The Best CPU Air Coolers

Thermalright rates it for CPUs up to 280W, which covers most gaming chips with room to spare. Thermalright rates it for CPUs from 105W to 280W, and mounting kits cover AM4, AM5 and Intel up to LGA1851. On heat pipe count it ties with the Dark Rock Pro 5 at 7.

On fan size it ties with the Peerless Assassin 120 SE, the Freezer 36 and the NH-U12S redux at 120mm. Check that your case offers at least 154mm of CPU cooler clearance before ordering. Its price falls between the Peerless Assassin 120 SE and the NH-U12S redux, based on our last check. Buyers who need a confirmed warranty should compare it with the NH-D15 G2, which offers 6-year.

Its offset design keeps the top PCIe slot clear, but it is a large cooler, so check your case first. Its fans have a speed offset for acoustic fine-tuning, and there is 20% more fin area than the original NH-D15. On heat pipe count it leads this guide at 8, ahead of the Phantom Spirit 120 SE (7).

Its 140mm fan size is the largest here; the Phantom Spirit 120 SE comes next at 120mm. You also get 59mm RAM clearance with one fan fitted and NT-H2 paste in the box. It was the highest-priced of the 6 picks at the time of writing, so the case for it rests on what it adds over the Dark Rock Pro 5 and the rest. The maker doesn't give its height; if that figure matters, the Phantom Spirit 120 SE comes in at 154mm.

Thermalright does not list its height on Amazon, so check the spec page before buying for a narrow case. At 155mm tall it fits most mid-towers, and its six heat pipes and two PWM fans handle mainstream CPUs. It is one of the best-known budget dual towers.

On heat pipe count it sits mid-pack at 6: the NH-D15 G2 offers 8, and the Freezer 36 comes in at 4. On fan size it ties with the Phantom Spirit 120 SE, the Freezer 36 and the NH-U12S redux at 120mm. You also get a 25.6dB(A) noise rating.

The maker names AM5 but not Intel LGA1851, so check the maker's site if you are building on Core Ultra. On price it sat second of 6, between the cheaper Freezer 36 and the pricier Phantom Spirit 120 SE, at the time of writing. The maker doesn't give its height; if that figure matters, the Phantom Spirit 120 SE comes in at 154mm.

Check its height on be quiet!'s site against your case. Seven copper heat pipes and a ceramic-particle black coating aid cooling, and two Silent Wings PWM fans use fluid-dynamic bearings. It is built to stay quiet under load.

On heat pipe count it ties with the Phantom Spirit 120 SE at 7. On price it sat fifth of 6, between the cheaper NH-U12S redux and the pricier NH-D15 G2, at the time of writing. The maker doesn't give its fan size; if that figure matters, the NH-D15 G2 comes in at 140mm.

Its six-year warranty matches Noctua's. Its four offset heat pipes run in a single tower with two fans in push-pull. The click-in fan mounts make fan swaps easy, and it takes most 120mm fans.

Its side-flow heatsink lets the rear fan pull air through the fins and out of the case, and ARCTIC backs it with a six-year warranty. Its pressure-optimised fans push air through four offset heat pipes, which suits high-end CPUs in a single tower. Its 4 heat pipe count is the lowest in this group; the NH-D15 G2 leads at 8.

It matches the Phantom Spirit 120 SE, the Peerless Assassin 120 SE and the NH-U12S redux on fan size (120mm). No other pick here cost less at our last price check, and the Peerless Assassin 120 SE was closest.

It sits clear of the RAM slots and suits 65W to mid-range CPUs in narrower cases. It is a lower-cost redux version of the NH-U12S, with an NF-P12 redux fan that is near silent at idle. On fan size it ties with the Phantom Spirit 120 SE, the Peerless Assassin 120 SE and the Freezer 36 at 120mm.

Check that your case offers at least 158mm of CPU cooler clearance before ordering. Its price falls between the Phantom Spirit 120 SE and the Dark Rock Pro 5, based on our last check. Buyers who need a confirmed heat pipe count should compare it with the NH-D15 G2, which offers 8.