Compare CPU Coolers

24 ranked products · Two to 4 at a time · Updated 10 Sept 2026

Pick any two to four of the 24 ranked cpu coolers and read them side by side. This page opens on the board's top 3, Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360, Noctua NH-D15 G2 and Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE.

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CPU Coolers compared side by side. Each column is one product, each row is one measure taken from the same research that built the board.
Measure	Arctic Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360	Noctua Noctua NH-D15 G2	Thermalright Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE	Noctua Noctua NL-LC1-36	Thermalright Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE	Lian Li Lian Li Galahad II Trinity Performance 360	Thermalright Thermalright Grand Vision 360	Arctic Arctic Freezer 36	ID-COOLING ID-COOLING FX360 PRO	Thermalright Thermalright AXP90-X47	Cooler Master Cooler Master MasterLiquid 360 Atmos II	Thermalright Thermalright AXP90-X36	Corsair Corsair Nautilus 360 RS	be quiet! be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6	Noctua Noctua NH-L9a-AM5	Cooler Master Cooler Master MasterLiquid 360 Core II	Noctua Noctua NH-D15 (original, chromax.black)	be quiet! be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 5	MSI MSI MAG CoreLiquid A13 360	be quiet! be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3	DeepCool DeepCool Assassin IV	Corsair Corsair iCUE Link Titan 360 RX LCD	NZXT NZXT Kraken Elite 360	Cooler Master Cooler Master Hyper 212 Black Edition
Tier	S	S	A	A	B	B	B	B	C	C	C	C	C	C	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	F	F	F
Rank on this board	1 of 24	2 of 24	3 of 24	4 of 24	5 of 24	6 of 24	7 of 24	8 of 24	9 of 24	10 of 24	11 of 24	12 of 24	13 of 24	14 of 24	15 of 24	16 of 24	17 of 24	18 of 24	19 of 24	20 of 24	21 of 24	22 of 24	23 of 24	24 of 24
Ladder points	1086 LP	858 LP	818 LP	648 LP	639 LP	588 LP	579 LP	543 LP	493 LP	463 LP	434 LP	409 LP	386 LP	384 LP	350 LP	335 LP	320 LP	294 LP	268 LP	259 LP	243 LP	6 LP	0 LP	0 LP
Our verdict	The best AIO to actually live with for years: one of the longest AIO warranties in the business, no RGB or vendor software, and class-leading thermals, with only a fiddly install as the cost.	The board's anchor through this lens: no pump, no software, all-metal mounting, and Noctua's industry-leading long warranty and spare-parts support make it the single best year-five ownership picture in the category.	The Peerless Assassin's higher-capacity sibling with the same pump-free, software-free simplicity. Only its slightly lesser direct citation coverage keeps it just below its twin-tower stablemate.	Early specialist reviews call it superior to the NH-D15 and better than all competition in quiet mode, but it is brand new and the priciest cooler here, so consensus has not yet crowned it.	Tom's Hardware and PCGamesN both crown it, and its utter simplicity - a heatsink plus two cheap fans - means almost nothing can fail unfixably, which is exactly what long-term ownership rewards.	Genuinely excellent AIO performance, but you pay a Lian Li premium that the Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 does not ask for, so the lens holds it below the value AIOs.	Strong thermals plus an LCD display at a price that humiliates the premium screen-coolers.	PC Gamer's top air pick with outstanding thermals and noise, and the same no-nonsense build philosophy that makes it nearly maintenance-free for its lifetime.	GamersNexus' budget AIO king. 360mm liquid cooling at air-cooler money.	SFFLABS and community testing agree it is the best cooler in its height class, and its full-copper simplicity means nothing to fail but a cheap fan.	Nothing is wrong with the cooler, only the proposition: you are paying flagship money for ARGB and covers, and the Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 cools the same for less.	The ultra-low-profile value default, matching Noctua's 37mm class thermals for far less. Niche, but unbeatable in its bracket.	A no-software, no-RGB 360mm AIO that a group test called among the best AIOs tested. Simplicity is its longevity story.	Matches the NH-D15 G2 to within a negligible margin with excellent acoustics and build quality, per three separate reviews. A genuine flagship, just newly arrived.	A niche low-profile pick with modest 95W-class capacity, but Noctua's warranty and support are unmatched anywhere in the small-form-factor segment.	The budget 360mm AIO from a major brand, efficient per its owners, but a cheap dual-tower still beats it on pure value so it sits mid-board.	Superseded by the G2 but still sold and still recommended. A decade of proven field reliability and continued Noctua support keep it ahead of every AIO here.	Premium brand, mid-pack value: its thermals do not justify its positioning against the Thermalright dual-towers that beat it, so buy the Phantom Spirit 120 SE instead.	The weakest case for ownership: adequate-at-best performance, unremarkable pump and fans, and the thinnest cooler-specific support story here. Buy an ID-COOLING FX360 PRO or a Thermalright air tower instead.	A competent, durable mid-range air cooler with nothing to fail but a fan. Unremarkable in the best way.	The best hardware on this list that you should not buy: post-sanctions, US warranty and support are effectively void, and an unserviceable product finishes last. Buy the NH-D15 G2 or Dark Rock Pro 5.	You are paying for the ecosystem and the LCD, and the specialist critique of premium AIOs (overrated for the price, higher failure rates than air) lands squarely on it. Get the Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 or a Dark Rock Pro 6 instead.	The RGB-and-LCD tax personified, with CAM software as a long-term liability. Under this lens it sits below every pick, and the Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 is the cooler to buy instead.	A legacy recommendation coasting on a decade-old reputation, outclassed in its own budget segment by the Thermalright dual-towers the specialists now crown. Buy the Phantom Spirit 120 SE or Peerless Assassin 120 SE instead.
What reviewers rate	One of the longest AIO warranties in the business Ships without RGB or vendor software, removing the two most common long-term failure and frustration points on liquid coolers Repeatedly placed at the top of the 360mm class in PC Gamer's long testing history with Arctic AIOs Named best AIO cooler overall in Club386's buying guide	Pure air cooler with no pump and no software to fail All-metal mounting hardware Noctua's long warranty and spare-parts support are the best ownership safety net in the category The chromax.black version carries the classic version's very high scores into a cleaner finish	Higher-capacity twin-tower design for hotter CPUs No pump, no software, cheap replaceable fans From the Thermalright twin-tower line that anchors Tom's Hardware's and PCGamesN's cooler guides Dual-tower air cooling that beats 120mm-class AIOs outright in testing	Vastly superior performance to the NH-D15 High performance with minimal noise Better than all of the competition in quiet mode Noctua's first AIO with a strong review wave	One of the best-performing air coolers Tom's Hardware has tested Runs whisper-silent Essentially unbeatable on value Pure passive heatsink with no pump, controller or software; a cheap fan swap fixes almost any failure	Top-tier 360mm AIO performance A realistic step-up pick for high-heat CPUs Realistically shortlisted against the Arctic and Corsair flagships One of the strongest-performing 360mm AIOs tested anywhere	Strong thermal performance from a 360mm AIO Includes an LCD pump display at a price where competitors charge double for the same feature set Matches LCD-equipped premium AIOs for far less money	Outstanding across the board, with impressively low temperatures and noise levels Simple single-tower air cooler with no software Arctic's strong warranty record makes it one of the safest long-term ownership bets Well-made and performs exceedingly well in testing	Named a Best Budget CPU Cooler in GamersNexus' 2025 roundup of 26 tested coolers A 360mm AIO at budget money Embarrasses the big-brand liquid coolers on price Matches the Corsair Nautilus 360 RS for roughly half the money	Beats all other coolers in its height bracket and even some slightly taller coolers Fully nickel-plated solid copper base provides better heat spreading Simple, passive, no firmware, nothing to brick Still regarded as a top-notch choice years on	Superb performance with a ton of features Near-silent operation and strong thermal performance Very high cooling performance at 40 dB(A) with clean installation and an effective VRM Flex Kit A true generational leap in performance and personalization	Superior fin orientation gives much better chipset and SSD temps in some builds Sits in the same 36-37mm thermal class as Noctua's 37mm low-profile units Listed among the current best ultra-low-profile coolers Lead pick in Hardware Canucks' low-profile roundup	Group test found it among the best all-in-one liquid coolers tested No RGB controller and no software requirement Strong pump and radiator Fewer electronics and no software dependency means fewer failure points	Cools an AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D even at low fan speeds Excellent build quality Closes the gap to the NH-D15 G2 to a negligible margin with a strong sound profile Superb performance matching improved aesthetics	Quieter, lower-stress choice for efficient APUs Fits tiny cases with room to spare Noctua's warranty and long-term support are unmatched in the low-profile segment Does one thing and does it better than anything else at its size	Efficient watercooling that keeps the processor at the right temperature in game and at rest Actively cross-shopped as the cheap 360mm AIO of the moment Budget entry of Cooler Master's current AIO line	A decade of field reliability Continued Noctua support and warranty The original classic-version review received very high scores across all categories No pump and no software	Premium dual-tower air cooling with build quality that rivals Noctua Class-leading acoustics Essentially no wear-out mechanism beyond its fans A set-and-forget decade-long component	Nothing recorded	Dual-tower cooling competent enough for hot mainstream CPUs be quiet! build quality Nothing to fail but a fan	As hardware, one of the best air coolers ever made	Excellent raw thermal performance	LCD pump-top is the flashiest marketing hook in the category Thermal performance on par with cheaper rivals	Still a functional, reliable air cooler Nothing mechanically wrong with it
Where it falls short	Installation is fiddlier than rivals Still an AIO: gradual coolant permeation and pump wear cap its lifespan versus air coolers	Flagship positioning that value dual-towers undercut on price	Shorter long-term field record than its sibling	The most expensive cooler in its class	Nothing recorded	Carries a premium the value AIOs do not ask for Pump-top display adds cost and failure surface L-Connect software adds dependency the Freezer III Pro largely avoids	Nothing recorded	Suited to mid-range CPUs rather than flagship chips	Nothing recorded	Nothing recorded	You pay a premium for aesthetics over plainer, proven rivals	Noctua's fan is better in direct comparison Sits just below its larger AXP90-X47 sibling in listing order	Still an AIO, so pump and permeation wear apply	Promoted mainly by the manufacturer's own marketing The big r/buildapc thread shows the community defaulting to cheaper air coolers over premium towers	Modest 95W-class cooling capacity Mounting is not as good as some low-profile rivals Overpriced, with equivalent performance available cheaper Real users report the Thermalright AXP90-X36 giving better board-level temps in the same builds	A budget air tower still beats it on pure value	Superseded by the NH-D15 G2 Superseded by Noctua's own NH-D15 G2 Costs legacy-Noctua money for a replaced design Beaten outright in performance by Noctua's own new AIO	Premium positioning not matched by a thermal lead over far cheaper Thermalright dual-towers Heavily cross-shopped but loses on value to the Thermalright towers Superseded by the Dark Rock Pro 6, reviewed as better across the board Still bought on reputation rather than current performance	Nothing recorded	Nothing recorded	DeepCool was hit with US sanctions in 2024 and effectively withdrew from the US market Warranty claims, RMAs, and spare-part support in the largest market are functionally dead A cooler you cannot get serviced is a liability no matter how good the heatsink is	Ecosystem-locked premium AIO whose thermals do not justify the branding Premium AIOs in this class are criticized as overrated for the price AIO failure rates are noticeably higher than air coolers iCUE Link ecosystem locks fans, pump, and lighting into a proprietary connector chain	You pay a premium for RGB and aesthetics rather than cooling Mandatory CAM software with a poor longevity record Outperformed by air coolers from Noctua and be quiet! Large price premium for the LCD pump-top	Outclassed in its own budget segment by Thermalright's dual-towers Recommended in beginner threads on reputation alone rather than current performance Decisively beaten on cooling and noise by the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE for roughly the same money Coasting on a decade-old reputation
Evidence behind it	33 sources across 26 outlets	87 sources across 56 outlets	16 sources across 8 outlets	32 sources across 27 outlets	19 sources across 14 outlets	18 sources across 14 outlets	22 sources across 14 outlets	43 sources across 25 outlets	2 sources across 2 outlets	8 sources across 7 outlets	3 sources across 3 outlets	8 sources across 8 outlets	12 sources across 11 outlets	10 sources across 8 outlets	6 sources across 6 outlets	2 sources across 2 outlets	29 sources across 22 outlets	11 sources across 11 outlets	12 sources across 11 outlets	11 sources across 6 outlets	32 sources across 23 outlets	11 sources across 11 outlets	25 sources across 20 outlets	40 sources across 34 outlets
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Every column is the same research that built the board. Nothing here is a specification sheet copied from a maker. Read how we rank for what a tier and a ladder point mean.