But first, we'll discuss some quick shopping tips to help you choose the best CPU cooler for you. Our tested picks for air and liquid cooling options are below. Just know that custom loops are always much more expensive than all other common cooling alternatives, and they can make future component upgrades much more complicated. For more on how these tend to perform (and how good they look), check out our Blue Shift build feature. If money isn't as imperative as silent operation and low temperatures, you may want to consider a custom cooling loop. There are, though, also decently performing air coolers that cost less than $30. 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. But AIO coolers are also getting increasingly affordable ( and also more expensive), while high-end air coolers reach toward and sometimes above the $100 range. 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.Īir coolers usually cost less than AIOs, with surprisingly solid options like the Amazon Basics CPU cooler costing less than $30. These days, though, that’s not cut and dry. Air coolers can also be louder and less efficient than liquid coolers at moving heat away from your CPU and out of the chassis. 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. 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. Read: Zalman CNPS10x Performa Black reviewīest Budget Air Cooler Alternative: be quiet! Shadow Rock Slim 2 Best CPU Coolers For You 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. 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. 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. Spring tension screws are not integrated into mounting base Read: Thermalright Peerless Assassin SE review Whether you care about value or not, you should consider this cooler for your next system build, so long as your case has room for it. It's also available in in silver/gray, white or black, so it should fit in with most build themes if you care about matching aesthetics. The cooler's two 120mm fans did their job of dissipating all that heat at low noise levels, making at just 34.5dB at max speed, and 33dB at 50% speed. The Peerless Assassin 120 SE cooled the CPU when it was drawing over 200 watts better than our tested competition, and at lower thermal/TDP settings, it performed much better than the competition. In our tests, it performed so well when cooling our Core i9-12900K that we re-tested it multiple times to be sure the results were correct. Finally, close your PC case and plug it back in turn on your PC and check that the VRM heatsink is working properly without causing any issues.Thermalright's Peerless Assassin 120 SE lives up to its name, delivering the best performance from an air cooler that we've tested on Intel's Alder Lake at a price that undercuts the competition. Connect any fans or water blocks, if applicable, according to instructions and make sure they are properly powered and routed. You may need to screw or clip it in place. Align and attach the VRM heatsink, making sure it is securely mounted and firmly connected to the motherboard. ![]() Apply new thermal pads or paste to the components according to the instructions of your VRM heatsink, ensuring they cover the entire surface without overlapping or spilling over. Clean the VRM components with a soft cloth or cotton swab dipped in alcohol to remove any dust or residue. Make sure not to damage or bend any pins or wires. Remove any existing VRM heatsink or thermal pads from the components, if any, by unscrewing or unclipping them from the motherboard. Open the case and locate the VRM components near the CPU socket they usually have small black or silver squares on them. To begin, turn off your PC and unplug it from the power source. Installing a VRM heatsink on your PC is not a difficult task, but it does require some care and caution.
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