Thermalright

Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE

Ranked #3 in CPU Coolers

818 LP on the category ladder what's LP?

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.

Consolidated from 16 cited sources across 8 outlets

Where the cited sources landed, as we read them

13 positive sources
2 mixed sources
1 unconvinced source

See the sources

Check price

Pros & cons

✓ 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
✓ Delivers close to Noctua NH-D15-class thermals for a fraction of the outlay

✗ Shorter long-term field record than its sibling

The sources behind this ranking

We searched the web and YouTube for what has been published about this product, then read the articles, video transcripts and comments we found.

Evidence 3 articles, 12 video reviews and 1 community source

13 positive sources

Black [Phantom Spirit 120 SE] Article

Enhance CPU cooling performance with the Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE Dual Tower CPU Cooler in Black. Featuring dual TL-C12B V2 PWM fans, seven heat pipes, and double tower heatsink design, this cooler supports AM4, AM5, Intel LGA1851, 1700, 115X, and 1200 sockets. Enjoy efficient heat dissipation and quiet operation, with local stock and fast dispatch for reliable delivery.

Read P

PC Analytics PC Analytics · 7.5K subscribers · Mar 2023

However, the Phantom Spirit is quieter at the higher RPMs. When we push the CPU to overclock levels of 125 watts, the Phantom Spirit pulls ahead slightly. In our second set of charts normalized by sound, we have temperatures on the left, noise, on the bottom, with lower being better. At idle the coolers continue to perform similarly, and as we increase the wattage to 105, the Phantom Spirit begins to outperform producing more cooling for a given noise level

Watch H

Hardware For Gamers Greenalex89 · owner · Jun 2022

Great cooler imo. It can be really tight with the RAMs, but u can still adjust the cooler fan however u want, so if ur case is spacy enough there will never be space issues with the RAm sticks.

Watch P

PC Analytics PC Analytics · 7.5K subscribers · Apr 2023

The Phantom Spirit features a more rugged look with seven exposed heat pipes and is known for delivering outstanding cooling capabilities at an attractive price point

Watch P

PC Analytics asian_raisin · owner · Mar 2023

I just bought the Phantom Spirit 120 SE for my nephew's birthday computer. It has a AMD 5600X for now so it'll be ready when he decides to upgrade.

Watch H

Hardware For Gamers Hardware For Gamers · 6.3K subscribers · May 2023

On to the overview, there are 2 versions of the PS 120 SE. There is the PS 120 SE and The PS 120 SE ARGB.

Watch P

PC Analytics titanuranus2136 · owner · Apr 2023

Amazing that the PS120SE is almost as good, whilst smaller and almost 1/3 the price. Very good information dense videos by the way!

Watch A

AlinTech AlinTech · 267 subscribers · Sept 2024

Curious about a cost-effective CPU cooler that packs a punch? Let's take a closer look at the Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE. In this unboxing video, we'll explore its design, features, and compatibility.

Watch N

note（ノート）漫画大好きたぎたぎ · reviewer · Apr 2026

If you want a model that cools well while keeping the price down, Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE is a very strong contender.

Read H

Hardware For Gamers wizzgamer · owner · May 2023

Incredible cooler bloody pain that you have to rearrange the mounting brackets to fit this cooler though from my old one.

Watch P

PC Analytics UncleButterworth · owner · Feb 2024

I honestly don't think the Phantom can be beat, especially when you consider the price.

Watch P

PC Analytics kaeru-o1d · owner · Apr 2023

I ordered this CPU Cooler. thanks for the review!

Watch B r/buildapc u/the_keranaci · owner

Yes, a Phantom Spirit 9800X3D is enough.

Read thread

2 mixed sources

CasuallyGamin9 jund8169 · owner · Feb 2024

I really love the asthetics of PS120 Evo but is it alot louder than the SE for only slight improvement in temps?

Watch C

CasuallyGamin9 15k-k9v · owner · Jun 2023

my new pc 14600kf and phantom spirit is going 90s in cyberpunk pls help bro do i need aio

Watch

1 unconvinced source

Tom's Hardware Forum Earth412 · reviewer

No. The Phantom spirit 120 SE does not perform as well as the Peerless Assassin 120 SE.

Read

Frequently asked questions

It ranks #3 of 24 on our CPU coolers tier list, in A tier. That placement draws on 16 cited sources across 8 outlets.

1 of the 16 sources with a clear view is critical of it: Tom's Hardware Forum. Shorter long-term field record than its sibling.

On our cpu coolers board, Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE ranks #3 (A tier) ahead of Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE at #5 (B tier). Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE: 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.