Best CPU coolers in 2023

When it comes to choosing the best CPU cooler, there’s a diverse range of options that cater to both casual users and PC gaming enthusiasts. For most home users, the key criteria of a good CPU cooler are that it should keep your CPU cool while remaining quiet, though some users may want all-out cooling performance over noise suppression or need a super low-profile cooler to fit in a tiny PC. Whatever your needs, we’ve got a CPU cooler for you.

 

The world of gaming PC CPU coolers may seem daunting, but fear not! We’ve assembled a list of the best CPU coolers from reliable brands like Noctua, Cooler Master, Be quiet!, MSI, and NZXT. We’ve even crafted a dedicated guide just for the best AIO cooler options, and if you’re pondering how to actually overclock your CPU, we can lend a helping hand with that too.

The main questions to ask yourself when picking a CPU cooler are what your budget is, what space your case has, whether you care about making a fancy-looking interior to your case, and how much you care about noise. In general, quality air coolers are the best bet for most systems, as they can be quite cheap while being quiet. However, they can be big and bulky and difficult to install. Instead, for a cleaner-looking build and an easier installation, all-in-one (AIO) water coolers are your best bet, but they can be a touch noisier and more costly too.

For more buying advice, check out the frequently asked questions section at the bottom of this page. Otherwise, dive on in to our list of recommendations to see which coolers are best for you.

Here are the best CPU coolers today:

1. Noctua NH-D15  – best CPU cooler overall
2. Deep Cool Gammaxx AG400 – best budget CPU cooler
3. Be quiet! Dark Rock 4 – best quiet CPU cooler
4. Cooler Master Hyper 212 RGB – best RGB CPU cooler
5. Noctua NH-L9 series – best low-profile CPU cooler
6. MSI MEG CoreLiquid P360 – best AIO CPU cooler
7. NZXT Kraken 120 RGB – best cheap CPU cooler
8. Cooler Master MasterLiquid 360L – best RGB AIO CPU cooler
9. NZXT Kraken 120 RGB – best 120mm AIO CPU cooler
10. Corsair iCUE H150i Elite LCD – best LCD AIO CPU cooler

1. Noctua NH-D15

The best air cooler is the Noctua NH-D15.

Noctua NH-D15 specs:

Pros:

• Rivals water cooling
• Quiet
• Two 140mm fans

Cons:

• Kind of ugly
• Might be too big for some setups

The Noctua NH-D15 is a huge air cooler consisting of two 140mm fans and two heatsinks with compatibility for both AMD and Intel sockets. Despite its drab brown and beige color scheme, it’s the best air cooler in the business, with whisper-quiet operation and temperatures almost identical to some custom water cooling solutions under full loads.

The two main caveats with this cooler are that it’s expensive for an air cooler – though still a lot cheaper than top-tier AIO liquid coolers – and, again, it’s huge! Make sure to check the CPU cooler height clearance of your case, your memory height, and be aware that it won’t make for a clean, airy, RGB-filled interior to your PC – it’ll fill the thing with beige and brown.

2. Deepcool Gammaxx AG400

The best budget CPU cooler is the Deepcool Gammaxx GTE V2.

Deep Cool Gammaxx AG400 specs:

Pros:

• Great performance for the price
• Stays relatively quiet
• Big improvement over stock coolers

Cons:

• Can be hard to assemble
• Fairly loud
• Less powerful than others

The Deepcool Gammaxx AG400 is proof that good budget CPU coolers exist. Its simple, single 120mm fan and heatsink stack design means it looks reasonably smart while taking up relatively little space for an air cooler, all while costing under $25.

With only one 120mm fan, though, this cooler won’t cope with the very highest-end CPUs on the market. We’d suggest avoiding using it on any chips with more than six normal cores (i.e. not Intel’s E-Cores) as it’ll struggle to keep things cool on any occasion when all those cores are working hard.

It’s also not the quietest cooler going, even if attached to a not-overly-hot mid-range CPU. Still, so long as it’s not right next to your head, it’s unlikely to be heard above any graphics card noise and, again, for the price it’s a great choice.

3. Be quiet! Dark Rock 4

The best quiet CPU cooler is the Be quiet! Dark Rock 4.

Be quiet! Dark Rock 4 specs:

Pros:

• One of the quietest coolers you can get
• Sleek black design
• Ability to add second fan

Cons:

• Not very aesthetically pleasing
• Installation can be difficult

Want a virtually silent air cooler? The Dark Rock 4 from be quiet! – there’s a hint in the name – fits the bill perfectly with a sound level of just 21.4dB under full load, the equivalent of a whisper. Despite this, it still gives pretty respectable temperatures compared to its stock counterparts.

This one can be a bit harder to get installed if you’re not a huge computer expert. Not that it’s so hard that it’ll stop you from being able to do so but worth keeping in mind that it might be worth asking for help from a more tech-savvy person if you’re unsure.

It has a stealthy black design which means that the cooler remains discrete… The only problem is that it is basically just a black block. It’s not ugly at all, but it’s also not one of the nicest designs we’ve seen for a cooler. Still, we don’t want to be too negative: when it comes to keeping your CPU sufficiently cooled without making too much noise in the process, the Dark Rock 4 is unrivaled.

4. Cooler Master Hyper 212 RGB

The best RGB CPU cooler is the Cooler Master Hyper 212 RGB Black Edition.

Cooler Master Hyper 212 RGB specs:

Pros:

• RGB lighting
• Low price tag
• Subtle design

Cons:

• Noisy for a single fan
• Performance a little worse than others

You’ve likely already got RGB on your best gaming mouse, so why not go all out and put it on your CPU cooler too? Not only does this cooler give you the chance to customize it in stylish ways, but it also comes with a relatively low price tag too.

Admittedly, it’s not the most powerful CPU cooler on this list, but for the majority of players, it’ll serve them just fine. If you want a really high-performance bit of hardware to keep everything cool while playing intense online battles in next-gen games, you might want something a little more high-end.

But for most people, this is going to be a visually appealing and affordable option that can be incorporated into the Aladdin’s cave of RGB lights that is your gaming space – and all without having to spend a fortune.

5. Noctua NH-L9 series

The best low-profile CPU cooler is the Noctua NH-L9 series.

Noctua NH-L9a-AM4 / NH-L9i-AM4 specs:

Pros:

• Perfect for the best mini gaming PC
• Quiet operation
• An improvement over stock coolers

Cons:

• Can’t add extra fans
• Not suitable for overclocking

First, we need to explain why we haven’t chosen a specific model here, like with the other listings. It’s because the NH-L9i will fit Intel sockets and the NH-L9a will fit AMD sockets, but both are the same heatsink and fan design. We believe this to be the best low-profile CPU cooler you can purchase.

You won’t have to worry about any size issues, with Noctua claiming 100% compatibility with all RAM sticks and the best graphics cards on Mini-ITX boards, and a total height of just 37mm. The built-in 92mm PWM-controlled Noctua fan stays nice and quiet, too.

Its main limitation, which Noctua is very transparent about, is that it is not suitable for overclocking. For that, you’re going to need a more powerful cooler, but this is still going to be an absolutely fantastic choice for the majority of gamers – especially those after a discrete cooler.

6. MSI MEG CoreLiquid P360

The best AIO cooler is the MSI MEG CoreLiquid P360.

MSI MEG CoreLiquid P360 specs:

Pros:

• The best IPS screen
• Supports the latest sockets
• As quiet as a mouse

Cons:

• Installation can be tricky

Water cooling your processor is great for overclocking and getting uncompromised performance without the added noise tax, and what better way than to avoid the hassle of a custom loop and go for a plug-and-play AIO cooler instead? None are better than the MSI MEG CoreLiquid S360, which packs three Silent Gale P12 fans onto one of the coolest and quietest solutions available and even goes a step further with a 60mm fan on the pump to keep your motherboard’s VRMs from overheating.

It’s a little trickier to install than certain other models (especially when compared to non-water-based coolers), but certainly not to the extent that it should put you off buying it. It might also be a bit of a tight fit, considering its size, but really, when it comes to discrete performance like this, there’s very little to complain about.

While there’s no RGB in the mix here, there is a fancy 2.4-inch IPS screen that manages to top other display-infused AIO solutions. Simply dive into the MSI Center, and you can showcase your system temperature, personalize your gaming PC with your favorite GIF, and you won’t be able to hear them but you can even play .mp4 videos. And better yet, you won’t struggle with Intel’s latest 12th-generation CPUs as all modern CPUs are seamlessly supported straight out of the box.

7.  NZXT Kraken 240mm

The best cheap AIO cooler is the NZXT Kraken 240mm.

NZXT Kraken 240mm specs:

Pros:

• Great thermal performance
• Affordable
• Near silent fans

Cons:

• LCD display could be brighter
• No RGB lighting

If you’re taking a serious look at overclocking your CPU then an AIO water cooler is one of the best options. This 240mm liquid cooler from NZXT is our pick. The virtually silent fans on the radiator have fluid-dynamic bearings, giving them a longer lifespan and quieter operation than any other fan technology. Naturally, there’s RGB lighting on the pump cover so people know you’re not running any old stock solution.

With this, you’ll see idle and load temps in another league to air coolers. If you are overclocking, make sure you’re picking up one of the best gaming motherboards to match, and make sure you pick up the best PC case that has space for that 240mm radiator.

In terms of aesthetics, it may not have any RGB lighting, but then, you’d be hard-pressed to find a cheaper option offering that kind of feature. If RGB is essential to you, read on to our next listing…

8. Cooler Master MasterLiquid 360L

The best RGB AIO cooler is the Cooler Master MasterLiquid ARGB.

Cooler Master MasterLiquid ARGB specs:

Pros:

• Colorful RGB
• Choice of size
• Affordable

Cons:

• Cable management can be awkward
• Mounting may be difficult

There’s no reason you can’t be serious about your cooling and want to add a splash of color to your gaming PC in the process – after all, the best gaming keyboards and best gaming headsets all have RGB nowadays, so why shouldn’t your CPU cooler match?

Cooler Master’s MasterLiquid series does this beautifully with its bright CPU block, and it comes in a handful of different sizes to make your next CPU upgrade a bit easier. The MasterLiquid ML360R has plenty of surface area and three 120mm fans to dissipate heat across its large radiator, but if you don’t have space for that in your case, then the MasterLiquid ML240R with dual 120mm fans might be more your pace.

While everything it does is top-notch, you might face some difficulty with the initial setup. It comes with loads of cables which can be difficult to smoothly integrate into your setup, and if you want to mount it, you’re going to have a bit of trouble because of its size. These things aside, it looks and performs admirably.

9. NZXT Kraken 120 RGB

The best 120mm AIO cooler is the NZXT Kraken M22.

NZXT Kraken 120 RGB specs:

Pros:

• Compact
• Wide range of compatibility
• Quiet fans

Cons:

• Noisy
• Slightly more expensive

It’s true that the bigger the radiator, the better the job an AIO cooler can do, but sometimes you just don’t have the space for one. This doesn’t mean you should sacrifice the chilling effects a liquid cooler offers, however, as there are smaller options to choose from that might be easier to shimmy into your case.

The NZXT Kraken 12o is the little brother to our favorite AIO cooler and comes with many of the same perks. It keeps things quiet, goes easy on your wallet, and keeps your CPU at the right temperature for gaming, and on top of all that, it looks absolutely fantastic too, with its RGB lighting options.

The two main drawbacks of this model are the fact that it is slightly more expensive than some of the other options, and it can reach some pretty high noise levels. Both are relatively minor complaints in the grand scheme of things and if you’re after a 120mm AIO cooler, then this is going to be your best option.

10. Corsair iCUE H150i Elite

The best LCD AIO cooler is the Corsair iCUE H150i Elite.

Corsair iCUE H150i Elite specs:

Pros:

• LCD display
• Impressive RGB lighting
• Quiet pump

Cons:

• Expensive
• Large and heavy

What’s cooler than being cool? Well, we think the Corsair iCUE H150i Elite’s built-in LCD screen is ice cold. This frosty AIO cooler’s dinky display will transform the inside of your PC case into more than just a light show, enabling you to show off anything from animated gifs to vital CPU stats.

Novelties aside, the iCUE H150i Elite is also one of the best AIO coolers on the market, complete with a low-noise pump that should keep your CPU in check. Naturally, it’s also clad in Corsair’s impressive RGB lighting, and it even comes with an iCUE Commander Core controller that can help you wield control over all your PC’s lights and fans.

There’s not really anything we can say against this one, except for the fact that if you want a small, lightweight solution, this obviously isn’t going to be it. If you want a cooler that looks fantastic and is capable of keeping your device cool even when pushing it to its limits, this is the one for you.

How we picked the best CPU coolers

Want to know how we chose the CPU coolers on this list? Here were our top considerations:

• Pricing: We wanted to include both cheap coolers, as well as top-of-the-range premium models to encompass the needs of people shopping on different budgets. Low-tier coolers might cost around $50 (£40), while high-end options are as high as $250 (£200).
• Noise level: If your cooler is too loud, then you’re going to find that the noises distract you from gaming (or whatever else you use your PC for). We were conscious to test these coolers’ noise levels to ensure we weren’t recommending anything obnoxiously loud.
• AIO options: We felt it was essential to include a few AIO coolers in this list. These models use a water-cooling system to keep your PC from overheating and are essential for anybody with an overclocked gaming PC.
• RGB: You can get coolers with RGB light set-ups that are fully compatible with stunning light settings, so they coordinate with other RGB devices you own. You will, however, have to pay more for something like that, so we understand that for some gamers it won’t be worth the extra expense.

Read our how we test guide for more about our testing process. With CPU coolers in particular, it’s important to test when pushing your device to its limits, as well as when using it for everyday purposes. Maybe it’s really loud, but only during understandable circumstances where you’re getting the most out of your PC that you can. If it’s still that loud when doing relatively sedentary tasks, this is going to make it a less appealing option. Meanwhile, you’ll need to check measurements and compare them against what your gaming desk can manage, and what space you have.

Best CPU cooler frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Do I need a CPU cooler?

Most Intel and AMD CPUs come with a cooler (known as the ‘stock’ cooler), and they’re not necessarily that bad. If you’re planning on using your gaming PC for no-thrills gaming or non-intensive tasks, you can probably just go ahead and use the fan that came with your processor. Of course, if you want to squeeze every drop of performance from your gaming PC, whether through overclocking or just playing games at 4K, you’ll want to opt for a cooler that can bring temperatures down as low as they go.

Do I need a liquid cooler?

AIO coolers, on the other hand, do wonders for those that plan to overclock their chip. Even if you don’t want to tinker with your gaming PC but can afford the price hike, they offer much more headroom, chipping degrees from your peak temperatures.

The main question on everyone’s mind is whether it’s worth the risk of putting liquid in the innards of your system, but leaks the size of which could damage your components are much rarer than you’d think. Besides, you’ll always be backed with great aftercare and warranties if you encounter any hiccups along the way.

Do CPU coolers come with mounting brackets?

Your CPU cooler should come with a selection of mounting brackets, but processor designs and shapes are continually evolving. If your cooler of choice was released before the new Intel Alder Lake series, you might find it doesn’t come with a suitable LGA 1700 bracket. Thankfully, you can pick up a new bracket fairly easily, and newer cooling options should be an issue.

Are stock CPU coolers good enough?

Long gone are the days of the included coolers sounding like a jet taking off once you boot up a game. The latest stock coolers from Intel and AMD are more than adequate if you’re not looking to overclock, or you’re trying to build the best cheap gaming PC.

Best CPU cooler deals

Our top picks will serve you better than most, but if you’re looking to save some money then there are plenty of CPU cooler deals to feast your eyes on: