Best air cooler pc: Best CPU air coolers | PC Gamer

Best CPU air coolers | PC Gamer

(Image credit: Deepcool, Noctua)

The best CPU air cooler will let you push your processor to the max without opting for a pricey, awkward liquid cooling system. There’s a lot to be said about the efficiency, affordability, and minimum fuss of a great CPU air cooler, so we’ve put together a list of the best air coolers to help keep your processor running smoothly.

In a world where CPU and graphics thermals are inextricably linked to their performance, insufficient cooling can not only tank performance but also affect the stability of your entire gaming rig. The most common and simplest solution is air cooling, but if you want to be fancy an all-in-one liquid cooler might be a good option, and will deliver super low temps at lower decibels.

There’s plenty to consider when looking for the best CPU air cooler. Generally, the ‘bigger is better’ rule flies here, but double check it’ll actually fit inside your PC case before you make a purchase. As an overclocker rigs with some flashy RGB. There is also a case to be made for using an air cooler in compact builds. Not only will it potentially save some space, but it could create more airflow over surrounding components on the motherboard, as well as providing cooling to the processor itself.

Below I have picked out six of the best CPU air coolers from the dozens I tested for the past year or so. I made sure to pick coolers for almost every budget that will fit different cases. This way, you’re not from choosing a very expensive option to only a slightly less expensive option.

Best CPU air cooler

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(Image credit: DEEPCOOL)

1. Deepcool AS500 Plus

A fantastic all round cooler that won’t empty your wallet

Specifications

Socket support: Intel 1200, 1150, 1151, 1155, 2011, 2066, AMD AM4, AM3, AM2, FM2 & FM1 compatible

Fans: 2x 140mm PWM

Fan speeds: 500-1200RPM

Dimensions (L x W x H): 140 x 102 x 164mm

Noise level: Max 31. 5dB(A)

Today’s Best Deals

Reasons to buy

Great value

Low noise levels

Efficient cooling

Build Quality

Reasons to avoid

—

Not built for high-end overclocked CPUs

The Deepcool AS500 received worthy attention when it was released, but the AS500 Plus with its additional fan elevates it to the point where it can compete with any single tower cooler on the market.

At the same time, it undercuts competitors in price. There aren’t many dual-fan ARGB supporting coolers at this price. Even if you spent double the money on a premium single tower cooler, your cooling performance won’t be a lot better.

Its cooling ability belies its compact dimensions. Only more expensive dual-tower coolers beat it, and even then, not by a whole lot. Its dual-fan design no doubt helps. It’s also surprisingly quiet. Even when pushed hard the cooler doesn’t get excessively loud.

It even comes with its own ARGB controller.

Cooling and low noise levels are welcome, then add to that great build quality and subtle ARGB good looks and there’s nothing to complain about. It even comes with its own ARGB controller, and there’s a white version too if you like.

The Deepcool AS500 Plus punches above its weight and price. It cools very well, stays quiet, offers great build quality, and has a subtle ARGB splash with its own controller. Finally, it offers great value for money relative to many dual-fan single tower coolers. Short of stressing it with a heavily overclocked high-end processor, the AS500 Plus ticks all the boxes and comes highly recommended.

(Image credit: DEEPCOOL)

2. Be Quiet! Pure Rock 2

An affordable and effective cooler that really can be quiet

Specifications

Socket support: Intel LGA 1150, 1151, 1155, 1200, 2011, 2011-3, 2066, AMD AM3 & AM4 compatible

Fans: 1x Pure Wings 2 120mm

Fan speeds: Up to 1500RPM

Dimensions (L x W x H): 87 x 121 x 155mm

Noise level: Max 26. 8dB(A)

Today’s Best Deals

Reasons to buy

Very quiet operation

Great price

Good build quality

Reasons to avoid

—

Super basic looks

—

150W TDP is a touch optimistic

If the brand name didn’t already give it away, the Be Quiet Pure Rock 2 really is quiet. It’s a single tower cooler equipped with the company’s highly regarded Pure Wings 2 PWM fan which carries a low 26.8 dB(A) noise rating. That means it’s very quiet indeed. It feels really solid too—an indicator of good build quality—and it comes in at a low price.

We wouldn’t describe the Pure Rock 2 as the most beautiful cooler on the market. But if you do have a windowed case, you could consider the black version which is certainly more attractive than the plain aluminum finish of the base version.

The Pure Rock 2 is primarily designed to cool; unseen and unheard. It’s rated to cool CPUs with a 150W TDP, though perhaps this is a touch optimistic, but that’s down to the CPU manufacturers and their ‘real’ TDPs. An Intel Core i5 12600K or AMD Ryzen 7 5800X shouldn’t present a problem for the Pure Rock 2.

For anything other than high-end CPUs, the Pure Rock 2 will keep your chip cool and quiet. If you’re not interested in bling and want something that’s a step up from bundled coolers, the Pure Rock 2 is a fantastic choice. It will cool out of sight, mind, and earshot.

(Image credit: Noctua)

3. Noctua NH-D15 Chromax Black

You’ll be hard pressed to find a better performing air cooler than the Noctua NH-D15 Chromax Black

Specifications

Socket support: Intel LGA 1150, 1151, 1155, 1156, 1200, 2011, 2011-3, 2066, AMD AM4, AM3, AM2, FM2 & FM1 compatible

Fans: 2x NF-A15 HS-PWM

Fan speeds: 300-1500RPM

Dimensions (L x W x H): 161 x 150 x 165mm

Noise level: Max 24. 6dB(A)

Today’s Best Deals

Reasons to buy

Awesome cooling performance

Quiet under typical loads

Solid build quality

All black good looks

Reasons to avoid

—

It’s really quite large

—

Louder than you might expect under load

The Noctua NH-D15 Chromax Black is considered by many to be the best air cooler on the market. We love it too, and it’s an easy inclusion on our list of recommended coolers.

It performs brilliantly and has excellent fans that are a welcome black color instead of that rather unsightly beige and brown (sorry, Jacob ). Its build quality is fantastic and Noctua’s packaging, accessories, and documentation are second to none.

Really, only 360mm AIO coolers outperform it. If you want an air cooler that can handle any consumer CPU on the market, you might find one to match the Noctua flagship, but you won’t find anything that truly beats it.

Noctua has a long tradition of adding support for new sockets.

Under normal operation, the NH-D15 can be considered truly silent. When pushed hard it becomes louder than you might expect, such as you might get when hammering out an AVX load, but we don’t mind having some optional cooling headroom when you need it. Even a 5GHz+ Core i9 11900K will result in quiet running while gaming.

So why isn’t it number one on our list? Its expense, and the perhaps sheer size, are the only things that count against it.

Notably, Noctua has a long tradition of adding support for new sockets. An investment in an NH-D15 Chromax Black means you’ll have a top-shelf cooler that will last you for many years.

(Image credit: Cryorig)

4. Cryorig C7

A great choice for a truly tiny system, just don’t ask too much of it

Specifications

Socket support: Intel 1200, 1150, 1151, 1155, 1156, AMD AM4, AM3, AM2, FM2 & FM1 compatible

Fans: 1x 92mm Quad Air Inlet

Fan speeds: 600–2500RPM

Dimensions (L x W x H): 97 x 97 x 47mm

Noise level: Max 30dB(A)

Today’s Best Deals

Reasons to buy

Truly tiny size

Cools better than you’d expect for its size

Quiet low load operation

Reasons to avoid

—

Not one for overclocked, high core-count CPUs

The Cryorig C7 has been on the market for some time, but it’s still been updated to handle newer sockets. It’s perfect for a truly compact small form factor system thanks to its 47mm height and adherence to ‘keep-out’ zones, where it will not interfere in any way with other system components.

Because sometimes you want to make a tiny PC, and not every system needs to have a monstrous GPU attached to it. And when that’s the (mini-ITX) case you either have the option to stick with a low-end stock cooler, or a quality third party version, such as the Cryorig.

The C7 destroys the stock Intel cooler.

And the C7 destroys the stock Intel cooler. It’s rated for up to 100W, but to be fair is better suited to 65W class CPUs up to about six or eight cores. This leaves it a bit of headroom for turbo bursts and means you won’t see your chip throttling under sustained loads, either.

If you’re overclocking, or using a high core-count processor, you can give it a pass, but that’s to be expected. With the right CPU it will stay surprisingly quiet for its compact size. Its top flow design will help to cool the VRM and M.2 SSD, too, something that can be neglected in compact systems.

The Cryorig C7 is a niche cooler, no doubt about it, but for the tiniest builds, the cute little C7 does an admirable job. If you want a little bit of extra TDP headroom, there are copper and graphene-coated versions that feature TDP ratings of up to 125W, though they’re more expensive. The C7 is a great choice for the smallest form factor systems.

(Image credit: Noctua)

5. Noctua NH-P1

Quiet computing enthusiasts, look here

Specifications

Socket support: Intel LGA 1150, 1151, 1155, 1156, 1200, 2011, 2011-3, 2066, AMD AM4, AM3, AM2, FM2 & FM1 compatible

Fans: N/A

Fan speeds: N/A

Dimensions (L x W x H): 152 x 154 x 158mm

Noise level: 0dB(A)

Today’s Best Deals

Reasons to buy

Silent!

Every aspect of it is premium

You can add fans if you really want to

Reasons to avoid

—

Needs good case cooling

—

Pricier than your regular air cooler

Noctua’s NH-P1 passive cooler is very much a niche product and one that fans of quiet computing have been looking forward to for some time. It’s expensive, bulky, and generally limited to CPUs in the 65W range. Sounds like a dud? Hell no. its appeal may be limited, but if you’re a user who values silence above anything else, then the NH-P1 will be exactly what you’re looking for.

The NH-P1 is capable of cooling even high-end CPUs using only natural convection. That’s sort of what makes it a big deal in the cooling world. It does this through a vastly disparate design from your usual chip chiller.

The NH-P1 also features a grid of cut-outs horizontally through the cooler design, which helps air flow naturally across the cooler and, importantly, sap away the heat transferred into the fins from the heat pipes.

The heat pipes are actually the longest along their horizontal axis.

The heat pipes are undoubtedly of major importance here. Sit the NH-P1 side-by-side with the NH-D15, and you’ll notice they’re oriented differently. The heat pipes are actually the longest along their horizontal axis, which impacts heat dispersion due to the reliance on gravity for a heat pipe to function.

The NH-P1 is a great match for something like an AMD 5700G. That way, you could omit a discrete GPU and play e-sport titles in silence. The NH-P1 will keep this class of CPU boosting to its max, but only if you have at least some airflow.

The chances are you have a rear case fan that’s just a few cm away from it anyway. You can still opt to attach a fan if you want. True passive cooling, without any system fans, would require dropping to 35W class CPUs.

The NH-P1 is built for a specific purpose. Fans of quiet computing will love it. If you sleep near your PC or run a lounge room media center, the NH-P1 will ensure that your PC is truly silent. Clearly, it’s not meant for everyone, though.

Read our full Noctua NH-P1 review .

(Image credit: Be Quiet)

6. Be Quiet! Dark Rock TF 2

Cooling for your whole system

Specifications

Socket support: Intel LGA 1150, 1151, 1155, 1200, 2011, 2011-3, 2066, AMD AM3 & AM4 compatible

Fans: 1x Silent Wings 3 135mm, 1x Silent Wings 135mm

Fan speeds: Up to 1400RPM

Dimensions (L x W x H): 163 x 140 x 134mm

Noise level: Max 27. 1 dB(A)

Today’s Best Deals

Reasons to buy

Downward blowing for additional system cooling

Quiet operation

Good build quality

Reasons to avoid

—

Heavy overclocking is beyond it

Keeping your CPU cool is vital, but so is overall system cooling. A cooler like the Be Quiet Dark Rock TF 2 blows air downwards, which helps to keep toasty M.2 drives and your vital motherboard VRMs running cool. This is something that can often be overlooked in AIO-cooled systems that lack good airflow over the motherboard, particularly if you have a GPU heating up your speedy NVMe drives, too.

The Dark Rock TF2 performs much like other single tower air coolers and, although it is on the pricey side, it’s not unreasonably so given the inclusion of two high-quality fans. Its ability to mount a fan above or below the heatsink (or both) adds a lot of installation flexibility. You can use it in all kinds of systems from powerful gaming PCs through to compact SFF systems.

In the Be Quiet tradition, the Dark Rock TF 2 is very quiet, particularly under low loads, and with a rating of up to 230W, it can handle all modern CPUs, though heavy overclocking will really be beyond it.

Downward blowing coolers have fallen out of favor compared to tower coolers, but with one or more hot PCIe 4.0 SSDs to cool, a motherboard needs decent airflow too. The Dark Rock TF 2 can be thought of as a system cooler, and not just a CPU cooler.

CPU air cooler FAQ

Which is better, AIO or air cooler?

Anyone looking at picking a cooler for their rig asks this question: Air or water cooling? Water cooling tends to be viewed as the premium solution, but air cooling remains perfectly viable unless you’re into heavy overclocking with higher core count CPUs. Air coolers are generally cheaper, more reliable and simpler. Yes, they can be bulky relative to an AIO but radiators are also bulky and require large cases too. With air coolers you don’t have to worry about the (admittedly very small) possibility of leaks or pump failure. Noise levels are highly dependent on the fans used but if you choose wisely, there’s no reason an air cooler won’t be as quiet or even quieter than an AIO due to the lack of pump whir.

Are CPU air coolers effective?

A high TDP processor or CPU overclocking will require something big to absorb and dissipate all that heat. But a dual tower or dual fan model will be just as capable of cooling as an all-in-one liquid cooler.

If you want something quiet, a big cooler with a high cooling capacity will also suit, but pay attention to the noise levels and RPM rating of its fans. Then you get into things like your case size. You’ll need to go with a more compact cooler if you’re running a mini system, so look at the dimensions.

There’s also an argument to be made for downward blowers. The components around your CPU, such as the power circuitry and NVMe SSDs, can get hot and throttle if they’re not properly cooled. And with a liquid cooler they get no help, but a good downward blowing CPU air cooler will not just chill your processor, but other parts on the motherboard too.

How do I pick a CPU air cooler?

There’s so much to consider. It would be easy to simply go for the biggest one you can get, but that ignores case constraints, the TDP of your processor, your budget, and aesthetics. At least you can rest assured that our picks will serve you well with the appropriate accompanying hardware.

The best cooler is one that you can install in your particular rig, give it a stress test under a high heat load, tune the fan curves if necessary and then forget about it. RGB models excepted, a good quality air cooler is unseen and never draws attention. You know you’ve made a good choice when you’ve gone months happily gaming away or doing whatever it is you do on your system with barely a thought about your cooling.

What CPU sockets do air coolers work with?

Not all coolers support all CPU sockets. Cooling for AMD Threadripper CPUs can be tricky for example. Also, Intel 12th Gen LGA1700 compatibility is more and more important these days. So, if you’re planning on building an Alder Lake system, pay close attention to the list of supported sockets. Stock from earlier in 2021 will definitely lack support. You can expect manufacturers to offer compatible mounting kits and updated SKU’s but if you’re planning on upgrading to 12th Gen, make sure you check with the retailer or manufacturer to ensure your choice of cooler includes LGA 1700 support now, or if it will in the future.

Stay Cool Gamers!

Round up of today’s best deals

Deepcool AS500 Plus

£58.99

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See all prices

be quiet! Pure Rock 2

£19. 02

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See all prices

Noctua NH-D15 Chromax Black

£107.06

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See all prices

Cryorig C7

£48.80

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See all prices

Noctua NH-P1

£104.86

View

See all prices

Be Quiet! Dark Rock TF 2

£85. 02

View

See all prices

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Chris’ gaming experiences go back to the mid-nineties when he conned his parents into buying an ‘educational PC’ that was conveniently overpowered to play Doom and Tie Fighter. He developed a love of extreme overclocking that destroyed his savings despite the cheaper hardware on offer via his job at a PC store. To afford more LN2 he began moonlighting as a reviewer for VR-Zone before jumping the fence to work for MSI Australia. Since then, he’s gone back to journalism, enthusiastically reviewing the latest and greatest components for PC & Tech Authority, PC Powerplay and currently Australian Personal Computer magazine and PC Gamer. Chris still puts far too many hours into Borderlands 3, always striving to become a more efficient killer.

Best Air CPU Coolers | WePC

We find the best air CPU cooler to keep your temps low.

Updated: Dec 8, 2022 5:44 pm

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The processor, also known as the CPU, is one of the most important parts of every PC. Desktop lovers often spend hours picking out the right model and poring over all the different variants available. But do CPU air coolers get the same kind of love? The short answer is: not always, and definitely not often enough.

All the components inside your PC hate heat — that’s a fact! Whether you’re a gamer, a video editor, a movie lover, or an office worker, it’s good to keep track of the temperatures inside your desktop. Especially those who want to push their machines to the limit and beyond by overclocking will need to be wary and protect their PC with the right kind of cooling system.

There are a few different options when it comes to CPU coolers, but air CPU fans rank amongst the best of the best. They’re known for their security and effectiveness. To get the most out of your PC and give it a good, long life, you need a trusty sidekick – an air CPU cooler. But how do you pick the best one?

It’s true that the market is flooded with all kinds of different options. Feeling overwhelmed? You’ve spent all this time picking out the other parts of your PC, and now you have to read about coolers? Not anymore! We want to save you time and make sure you get what you pay for, so we’ve done all the research for you.

Keep your PC safe and happy — get yourself a top-quality air CPU cooler. Let’s take a look at some of the models that scored stellar results in our benchmarks.

Our Top Picks

The Best Air CPU Cooler

Noctua NH-D15, Premium CPU Cooler

The Best Quiet Air CPU Cooler

be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4

The Best Large Air CPU Cooler

Cooler Master Air Maker 8

How We Choose

At WePC, we spend hours upon hours reviewing PC components and making sure we only select the best ones to recommend. That’s not all, though — many of us head on home and still test and read up on all the newest components. That’s because we simply love desktops. We thrive on researching and reviewing everything a modern gamer needs, from monitors to CPUs. We also love to take that passion and use it to help you.

Our process begins with thorough product research. We look into every available resource, including user feedback, and take it into consideration. The next step is perhaps the most time-consuming and difficult to do for most potential buyers: the benchmarking.

Benchmarking and testing help us wash away all the worries and doubts. Which air CPU cooler should you pick? Which one is the best? These are important questions that could decide between a long, efficient life for your beloved machine and disappointingly unstable performance. That’s why it’s so crucial to pick the right cooler for your PC — it may not seem like much, but it plays a massive role in the enjoyment that you get out of your desktop.

However, we’re aware that not everyone has the kind of time that is required to make the best, most informed choice. That’s why we compile all of our findings into a handy buying guide. We stay on top of any new releases, so you can make sure that when you follow our guides, you’re on the right track to building your dream PC!

How We Test

Testing is an important part of our research as we prepare our best of guides — this applies to every part of a PC, be it a GPU or RAM. However, this process is especially significant in the case of air CPU coolers. The reason for that is simple — you will never get an accurate idea of how good an air cooler is without proper stress testing.

While most coolers can handle maintaining a CPU if you do little else than browse the internet on occasion, only a good model will keep your CPU nice and cool under heavy load. That is why we make sure that the majority of the products we recommend have gone through testing under even the worst of conditions.

Other than the performance, we also consider factors such as build and material quality, price, manufacturer and the sheer strength of an air cooler. Knowing all the specs by heart makes it easier for us to identify the truly best products in a sea of possibilities.

For us to consider a product for our best of guides, it has to stand far above the rest in all of our categories. We firmly believe that you should always get a little more than you pay for, so we leave out all the mediocre, the average, and even the good, and only settle for the very best.

Things To Consider

What Type of Air CPU Cooler Should I Pick?

While we’re all interested in performance and longevity when it comes to our PC components, CPU coolers bring in another key factor to the table. Coincidentally, it’s also the reason why less research-loving users sometimes shy away from building their own PC. The reason is as follows: which air CPU fan will fit your particular PC?

Not every cooler will fit inside every case, and it will not match every CPU socket. That’s why we recommend starting your future build by picking your favorite CPU, case, and motherboard and then moving on to the coolers.

Some coolers will have a wide range of compatibilities and those are the ones we focused on in our buying guide. However, it’s still important to check whether the cooler you’ve chosen will be suitable for your Intel or AMD CPU. To do so, you will need to know what socket your build has.

Some of the most popular sockets include:

Intel: LGA2011-0, LGA2011-3, LGA1155, LGA1156, LGA2066, LGA1366, LGA2066, LGA1151
AMD: AM2, AM2+, AM3, AM3+, AM4, FM1, FM2, FM2+

The size is usually less relevant in gaming PC builds. These desktops tend to be on the larger side and will have a spacious case. Even still, we recommend that you take a look at the measurements of your future cooler and compare them to your case. You don’t want to be jamming it in by force — it should fit like a glove!

How Powerful A Cooler Do I Need?

Ah, the question we all ask ourselves when working on a new build — just how much do I really need? It’s a tricky question when it comes to CPU coolers because their performance is harder to measure for most users. When picking out a GPU or a monitor, you can usually tell what you need based on what you do. What about air CPU coolers?

In the case of cooling systems, it’s usually best to aim a little higher than what you intend to do. This is because maintaining the right temperatures is so critical for the health and performance of your PC.

The models we recommended above are all suited for both heavy users that want to overclock their machine to the max and those that settle for more casual usage. However, as a guideline, if you know you will be playing the latest AAA games, aim for a powerful cooler that will keep your PC nice and chilly at all times.

Are CPU Coolers Worth Spending Money On?

Whether you’re aiming to use your new PC for games, streaming, video editing, or simply just for work, we can bet that the budget plays a factor in your decisions. Most of us have a limit as to how much we can spend, and on the surface, a CPU cooler may seem like an unnecessary expense. Let us assure you — it’s really not.

When it comes to air coolers, a general rule of thumb is that the models with extra heat sinks and fans tend to cost more. On the other hand, you often get what you pay for and the additional cooling capabilities will allow you to overclock your machine without risk.

While even low-end CPU coolers will suffice for the less demanding gamer, you want to do a little better than just “suffice” for those high-end builds that cost thousands of dollars. Having a cooler that is simply too weak in comparison to the other components may result in higher temperatures. Those, in turn, may bottleneck your otherwise stellar build and cause FPS drops — and we all hate those!

Judging how good a cooler you need for your particular build may be a little difficult, so we’ve prepared some basic guidelines for you.

Cooler prices sorted by build type:

Air cooler for a high-end gaming PC – $80-150+
Air cooler for a high-end streaming PC – $100-150+
Air cooler for a medium gaming build – $50-90
Air cooler for a budget gaming build – $25-50
Air cooler for an office/non-gaming build – $20-30

The above are rough estimates, but they should make it a little easier for you to pick out your next cooler. Now that we’ve got the budget out of the way, let’s take a closer look at the coolers we picked out for your next PC build.

The Best Air CPU Coolers

Noctua NH-D15, Premium CPU Cooler

be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4

Cooler Master Air Maker 8

ARCTIC Freezer 34 Esports DUO

DEEPCOOL GAMMAXX GT BK CPU Air Cooler

In-depth Review

The Best Air CPU Cooler

Noctua NH-D15, Premium CPU Cooler

6 heat pipes & 2 powerful fans
Low-noise adaptors
6-year warranty
Suitable for top CPUs
Unusual, elegant design

Budget — it’s not the cheapest model on the market
Size — this is a rather large cooler and will not fit inside every case

Having tested many high, mid, and low-end CPU air coolers, we had a whole bunch of them to choose from when preparing this best of guide. They all did their job — some better than others — and most of them weren’t terrible, as we usually omit those during our initial research.

With such a brilliant lineup of good products, you’d think it may have been hard to pick the one to call our “overall best”, but it was surprisingly easy. That’s because Noctua NH-D15 stood above the rest and impressed us in many ways.

The first thing you’ll notice about this particular model is its interesting, elegant design. It may stand out like a sore thumb if you’re after the, currently trendy, full rainbow of colors that RGB coolers provide. However, for a minimalist build, it will be the proverbial cherry on top of the rest of your desktop.

Pleasing aesthetics pale in comparison to the power this fan brings to the table. With its two strong fans combined with a whopping six heat sinks, Noctua performs excellently in benchmarks. This is the kind of CPU cooler that will let you play Battlefield V on max settings — as long as the rest of your rig allows it.

Noctua is able to maintain consistently low temperatures during stress tests even with the newest and strongest CPUs, such as an overclocked i9. It’s also remarkably quiet for a cooler that is really pushing overtime to keep your build comfortable.

Where’s the catch? Well, it is rather large and it is a bit pricey, but this is the type of cooler you pick up for a high-end gaming PC. For all its power and reliability, Noctua has more than proven itself capable and worth the higher price tag.

The Best Quiet Air CPU Cooler

be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4

Extremely silent — a maximum of 24.3Db(a)
It can be mounted from above
Seven heat pipes, two fans
Easy to install
Suitable for both high-end and medium builds

Size — this is a large cooler and will not fit compact cases
Installation — due to the size the installation requires a bit of patience

It’s rather fitting that a cooler by the well-known manufacturer be quiet! managed to snag the title of our favorite quiet CPU fan, but we promise we didn’t tamper with the results. The benchmarks combined with our own experience with the brand speak for themselves. This is a really solid choice if you want something that is almost inaudible, and yet powerful.

The be quiet! is also rather minimalistic when it comes to looks and does not have any of the fancy colors many modern fans do. However, it manages to outperform liquid coolers both in terms of sheer power and silent performance. That’s a major win in our book.

If you overclock your CPU and run some of your favorite AAA titles at max settings, you will still be able to focus entirely on the combat in the game. As mentioned above, even when supporting an overclocked high-end CPU, this cooler will not generate more noise than just 24.3Db.

We really like this model for its highly reliable performance, but it really is the silence that wins us over. Fair warning though — all the cooling capabilities come at a price of a somewhat complicated installation process. We recommend this be quiet! cooler for bigger towers.

This model is going to suit you if you’re after a powerhouse capable of supporting your high-end gaming PC without making any noise. You may utter a swear word or two while trying to install it in just the right way, you’ll be happy that you pushed through in the end.

The Best Large Air CPU Cooler

Cooler Master Air Maker 8

Quiet — noise level around 24.0Db when not overclocked
8 heat pipes
Fully customizable (top covers, LED lights, or an aluminum plate)
Adjustable — it supports both 140mm and 120mm fans which can be removed with ease
Suited for big towers and gaming PCs

It may block a RAM slot in certain cases
It gets a little noisy at full fan speed

If you’re aiming for a spacious, massive desktop PC, then why not get yourself a monster of a CPU cooler to go with it?

Cooler Master is very easy on the eye and it fits the latest trends with its red lights, but the thing that makes it stand out in terms of aesthetics is that it’s fully customizable. The top covers are interchangeable, so you can switch between a translucent plate and an aluminum one. These are small details, but if the rest of your dig is beautifully decked out, your CPU cooler should not be any different.

This is absolutely a cooler that was designed for gamers, and it does its job well. It comes equipped with top-notch Silencio FP fans that are accompanied by a total of eight heat pipes, four of which are seamlessly merged with the base. It has an airflow of 66 CFM and it’s capable of maintaining good temperatures even under a stress test.

If you should ever, for any reason, want to replace or simply remove some of the fans, that’s surprisingly easy to do. You don’t need to be tech-savvy – the fan bracket design in this Cooler Master product makes it highly adjustable.

While many people will value Cooler Master for its large size, you need to be careful to take measurements before you pick it up. It can block a RAM slot in smaller cases. In general, this is the right model for those that want something massive enough to cool down not just the CPU but the entire case. If that’s you, we firmly believe you’d like Cooler Master both for gaming and regular use.

The Best Value Air CPU Cooler

ARCTIC Freezer 34 Esports DUO

High-performing cooler
Reasonable price
Two Bionix fans that work in a push-pull mode
Remarkably quiet, both according to our testing and user reviews
Even spread of heat pipes

Limited compatibility — compared to other models on our list, the ARCTIC will fit a limited number of sockets
Difficult to install

The final item on our list of exceptional air CPU coolers is the ARCTIC Freezer 34 esports DUO, a mid-range & multi-socket cooler. After an extensive amount of testing, we have decided that this model, in particular, offers great value for its price tag.

For a cooler that is relatively inexpensive, ARCTIC does a good job cooling down even high-end CPUs during a stress test. While the temperatures may not drop as low as they do with some of the more expensive options, you will still not need to worry about bottlenecks at all.

Instead of covering the entire heat spreader, the heat pipes are right where the processor is. They cover an area big enough to efficiently cool down even the biggest CPUs on the market right now. ARCTIC also comes with two strong fans that further balance out the temperatures within your desktop.

It’s quiet enough to allow you to play without a headset and still hear every murmur in the game, which is surprising for a cooler with this low a price. The only issue with the ARCTIC lies within its compatibility with various sockets. Check out the full list above to ensure that it will fit your processor.

If you want something that performs better than expected for its price range, you can’t go wrong with this cooler!

The Best Budget Air CPU Cooler

DEEPCOOL GAMMAXX GT BK CPU Air Cooler

Inexpensive — this is the perfect cooler for those on a tight budget
Multi-socket compatibility
Made with durable materials
Beautiful RGB top cover and fan
Top-notch heat transfer for high DTP CPUs

It’s not as powerful as some of our other recommendations
It may get noisy sometimes

Are you on a tight budget? We understand why you may prefer to save where you can in order to invest in one of the key parts of your PC, such as the GPU. While we don’t recommend foregoing the CPU cooler entirely regardless of your budget, there’s no harm in picking something cheaper — especially when it’s as solid as this DEEPCOOL fan.

While it only comes with a single fan, it’s perfectly suitable for low and medium-end builds. Even if you’re aiming higher with the rest of your components, you could pick up this fan and upgrade in the future — just be careful when you overclock.

DEEPCOOL also has four direct contact heat pipes that are combined with 0.5 mm aluminum fins. Add the fan into the mix and you’re left with a powerful device that will protect you from FPS drops when you’re playing your favorite games.

While this cooler is not quite strong enough to rival the Noctua or the be quiet!, it’s still a very strong contender. Within its price range, you’d be hard-pressed to find something better. It has all the features its high-end siblings have without asking you to shell out too much of your hard-earned cash.

If you’re not looking to overclock your rig to the max, check out this DEEPCOOL model!

Final Word

We’re reaching the end of our best of 5 air CPU coolers guide. In the process of testing all these coolers, we tried our best to narrow the list down to the products we liked the most. However, our aim was to make this guide accessible to every PC user, casual or hardcore. That’s why we included a variety of coolers.

If you’re aiming high and don’t want to be forced to compromise in any way, pick the winner in our Best Overall Cooler category – the Noctua NH-D15. This is the cooler that will deliver superior performance even with the latest models of CPUs.

Having really done our homework in terms of research for this guide, we are confident that the above are five of the best air CPU coolers currently on the market. However, we’ve also had a few runner-ups that almost made it. It’d be a shame to leave them out.

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Comparison of air and liquid cooling in PC builds

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Jul 2022

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For system developers
PC of own assembly

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In a PC system, there are two main options for safely removing heat from the processor: air and liquid cooling. Both options have their advantages, but the choice of cooling method depends on the needs of your PC. In this article, we’ll explain how both cooling methods work and help you review the advantages and disadvantages of each.

What is air cooling and how does it work? nine0023

Air cooling is a very simple way to dissipate heat, but it can be extremely efficient and easy to install! The air cooler consists of two parts: a heatsink and a fan. The fan is either on top or on the side of the heatsink and draws air away from your processor to cool the components.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Air Cooling

Cost: Due to its ease of operation, air cooling is much more affordable than liquid cooling. If your budget is tight, it might be worth opting for air-cooling and investing more in a larger storage drive or faster DRAM. nine0012
Installation: Air coolers are easier to install than liquid coolers and are therefore better suited for beginner PC builders. You also don’t have to worry about possible water leakage into your system!
Maintenance: air cooling requires significantly less maintenance. After setting up the system, you only need to clean your PC from dust every few months.

Despite the low price and simplicity, air cooling has its drawbacks:

Noise: The fans in an air-cooled system are generally noisier than those in a liquid-cooled system. This can be very distracting while playing.
Performance: Air cooling is not as efficient as liquid cooling, but still a good option for PC cooling.
Appearance: The air-cooling heatsink is quite bulky, which can spoil the aesthetics of the PC. And there is no way to change the look of the air cooling system. nine0012

What is liquid cooling and how does it work?

Liquid or water cooling is one of the best ways to cool your PC due to the high thermal conductivity of water.

The liquid cooling system consists of water blocks, a pump, a radiator, pipes and (as an option) a reservoir. The pump pumps liquid coolant to the heatsink and back through the water block attached to the processor. The heat is then transferred from the component to the cold fluid, which is then continuously pumped throughout the system. nine0003

There are two main options for water cooling: universal liquid cooling system (all in one) and custom circuit. Universal cooling systems come as a single unit, and you do not need to assemble the parts yourself. In custom loop cooling, you can select every aspect of the system to ensure the best performance and appearance. Universal and custom loop cooling systems have their own advantages and disadvantages, so it is important to distinguish between them. nine0003 ^*

Benefits:

Noise: Liquid cooled is quieter, fans in a liquid cooled system tend to run slower and quieter than in an air cooled system.
Performance: PC users who plan to play at maximum settings should consider water cooling. To use the full capabilities of your PC, more power will be required and, therefore, potentially the system can heat up to a dangerous level. Water cooling allows you to reduce the temperature faster and more efficiently than air cooling. nine0012
Appearance: Liquid cooling systems can be very visually impressive as they can incorporate RGB lighting elements to enhance the look of your computer. Custom loop cooling can look very impressive as you can use different parts and put together a completely unique system.

Although liquid cooling can be 2 to 10 times more efficient than air cooling, it still has disadvantages:

Cost: A custom made liquid cooling system will cost you a lot more than a standard air cooled system. You pay for more complex operation and higher productivity. However, an all-in-one system may be closer to air-cooled at a price.
Installation: A custom liquid cooling system can be tricky to install, especially for novice PC builders. An all-in-one liquid cooling system is easier to install. This should take you about 30 minutes. However, in any case, water flowing through your system can be quite nerve-wracking. nine0012
Maintenance: Custom liquid cooling systems require more maintenance than air cooling as you need to maintain proper liquid levels and keep components clean and in good working order. Also, if any part of the custom cooling system fails, the consequences for your computer can be disastrous. The versatile system requires less maintenance, and because it comes pre-assembled, the risk of leakage is also reduced. nine0012

Surely the decision is yours! Choosing air or liquid cooling really comes down to your personal preferences, budget, and system needs. Both options are great solutions; they are just designed for different system requirements. But whichever cooling method you choose, the most important thing is that your computer stays as cool as possible, can maintain peak performance, and avoid issues with skipping cycles.

#KingstonIsWithYou #KingstonFURY

4:06

PC Liquid Cooling Tips — DIY in 5 Issue 84

View an overview of the different types of liquid cooling.

5:06

How to Choose a Power Supply and Cooling System — DIY in 5 PC Building Part 4

The fourth installment in a series of PC assembly videos discussing PC cooling options.

5:34

CPU, RAM, and Thermal Installation — DIY in 5 PC Building Part 5

Fifth part of a series of PC assembly videos that discusses installing the processor and processor fan. nine0003

How to clean your PC from dust and free up disk space — DIY in 5 issue 122

How to physically clean your computer of dust and remove old files from drives that you no longer need.

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