Your CPU runs hot, like really hot, especially if you're overclocking. That's why you need the best CPU coolers if you're going to keep your processor fighting-fit. Almost all of the best CPUs can be overclocked, but overclocking without a proper cooling solution can cause some real damage to one of the most expensive parts of your rig. While most CPUs come equipped with a stock cooler, you'll need to invest in something a little more robust if you're looking to push your processor to its limits.
There are a couple of ways to get heat away from your CPU, both come with their own pros and cons, but are fairly identical in terms of their performance. The more straightforward method is through a heatsink like the CoolerMaster Masterair MA620M, which uses a large piece of conductive metal to draw the heat away from your CPU and dissipate it along a series of fins paired with fans. This is method is simple and effective but takes up a large amount of real estate is your case.
The alternative to heatsinks is to invest in an AIO liquid cooling solution like the NZXT Kraken M22. This method uses liquid conduction paired with a radiator to constantly transfer heat as far away from your CPU as possible. Fun fact, the heat capacity of water is about four times greater than that of either air or the copper plates commonly used to draw heat away from your CPU, so AIO coolers tend to be a little more efficient and therefore less noisy. However, these do tend to be more expensive and have more points of failure due to the number of moving parts used.
One final note: there is no universal rule when it comes to cooling and fan placement, and even the best PC cases have their limits, so make sure to read the fine print before you commit.
Corsair was one of the first hardware manufacturers to bring all-in-one liquid coolers to market. It's only fitting that their latest cooler has dethroned our previous king. The H115i has always been a strong contender for the throne of best liquid CPU cooler, only narrowly beaten by NZXT's Kraken X62.
The updated H115i Pro was a definite improvement, but NZXT's infinity mirror CPU block design was and still remains one of the most beautiful RGB implementations we’ve seen in any product. It hasn't been until seeing Corsair’s latest contender, the H115i Platinum, that we’ve been able to let the Kraken go.
The H115i Platinum is available in black or a stunning white with a set of addressable RGB LED fans and CPU block. It’s a real head turner in any build but also has excellent software and performance to back it up.
It may be one of the most expensive air coolers we've tested but Noctua's flagship NH-D15 is our top choice for high-end air coolers. Based off of the company's award-winning D14, the NH-D15 performs just as well as a handful of all-in-one liquid coolers and even beats a few of them both in performance and noise levels. The cooler features a dual tower heatsink and comes with two high airflow 140mm fans.
Even working at 100 percent speed the cooler ran quieter than just about all of its competitors. If you aren't a fan of liquid cooling or don't have the space to mount a radiator, the NH-D15 is about as good as it gets for air cooling. The only downside we could find is its bulkiness which could potentially cause problems with RAM clearance.
EVGA's latest CLC liquid coolers are our favorite mid range pick because of their excellent performance per dollar. Matching performance of the latest coolers from Corsair and NZXT, the 240mm CLC costs a fraction of the price while only sacrificing on a few features. The included fans can get very loud at full speed, but we found the cooler to run well enough without ever reaching those levels.
While you won't get the fancy addressable RGB lighting you'd find in NZXT, Thermaltake or Cooler Master's latest designs, the EVGA CLC does have the same sleeved tubing and a single RGB light on the pump head that can be controlled through the software. If you don't care for all of the bells and whistles, EVGA's CLC 240 offers exceptional performance with little compromises.
Cooler Master has always been our highest recommended choice for a budget aftermarket cooler. The famed Hyper 212 has provided well over 25% performance gains against stock cooling options. The company has also introduced some great liquid coolers over the years, but it wasn’t until the new MasterAir series came around that the company began giving even the best coolers a run for their money.
The MasterAir MA410M is an excellent option that not only cools a system well, but also lights it up beautifully. If you just want pure high performance air cooling, Noctua’s NH-D15S is almost impossible to beat. But if you can accept slightly lesser performance, the MA410M has a modern blacked out appearance with addressable RGB lighting.
Corsair was one of the first manufacturers to bring all-in-one liquid cooling to the masses. Nearly a decade after the company first launched its Hydro series, Corsair is once again leading the charge with the updated H60 (2018) as our top choice for liquid cooling on a budget.
The 120mm H60 offers nearly identical thermal and noise performance compared with out best high-end cooler, and at a fraction of the cost. The updated cooler features a white LED illuminated pump head, 120mm radiator and one of Corsair's latest 120mm PWM fans. Our tests put the performance of the new H60 far ahead of its other 120mm competitors and even in line with a few 140mm and 240mm coolers.
Cooler Master's budget-friendly Hyper 212 CPU cooler has been around for well over ten years now. With experience like that it comes as no surprise that the newer Hyper 212 Evo has become a renowned pick for affordable performance. The latest update to the Hyper 212 Evo features four direct contact heatpipes, an improved aluminum heatsink and a 120mm high airflow fan.
From our testing we found that the Hyper 212 Evo reduced CPU temperatures by up to 20 degrees celsius when compared to stock cooling. Another added benefit is the fact that the cooler itself isn't a whole lot larger than a stock one, meaning it tends to stay out of the way of larger RAM modules. With such a low price point, we can't find any reason why we'd stick to a stock cooler over this.
Noctua is a brand that has become synonymous with high performance air cooling. With their iconic brown fans and premium build quality, the company's coolers often find themselves at the top of our testing charts. The NH-L12S came in as our best choice for a compact cooler that's designed for mini-ITX and small form factor builds. It's extremely low-profile, measuring as low as 70mm with the slim 120mm fan installed underneath the heatsink.
In high-profile mode, the fan is installed on top and provides more than enough clearance for most RAM modules. While we wouldn't use the NH-L12S on a performance CPU with a TDP higher than 110W, it's very quiet and provides a significant boost over stock coolers so we'd highly recommend it for all HTPC and small form factor builds.
When you’re looking for the best liquid cooling options available, efficiency and effectiveness when it comes to heat dissipation are of utmost importance. The best way to approach this is to use a radiator with the largest surface area possible. For most modern mid-sized cases and full towers, this means a 360mm radiator. Equipped with three 120mm fans, these coolers take up quite a bit of space and can be relatively costly when compared to a single 120mm liquid cooler.
Cooler Master’s 360mm MasterLiquid ML360R is our favorite choice. It features a beautiful CPU block design with a muted centerpiece logo which makes for a really clean lighting setup. Combined with three addressable RGB fans, the ML360R cools well and runs quiet while providing some sexy lighting for your whole build.
