When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
Best CPU Cooler
The central processing unit is the heart of your computer, but it needs to be adequately cooled to reach its maximum potential when gaming.
Why is this? It’s because the CPU starts to get incredibly hot as you engage in strenuous activities like gaming and video editing.
A top-notch CPU cooler ensures your processor stays cooler for longer, allowing it to reach the best speeds possible.
This means that games and software can benefit from your processor ramping up its base and boosting clock speeds.
With a sound enough cooling system, you can keep running at high speeds indefinitely and even push your processor beyond its rated speeds.
Some cooling systems can even keep your processor cool without generating a lot of noise.
That said, let’s look at some of the best coolers available right now. We’ve featured air coolers as well as liquid coolers, giving you options for your gaming setup.
| 5 Best CPU Cooler | Type | Compatibilty | Heat Pipes | Noise Volume | Rotation Speed | Dimensions | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cooler Master Hyper 212 | Fan & Heatsink | Intel LGA 1150 - 2066 & AMD AM2/AM3/AM4/FM1/FM2 | 4 | 8dBA - 30dBA | Up to 2000 RPM | 4.72 x 3.11 x 6.22 in. | 35.2 oz. |
| Corsair iCUE H150i | Liquid Cooling System | Intel LGA 1150 - 2066 & AMD AM2/AM3/AM4/sTR4/sTRX4 | 0 | 36dBA | Up to 2000 RPM | 15.63 x 4.71 x 4.71 in. | 38.88 oz. |
| Cryorig H7 Tower Cooler | Fan & Heatsink | Intel LGA 1150 - 1200 & AMD AM4 | 3 | 10dBA -25dBA | Up to 2000 RPM | 4.84 x 3.86 x 5.71 in. | 25.12 oz. |
| Noctua NH-D15S | Fan & Heatsink | Intel LGA 775 - 2066 and AMD AM2/AM3+/FM1/FM2/FM2+ | 6 | 19.20dbA - 24.60dbA | Up to 1500 RPM | 5.31 x 5.91 x 6.3 in. | 40.65 oz. |
| Noctua NH-L9i | Fan & Heatsink | Intel LGA 1151/1155/1156 & AMD AM2/AM3/FM1/FM2 | 6 | 14.8dbA - 23.6dbA | Up to 2500 RPM | 3.7 x 3.7 x 1.5 in. | 13.4 oz. |
1. Cooler Master Hyper 212
Best CPU Cooler – Cooler Master Hyper 212
Cooler Master Hyper 212 sports a sleek black aluminum finish. It’s not only the jet-black look that ups this cooler’s look; it also has nickel-plated jet black fins to complete the look.
The Hyper 212 is also easily one of the best CPU coolers right now.
It has four heat pipes with DCT (Direct Contact Technology) to combat better heat and a wide speed range which allows it to fine-tune cooling and operate silently.
Key Specifications
- Type: Fan & Heatsink
- Compatibility: Intel LGA 1150 – 2066 & AMD AM2/AM3/AM4/FM1/FM2
- Heat Pipes: 4
- Noise Volume: 8dBA – 30dBA
- Rotation Speed: Up to 2000 RPM
- Dimensions 4.72 x 3.11 x 6.22 Inches
- Weight: 35.2 Ounces
2. Corsair iCUE H150i
Corsair iCUE H150i
The Corsair iCUE H150i continues with Corsair’s tradition of building unique liquid cooling systems.
It features top-notch cooling thanks to its low-noise centrifugal pump and split-flow copper cold plate, and it has bright RGB LED lighting.
What’s more, the RGB lighting is customizable using Corsair’s iCUE software. So if you want a powerful liquid cooler that looks good, there is none better than the iCUE H150i.
Key Specifications
- Type: Liquid Cooling System
- Compatibility: Intel LGA 1150 – 2066 & AMD AM2/AM3/AM4/sTR4/sTRX4
- Heat Pipes: 0
- Noise Volume: 36dBA
- Rotation Speed: Up to 2000 RPM
- Dimensions 15.63 x 4.71 x 4.71 Inches
- Weight: 38.88 Ounces
3. Cryorig H7 Tower Cooler
Cryorig H7 Tower Cooler
One of the main reasons why the H7 is such a good cooler is because it makes changing RAM sticks easy, and it takes up less space which makes your setup look good.
The H7 fits both AMD and Intel sockets, although you’ll need a bracket for the AMD AM4.
The H7 also has a very good noise range, so it can execute its functions without producing a lot of noise. This allows you to game or edit in almost dead silence.
Key Specifications
- Type: Fan & Heatsink
- Compatibility: Intel LGA 1150 – 1200 & AMD AM4
- Heat Pipes: 3
- Noise Volume: 10dBA -25dBA
- Rotation Speed: Up to 2000 RPM
- Dimensions 4.84 x 3.86 x 5.71 Inches
- Weight: 25.12 Ounces
4. Noctua NH-D15S
Noctua NH-D15S
The NHD15S is an impressive cooler because it performs equally good if not better than some liquid coolers, all while costing less than them.
You might not be familiar with the name Noctua because it’s a relatively small company, but you can be sure that when you buy one of their coolers or fans, you’re buying a product from a company that has really honed its craft.
Key Specifications
- Type: Fan & Heatsink
- Compatibility: Intel LGA 775 – 2066 and AMD AM2/AM3+/FM1/FM2/FM2+
- Heat Pipes: 6
- Noise Volume: 19.20dbA – 24.60dbA
- Rotation Speed: Up to 1500 RPM
- Dimensions 5.31 x 5.91 x 6.3 Inches
- Weight: 40.65 Ounces
5. Noctua NH-L9i
Best CPU Cooler – Noctua NH-L9i
Noctua is an Austrian company that does one thing very well; making the best CPU coolers and fans.
This means that although the NH-L9i is compact, it can still hold its weight when it comes to active cooling with no compromises.
This makes it a fantastic cooler for anyone with a small build or even those with a ton of large parts who are not comfortable with liquid cooling systems.
Key Specifications
-
- Type: Fan & Heatsink
- Compatibility: Intel LGA 1151/1155/1156 & AMD AM2/AM3/FM1/FM2
- Heat Pipes: 6
- Noise Volume: 14.8dbA – 23.6dbA
- Rotation Speed: Up to 2500 RPM
- Dimensions: 3.7 x 3.7 x 1.5 Inches
- Weight: 13.4 Ounces
Final Thought
As you can see, there are plenty of CPU coolers for your gaming and probably even video editing setups.
No need to invest in a good CPU if you’re not going to invest in an equally good cooler because the performance will be dialed down significantly.
See Also