Best CPU Coolers 2022: AIO And Air Coolers |

Whether you’re after impressive CPU overclocks or just looking to build a PC that's quiet under load, you should choose your cooler carefully. Picking the best CPU cooler for your processor is a key decision in any CPU upgrade or new PC build. The best CPU cooler will make a major difference in your system's temps, noise, and even performance -- especially if you're overclocking.

If your CPU cooler can’t keep up with the heat your processor is generating, that may result in lower performance or possibly even a shorter lifespan for your processor--and clearly no one wants that. Also, don't forget to consider thermal paste or another thermal interface material (TIM). Most coolers will come with some kind of paste, either in a small syringe or pre-applied to the metal cold plate. To make sure you're getting the most efficient thermal transfer between your CPU and cooler plate, check out the many products we thoroughly tested to find the best thermal paste for your CPU.

If you’re not sure if you want to go the air cooling route (a big metal heatsink with fans) or opt for a liquid-cooled AIO (a pump attached to a radiator and fans), there are a few things to consider. Large air coolers tend to take up more internal space in your PC case, or at the very least they need more vertical clearance off your best motherboard, which can limit your case options. Air coolers can also be louder and less efficient than liquid coolers at moving heat away from your CPU and out of the chassis. These days, though, that’s not cut and dry. If you can go the extreme route, there are fanless air cooling options like Noctua's Colossal NH-P1 as well for the ultimate truly silent cooling option, although you'll still need case fans to move the warmed air out of your case.

Air coolers usually cost less than AIOs, though that line is also blurring as AIO coolers are getting increasingly affordable, while high-end air coolers reach toward and sometimes above the $100 range. On the extreme air side of the cooling line, the Ice Giant Prosiphon Elite has an MSRP of $170, which competes with many large AIO coolers. And Cooler Master's MasterLiquid PL360, an admittedly pretty (and pretty big) AIO cooler, is $190.

If money isn't a major concern and silent operation and low temperatures are important to you, you may want to consider a custom cooling loop. For more on how these tend to perform (and how good they look), check out our Blue Shift build feature. Just know that custom cooling loops are always much more expensive than nearly all other cooling alternatives, and they can make future component upgrades much more complicated. Our tested picks for air and liquid cooling options are below. But first we'll discuss some quick shopping tips to help you choose the best CPU cooler for you.

When choosing the best CPU cooler for your needs, consider the following:

Own a recent Ryzen CPU? You may not need to buy a cooler, but it depends on the model. Most Ryzen 2000 and 3000-series processors and some older Ryzen models ship with coolers, and many of them can handle moderate overclocks. But Ryzen 5000 CPUs don't ship with coolers in the Ryzen 7/9 range. And included Ryzen 7000 cooler details are still a bit unclear. If you want the best CPU clock speed possible, you’ll usually want to buy an aftermarket cooler anyway. But for many Ryzen owners who don't plan to push their silicon to the limit, the best CPU cooler might just be the free one in the box.

If opting for a large air cooler, be sure to check clearances before buying. Big coolers and low-profile models can bump up against tall RAM and even VRM heatsinks sometimes. And tall coolers can cause clearance issues with your case door or window. Be sure to check the dimensions and advertised clearances of any cooler you're considering and your case before buying.

Remember that, all else being equal, more fans equals better cooling, but more noise. The coolers that do the best job of moving warm air away from your CPU and out of your case are also often the loudest. If fan noise is an issue for you, you’ll want a cooler that does a good job of balancing noise and cooling. If you can set your cooler's fan speeds based on temperatures in your motherboard's BIOS, that should also help.

For much more detail on how to choose the right cooler (and cooler type) check out our 2022 CPU cooler buying guide.

Best Big Air CPU Cooler

Integrated center fan simplifies install

Additional 120mm fan for tall DIMMs

Cooler Master has pulled out all the stops to release an excellent option in the large heatpipe cooler arena. The MasterAir MA624 Stealth trades blows with some of the best CPU coolers we’ve tested. It even comes with a third 120 mm fan to use when tall DIMMS create clearance problems. The MasterAir MA624 Stealth doesn’t glitter with RGB lighting, which many will find refreshing. But it does shine on merit, as an effective near-silent thermal solution for some of the most potent desktop CPUs from both Intel and AMD--as long as you don’t count Threadripper.

Read: Cooler Master MasterAir MA624 Stealth review

Best Big Air CPU Cooler Alternative

Lack of RGB lighting options

Incomplete AMD and Intel CPU socket support

With twin cooling towers, seven heatpipes and two 140mm fans, the GamerStorm Assassin III from Deep Cool brought us the lowest temperature of big-air coolers. Pairing that thermal performance with low noise makes it our choice for air-cooling big CPUs, with great looks and easy installation qualifying as bonuses.

Read: Deepcool Assassin III review

Much like the DeepCool's AS500, DeepCool's new AK500 is an excellent alternative for those who don't quite have the room or the budget for a true big air cooler. It punches above its cooling class, delivering excellent temps for its $59.99 MSRP. But at the moment it's still tough to find from major sellers in the U.S.

Best Mid-size Air CPU Cooler

Low noise levels +Reasonably priced

Installation can be slightly difficult

No ARGB (a pro for some)

DeepCool’s AK500 performs great in our testing when paired with Alder Lake's Core i9-12900K at loads over 200W – and it keeps the CPU cool while running nice and quiet. Priced as low as $55 when we wrote this, the AK500 delivers an impressive combination of silence, performance, and value that's tough to beat.

Best AMD Threadripper Air CPU Cooler

Tall cooler height poses compatibility issues in smaller cases

The Noctua NH-U14S TR4-SP3 provides whisper-quiet cooling with big league thermal performance – the kind of overclocked Threadripper performance that sneaks into quality 360 AIO cooling performance. Armed with six nickel-plated copper heatpipes and a NF-A15 140mm PWM fan, the AMD-friendly NH-U14S TR4-SP3 is a silent thermal assassin. For Threadripper air cooling, this cooler checks all the boxes for enthusiasts and overclockers alike.

Read: Noctua NH-U14S review

Best Threadripper Cooler Alternative: Arctic Freezer 50TR

Neither as cool nor as quiet as Noctua's NH-U14S, the Artice Freezer 50 TR got our attention for its lower price. The value advantage could be important to current builders hoping to save money by using AMD's previous generation 2000-series parts.

Best Budget Air CPU Cooler

Spring tension screws are not integrated into mounting base

The Zalman CNPS10x Performa Black is a mid-size, quad-heatpipe cooler that features jet-black style and a single, ultra-silent 135mm fan that rips through CPU thermal loads for your multi-core desktop enthusiast processor. Its $45 price and cooling potential that nips at the heels of the pack leaders puts the Zalman CNPS10x Performa Black in a strong position to be a system builder favorite when extra dollars need to be spent on other components. Zalman has given the system building community an excellent, no-frills cooling option that looks great and lets you focus your money where it needs to go.

Read: Zalman CNPS10x Performa Black review Best Budget Air Cooler Alternative: be quiet! Shadow Rock Slim 2

We've tested dozens of CPU chillers, from big air blowers to low-profile limboing chillers for SFF systems, and AIO and open-loop setups big and small. While many deliver in terms of cooling performance, silence, or attractive RGB-lit looks, making them stand out in specific ways or for a specific type of user, not all of the CPU coolers we test can make the best list.

Below are some of the recent air coolers and AIOs we’ve tested that didn’t quite make the cut. One of these may still be a worthwhile option for you. Just know that the better options for most people are in the list of Best Air Coolers above, or the Best AIO Coolers page.

Cooler Master's PL360 Flux is very quiet and did a good job of chilling our Alder Lake Core i9 CPU at up to 200W in our testing. It also includes ARGB lights and software for adjusting your hue and fan speeds. It also has a fairly thin radiator which may help you fit it in more cases. But its primary downside is a fairly high price in the crowded and competitive 360mm AIO cooler market.

Read: Cooler Master's PL360 Flux review Corsair H100i Elite (9/9/2022)

The Corsair H1000i Elite is one of the quietest coolers we've tested, and includes the company's iCue suite for RGB and fan adjustments, as well as system monitoring. And in testing it was capable of cooling our Alder Lake Core i9 CPU at up to 200W. But at around $140, it faces stiff competition from the likes of DeepCool's LS520, which costs about $20 less while delivering better cooling performance.

Read: Corsair H100i Elite review

Cougar's Forza 85 is a very good and fairly quiet tower air cooler that was able to cool our Alder Lake Core i9 CPU at up to 200W. It also comes with a fan splitter and clips to let you add a second fan for even better performance. At around $70, it would be a strong contender for our Best Coolers list, if DeepCool's AK500 didn't perform better for around $10 less.

Whether you're shopping for one of the products that made our best CPU coolers list or one that didn't, you may find some savings by checking out our list of Newegg promo codes or Corsair coupon codes.

MORE: Best Liquid CPU Cooling

MORE: How To Choose A CPU Cooler

Best 360mm Closed-Loop Liquid Cooler

Lower price than other 360 AIOs

Cable / controller management could be better

When it comes to keeping overclocked CPU load temperatures in check, Cooler Master’s MasterLiquid ML360R RGB is the new chilling champ. As the 360 variant of our previously reviewed MasterLiquid ML240R RGB, the newly available MasterLiquid ML360R adds 33 percent more radiator surface area for even more cooling prowess. The result? It cools even better than the mighty NZXT Kraken X72.

Power users, gamers, system builders and overclockers in the market for a new large CPU cooler should take note. The Cooler Master ML360R RGB is our current 360 AIO thermal performance leader. And while $160 isn’t exactly cheap, there are plenty of competing products that cost more while delivering less-impressive performance.

Read: CoolerMaster MasterLiquid ML360R RGB review

Best 360mm Closed-Loop Liquid Cooler Alternative

Dripless disconnects for simple expansion using Alphacool components

The Alphacool Eisbaer Pro Aurora 360 features a full-cover CPU block sizable enough to fully cover Threadripper’s ample surface area, although it supports mainstream sockets like AM4 as well. There’s also a powerful, fast-flowing pump with built-in reservoir and an all-copper radiator, allowing the Eisbaer Pro Aurora 360 to morph into a custom cooling loop, one piece at a time. Priced around $217, it's more costly than some other solutions, but does provide hands-down the absolute best cooling potential. And power users building high-end AMD Threadripper or Intel HEDT desktop workstation or gaming systems will have higher budgets, with a different focus than those looking for a more frugal desktop gaming or mainstream PC build.

Considering the cost associated with most of the CPUs and motherboards alone supported by the Eisbaer Pro Aurora, system builders in this realm of performance usually draw from a unique set of criteria, which a frequent aim for ‘the best at any price.' And that, quite simply, is what the Alphacool Eisbaer Pro Aurora 360 exemplifies. Whether you intend to run it as is, or expand into a custom cooling loop, you won't be let down by this versatile piece of cooling kit.

Read: Alphacool Eisbaer Pro Aurora 360 review

Best 360mm Closed-Loop Liquid Cooler With a Display

MSI's MEG CoreLiquid S360 delivers top-notch cooling performance, quiet(er) cooling fans and an excellent implementation of a simple-to-use MSI Center UI and a brilliant display above your CPU to deliver system performance stats, or even your favorite photo or animated GIF. At $280, it’s definitely a premium cooler, but MSI backs up that price with some real performance clout.

For those without concern for the high price, looking for excellent cooling and endless customization options via the display, the MSI MEG CoreLiquid S36 is worthy of serious consideration. Its toughest competition may come from Corsair's H150i Elite, although we haven't had a chance to test that cooler yet.

Read: MSI MEG CoreLiquid S360 review

Best 280mm Closed-Loop Liquid Cooler

Unique pump and auxiliary fan design

Boxed unit ships with pump and fans managed by single PWM splitter

Lack of RGB lighting (for those looking for the option)

While our thermal measurements indicate that it's integrated voltage regulator fan is little more than a gimmick, great CPU temperatures at ultra-low noise levels prove the Liquid Freezer II 280 far-more-valuable than its far-costlier rivals.

Read: Arctic Liquid Freezer II 280 AIO review

Best 240mm Closed-Loop Liquid Cooler

iCUE software suite allows for customized cooler and lighting control

Priced well for premium performance

Awkward, small screws used to secure fans to radiator

The Corsair H100i RGB PRO XT takes over where the H100i Pro left off by providing enthusiast levels of thermal load management from a 240mm AIO and making use of Corsair’s iCUE software suite for RGB lighting control, fan curve configuration and pump performance settings. Paring the capability of the cooler with a set of user-friendly software tools provides a great deal of value for system builders of any technical proficiency, in real time.

Read: Corsair H100i RGB Pro XT review

Best 240mm Closed-Loop Liquid Cooler Alternate: Deepcool Gamer Storm Captain 240 Pro

The Gamer Storm Captain 240 Pro makes up for in low noise what it lacks in cooling power compared to Corsair's H100i Pro, to the point that the Captain 240 Pro has a significantly better cooling-to-noise ratio. We favor it for anyone who needs virtual silence at 50% fan speed, where most users in most environments won't hear it. Even those able to push a CPU hard enough to require 100% fan speed will find its hushed murmur less than half as noisy as the H100i Pro.

Best 240mm AIO Liquid Cooler Alternate

Excellent performance,capable of cooling 230W+ with Alder Lake

No software for lighting & fan controls

With Alder Lake’s increased cooling demands, many coolers that performed well on older platforms literally take the extra heat. But in our testing with Intel's Core i9-12900K, DeepCool’s LS520 delivered incredible cooling performance for its compact package. It handled our Alder Lake CPU without power limits in most situations. While it lacks software for its RGB lighting and fans, at just $109 its value is currently unbeatable.

Best 120mm Closed-Loop Liquid Cooler

Great cooling for a compact AIO

CAM software is attractive &

$99.99 price is higher than other 120mm AIO solutions

RGB controls only apply to CPU block face

CAM software sends data to NZXT cloud services

The NZXT Kraken M22 is an incredibly compact, high-performance liquid cooler that delivers sleek styling and vibrant RGB lighting options, while offering support for current AMD and Intel processor sockets. Specifically, if you're building a small home-theater PC or a compact gaming build, the Kraken M22 offers surprising cooling potential in a condensed cooling package.

Just don't try to strap one to your Threadripper system. The demanding thermals and massive surface of those high-end CPUs aren't supported by this cooler.

Read: NZXT Kraken M22 review

Full coverage of Threadripper CPUs

No software UI for real-time management

No RGB or LED lighting on fans (might be a plus, for some)

In the Liqtech 360 TR4 OC, Enermax has graced the Threadripper world with a cooler that covers these large enthusiast processors in full, providing performance similar to custom liquid cooling with the easy installation and moderate cost of an AIO cooler. Enermax also keeps costs down by avoiding RGB lighting and the relevant software integrations. The lack of lighting might turn away some buyers who prefer millions of colors and a software UI. However, Threadripper fans seeking excellent cooling performance, and who wish to set up some simple fan-cooling curves, will find just that in the Liqtech 360 TR4 OC.

Read: Enermax Liqtech 360 OC TR4 review

Quick disconnects for no-spill expansion

Built with DC-LT pump and copper radiator water cooling components

Tubing length could be longer to allow for more diverse installations

Pump has coolant top-up port, but coolant must be purchased separately

Alphacool's Eisbaer is a factory-filled hybrid design, featuring a closed-loop-style pump and CPU cold plate with open-loop style fittings that including an anti-leak, in-line quick connector. Alphacool offers wide range of factory-filled companion parts, from additional radiators to GPU blocks, to suite nearly any expansion need. It's perfect for buyers who lack the time to assemble, purge, and leak test their own scratch-built component systems, as well as those who have more cash than self-confidence.

Read: Alphacool Eisbaer Aurora 240 CPU Digital RGB review

Very good value for a full watercooling kit

Pricey compared to AIO alternatives

With an enormous 3x 140mm radiator, this kit allows for enough thermal expansion of the loop to include a graphics card waterblock (or even two), if desired. By using industry standard G1/4 threaded fittings for all components, the cooling loop almost begs you to add more components to the party. A radiator of this size and potential allows for this kind of load because of the quality design and engineering that went into building it. A pump of this pedigree pushes coolant like few others are capable. Quality-milled components and attention to detail are seen on each and every piece within the kit.

For anyone looking for a complete, high-quality watercooling kit in a single box, this Alphacool Eissturm Hurricane Copper 45 kit is an excellent choice for those with room in their chassis for the monstrous 3x 140mm radiator and large pump/reservoir combo.

Read: Alphacool Eissturm Hurricane Copper 45 Review

MORE: Best Air CPU Cooling

MORE: How To Choose A CPU Cooler

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