CPU Cooler Performance Tier List

[WoodenMarker]

6 hours ago, Jlg11d said:

I'm in the states, budget is sub $100. Options are extremely limited, so I'm using Throttlestop.

I'd recommend just going with the H60 (2018) since there isn't anything substantially better or cheaper that definitely fits. It also doesn't hurt that there's a direct example to follow from the Dell community thread. https://pcpartpicker.com/product/F2rmP6/corsair-h60-2018-572-cfm-liquid-cpu-cooler-cw-9060036-ww

[Vejnemojnen]

11 hours ago, WoodenMarker said:

The rgb options are often not the same cooler or fan but just in rgb. In the cases of the SE-214 RGB and Fera 3, the fans has more blades which results in higher airflow and noise as stated in the specs. 

At least in the case of the Fera 3 / RGB, they have a similar number of fins and seem to perform similarly. 

Thank you. I'll definitely try to read more and more reviews-tests. At least it'll provide an opportunity to practice some German. 

 

Right now I even regularly recommend Arctic Freezer 34 ESport edition&Esport duo, as they are actually BOTH cheaper than Fera3 RGB or Pure Rock (the price is roughly the same as Hyper212 Black Edition). And they do look great, which is a factor for those, who love to play with aesthetics. Will explore local offerings for best-buy sub33euro coolers.

[Opus131]

Quick question for you guys. I have an MSI B450 Gaming Pro Carbon etc, which comes with a pretty gargantuan VRM shroud, and those RGB Corsair modules, which also tend to stick up quite a bit. Would i be able to fit something like the Noctua NH-D15 or the LC-Power LC-CC-120-X3, any cooler of that size in general? 

[WoodenMarker]

1 hour ago, Opus131 said:

Quick question for you guys. I have an MSI B450 Gaming Pro Carbon etc, which comes with a pretty gargantuan VRM shroud, and those RGB Corsair modules, which also tend to stick up quite a bit. Would i be able to fit something like the Noctua NH-D15 or the LC-Power LC-CC-120-X3, any cooler of that size in general? 

Noctua has a mainboard compatibility page for their coolers that describe compatibility and any potential issues. The NH-D15 won't have any issues with the shroud on the B450 Gaming Pro Carbon. https://noctua.at/en/nh-d15/comp

There's a keep out zone that manufacturers abide by so that coolers fit on motherboards as long as that's followed. The LC-CC-120-X3 looks like it would barely fit if at all looking at photos. For a bit more context, you can look at the ram.

https://www.techpowerup.com/review/msi-b450-gaming-pro-carbon-ac/7.html (TridentZ 44mm)

https://www.hartware.de/2015/10/30/lc-power-cosmo-cool-lc-cc-120-x3/5/ (RipjawsX 40mm)

https://www.sk.rs/2014/12/sktd02.html (HyperX Savage 35mm)

[Opus131]

Damn, the LC-Power is monstrous, couldn't gouge the size just by looking at the pictures, haha. 

 

Wasn't a black version of the Noctua coming out, or did i dream seeing it? 

[WoodenMarker]

1 minute ago, Opus131 said:

Wasn't a black version of the Noctua coming out, or did i dream seeing it? 

Their current target is Q2 2019 so soon if it doesn't get more delayed. https://twitter.com/vallilantuomo/status/1047855501436968962

For now, they have their Chromax fans and covers available. https://noctua.at/en/products/accessories/heatsink-covers

[Tonberry]

On 7/17/2019 at 2:19 AM, Opus131 said:

Quick question for you guys. I have an MSI B450 Gaming Pro Carbon etc, which comes with a pretty gargantuan VRM shroud, and those RGB Corsair modules, which also tend to stick up quite a bit. Would i be able to fit something like the Noctua NH-D15 or the LC-Power LC-CC-120-X3, any cooler of that size in general? 

 

On 7/17/2019 at 4:50 AM, Opus131 said:

Damn, the LC-Power is monstrous, couldn't gouge the size just by looking at the pictures, haha. 

 

Wasn't a black version of the Noctua coming out, or did i dream seeing it? 

You want to have a D15 performance with good compatibilities?

 

1. Get the NH-U12A in the more expensive price point and swap its fans when the NF-A12x25 Chromax black hit the market for the extra cost of aesthetics to be even more expensive.

2. Get Thermalright Le Grand Macho RT in the better value.

 

Those CPU coolers are the direct rivals of the NH-D15S with better compatibilities, no RAM conflicts and only 158mm height on the U12A and 159mm on the TLGMRT.

[Lindstroem]

Hello and thank you for a highly detailed list of coolers. It's hard trying to find a good place to gauge/average different cooler comparison results as they tend to differ due to different systems/tests. I was surprised to see that neither Dark Rock 4 Pro or Macho RT made the Top list. A suggestion to your great list, would it be possible for you to add a toplist showing best Cooling/Noise-average? For example showing a max temp and max db-level in a table and then sorting them by adding them together (lowest = best). Not easy for comparison as different values comes through different reviews, so might be better to leave the numbers out of it. Food for thought

 

I am planning on building a new gaming computer with a focus on silence. I live in Sweden and my cooler budget is max 90 EUR (perhap alot when the CPU only costs around 210 EUR, but I am thinking that it can be re-used in future builds too). I would very much appriciate your expertise.

 

Build: Fractal Design Define R6 Chassis (standard fans, maybe add new bottom intake fan if GPU gets hot), Ryzen 3600, B450 Tomahawk, Corsair LPX 2x8 3200mhz RAM and for GPU either 5700XT AIB, 2070 Super or 2080 non-super (only non-blower style cards are of interested so there will be some heat contaminent). 

Priorities for a CPU-Cooler: Quiet and Cool!

 

I will only use the automatic overclock. Will 2 fans like the NH-D15 improve the general airflow/climate in the case and therefor also help the GPU with providing a better environment? As some pointed out above, the Macho RT seems to be more quiet and comparable stats to the NH-D15 when not pushing the GPU to far, so Im not sure which one would be best for me giving I will not overclock massively, but will have a high-performance GPU right next to it which might be overclocked.

 

Appriciate your input!

[imajerec]

arctic freezer 13 in same tier with silentiumpc fera 3? any reliable sources?

[WoodenMarker]

5 hours ago, Lindstroem said:

I was surprised to see that neither Dark Rock 4 Pro or Macho RT made the Top list.

would it be possible for you to add a toplist showing best Cooling/Noise-average? For example showing a max temp and max db-level in a table and then sorting them by adding them together (lowest = best). 

 

I am planning on building a new gaming computer with a focus on silence. I live in Sweden and my cooler budget is max 90 EUR (perhap alot when the CPU only costs around 210 EUR, but I am thinking that it can be re-used in future builds too). I would very much appriciate your expertise.

Build: Fractal Design Define R6 Chassis (standard fans, maybe add new bottom intake fan if GPU gets hot), Ryzen 3600, B450 Tomahawk, Corsair LPX 2x8 3200mhz RAM and for GPU either 5700XT AIB, 2070 Super or 2080 non-super (only non-blower style cards are of interested so there will be some heat contaminent). 

Priorities for a CPU-Cooler: Quiet and Cool!

 

I will only use the automatic overclock. Will 2 fans like the NH-D15 improve the general airflow/climate in the case and therefor also help the GPU with providing a better environment? As some pointed out above, the Macho RT seems to be more quiet and comparable stats to the NH-D15 when not pushing the GPU to far, so Im not sure which one would be best for me giving I will not overclock massively, but will have a high-performance GPU right next to it which might be overclocked.

The DRP4 and LGMRT are both great coolers but they're not the best for raw cooling performance.

Cooling / noise is extremely difficult to nail down since different loads will favor different coolers. With a lighter load, smaller or passive coolers easily win and higher loads will fail many coolers that aren't designed to handle that load. It's hard to enough to avoid arbitrary decisions when making the performance list and I'm not sure how to approach a cooling / noise list nearly as objectively. How loud or intrusive a cooler seems has more to do with just a dBA reading as well since tonality plays a large role and how unpleasant certain tones can be are also subjective. 

I recommend looking to in-depth reviews and audio recordings that may better describe how noisy a cooler is. A graph of dBA / temp is definitely useful but a reviewer's notes on actual perceived sound may be just as important. 

 

I'm not sure what difference a second fan on the cooler makes for the graphics card but getting cool air to it quickly and getting the heated air away afterwards is how you get good cooling. If it does help, higher airflow is probably more helpful whereas a large heatsink may potentially trap heat above the graphics card.

 

The 3600 benefits from as much cooling as you can get it so the NH-D15 is hard to go wrong with: https://www.prisjakt.nu/produkt.php?p=4186284

The DRP4 has the edge for low noise and a bit more performance than the LGMRT but it has a more difficult installation: https://www.prisjakt.nu/produkt.php?p=4750734

Hardware Scientist has an excellent video that goes over the pros and cons of these coolers:

 

If you want to save a bit of money, consider the Macho Rev. B which is a slightly worse LGMRT although considerably cheaper: https://www.prisjakt.nu/produkt.php?p=2894845

The extra money could go towards better case fans like NF-P14S PWM which may allow the graphics card fans to run at lower rpm: https://www.prisjakt.nu/produkt.php?p=2659199

[WoodenMarker]

3 hours ago, imajerec said:

arctic freezer 13 in same tier with silentiumpc fera 3? any reliable sources?

The two coolers were released nearly a decade apart so I don't think there are any direct comparisons. 

You can see where they land from comparisons to coolers in the same tier and the tiers above / below it. 

http://www.rbmods.com/arctic-freezer-13-cpu-cooler/3/

http://www.tech-kings.net/home/review/cooling/169-arctic-freezer-13-review?showall=&start=2

https://hexus.net/tech/reviews/cooling/42937-intel-ivy-bridge-cpu-7-way-cooler-group-test/?page=11

http://www.pureoverclock.com/Review-detail/arctic-cooling-freezer-13/4/

https://www.overclockers.com/arctic-freezer-13-review/

https://www.kitguru.net/components/cooling/zardon/arctic-cooling-freezer-13-review/4/

https://www.hardwaresecrets.com/arctic-cooling-freezer-13-cpu-cooler-review/6/

https://extreme.pcgameshardware.de/luftkuehlung/454887-review-silentiumpc-fera-3-he1224-preis-leistung-aus-polen.html

https://www.hardwareluxx.de/index.php/artikel/hardware/kuehlung/40494-silentiumpc-fera-3-he1224-im-test.html?start=5

https://www.hwcooling.net/en/arctic-freezer-33-face-to-face-with-silentiumpc-fera-3-v2-en/4/

https://www.kitguru.net/components/dominic-moass/silentiumpc-air-cooler-challenge-6-way-round-up/9/

https://whatnext.pl/test-chlodzenia-silentiumpc-fera-3-he1224/

https://wavepc.pl/czy-warto-kupic-dodatkowe-chlodzenie/

https://pc.zoznam.sk/silentiumpc-fera-3-he1224-doposial-najlepsia-fera?page=all

https://youtu.be/EPjuqY2ePx8?t=750

 

The Fera 3 / V2 is better and was near the top of the same tier. I've since moved it up one tier since it has more than a few great showings similar to the Gammaxx 400. 

[Lindstroem]

3 hours ago, WoodenMarker said:

The DRP4 and LGMRT are both great coolers but they're not the best for raw cooling performance.

Cooling / noise is extremely difficult to nail down since different loads will favor different coolers. With a lighter load, smaller or passive coolers easily win and higher loads will fail many coolers that aren't designed to handle that load. It's hard to enough to avoid arbitrary decisions when making the performance list and I'm not sure how to approach a cooling / noise list nearly as objectively. How loud or intrusive a cooler seems has more to do with just a dBA reading as well since tonality plays a large role and how unpleasant certain tones can be are also subjective. 

I recommend looking to in-depth reviews and audio recordings that may better describe how noisy a cooler is. A graph of dBA / temp is definitely useful but a reviewer's notes on actual perceived sound may be just as important. 

 

I'm not sure what difference a second fan on the cooler makes for the graphics card but getting cool air to it quickly and getting the heated air away afterwards is how you get good cooling. If it does help, higher airflow is probably more helpful whereas a large heatsink may potentially trap heat above the graphics card.

 

The 3600 benefits from as much cooling as you can get it so the NH-D15 is hard to go wrong with: https://www.prisjakt.nu/produkt.php?p=4186284

The DRP4 has the edge for low noise and a bit more performance than the LGMRT but it has a more difficult installation: https://www.prisjakt.nu/produkt.php?p=4750734

Hardware Scientist has an excellent video that goes over the pros and cons of these coolers:

 

If you want to save a bit of money, consider the Macho Rev. B which is a slightly worse LGMRT although considerably cheaper: https://www.prisjakt.nu/produkt.php?p=2894845

The extra money could go towards better case fans like NF-P14S PWM which may allow the graphics card fans to run at lower rpm: https://www.prisjakt.nu/produkt.php?p=2659199

Wow thanks for that amazingly detailed and thorough response. I completely agree and sympathize with the difficulty in capturing the noise/cooling-perspective in a perfect manner, especially seeing as the performance tests are taken from different reviews. 

 

Provided that the NH-D15 basically wins all reviews and related to your response, I believe that will be my pick, especially as i might like to bring it with me to future platforms and 6y warranty is appriciated (dont know how many fails but the fact that macho only offers 2y must be for some reason). Going with the 5700 XT for a graphics card now with a potential upgrade 2y hence also leaves me a bit of a budget for other components at the moment and I feel that the 3600 probably will suit all my needs with 12 threads for the coming 5-10 years (as I am not using the computer for productivity and will be gaming at 3440x1440p the CPU will hardly be a relevant bottleneck).

 

If I see the GPU rise to an unwanted temperature, would you recommend first installing a air intake in the bottom (and perhaps elevate the chassis about 2-3cm to increase ground clearance) or would you opt for replacing the front intake fans with Noctuas? Seeing as I'm paying a premium for the R6 I would hope that the fans included will do the trick and would prefer to simply add fans rather than replace them? A bit of topic but are you familiar with the Silversotne KL07 chassis and have any thoughts in relation to the R6? 

 

Thanks again!

[WoodenMarker]

2 hours ago, Lindstroem said:

If I see the GPU rise to an unwanted temperature, would you recommend first installing a air intake in the bottom (and perhaps elevate the chassis about 2-3cm to increase ground clearance) or would you opt for replacing the front intake fans with Noctuas? Seeing as I'm paying a premium for the R6 I would hope that the fans included will do the trick and would prefer to simply add fans rather than replace them? A bit of topic but are you familiar with the Silversotne KL07 chassis and have any thoughts in relation to the R6? 

The included Dynamic X2 GP's are pretty good and should already be enough. For better cooling, you can add a bottom intake and / or a top exhaust.

The KL07 seems similar and might have better airflow but the R6 has better cable management and build quality. 

[Lindstroem]

17 hours ago, Lindstroem said:

Provided that the NH-D15 basically wins all reviews and related to your response, I believe that will be my pick, especially as i might like to bring it with me to future platforms and 6y warranty is appriciated (dont know how many fails but the fact that macho only offers 2y must be for some reason). Going with the 5700 XT for a graphics card now with a potential upgrade 2y hence also leaves me a bit of a budget for other components at the moment and I feel that the 3600 probably will suit all my needs with 12 threads for the coming 5-10 years (as I am not using the computer for productivity and will be gaming at 3440x1440p the CPU will hardly be a relevant bottleneck).

On second thought. The Scythe Ninja 5 seems to be lagging around ~2C behind the NH-D15 while delivering better db-values and coming in around ~20EUR cheaper. The test below showed them almost coming in at the same values (3700X could clock 25mhz on NH-D15 in the test) while Ninja is more quiet. Without replacing the fans on the Ninja, would you recommend this cooler in this price category when 1) silence 2) cooling is the priority? Or would you argue strongly to add 20 EUR for the NH-D15 and argue that the low noice from the NH-D15 is drowned by the system/chassis anyway? I do like that 6y warranty on Noctua and their overwhelmingly large community of users loving it. Continue reading the EDIT below

 

 

EDIT:

While the above stated good performance numbers (as well as many others showing it trailing close to NH-D15 and being on par with DR4PRO), Tomshardware's review gave a completely different response. I think I'm back to NH-D15 alternatively the DR4PRO (installation may be a hustle but I'm only going to do it 2-3 times in total)

 

https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/scythe-ninja-5-cpu-cooler,5939-2.html

 

You too mention that DarkRock4Pro have an advantage looking when comparing noise levels to the NH-D15, is the difference audible when enclosed in a R6-chassi (or other similiary sound damped chassis)? Im planning on a silent build so I am not expecting other noices to leak out so the chassi fans will probably be the only sound leakage. 

 

 

 

[WoodenMarker]

8 hours ago, Lindstroem said:

On second thought. The Scythe Ninja 5 seems to be lagging around ~2C behind the NH-D15 while delivering better db-values and coming in around ~20EUR cheaper. The test below showed them almost coming in at the same values (3700X could clock 25mhz on NH-D15 in the test) while Ninja is more quiet. Without replacing the fans on the Ninja, would you recommend this cooler in this price category when 1) silence 2) cooling is the priority? Or would you argue strongly to add 20 EUR for the NH-D15 and argue that the low noice from the NH-D15 is drowned by the system/chassis anyway? I do like that 6y warranty on Noctua and their overwhelmingly large community of users loving it.

While the above stated good performance numbers (as well as many others showing it trailing close to NH-D15 and being on par with DR4PRO), Tomshardware's review gave a completely different response. I think I'm back to NH-D15 alternatively the DR4PRO (installation may be a hustle but I'm only going to do it 2-3 times in total)

https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/scythe-ninja-5-cpu-cooler,5939-2.html

You too mention that DarkRock4Pro have an advantage looking when comparing noise levels to the NH-D15, is the difference audible when enclosed in a R6-chassi (or other similiary sound damped chassis)? Im planning on a silent build so I am not expecting other noices to leak out so the chassi fans will probably be the only sound leakage. 

If you wanted to save some money and didn't mind a bit less performance, the Macho Rev. B already does that and is even cheaper. The Ninja 5 is similar and a good option if you want a different aesthetic. The larger swings in performance are probably due to the particularly low rpm fans that rely more on good case airflow.

If you want better performance, longer warranty, and Noctua's renowned customer support, go with the NH-D15.

If you don't mind sacrificing a bit of performance for lower noise and don't mind more hassle with installation, go with the DRP4. How noticeable the difference in noise is depends on your hearing. The case mainly reduces electronic noise and won't nullify noise from fans or hdd's. 

[Vejnemojnen]

Pretty basic question, but: Which "budget" (20-40USD) coolers are effective at providing adequate VRM airflow in addition to keeping CPU temps in check? Just curious, because I know, there can be differences between coolers in that regard.

[WoodenMarker]

22 hours ago, Vejnemojnen said:

Pretty basic question, but: Which "budget" (20-40USD) coolers are effective at providing adequate VRM airflow in addition to keeping CPU temps in check? Just curious, because I know, there can be differences between coolers in that regard.

It depends on the vrm. Most have heatsinks that are easily cooled by very little system airflow. 

[imajerec]

On 7/29/2019 at 10:41 PM, WoodenMarker said:

 

The Fera 3 / V2 is better and was near the top of the same tier. I've since moved it up one tier since it has more than a few great showings similar to the Gammaxx 400. 

so gammaxx 400 is the best between the 3?

[WoodenMarker]

On 8/4/2019 at 7:52 AM, imajerec said:

so gammaxx 400 is the best between the 3?

It's hard to tell which is better. 

[metroid112]

I got a Thermaltake Floe Riing 360mm and I'm not very impressed with the performance so far, I'll explain my whole setup and maybe someone here can help me. Maybe I installed it incorrectly or didn't use enough thermal paste, but my 9900k at 1.3v is reaching 95-100º on Prime95 (Full AVX and what not, when I tested without offset, now I use a 5x offset just in case), my case is a Lian Li PC011 Air, and I got 5x120mm (2 that came with the case plus 3 bora lite) fans pulling in from the side and the front, 3x120mm pushing out to the bottom, 2x80mm pushing out to the back. The rad is on a push config on the top.

Should I get other fans for the rad? I think the Thermaltake ones aren't good enough, or maybe try a push pull

[WoodenMarker]

On 8/12/2019 at 9:14 AM, metroid112 said:

I got a Thermaltake Floe Riing 360mm and I'm not very impressed with the performance so far, I'll explain my whole setup and maybe someone here can help me. Maybe I installed it incorrectly or didn't use enough thermal paste, but my 9900k at 1.3v is reaching 95-100º on Prime95 (Full AVX and what not, when I tested without offset, now I use a 5x offset just in case), my case is a Lian Li PC011 Air, and I got 5x120mm (2 that came with the case plus 3 bora lite) fans pulling in from the side and the front, 3x120mm pushing out to the bottom, 2x80mm pushing out to the back. The rad is on a push config on the top.

Have you tried reseating the block? What rpm is the pump running at?

Try removing the side panel and see if temps drop. If they drop dramatically, there's probably an issue with the case airflow. 

First thing I'd try with the case fans is bottom intake instead. 

 

[metroid112]

6 hours ago, WoodenMarker said:

Have you tried reseating the block? What rpm is the pump running at?

Try removing the side panel and see if temps drop. If they drop dramatically, there's probably an issue with the case airflow. 

First thing I'd try with the case fans is bottom intake instead. 

 

I'll give it a try over the weekend, reseating the block and taking off the side panel.

The pump is running around 1800RPM, I've seen this all over TT forums that the pumps are running at half the advertised speeds (EDIT: Nevermind, I read something about the pump informing half the speed due to the "dual motor" asetek pump)? I don't think I've ever seen it reach 3600. I control it through the Aorus Z390 Master bios and I set it to max speed. I don't remember what HWInfo was informing right now.

Edited August 14, 2019 by metroid112

[Vejnemojnen]

Ended up with a Hyper212 Black Ed, as my desired Arctic 34 Esport black was not available (it is available now though..). The hyper was ~ 4 euros cheaper, looks good, though a little colour would be great (perhaps a fan later?). I'll have it pro'lly next week.

 

Judging from the reviews, I think it was not a bad choice after all. Looks decent enough with quiet&cool performance. And AFAIK there is also a y-splitter cable in the package, which will be very useful, as the chosen MoBo only has ONE case fan header. I don't know if there is vast difference in performance between the Hyper212 BE and Arctic34, but I think it should not be significant. I'll see.

[Dissitesuxba11s]

On 1/31/2018 at 4:58 AM, WoodenMarker said:

Thermalright Silver Arrow SB-E Extreme

I noticed that this cooler stands at the top among the AIO as the only air cooler. Is it really that great?

[WoodenMarker]

2 hours ago, Dissitesuxba11s said:

I noticed that this cooler stands at the top among the AIO as the only air cooler. Is it really that great?

Yes, it's what happens when you stick a pair of large, high rpm fans on what was already a top tier dual tower heatsink. 

https://pcper.com/2013/10/thermalright-silver-arrow-sb-e-extreme-cpu-cooler-review/5/

https://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/5091/thermalright_silver_arrow_sb_e_extreme_cpu_cooler_review/index8.html

https://www.vortez.net/articles_pages/thermalright_silver_arrow_sb_e_extreme_review,9.html