The best CPU coolers can be as fun and sexy as the Nvidia RTX 3000 series GPUs and the rest of those PC components. But, even if you’re getting something plainer and devoid RGB lighting, it’s still important not to scrimp and just get whatever’s cheapest. Those best graphics card, best processor and best motherboard you’ve just spent a lot of money on need to stay in excellent condition, and therefore need an equally excellent cooler to keep them that way.
In fact, the best CPU coolers are just as important. Whether it’s your first time building a PC or you’re looking to upgrade the specs in your existing one, be sure to allocate some of your budget to getting one to keep those internals nice and cool, and working optimally. After all, no one wants to see their gaming PC to throttle when performing demanding tasks or worse, catch fire because they got too hot.
No matter if you have one of the best computers or just a budget one, the best PC cooler is one of the best PC investments you’ll ever make. Let us help you find the perfect one. With our price comparison too, we might even help you find the best price for it.
The Noctua NH-D15 is one of the best CPU coolers you can buy simply because it performs just as well as – if not better – than some liquid coolers while costing a fraction of the price. You might not be too familiar with Noctua’s name, as they’re relatively small in the CPU cooler world, but its business revolves around designing coolers, so you know that when you buy one of their products, you’re getting a product by people who really know their craft. On top of delivering a fantastic cooling performance, the NH-D15 is nearly silent as well.
Cooler Master’s Hyper 212 CPU RGB cooler is back with a vengeance, and sporting a sleek gun-metal black brushed aluminum finish to boot. It’s not only jet black look that’s upping this CPU cooler’s cool factor – though it does help what with that aluminum top cover and nickel-plated jet black fins to complete the look. It’s also easily one of the best CPU coolers on the market with its stacked fin array that ensures the least airflow resistance, four heat pipes that boast Direct Contact Technology to better battle the heat, and a wide speed range for fine-tuning cooling performance and silent operation.
Noctua is an Austrian manufacturer that does one thing, and one thing only: make the best CPU coolers and fans. What this means is that even though the Noctua NH-L9 is tiny, it is still more than capable of insane cooling with no compromises. This is a fantastic cooler for anyone with a smaller build, or even if you’re using a ton of large components, and you’re not comfortable with liquid cooling.
Corsair has enjoyed a position at the top of the liquid cooling game for a while now, and the H100i Pro continues the trend. Not only is this thing obviously strapped in RGB lighting, but it also boasts impressive cooling performance, thanks to Corsair’s unique and powerful fans, which you can control through the iCue software. All these combined, and you’ve got among the few best CPU coolers that not only performs well, but that is also completely customizable.
With the Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML240P Mirage in your gaming rig, you won’t only end up playing for hours on end without worrying about thermal throttling or overheating. You might just an hour or so admiring your CPU, especially if you have one of those glass-window cases, as this CPU cooler is indeed hypnotically pretty. It’s mostly thanks to its transparent pump design that lets you see the impeller spinning while bathed in different RGB lighting, like a colorful spinning wheel at a funhouse. Performance-wise, it definitely deserves a spot in our best CPU coolers list, with its PPS+ glass fiber housing and nozzle that provides temperature and liquid resistance, EPDM rubber O-Ring that helps eliminate liquid emission, and a low-resistance radiator that increases flow rate, heat exchange efficiency and cooling performance.
If you’re running one of the best processors, and you want to push it to the limit, you’ll need one of the best CPU coolers for overclocking, like the NZXT Kraken X72. Not only does it pack a gigantic radiator, but its high fan speeds ensure that cooling performance is top-notch all the time. It also features addressable RGB and an infinite mirror design that looks amazing in any case. To top it all off, the NZXT Kraken X72 is backed by a 6-year warranty.
There isn’t a single component that can’t be improved through RGB, and Cooler Master is well aware – jumping on the RGB bandwagon with the MasterLIquid ML 120R RGB. What’s more, it integrates some of the first addressable LEDs seen on a liquid cooler. This all-in-one liquid cooling solution isn’t just about aesthetics – it features an oxidation-free pump and an efficient radiator. This means that not only will it last longer – but it’ll keep your CPU cooler, and all without giving up too much case real estate, which is why it’s made our best CPU coolers list.
For less than 70 big ones, the Arctic Liquid Freezer 120 is a deal you can’t pass up if you’re on the prowl for a liquid cooler that won’t break the bank. While it lacks the bells and whistles of pricier, more extravagant liquid coolers, like the NZXT Kraken, the Arctic Liquid cooler is enough to get you by, not to mention it’s still a massive step up from the classic fan and heatsink pairing. So, while you can’t expect RGB lighting or software – or even hardware-based fan control, the 120mm variant of the Arctic Liquid Freezer makes our best CPU coolers list as it will keep your system refrigerated at a (mostly) quiet volume.
Even if your budget will allow you to really go all-out on a serious liquid cooling solution, if you have a smaller PC case, you’ll likely not have enough space. That’s where something like the Corsair Hydro H5 SF comes into play. Even on the smallest PC cases, you’re able to use this CPU cooler to keep your CPU chilled, even if you have some beastly overclocks happening. Plus, because it’s a closed-loop, you don’t even need to worry about maintenance. Set it up, and let it do its thing – you won’t be disappointed.
Rounding out our best CPU coolers list is the NoFan CR-95C. You’ve probably never heard of NoFan – unless you’re already neck-deep into the rabbit hole that is silent PC assembly. The South Korean component company specializes in helping enthusiasts reach that 0dBA silent sweet spot. Doing so, of course, will severely limit your set-up in terms of power, with its CR-95C fanless solution being limited in compatibility to processors whose TDP falls below 95W. Still, the NoFan CR-95C is worth a shot if you want to build a low-power computer that completely blends into the background.
