature of the pass, CPU set to the 181 W profile, LGA1700 181 50% 33.2 Not available 37.9 Intel Core i7-14700K OCCT 12.1.18 CPU-only, 30 min pass, max temperature of the pass, CPU set to the 253 W profile, LGA1700 253 PWM 38.5 Not available 53.7 Intel Core i7-14700K OCCT 12.1.18 CPU-only, 30 min pass, max temperature of the pass, CPU set to the 253 W profile, LGA1700 253 100% 44 Not available 50.8 Intel Core i7-14700K OCCT 12.1.18 CPU-only, 30 min pass, max temperature of the pass, CPU set to the 253 W profile, LGA1700 253 50% 33.2 Not available 53.9 Intel Core i9-13900K Open bench, package power held at 330 W, cooler at full potential, temperature read with Intel XTU, the CPU throttled 330 100% Not available 100 Not available Intel Core i9-13900K Open bench, fans and pump raised in 10% steps to maximum, noise read with a sound meter 25 cm in front of the radiator Not available 100% 52.6 Not available Not available Source8Measurementhardwareand.co/dossiers/refroidissement/nzxt-sort-ses-kraken-plus-le-280-est-en-test-sur-h-coRead 15 October 2026Hardware & Co, review of 24 May 2025. Platform LGA1700 with a Core i7-14700K on an Asus TUF Z790-BTF Wifi, Corsair Vengeance 6200 MT/s, RTX 3070 at 0 rpm, Noctua NT-H2 paste, Windows 11, OCCT 12.1.18 CPU-only, Open Hardware Monitor 0.9.6 and Core Temp 1.18.1. The CPU was set to 65, 181 and 253 W. Each cooler ran in PWM mode, at 100% and at 50%. After a 30 minute pass the highest temperature of the pass is shown as Delta T, the difference to the ambient air. The ambient value, the case or open bench and the PWM curve are not stated. Fan speed and noise were logged during the three runs, with a sound meter 50 cm from the cooler. The noise unit is printed as dB and the weighting is not stated, so the values are stored as dB(A). The 100% and 50% noise figures are one value per setting in the chart, so they repeat in every power row. The text gives 38.5 dB for the 253 W PWM run and 44 dB at 100%.9Reviewginjfo.com/dossiers/tests-materiel/composants/refroidissement/watercooling-aio/test-kraken-plus-280-de-nzxt-20260916Read 15 October 2026GinjFo, review of 16 September 2026. Core i9-13900K on an ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero, open air, temperature from Intel XTU. Package power was held at set values up to 330 W with every cooler at full potential. The Kraken Plus 280 covers the CPU up to 280 W. At 330 W the CPU hit thermal throttling and the temperature reached 100 C. The chart values are not in the text. Noise was read with a sound meter 25 cm in front of the radiator while fans and pump rose in 10% steps. It ranges from 32.1 to 52.6 dBA, and passes 52 dBA at full speed. The pump alone at full speed is 39 dBA, which is not stored.
Dimensions and weight
We could not find any of these 4 fields. Show them
- Dimensions
- Not available
- Heatsink dimensions
- Not available
- Weight
- Not available
- Heatsink weight
- Not available
In the box
- In the box
- Kraken Plus 280 x1, Intel Backplate x1, Intel Retention Bracket (pre-installed) x1, Intel Socket 1851/1700 Standoff x4, Intel Socket 1200/115X Standoff x4, AMD AM5/AM4 Retention Bracket x1, AMD Socket AM5/AM4 Standoff x4, Thumbscrew x4, Long Screws (30mm UNC 6-32) x16, Short Screws (5mm UNC 6-32) x8, Washer x8, F Series Static Pressure Fan x2, Breakout Cable Set x1, Fan Splitter Cable x13Owner's manualcdn-g.nzxt.com/dl/Kraken%20Plus_Manual_240919_V2-WEB.pdfRead 15 October 2026Component list of the Kraken Plus 240 / 280 / 360 poster manual, with the 280 quantities: 16 long screws, 8 short screws, 8 washers and 2 fans. Names are copied as printed.
Links
- Product page
- nzxt.com/products/kraken-plus-2801Maker product pagenzxt.com/products/kraken-plus-280Read 15 October 2026
- Spec sheet
- Not available
- Manual
- cdn-g.nzxt.com/dl/Kraken%20Plus_Manual_240919_V2-WEB.pdf3Owner's manualcdn-g.nzxt.com/dl/Kraken%20Plus_Manual_240919_V2-WEB.pdfRead 15 October 2026Kraken Plus manual for the 240, 280 and 360, a two-page poster. The component list header reads Kraken Plus 240 / 280 / 360. The poster is drawings and small text (read with OCR).
- EPREL registration number
- Not available
Warranty
- Manufacturer warranty (source market)
- 6years1Maker product pagenzxt.com/products/kraken-plus-280Read 15 October 2026Product info: warranty 6 years. The page names no market.
Compare with
Pick a CPU cooler to see both side by side. Differences are marked yellow.
Sources
We read 9 sources for this CPU cooler. The numbers match the markers in the sheet.
- Maker product pagenzxt.com/products/kraken-plus-280
- Maker product pagenzxt.com/products/kraken-plus-280.json
- Owner's manualcdn-g.nzxt.com/dl/Kraken%20Plus_Manual_240919_V2-WEB.pdf
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