CPU Cooler Performance Tier List

[KeepTheChange]

20 hours ago, WoodenMarker said:

What case and ram are you using?

Planning to get a Kolink Void case, and ram-wise I'm not fully decided yet. My gf has a couple 8g vengeance 3200 sticks I can use at first, but then I'll probably wanna get a g.skill 3600 RGB kit down the line.

20 hours ago, WoodenMarker said:

I haven't seen (m)any reviews on these coolers. If you have, please link them. 

Ah right, I was struggling to find any either. Only thing I found on the Wind Walker was this thread (which you already replied to):

 

The Wind Walker has 4 heat pipes only, so would I be correct in assuming it would probably trade blows with the Aerocool Cylon 4?

 

The Jonsbo CR-1100 however, has 2 fans and 6 heat pipes much like the Jonsbo CR-2000 GT. Would I also be correct in assuming that these two Jonsbo coolers would have a similar performance?

Couldn't seem to find any reviews of the Gamemax Gamma 600 either but seems like it might be decent?

Out of the two, the Gamma 600 has a max airflow of 72cfm and a noise level of 8~29.1dB(A) whereas the CR-1100 has a max airflow of 57.6CFM and a noise level of 18~31.0Db(a). So looking at those specs alone, would it be reasonable to assume that the Gamma 600 would be the better choice of the two?

 

Would also consider an AIO, so long as it has nice looking a-rgb and doesn't break the bank, such as the Darkflash Twister or the Gamemax Ice Chill. Couldn't find any reviews of those yet either but the Ice Chill seems to be the next generation update to the Iceberg series, which I did find reviews of

https://www.kitguru.net/components/cooling/dominic-moass/game-max-iceberg-240mm-liquid-cooler-review/

https://www.eteknix.com/gamemax-iceberg-120-review/5/?amp=1

And is the Aerocool Mirage L240 just a redesign of the Aerocool P7-L240 listed here? If so I'd be willing to fork out the few extra quid for a tier 2 AIO with dem infinity mirror a-rgb rings!

[WoodenMarker]

13 hours ago, KeepTheChange said:

Planning to get a Kolink Void, and ram-wise I'm not fully decided yet. My gf has a couple 8g vengeance 3200 sticks I can use at first, but then I'll probably wanna get a g.skill RGB kit down the line.

Ah right, I was struggling to find any either. Only thing I found on the Wind Waker was this thread (which you already replied to):

 

The wind waker has 4 heat pipes only, so would I be correct in assuming it would probably trade blows with the Aerocool Cylon 4?

The Jonsbo CR-1100 however, has 2 fans and 6 heat pipes much like the Jonsbo CR-2000 GT. Would I also be correct in assuming that these two Jonsbo coolers would have a similar performance?

Couldn't seem to find any reviews of the Gamemax Gamma 600 either but seems like it might be decent?

The Kolink Void seems to have 160mm of clearance for a cooler so the CR-1100 probably wouldn't fit. The CR-1100 and CR-2000 GT have very different designs -- single vs. dual tower cooler.

It's interesting that you didn't like the SE-234 since it seems similar to your case of choice. 

The number of heatpipes alone aren't a reliable indicator for performance since other factors like mounting hardware, fan / heatsink design, and build quality can make a big difference. Unless the designs are nearly identical from the same manufacturer, I wouldn't recommend assuming the coolers are similar. 

 

Any of the mentioned coolers would probably be fine if you're mainly after aesthetics. As for actual performance, it's going to be hard to tell without comparisons to look at. If they're all similarly priced, going with more heatpipes isn't a bad idea. 

[KeepTheChange]

9 hours ago, WoodenMarker said:

The Kolink Void seems to have 160mm of clearance for a cooler so the CR-1100 probably wouldn't fit. The CR-1100 and CR-2000 GT have very different designs -- single vs. dual tower cooler.

It's interesting that you didn't like the SE-234 since it seems similar to your case of choice. 

The number of heatpipes alone aren't a reliable indicator for performance since other factors like mounting hardware, fan / heatsink design, and build quality can make a big difference. Unless the designs are nearly identical from the same manufacturer, I wouldn't recommend assuming the coolers are similar. 

 

Any of the mentioned coolers would probably be fine if you're mainly after aesthetics. As for actual performance, it's going to be hard to tell without comparisons to look at. If they're all similarly priced, going with more heatpipes isn't a bad idea. 

Ah right, case clearance for the cooler isn't even something I'd considered! 

Thanks for taking the time to write such a comprehensive reply btw you know, I don't hate the design of the SE-234 it just looks a bit plain compared to the more flashy designs like Golden Field's Wind Walker. Guess I'm just being fussy haha! The Gamma 600 does have a higher rated max TDP than the SE-234 though (230W vs 200W), is this a good measure to go by?

 

If I decide to go AIO instead, would the Aerocool Mirage L120 be a decent choice? I did find a review of it here: https://youtu.be/mg1d6kgpdII the guy seems to sing it's praises but I'd be interested to know which tier you'd place it in according to his results.

[WoodenMarker]

1 hour ago, KeepTheChange said:

Ah right, case clearance for the cooler isn't even something I'd considered! 

Thanks for taking the time to write such a comprehensive reply btw you know, I don't hate the design of the SE-234 it just looks a bit plain compared to the more flashy designs like Golden Field's Wind Walker. Guess I'm just being fussy haha! The Gamma 600 does have a higher rated max TDP than the SE-234 though (230W vs 200W), is this a good measure to go by?

If I decide to go AIO instead, would the Aerocool Mirage L120 be a decent choice? I did find a review of it here: https://youtu.be/mg1d6kgpdII the guy seems to sing it's praises but I'd be interested to know which tier you'd place it in according to his results.

TDP is usually good enough to determine if a cooler would be adequate but not for comparing between different manufacturers. 

The Mirage L120 seems fine but can't be placed in a tier without enough direct comparisons to other coolers. 

[KeepTheChange]

2 hours ago, WoodenMarker said:

TDP is usually good enough to determine if a cooler would be adequate but not for comparing between different manufacturers. 

The Mirage L120 seems fine but can't be placed in a tier without enough direct comparisons to other coolers. 

Ah, I see. So looking at the TDP is a good indicator if the cooler is from the same manufacturer then?

I think that youtuber has tested other coolers in that system if you need comparison, although I realise that comparing one reviewer's results isn't a very thorough test.

 

Thank you greatly for your help, I think I'll probably go with the Gamemax Gamma 600 unless I take the AIO route. In which case I'll probably get the Aerocool Mirage L120 (or preferably the Gamemax Ice Chill 120 if I can find any comprehensive reviews saying it's decent since it fits the aesthetic I'm going for and I can get it as cheap as the Gamma 600)

 

P.S. Gamer's Nexus recently released a video outlining some flaws with the Arctic Freezer 50 performance so you may wanna reconsider it being tier 2?

[WoodenMarker]

10 hours ago, KeepTheChange said:

Ah, I see. So looking at the TDP is a good indicator if the cooler is from the same manufacturer then?

P.S. Gamer's Nexus recently released a video outlining some flaws with the Arctic Freezer 50 performance so you may wanna reconsider it being tier 2?

TDP is better than nothing but actual test results are usually better. 

Every cooler has flaws and there's no perfectly designed cooler that can't be improved for better performance. The performance shown in the Gamers Nexus review is still in line with it being around Tier 2.

[NorKris]

i found something strange strange on the list. why does the cm ml240r fall 2 tiers when its losing 1x 120 from its bigger brother ml360r ?

[WoodenMarker]

3 hours ago, NorKris said:

i found something strange strange on the list. why does the cm ml240r fall 2 tiers when its losing 1x 120 from its bigger brother ml360r ?

The 360mm performs better than the 240mm. What's strange?

[NorKris]

On 4/9/2021 at 2:15 AM, WoodenMarker said:

The 360mm performs better than the 240mm. What's strange?

but like all the way down to T3? and when the 240R beats so many coolers in the T2?

Kitguru reviwe shows the 240R beating Corsair H100i(T2 i believe), ML240L(T2)

eteknix.com

shows it beating Gamerstorm Captain 240(tier 2) and H100i Pro(T2).

And Hexus.net shows the ML120R(T-cant find) beating Gamerstorm castle 240EX(T2) and Castle RGB(T2)

 

And by logic it should beat the H80i(T2) and H90(T2). (i have seen the coldplate on these things and .. damn) 

 

so if we assume that the list has performance in mind, i find it strange 

 

Edit: Captain not Castle.

[WoodenMarker]

19 hours ago, NorKris said:

but like all the way down to T3? and when the 240R beats so many coolers in the T2?

Kitguru reviwe shows the 240R beating Corsair H100i(T2 i believe), ML240L(T2)

eteknix.com

shows it beating Gamerstorm castle 240(tier 2) and H100i Pro(T2).

And Hexus.net shows the ML120R(T-cant find) beating Gamerstorm castle 240EX(T2) and Castle RGB(T2)

And by logic it should beat the H80i(T2) and H90(T2). (i have seen the coldplate on these things and .. damn) 

 

so if we assume that the list has performance in mind, i find it strange 

The ML240R has been moved up to T2. 

Coolers have better and worse showings between different reviews and normally trade blows with coolers in nearby tiers. 

The review from eteknix here shows the Castle 240EX outperforming the ML240R RGB: https://www.eteknix.com/thermaltake-ux200-air-cpu-cooler-review/5/

Kitguru has a similar example: https://www.kitguru.net/components/cooling/james-dawson/cooler-master-ml240p-mirage-all-in-one-review/5/

Which review were you referring to? Please link them -- it's easy to misread graphs, let alone misremembering. 

 

The ML120R RGB seems to be a decent performer and has been added to the list. 

https://aphnetworks.com/reviews/cooler-master-masterliquid-ml120r-rgb/3

https://www.geeknetic.es/Review/1942/Refrigeracion-liquida-Be-quiet-Pure-Loop-240-Review.html

https://hexus.net/tech/reviews/cooling/139676-nzxt-kraken-z73/?page=2

https://pc-gaming.it/cooler-master-masterliquid-ml120r-rgb-recensione/

https://play3r.net/reviews/cooling/noctua-nh-u12a-cpu-air-cooler-review/

https://techgaming.nl/review-nzxt-kraken-x63/

https://www.ukgamingcomputers.co.uk/blog/coolermaster-ml120r-rgb-review/

[NorKris]

9 hours ago, WoodenMarker said:

The ML240R has been moved up to T2. 

Coolers have better and worse showings between different reviews and normally trade blows with coolers in nearby tiers. 

The review from eteknix here shows the Castle 240EX outperforming the ML240R RGB: https://www.eteknix.com/thermaltake-ux200-air-cpu-cooler-review/5/

Kitguru has a similar example: https://www.kitguru.net/components/cooling/james-dawson/cooler-master-ml240p-mirage-all-in-one-review/5/

Which review were you referring to? Please link them -- it's easy to misread graphs, let alone misremembering. 

 

The ML120R RGB seems to be a decent performer and has been added to the list. 

https://aphnetworks.com/reviews/cooler-master-masterliquid-ml120r-rgb/3

https://www.geeknetic.es/Review/1942/Refrigeracion-liquida-Be-quiet-Pure-Loop-240-Review.html

https://hexus.net/tech/reviews/cooling/139676-nzxt-kraken-z73/?page=2

https://pc-gaming.it/cooler-master-masterliquid-ml120r-rgb-recensione/

https://play3r.net/reviews/cooling/noctua-nh-u12a-cpu-air-cooler-review/

https://techgaming.nl/review-nzxt-kraken-x63/

https://www.ukgamingcomputers.co.uk/blog/coolermaster-ml120r-rgb-review/

https://m.hexus.net/tech/reviews/cooling/138815-corsair-a500/?page=2

Shows ML120R get a delta T of 62,5. Captain 240 pro dT 62,6. Castle 240EX dT 63,2. All these are kinda in a margin of error area ofc. But its shows that its power in the smaller brothers of the ML R family. 

 

I did mistype Castle for Captain in the Eteknix, might have had a couple to many yesterday for me to "keep" them apart

 

One of the things we can see here ( https://www.kitguru.net/components/cooling/james-dawson/deepcool-gamer-storm-castle-240ex-aio-cooler-review/5/) is that Castle EX hits 57,1c and ML240R hits 65,2c. But when we look at noise the Castle is 9db over the ML  so it might win on higher rpms. 

 

But yeah is isnt suppost to be a Deepcool vs CM. cool to see a Tier jump for the ML240. 
i have done a teardown on a ML240, H80i, H60 and Kraken x62 and i was surprised to see how much bigger coldplate / copperfins the ML240 had. It was very close to what Gamernexus showed with the EKAIO.

[WoodenMarker]

47 minutes ago, NorKris said:

https://m.hexus.net/tech/reviews/cooling/138815-corsair-a500/?page=2

Shows ML120R get a delta T of 62,5. Captain 240 pro dT 62,6. Castle 240EX dT 63,2. All these are kinda in a margin of error area ofc. But its shows that its power in the smaller brothers of the ML R family. 

 

One of the things we can see here ( https://www.kitguru.net/components/cooling/james-dawson/deepcool-gamer-storm-castle-240ex-aio-cooler-review/5/) is that Castle EX hits 57,1c and ML240R hits 65,2c. But when we look at noise the Castle is 9db over the ML  so it might win on higher rpms. 

Hexus tests using a Silent fan profile and the Dark Base 700 for testing. They mount the Castle 240EX at the top which is mostly sealed off which is suboptimal compared to the ML120R that was mounted at the rear. While this may be representative of a potential use case, it probably isn't representative for the majority. 

Spoiler

https://hexus.net/tech/reviews/cooling/131543-deepcool-gamer-storm-castle-240-ex/

https://hexus.net/tech/reviews/cooling/117713-cooler-master-masterliquid-ml120r-rgb/

Kitguru tests with max pump / fan rpm.

Checking out the testing methodology section in reviews is important for context.

[NorKris]

2 minutes ago, WoodenMarker said:

Hexus tests using a Silent fan profile and the Dark Base 700 for testing. They mount the Castle 240EX at the top which is mostly sealed off which is suboptimal compared to the ML120R that was mounted at the rear. While this may be representative of a potential use case, it probably isn't representative for the majority. 

  Reveal hidden contents

https://hexus.net/tech/reviews/cooling/131543-deepcool-gamer-storm-castle-240-ex/

https://hexus.net/tech/reviews/cooling/117713-cooler-master-masterliquid-ml120r-rgb/

Kitguru tests with max pump / fan rpm.

Checking out the testing methodology section in reviews is important for context.

Both ml120 and castle looks to be exhaust. then its about the same.

All AIOs should be intake for best temps  

[WoodenMarker]

1 minute ago, NorKris said:

Both ml120 and castle looks to be exhaust. then its about the same.

All AIOs should be intake for best temps  

The ML120R is exhausting into mostly open mesh whereas the Castle 240EX is exhausting into a mostly solid panel. While there are some cases like this, many aren't. 

The point is regarding where the rads are mounted as opposed to the direction of the fans. 

[DarkReaper969]

Hey! I was wondering where i can give some Air-Cooler and AIO examples which aren't on the list nor on the Upcoming one?

[WoodenMarker]

3 hours ago, DarkReaper969 said:

Hey! I was wondering where i can give some Air-Cooler and AIO examples which aren't on the list nor on the Upcoming one?

A post like this would be fine although I haven't been updating the Queue list in a while since there are so many coolers that might never get reviewed. 

If there are any reviews for coolers not on the list, please link them too. 

[SomeOtherGuy]

Been looking through this, it's a wealth of options but It's a bit overwhelming. 

 

Simply, I'm looking for a ~$80-$110 cooler for a 5950x whether it's liquid or not.

 

Linus put out that video comparing liquids to fans and found the fan actually outperformed which was a bit confusing. 

 

Looked at the Be Quiet Pure Loop 280 but then seeing a lot of reviews complaining about the pump noise... could be competitors review bombing, no clue. 

 

Also checked out the evga clc 240 but heard complaints about noise there too. . . I guess that's something you'll find over enough reviews of any fan.

 

Then the dark rock 4 and Noctua NH D15, and about a dozen others. 

 

 

Included thermal paste is a plus, have some from about 5 years ago but wonder if it'd go bad by now. Internet says "it depends" don't have a lot more time to sink in this. Might just yolo one tonight if I don't get a reply. Thanks for any response you guys might have. 

[WoodenMarker]

10 hours ago, SomeOtherGuy said:

Been looking through this, it's a wealth of options but It's a bit overwhelming. 

Simply, I'm looking for a ~$80-$110 cooler for a 5950x whether it's liquid or not.

Linus put out that video comparing liquids to fans and found the fan actually outperformed which was a bit confusing. 

Looked at the Be Quiet Pure Loop 280 but then seeing a lot of reviews complaining about the pump noise... could be competitors review bombing, no clue. 

Also checked out the evga clc 240 but heard complaints about noise there too. . . I guess that's something you'll find over enough reviews of any fan.

Then the dark rock 4 and Noctua NH D15, and about a dozen others. 

Included thermal paste is a plus, have some from about 5 years ago but wonder if it'd go bad by now. Internet says "it depends" don't have a lot more time to sink in this. Might just yolo one tonight if I don't get a reply. Thanks for any response you guys might have. 

Both use fans. You're referring to liquid vs. air cooling. 

Performance can vary depending on the case and system airflow. Different configurations can favor different types of coolers. 

Many reviews tend to be complaints and can be due to defective products or misuse. Pump noise is a common complaint and may be caused by cooler mounting causing air to enter the pump. When it comes to heavier loads, liquid cooling can often be quieter. 

5 years is a fairly long time and the thermal paste included with a new cooler would likely be better. 

 

Where are you shopping / located? What case and ram are you using? What features are you looking for in a cooler?

[SomeOtherGuy]

2 minutes ago, WoodenMarker said:

Both use fans. You're referring to liquid vs. air cooling. 

Performance can vary depending on the case and system airflow. Different configurations can favor different types of coolers. 

Many reviews tend to be complaints and can be due to defective products or misuse. Pump noise is a common complaint and may be caused by cooler mounting causing air to enter the pump. When it comes to heavier loads, liquid cooling can often be quieter. 

5 years is a fairly long time and the thermal paste included with a new cooler would likely be better. 

 

Where are you shopping / located? What case and ram are you using? What features are you looking for in a cooler?

Hah. You would reply just as I ordered. Somehow, less than 1 minute after I ordered, here you are. Are you spying on me?

 

I went in on the EVGA CLC 280 off Amazon. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/EVGA-Liquid-Cooler-Cooling-400-HY-CL28-V1/dp/B01N16CAKN/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=evga+clc+280&qid=1619844154&s=electronics&sr=1-1

 

$90 is a good price I'd say and it's listed Tier 1. I was about ready to hit buy on the Noctua NH-D15 but I didn't want to chance it not fitting. Hard to know as it's so snug even when it does fit. Thought Air would be simpler since that's what I'm used to, just being a ghetto stock fan user, but in the end liquid actually seems infinitely less of a hassle to set up. Slight concern about leakage but there's a 5 year warranty so if that happens I'll sue EVGA for all they're worth.  

 

Believe me when I say, I watched fan reviews until my head spun. Several times over. When I make a purchase I go really in depth on it, almost as if I'm doing corporate research or something. lol 

 

Expecting this CLC 280 to run loud but my current cpu probably is louder. 3600x struggling under load running 70-85% usage persistently and spiking to 95-100%. Showing temps from 75-86. Liked that the block is copper which seemed pretty rare for coolers in this price range, and even well above. I am questioning the stock thermal paste on it as I've read conjecture that stock thermal pastes may be cheaper pastes in general. However, I will probably use the stock paste regardless. 

 

Anyways, I'm going to rest, and try not to think about cpu cooling for at least a year.

[KeepTheChange]

Quick question: how is the super cheap Cougar Aqua 240 in tier 1?

Also, why no Golden Field coolers listed yet still?

Edited May 8, 2021 by KeepTheChange

[WoodenMarker]

8 hours ago, KeepTheChange said:

Quick question: how is the super cheap Cougar Aqua 240 in tier 1?

Also, why no Golden Field coolers listed yet still?

Test results indicates that the Aqua 240 performs similarly to coolers it Tier 1-2. Since it's fairly close, it's been moved down for better clarity.

https://www.eteknix.com/id-cooling-is-60-evo-argb-low-profile-review/6/

https://www.funkykit.com/reviews/cooling/cooler-master-hyper-212-evo-v2-cpu-cooler-review/4/

https://www.kitguru.net/components/james-dawson/nzxt-kraken-x73-rgb-aio-cpu-cooler-review/5/

https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/lian-li-galahad-aio-240/2

 

The reason for no Golden Field coolers is the same as before. Coolers don't get added without test data. 

[BerkayZ87]

Is ID Cooling ZoomFlow 360X worth to buy? 

[WoodenMarker]

On 5/19/2021 at 12:29 PM, BerkayZ87 said:

Is ID Cooling ZoomFlow 360X worth to buy? 

It depends on what you're cooling, the features you're looking for, the price, and what other options are available. 

There aren't many reviews of it but it seems ok.

https://www.eteknix.com/id-cooling-zoomflow-360x-snow-edition-aio-review/6/

https://quasarzone.com/bbs/qc_qsz/views/397591

[BerkayZ87]

6 hours ago, WoodenMarker said:

It depends on what you're cooling, the features you're looking for, the price, and what other options are available. 

There aren't many reviews of it but it seems ok.

https://www.eteknix.com/id-cooling-zoomflow-360x-snow-edition-aio-review/6/

https://quasarzone.com/bbs/qc_qsz/views/397591

I will use it with 5800X. Currently I have SE-207 Duo Black and it performs OK but I want to buy AIO. ZoomFlow 360X's price is 110$ in my country. Is it worth?

 

Galahad 360 is 170$, EK AIO DRGB 360 is 175$.

[BestDadBondrewd]

Is the MasterAir612 stealth tier-2 good? Planning to cool a 11400 unrestricted. Corsair H100x (tier 1 on the list) or MA612? Or will a cheap cooler like hyper212 be enough?