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Buying Guide

The Best High-Performance CPU Coolers

From the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 to the Kraken Plus 360 RGB White: five liquid coolers ranked on fan size and pump display, with who should skip each one.

By , PC Hardware Editor

12 min read5 products evaluated

PC components laid out on a workbench ready for a build
Illustrative image
Jump to
  1. Quick Picks
  2. Our Picks
  3. How We Chose
  4. What to Look For
  5. Comparison
  6. FAQ

The strongest coolers pair a 360mm or 420mm radiator with extras such as a VRM fan or a pump display. Every pick has one of those, ordered by radiator size.

This is a research roundup, not a lab test: fan size, pump display and VRM fan come from each maker's published specs; nothing here was tested in-house, and a missing pump display is flagged, not filled in.

Quick Picks

Which of the 5 picks to look at first. Tap a name for the full analysis.

  1. Also Consider

    ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB

    P14 PRO fans.

    Best for: Buyers who want P14 PRO fans.

    Check price for ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

  2. Lowest Price Here

    ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III Pro 360

    The cheapest way into this group, below the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 A-RGB.

    Best for: Buyers who would rather put the savings elsewhere than into the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 A-RGB.

    Check price for ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

  3. Strong Alternative

    ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 A-RGB

    P12 PRO A-RGB fans.

    Best for: Buyers who want P12 PRO A-RGB fans.

    Check price for ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 A-RGB on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

  4. Worth a Look

    Thermalright Peerless Vision 360 ARGB

    A magnetic screen with a 60Hz refresh rate.

    Best for: Buyers who want magnetic screen with a 60Hz refresh rate.

    Check price for Thermalright Peerless Vision 360 ARGB on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

  5. Premium Pick

    NZXT Kraken Plus 360 RGB White

    A white finish with RGB fans at the highest price in the group.

    Best for: Buyers for whom price is not the deciding factor, since the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 costs less.

    Check price for NZXT Kraken Plus 360 RGB White on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

Our Picks

Also Consider1 of 5

ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB

The Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 uses three 140mm fans on a larger radiator.

Best for

Buyers who want P14 PRO fans.

Skip if

If budget leads, the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 was cheaper at our last price check.
Check price on Amazon for ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB (opens in a new tab)
ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB

Why we like it

Check that your case offers 420mm radiator support. Its 420mm radiator uses 140mm P14 PRO fans, and an integrated VRM fan cools the power stage. A contact frame for LGA1851 and LGA1700 is included.

You also get native offset mounting. Check that your case offers 420mm radiator support at the front or top, and allow for the radiator's thickness plus fans above the motherboard's heatsinks. It supports both AM5 and Intel LGA1851.

Worth noting: fan cables routed inside the tube sleeving. It was priced above the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 A-RGB and below the Peerless Vision 360 at the time of writing.

Key specs

Fan size
140mm
VRM fan
Yes
Cabling
Fan cables routed inside the tube sleeving
Sockets named
AM5, AM4, LGA1851, LGA1700

Pros

  • Built-in fan that cools the motherboard's power stages
  • Fan cables routed inside the tube sleeving
  • Mounts on both AM5 and Intel LGA1851
  • P14 PRO fans

Cons

  • Costs more than the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 at the time of writing
Check price on Amazon for ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB (opens in a new tab)

Lowest Price Here2 of 5

ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III Pro 360

The Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 is built around cooling rather than lighting: offset mounting over the CPU hotspot, a contact frame for Intel and a small fan for the board's power stages.

Best for

Buyers who would rather put the savings elsewhere than into the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 A-RGB.

Skip if

Look at the other picks if you need a feature not covered above.
Check price on Amazon for ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 (opens in a new tab)
ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III Pro 360

Why we like it

Its fan cables run inside the tube sleeve for a tidy build. Its integrated VRM fan cools the motherboard power stage, which a standard AIO leaves without airflow. The offset cold plate sits over the CPU hotspot rather than the centre of the heatspreader.

The fan cables run inside the tube sleeving, so only one cable reaches the motherboard. Check that your case offers 360mm radiator support at the front or top, and allow for the radiator's thickness plus fans above the motherboard's heatsinks. It supports both AM5 and Intel LGA1851. It undercut the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 A-RGB and every other pick on price at the time of writing.

Key specs

Fan size
120mm
VRM fan
Yes
Cabling
Fan cables routed inside the tube sleeving
Sockets named
AM5, AM4, LGA1851, LGA1700

Pros

  • Built-in fan that cools the motherboard's power stages
  • Fan cables routed inside the tube sleeving
  • Mounts on both AM5 and Intel LGA1851
  • P12 PRO fans
Check price on Amazon for ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 (opens in a new tab)

Strong Alternative3 of 5

ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 A-RGB

The Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 A-RGB is the lit version of ARCTIC's thick-radiator 360, with the same VRM fan and offset mounting.

Best for

Buyers who want P12 PRO A-RGB fans.

Skip if

Price-first buyers should look at the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360, which cost less when we checked.
Check price on Amazon for ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 A-RGB (opens in a new tab)
ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 A-RGB

Why we like it

An integrated VRM fan cools the motherboard power stage, and the offset cold plate targets the CPU hotspot. The A-RGB P12 PRO fans add lighting without losing airflow. The contact frame spreads pressure evenly on Intel LGA1851 and LGA1700 chips.

Its fan cables run inside the tube sleeve, so only one cable reaches the motherboard. The P12 PRO fans spin faster than the standard P12 when needed. The VRM fan is PWM-controlled, and the contact frame is aimed at longer CPU life on Intel LGA1851 and LGA1700.

Check that your case offers 360mm radiator support at the front or top, and allow for the radiator's thickness plus fans above the motherboard's heatsinks. It supports both AM5 and Intel LGA1851.

Key specs

Fan size
120mm
VRM fan
Yes
Cabling
Fan cables routed inside the tube sleeving
Sockets named
AM5, AM4, LGA1851, LGA1700

Pros

  • Built-in fan that cools the motherboard's power stages
  • Fan cables routed inside the tube sleeving
  • Mounts on both AM5 and Intel LGA1851
  • P12 PRO A-RGB fans

Cons

  • Costs more than the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 at the time of writing
Check price on Amazon for ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 A-RGB (opens in a new tab)

Worth a Look4 of 5

Thermalright Peerless Vision 360 ARGB

The Peerless Vision 360 has a 3.95-inch magnetic screen at a lower price than most screen AIOs.

Best for

Buyers who want magnetic screen with a 60Hz refresh rate.

Skip if

Price-first buyers should look at the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360, which cost less when we checked.
Check price on Amazon for Thermalright Peerless Vision 360 ARGB (opens in a new tab)
Thermalright Peerless Vision 360 ARGB

Why we like it

A 3.95-inch magnetic screen sits on the pump head, and three TL-M12Q fans splice together to reduce cables. The fans have infinity-mirror lighting. The 480x480 screen can show system stats or custom images.

It also offers a magnetic screen with a 60Hz refresh rate. Check that your case offers 360mm radiator support at the front or top, and allow for the radiator's thickness plus fans above the motherboard's heatsinks. It supports both AM5 and Intel LGA1851. On price it sat fourth of 5, between the cheaper Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 and the pricier Kraken Plus 360 RGB White, at the time of writing.

Key specs

Fan size
120mm
Pump display
3.95-inch
Sockets named
AM5, AM4, LGA1851, LGA1700

Pros

  • 3.95-inch pump-head display for temperatures or images
  • Mounts on both AM5 and Intel LGA1851
  • Magnetic screen with a 60Hz refresh rate
  • Splice-connected fans

Cons

  • Costs more than the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 at the time of writing
Check price on Amazon for Thermalright Peerless Vision 360 ARGB (opens in a new tab)

Premium Pick5 of 5

NZXT Kraken Plus 360 RGB White

The Kraken Plus 360 RGB White pairs NZXT's small LCD pump with RGB fans in white.

Best for

Buyers for whom price is not the deciding factor, since the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 costs less.

Skip if

Worth skipping when lighting and display control need NZXT CAM is a problem.
Check price on Amazon for NZXT Kraken Plus 360 RGB White (opens in a new tab)
NZXT Kraken Plus 360 RGB White

Why we like it

Check that your case offers 360mm radiator support at the front or top, and allow for the radiator's thickness plus fans above the motherboard's heatsinks. It supports both AM5 and Intel LGA1851. Plan to install NZXT CAM for lighting and display control; fan and pump speed can also run from the motherboard's headers.

You also get this: 1.54-inch pump-head display for temperatures or images. It makes the most sense for buyers for whom price is not the deciding factor, since the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 costs less, since it offers a white finish with RGB fans at the highest price in the group. It was the most expensive pick when we checked, so weigh what it adds over the Peerless Vision 360.

Key specs

Fan size
120mm
Pump display
1.54-inch
Software
NZXT CAM
Sockets named
AM5, AM4, LGA1851, LGA1700

Pros

  • 1.54-inch pump-head display for temperatures or images
  • Mounts on both AM5 and Intel LGA1851
  • White finish with RGB fans
  • NZXT's Turbine pump

Cons

  • Lighting and display control need NZXT CAM
  • Costs more than the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 at the time of writing
Check price on Amazon for NZXT Kraken Plus 360 RGB White (opens in a new tab)

How We Chose These High-Performance CPU Coolers

Alex Morgan compared the manufacturer specifications, connectivity, warranty terms and compatibility of every pick. Figures come from the makers unless a third-party source is named; we did not test these products ourselves.

A tower air cooler with brown fans installed in a PC
A tower air cooler with brown fans installed in a PC
What we compared
We lined up five AIO coolers on fan size, pump display, VRM fan and cabling, using each maker's published specs. These are research figures, not bench results: 3 of 5 picks leave out pump display.
The shared baseline
All 5, from the Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 to the Kraken Plus 360 RGB White, state fan size and sockets named.
Where the specs have gaps
The Liquid Freezer III Pro 420, the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 and the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 A-RGB give no pump display; the Peerless Vision 360 and the Kraken Plus 360 RGB White give no VRM fan.
Price range
At our last check the picks ran from the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ($50 to $100) to the Kraken Plus 360 RGB White ($100 to $150).

What to Look for in a High-Performance CPU Cooler

Key buying criteria so you get the right fit the first time.

  1. VRM fan

    The Liquid Freezer III Pro 420, the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 and the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 A-RGB have it. Sort out VRM fan before price: it splits 3 stated picks into groups of 3.

  2. Features beyond the spec table

    The Liquid Freezer III Pro 360: native offset mounting toward the CPU hotspot. The Peerless Vision 360: splice-connected fans. The Kraken Plus 360 RGB White: NZXT's Turbine pump.

    A tower air cooler in a case with red-lit fans
    A tower air cooler in a case with red-lit fans

  3. Budget

    $50 to $100 buys the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360, the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 A-RGB, the Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 and the Peerless Vision 360; $100 to $150 buys the Kraken Plus 360 RGB White at our last check.

  4. Match the pick to your priority

    Buyers who would rather put the savings elsewhere than into the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 A-RGB: the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360. Buyers for whom price is not the deciding factor, since the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 costs less: the Kraken Plus 360 RGB White.

    An all-in-one liquid cooler pump block above a graphics card
    An all-in-one liquid cooler pump block above a graphics card

  5. Mount the pump below the radiator's top

    Air collects at the highest point of the loop. Keep the radiator's top edge above the pump, or tubes-down at the front, to avoid pump noise and wear.

How to Choose a High-Performance CPU Cooler

By priority

PriorityConsiderWhy
Buyers who want P14 PRO fansLiquid Freezer III Pro 420P14 PRO fans
Buyers who would rather put the savings elsewhere than into the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 A-RGBLiquid Freezer III Pro 360The cheapest way into this group, below the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 A-RGB
Buyers who want P12 PRO A-RGB fansLiquid Freezer III Pro 360 A-RGBP12 PRO A-RGB fans
Buyers who want magnetic screen with a 60Hz refresh ratePeerless Vision 360A magnetic screen with a 60Hz refresh rate
Buyers for whom price is not the deciding factor, since the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 costs lessKraken Plus 360 RGB WhiteA white finish with RGB fans at the highest price in the group

Scroll sideways to see every column.

A case with purple-lit front fans and the motherboard area behind them
A case with purple-lit front fans and the motherboard area behind them

Key specs side by side

The Liquid Freezer III Pro 420, the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 and the rest, as their makers list them.

AIO coolerFan sizePump displayVRM fanCabling
Liquid Freezer III Pro 420140mmNot listedYesFan cables routed inside the tube sleeving
Liquid Freezer III Pro 360120mmNot listedYesFan cables routed inside the tube sleeving
Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 A-RGB120mmNot listedYesFan cables routed inside the tube sleeving
Peerless Vision 360120mm3.95-inchNot listedNot listed
Kraken Plus 360 RGB White120mm1.54-inchNot listedNot listed

Scroll sideways to see every column.

By price at the time of writing

At our last check the cheapest pick, the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360, sat in the $50 to $100 tier, 2 tiers in all up to the Kraken Plus 360 RGB White at $100 to $150; Amazon prices move, so recheck before buying.

Price tierAIO coolers
About $50 to $100Liquid Freezer III Pro 360, Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 A-RGB, Liquid Freezer III Pro 420, Peerless Vision 360
About $100 to $150Kraken Plus 360 RGB White

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 the Lowest Price Here?

It carries the badge for the cheapest way into this group, below the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 A-RGB. It makes sense for anyone who would rather put the savings elsewhere than into the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 A-RGB.

Do the Peerless Vision 360 and the Kraken Plus 360 RGB White differ on pump display?

The Peerless Vision 360 uses 3.95-inch; the Kraken Plus 360 RGB White uses 1.54-inch. The makers of the Liquid Freezer III Pro 420, the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 and the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 A-RGB don't state pump display, so 2 of 5 picks are covered here.

Beyond the specs, what sets the Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 and the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 apart?

The Liquid Freezer III Pro 420: P14 PRO fans. The Liquid Freezer III Pro 360: P12 PRO fans. The Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 A-RGB: P12 PRO A-RGB fans.

Should I pick the Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 or the Kraken Plus 360 RGB White?

The Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 suits buyers who want P14 PRO fans; the Kraken Plus 360 RGB White suits buyers for whom price is not the deciding factor, since the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 costs less.

What else do the Peerless Vision 360 and the Kraken Plus 360 RGB White offer?

The Peerless Vision 360: splice-connected fans. The Kraken Plus 360 RGB White: NZXT's Turbine pump.

Bottom Line

Our first pick is the Liquid Freezer III Pro 420, chosen for P14 PRO fans. Look at the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 for the cheapest way into this group, below the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 A-RGB, the Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 A-RGB for P12 PRO A-RGB fans and the Peerless Vision 360 for a magnetic screen with a 60Hz refresh rate if those matter more to you.

Plan the radiator position before buying the case.

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About the author

PC Hardware Editor

Alex covers PC hardware, monitors, components, upgrades and peripherals for The PC Journal, with a focus on helping readers understand specifications, compatibility and meaningful product trade-offs.

Covers: Monitors, Graphics cards, Processors, PC components, Peripherals, Upgrades and compatibility

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