Cpu cooling reviews: Best CPU Coolers 2022: Air and Liquid Cooling Picks

CORSAIR Hydro X Series XD3 Pump/Reservoir Combo

   CORSAIR adds to their Hydro X series of custom watercooling products with their second pump/reservoir combo. The all-new Hydro XD3 uses a Xylem DDC and a lower profile form factor to complement the taller Hydro XD5 that used the Xylem D5, and adds more RGB while sticking with the same excellent installation options.

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Deepcool Gamer Storm Assassin III

   Deepcool has delivered a monster with the Gamer Storm Assassin III. This latest air cooler is comprised of two 140 mm fans and a massive dual-stack heatsink, leaving the ARGB lighting craze behind. Instead, Deepcool has focused on offering users maximum performance, which the cooler handily delivers.

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ID-Cooling SE 224 XT ARGB & SE 224 XT Basic

Air & Liquid Cooling Systems

When buying a CPU cooler there is more to consider than just ‘will it fit’. Below are a few key factors that you should go over and understand before making that final purchase.

Performance

All the CPU coolers on our list are proven to perform well in relation to their cost. A cooler’s only job is to keep temperatures low and give you, the consumer, more bang for your buck from your CPU.
So having a solid performing cooler can help you squeeze extra power from your CPU if you go down the overclocking route and it’s best to have it as cool as you possibly can.

Noise

CPU coolers are expected to be loud when running at max which is often the case if in a game for example. Air coolers generally produce more sound than liquid coolers but not always. Cooler manufacturers test the max noise levels so we can see what noise impact certain coolers will have on our system.

Reliability

It’s important to go with manufacturers that produce high-quality products and this is especially true when it comes to liquid cooling solutions.
There have been cases where the closed-loop ‘liquid’ coolers have leaked so we have tried to ensure quality suggestions!

Your Budget

Often any aftermarket cooling solution is better than the stock fan that comes with certain CPU’s. If you’re unsure how powerful your fan should be after reading everything here, then it’s best to go overboard as its safer than not cooling your CPU enough.
If you buy an extra powerful CPU cooler, then you might not need to upgrade it when you upgrade your CPU next. If money is tight then save your cash and go for a solid air cooling solution.

Consider The Amount Of Heat Your Computer Generates

Before you can determine what size cooler you need(and how much money you should budget) you first need to know how much heat your CPU generates.
Thankfully this is a lot easier than you’d think since you really just need to know the TDP.
This information is normally on the CPU box and should tell you everything you need to know.
If you don’t have the CPU box anymore, simply go online and type in the model number of your CPU and head straight to the specifications tab and look for the TDP.

What Size Cooler Should You Pick?

Now that you know your CPU model, it’s time to determine what sized cooler will best suit your needs.

If you have a low TDP CPU (around 40W to 70W), then a large cooler will not be necessary. You can go for a cheaper, small-to-medium-sized cooler and still keep those temps down. Anything over 75W will benefit from a larger CPU cooler as the large heatsinks help keep those temps even lower and they sometimes come with extra fans for improved airflow.

Mind the CPU Socket

Whether you use an air or liquid cooling solution, it must fit with the CPU socket.
Even though most coolers are produced to fit most CPU sockets by offering various brackets, some coolers still only work with specific sockets.
To determine the type of CPU socket that fits your CPU cooler, check your CPU or your motherboard specifications.

Should You Use Air Or Liquid?

Technically for out of the box processing power, the choice is down to preference as they will all provide adequate cooling. Often air coolers are cheaper but may not offer the same performance for cooling an overclocked CPU.
Regardless of what you pick both cooling types share some pros and cons. As a rule of thumb, low profile air fans can often be really quiet and can fit in smaller builds.

Clearance: Make Sure All Your Components Fit

One of the most common problems people face when buying a mid-to-high-end air cooler is the clearance(room once cooler is installed).
Sometimes the heatsinks can be really big and leave little to no space for your RAM and other hardware and sometimes the case its self. So make sure you check the clearance, which should be clearly indicated on the spec sheet of the CPU cooler.
You should also check your motherboard’s layout to ensure parts won’t be bumping into one another.If you have plenty of clearance, then you’re good to go. On the flip side, if you don’t have enough clearance, you’ll need to go with a liquid cooler since they take up less space but ensure your case has adequate room to mount it.

Consider the Position of the Fan and the Direction of the Air

Typically, a case will have four different locations for liquid coolers to be mounted. Depending on the case, you can normally install a cooler on the top ( you will see vents and screw holes). Sometimes this can be mounted on the front if your front panel comes off your case. In extreme cases, where space is tight, a smaller liquid cooler can replace the exhaust fan at the back of the PC.

When positioning the fans on the air or liquid cooler make sure you know which way the air is going to blow. Some manufacturers have arrows etched onto the fans to show you the direction and you ideally want this air to be flowing out of the case so position accordingly.

How Much Do Aesthetics Matter?

It goes without saying that liquid coolers look nicer than most air coolers.

Despite liquid coolers looking ‘cooler’, it doesn’t mean that it is more effective. There are of course a handful of air coolers that cool better than liquid coolers so don’t just go for the dearest.
Just keep in mind that liquid coolers are usually the go-to option when overclocking as they cool better than air at higher temperatures.

Key Terms To Understand

Before we get stuck in, here are some basic terms to familiarise yourself with if you aren’t currently aware.

AIO (All-In-One)

This is in reference to a liquid cooler or a closed-loop cooler. This means the pump, pipes, liquid, and reservoir all come together as one single unit. All you have to do is install it and you’re good to go. It’s known as an ‘All-In-One’ as you can get fully customized liquid cooling which requires a lot more know-how and skill to install

TDP (Thermal Design Power)

Also called Thermal Design Point. This is a specification measured in watts. It tells us the maximum amount of heat that component will produce which in this case is a CPU.

RPM (Revolutions Per Minute)

Revolutions per minute or RPM is the number of revolutions a CPU fan makes in a minute. More RPMs means more airflow, but this can raise noise levels.

PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

Pulse-width modulation is a modulation process or technique that performs a predefined action based on either temperature (of the CPU) or system commands.
It simply means a PWM fan lets you control the rotational speed or RPM and lighting (if it’s RGB) wirelessly or via a 3rd party software.

dbA (A-weighted decibels)

This directly expresses the relative loudness of sounds in the air as it is perceived by the human ear. A-weighted system decibels means sounds at low frequencies are reduced compared with the unweighted decibels.
Here’s a table showing comparative examples of noise levels:

Noise levels

Cooling | Laboratory | Overclockers.

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An efficient AIO system arrived at the lab that supports all modern sockets and is capable of dissipating 280W of heat from an Intel Core i9-12900K processor.

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The new Deepcool definitely deserves attention: it not only does an excellent job of cooling the top processor, but also offers a number of interesting solutions.

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New Deepcool is a classic tower cooler with good performance, excellent workmanship and a nice price.

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The new version of EK-Quantum Velocity is a great example of adapting the device to the LGA 1700 platform, providing maximum compatibility.

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December 23, 2021

The Gamer Storm model is not only well balanced, but also does an excellent job of cooling the top Intel Core i9-12900K processor.

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MSI new product can cool Intel Core i9-12900K generation of Alder Lake, standing out from the competition with the design and useful technologies of the MEG CoreLiquid S series.

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The new ASUS is not just a cool and original system, but also a truly original product that stands out from other models with its features.

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September 18, 2021

We will explore a set of three fans with MagLev Bearing, which are suitable for absolutely any task due to the large speed range.

Alexander Anderson
August 20, 2021

The youngest model in the manufacturer’s line arrived at the laboratory for testing. Its representatives are equipped with a fan built into the pump and a 2.4-inch display.

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MSI’s new product may be a good choice for users looking for large, high-quality coolers with a 280mm radiator and their own chips.

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A premium product arrived at the laboratory for testing, which comes with a complete set and is very well made.

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July 24, 2021

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June 30, 2021

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June 19, 2021

The Arctic Freezer i13X CO came to the lab for testing — an entry-level model designed to assemble a quiet and compact system.

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May 28, 2021

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The Silent Loop 2 liquid cooling system is one of those evolutions where everything worked out well.

Reviews of cooling systems and coolers — 314 reviews and tests on i2HARD

This section will be cold because it is about air and liquid cooling systems. We choose the optimal cooling system for a gaming computer, study the specifics, characteristics and prices of modern coolers, test top-end cooling systems, and compile reviews of market novelties.

Review and testing of the EK-Quantum Surface radiator line

The new series of radiators for custom LSS from EK Water Blocks will please the user with its price-quality ratio.

Thermaltake Floe RC Ultra 360 liquid cooler overview

The Thermaltake Floe RC Ultra 360 liquid cooler is designed to efficiently cool your CPU and Thermaltake Toughram RC series RAM.

Review and test of CPU coolers Cooler Master MasterAir Stealth MA624 and MA612 ARGB

Two black CPU coolers from Cooler Master of the MasterAir series: MA612 Stealth ARGB and MA624 Stealth. Let’s check their capabilities in cooling LGA 1700 processors.

Review and test of the Deepcool LS720 liquid cooling system

Dropsy with high cooling efficiency and interesting performance.

Review of CPU cooler Cooler Master Masterair MA620M

CPU cooler Cooler Master Masterair MA620M stands out in style and colossal original design.

Sapphire Nitro+ S240-A Liquid Cooler Overview

The next generation Sapphire Nitro+ S240-A Liquid Cooling System is excellent and efficient.

Review and test of coolers Thermalright Assassin X 120 and Assassin X 120 Plus

Compact tower coolers from Thermalright with 120 mm fans and 4 heat pipes.

Thermaltake ToughLiquid Ultra 240 review and test

240mm cooler with bright IPS display that can display component monitoring data and animated images.

Review and test of CoolerMaster coolers: Hyper 212 EVO V2 and Hyper 212 RGB Black Edition

Available cooler models from CoolerMaster, now with Intel LGA1700 support.

Review and testing of DeepCool AK400 CPU cooler

Cooler with intel LGA1700 socket mount, narrow heatsink and quiet 120mm fan.

Review of Noctua NH-L9i-17xx and NH-L9i-17xx chromax.black CPU coolers

Updated Noctua NH-L9 series low profile coolersi-17xx for LGA1700 processors.

Review and test of cooler Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black

Legendary Noctua NH-U12A in black version and with Intel LGA1700 support.

Fractal Design Celsius+ S28 Prisma Liquid Cooler Overview

Fractal Design Celsius+ S28 Prisma Cooling System features signature slim design and high cooling performance.

Review and test of the cooling system PHANTEKS GLACIER ONE 280 MPH

PHANTEKS 280mm liquid cooling system with high performance and mesmerizing lighting.