Whats cooler than being cool Thats right, keeping your PC components ice cold.
And, here at TechRadar, we love building and overclocking the best gaming PCs we can get our hands on and we know that the best CPU coolers will help you squeeze every drop of performance out of even the best processors.
Even if you dont ever find yourself staying up late at night, obsessing over your BIOS settings, buying one of the best CPU coolers is still a great idea, as the lower CPU temperatures they allow will mean you PC will run faster and last longer.The best CPU coolers come in every shape and size, and whats best for your PC will largely depend on what you need.
Dont get caught up on your budget either there are plenty of air cooling solutions out there that will perform admirably without burning cash.
And, if your budget permits you can still pick up a high-end liquid cooling solution that will make even the best processor think its in Antarctica.
Regardless of what youre looking for, we here at TechRadar will help you find it with this list of the best CPU coolers you can buy in 2018 each one tested and ranked right here.But, enough with the introductions, lets dive into what youre all here for the best CPU coolers of 2018.
Regardless of your budget, no matter what kind of cooler youre looking for, no matter the aesthetics, were confident youll be satisfied with our choices here.
So, whether youre in the market for an elaborate, complicated beast like NZXTs Kraken X62, or you want something a little more subdued and inconspicuous like the Noctua NH D15, youll find something here.Noctua NH-D15Type: Fan and heatsink | Compatibility: Intel LGA 775 LGA 2066; AMD AM2 AM3+, FM1 FM2+ | Rotation frequency: Up to 1500 RPM | Noise volume: 19.20dbA 24.60dbA | Dimensions (W x D x H): 160 x 150 x 135mm | Weight: 2.91 pounds (1.32kg)Whisper quietSix-year manufacturers warrantyToo big for some PC buildsThe Noctua NH-D15 tops our list for one simple, yet compelling reason: it may not be a liquid cooler, but it can perform just as well as if not better than some all-in-one coolers.
Now, you might not be overly familiar with Noctuas name, theyre relatively small in the CPU cooler game, but their entire business is centered around designing coolers, so you know that when you buy one of their products, youre getting a product by people who really know their craft.
Not only will you get stellar cooling performance from this thing, but youll also get extremely diminished fan noise as well.
When you combine all of that with their six-year warranty, you have a recipe for one of the best CPU coolers you can imagine.Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVOType: Fan and heatsink | Compatibility: Intel LGA 775 2066; AMD AM2 AM3+, FM1 FM3+ | Rotation frequency: Up to 2,000 RPM | Noise volume: 9dBA 36dBA | Dimensions (W x D x H): 120 x 120 x 25mm | Weight: 1.26 pounds (0.57kg)Balanced cooling performanceHeat pipes ideal for conductionAM4 bracket sold separatelyA constant reminder of the age-old saying if it aint broke, dont fix it, the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo is a mainstay in pretty much any budget build, as its one of the most affordable CPU coolers you can buy today.
Although it only features four heatpipes and an aluminum fin structure, this renowned CPU cooler has proven itself time and again to be as efficient as any liquid cooling system.
These air coolers are designed to make heat dissipation a breeze, whether youre playing Destiny 2 at max settings or reading TechRadar in a web browser.This product is only available in the US and UK at the time of this writing.
Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Noctua NH-D15Noctua NH-L9Best low-profile CPU coolerType: Fan and heatsink | Compatibility: Intel LGA 1156/1155/1151; AMD AM2/AM2+/AM3/FM1/FM2 | Rotation frequency: Up to 2500 RPM | Noise volume: 14.8dbA 23.6dbA | Dimensions (W x D x H): 206 x 184 x 37mm | Weight: 1.03 pounds (0.47kg)Ultra compactSix-year manufacturers warrantyOnly 92mm fanThis CPU cooler is among one of the smallest weve ever used for our own Mini ATX builds.
It come from an Austrian company as our best CPU cooler that specializes entirely in PC coolers and fans, which means no compromises are made in the way of quality assurance despite its low-profile form-factor.NZXT Kraken X62Type: Liquid cooling system | Compatibility: Intel 2011 2066; AMD AM2 AM4, FM1 FM2+ | Rotation frequency: Up to 1,800 | Noise volume: 21dBA 38dBA | Dimensions (W x D x H): 315 x 143 x 30mm | Weight: 3.2 pounds (1.45kg)Dead silent and high performingRGB lighting is gorgeousPrice range out of bounds for someKnown best for its cases, such as those produced in collaboration with Asus and Razer, you may be surprised to learn that NZXTs CPU coolers are every bit as impressive as the hardware which encloses them.
The Kraken X62 is no exception, being one of the few 280mm all-in-one liquid coolers to feature RGB lighting.
Given that the radiator comes pre-attached and the thermal paste pre-applied, the NZXT Kraken x62 is awfully easy to set up too.
The packed-in CAM software, which lets you tweak settings on the fly, is merely icing on the cake.Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML120R RGBThe best compact liquid coolerType: Liquid cooling system | Compatibility: Intel LGA 775 LGA 2066; AMD AM2 AM4, FM1 FM2+ | Rotation frequency: Up to 2000 RPM | Noise volume: 6dbA 30dbA | Dimensions (W x D x H): 83.6 x 71.8 x 52.7mmLuminous RGB lightingPremium buildA little expensive2018 is the year of RGB everything, and Cooler Master is jumping on this trend with the MasterLiquid ML 120R RGB.
Whats more, it integrates some of the first addressable LEDs (meaning you can control it through the motherboard and other software) seen on a liquid-cooler.
This all-in-one liquid cooling solution isnt just about the looks, as it features an oxidation-free pump and an efficient radiator.
This means that not only will this cooler last a long time, but it will keep your CPU ice-cold the entire time without taking up too much space in your PC.Arctic Liquid Freezer 120Best budget liquid-coolerType: Liquid cooling system | Compatibility: Intel LGA 2011 2066; AMD AM2 AM3+, FM1 FM2 | Rotation frequency: Up to 1350 RPM | Noise volume: 22.5dBA | Dimensions (W x D x H): 120 x 120 x 25mm | Weight: 2.65 pounds (1.2kg)Strong performanceInexpensiveSomewhat noiseyFew featuresFor less than 70 big ones in both US dollars and British sterling, the Arctic Liquid Freezer 120 is a deal you cant pass up if youre on the prowl for a liquid cooler that wont 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 its still a massive step up from the classic fan and heatsink pairing.
So, while you cant expect RGB lighting or software or even hardware-based fan control, the 120mm variant of the Arctic Liquid Freezer will keep your system refrigerated at a (mostly) quiet volume.This product is only available in the US and UK at the time of this writing.
Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Corsair Hydro Series H5 SFCorsair Hydro Series H5 SFBest low-profile CPU liquid-coolerType: Liquid cooling system | Compatibility: Intel LGA 115x; AMD FM2 FM2+ | Rotation frequency: Up to 1,800 RPM | Noise volume: 36dBA 42dBA | Dimensions (W x D x H): 167 x 57 x 84mm | Weight: 2 pounds (0.91kg)Guaranteed leak-free tubingCompact, all-in-one form factorBlower style coolerEven if you have a budget that allows for some of the more serious liquid cooling solutions, even some of the sweetest PC cases dont permit the sheer mass of a bulkier, dual-fan or even a single 120mm radiator.
Thats where the Hydro Series H5 SF proves building small doesn doesnt mean you have to give up on liquid cooling.
NZXT Kraken X62NoFan CR-95CType: Passively cooled heatsink | Compatibility: Intel LGA 775 1156; AMD AM2 AM3+; FM1 | Noise volume: 0dBA | Dimensions (W x H x D): 180 x 148 x 180mm | Weight: 1.6 pounds (0.73kg)You wont hear a peepWorks well with low-power CPUsExorbitantly massive95W TDP limitationUnless youre already neck deep in the rabbit hole that is silent PC assembly, youve probably never heard of NoFan, a South Korean component company that specializes in helping enthusiasts reach that 0dBA silent sweet spot.
In doing so, of course, you can count on severely limiting yourself in terms of power, with its CR-95C fanless solution being limited in compatibility to processors whose TDP fall below 95W.
Still, the NoFan CR-95C is worth a shot for those sporting low-power rigs that prioritize tranquility over raw horsepower.This Product is only available in the US at the time of this writing.
UK and Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Noctua NH-L9nFxg7deCRPDQpWy45dFYAP.jpg#