How should you keep your CPU cool? The more powerful your CPU is, the bigger and better cooler you'll need, but rest assured our guide will cover many great options at every size and price point.
The Best CPU Coolers - Early 2024
- Thread starter Amir Shoam
- Start date
Last couple weeks I build 7800x3d pc.
I chose the Deepcool assassin 4. Looks like a borg, but very silent.
I chose the Deepcool assassin 4. Looks like a borg, but very silent.
godrilla
Posts: 1,365 +893
Do you know if pairing the 7800X3D with an overkill cooler and applying a higher target temperature in the bios changes it's behavior/performance? I believe my bios options are 60, 70 and 80 degrees Celsius.
Update I have the Noctua D15 black Chroma.
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Gastec
Posts: 549 +285
On which motherboard?
Asrock x670 pro rs
I bought the Arctic Liquid Freezer II 240 for $80 in 2019 and it has performed flawlessly. Wish I'd gone for the 280 though.
I have a NH-D15, however many new coolers are close in performance and better designed. I am recommending you to check for some of them. GamerNexus was having some reviews lately talking about them.
As for AIO, just don't bother. Do you really need the 100 extra MHz or the additional noise for hosting a pump and 3 fans rad setups? No to mention the price and the space for barely a couple of degrees lower which absolutely change NOTHING?
As for AIO, just don't bother. Do you really need the 100 extra MHz or the additional noise for hosting a pump and 3 fans rad setups? No to mention the price and the space for barely a couple of degrees lower which absolutely change NOTHING?
godrilla
Posts: 1,365 +893
Plus the longevity of a good air cooler will far exceed any aio through multiple builds.
I remember putting a standard liquid cooling unit into a build for myself. The standard cooler that came with my CPU worked pretty well and was silent but I'd been reading about liquid cooling and just fancied trying it out. Now I have to listen to the water pump and louder fans constantly. Hey ho, you live and learn.
Sometimes I feel the cooler market sort of went unnecessarily enthusiast focused, in that it made people who really have no business caring about it, to think they need to care a lot about it. Like an average gamer, it bloody doesn't matter if their CPU runs 1 degree cooler on CoD or CS2 or they get a couple FPS improvement; certainly not worth spending hours researching over it, or buying a more expensive cooler. I am kinda glad Thermalright with their high performing but cheap coolers being recognized; because it fit the bill for build that the average gamer or content creator will need. Having said that, the progress over the years in decreasing noise, whether through better fan noise or better cooling and thus requiring lower RPM for the fans, is welcomed.
But lets face it, there are very few people who really need that extra gain in performance you get going from a fit for purpose cooler, to the best of the best cooler. While AIO definitely have a great use small form factor builds, but outside of that water cooling in generally for aesthetic reasons for probably 95% of users. Which is perfectly fine, PCs are part of the decoration these days, but just admit it is mostly for vanity reasons.
But lets face it, there are very few people who really need that extra gain in performance you get going from a fit for purpose cooler, to the best of the best cooler. While AIO definitely have a great use small form factor builds, but outside of that water cooling in generally for aesthetic reasons for probably 95% of users. Which is perfectly fine, PCs are part of the decoration these days, but just admit it is mostly for vanity reasons.
gamerk2
Posts: 971 +985
Another NH-D15 user; keeps Threadripper nice and cool (I *rarely* see any core hit 80C). I'm sure by now some smaller/more efficient options are out there, but it certainly does the job.
Atmajaya2020
Posts: 172 +108
AXP120 is one of the better options for DIY SFF..
but I prefer cryorig C7 because its a better deal than axp120..
but I prefer cryorig C7 because its a better deal than axp120..
MarcusNumb
Posts: 155 +300
I also use NH-D15 chromax black and even it's totally overkill for my 3600x, I know for sure that it's good enough for my next CPU, most probably a 5700x or a 5800x3d
Neutronman
Posts: 32 +45
I just replaced a faulty AIO with the Phantom Spirit. However, the stock fans are pretty much useless, so I purchased a pair of Arctic P12 Max fans which I run at a very quiet 2000 rpm. The results are much better than I anticipated.
The Max fans set me back $9 each and the cooler cost $33 on Amazon, so a pretty cheap cooling solution.
The Max fans set me back $9 each and the cooler cost $33 on Amazon, so a pretty cheap cooling solution.
AFAIK the target temps in the BIOS are more about noise than boost abilities. Basically the higher the temp you set the lower the fan speed is until you hit that temp. Any increase to boost from cooling would be more down to how quickly the cooler removes heat from the CPU. I have a Ryzen 7 5800X3D and when I use CPU-Z to bench I get 4.35GHz all core, 4.55Ghz single core, due to how well my cooler works. The system is pretty much silent the majority of the time.
sauri
Posts: 42 +21
Huh, it's the first time I don't see a Noctua's NH series ruling over the air category. My NH-D14 works 24/7 for nearly 10 years without any maintenance. For the first half of its life it helped a i7-5820K to run under 60'C while being overclocked 3.6->4.4Ghz and now it does the same for i7-10700K (3.8->4.5).
LetTheWookieWin
Posts: 157 +339
Using an arctic freezer II 360 on a 12700k here with a Lian Li Lancool III. After I customized my BIOS fan curves, I hear no pump or fan noise unless I run a major CPU load, and even then it’s not bad. I don’t recall seeing temps under heavy load exceed the 70’s C. When gaming, the radiator fans usually don’t kick in much, and the CPU is kept in mid 50-60s C in most cases.
If I hadn’t gone liquid this build, I would have gone with the NH-D15.
If I hadn’t gone liquid this build, I would have gone with the NH-D15.
backfrombreak
Posts: 9 +4
Spot on article as always TechSpot. ThermalRight Peerless series and Artic Cooler LF280 are still the best out there.
The Freezer II is a great cooler in all of its many options. I mounted a 360 up top. Couldn't fault it, and it's well priced.
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