Unless you’re planning to fry some eggs on your PC processor, you need to have the best CPU coolers to keep the temperature under control. If you’ve ever been on the weird side of YouTube, you probably would have seen people cooking eggs on computer processors to demonstrate how hot it can get. Despite using a stock CPU cooler, your PC can reach insanely high temperatures. It could be either because that cooler is damaged or it just isn’t powerful enough to pump the required amount of cool air to the processor. This is the reason most people replace their stock coolers with better options.
The stability of your PC depends entirely on how efficient your PC’s cooling system is. When the CPU doesn’t get enough cooling, it starts to overheat and impact the overall performance of the computer. In most cases, it leads to damaging the hardware itself, rendering it unusable. The coolers on our list have fans that are large enough with radiators that are very reliable in lowering the PC temperature. These CPU coolers work extremely well even when your PC is under intense usage and they do all this without making much noise.
Let us help you decide which CPU cooler to pick. Here are the 7 best CPU coolers that our experts have picked out that have proven their worth.
Air Coolers vs Liquid Coolers: Whish Is Better for Gaming?
Both have advantages and disadvantages, but depending on your requirements, you must choose one. Let’s talk about it a little —
Air coolers are common and are the most preferred type of coolers. This is mainly because they are less expensive, easy to install, and low maintenance. Most of the time, people stick to the stock air cooler that comes with the processor. The stock air coolers do a decent job for daily activities but fail under CPU-intensive loads. Third-party coolers solve this problem by having bigger fans and better heat dissipation features. Air coolers come in different sizes — the bigger they are, the better the cooling performance is. They are also better than liquid coolers in terms of the noise generated by the fans since there are no radiators and pumps that may add additional noise.
There are two types of liquid coolers: closed-loop liquid coolers and custom-loop liquid coolers. Both these types of coolers are more expensive than air coolers because they have additional components that contribute to better cooling performance. Liquid coolers have a pump attached to the CPU that circulates purified water or other similar cooling liquid between the radiator and the CPU through a tube. The pump pushes the hot liquid to the radiator and the radiator cools the liquid and pushes it back to the CPU — the cycle continues. This is an excellent way to keep your CPU temperature under control even during long gaming hours. Liquid coolers also add a lot of aesthetics to the gaming PC, making it look sleek and modern.
Best CPU Cooler in 2025
With this brief understanding, you can now pick the one that matches your budget, requirements, and compatibility.
BEST OVERALL
be quiet! Dark Rock Elite Air CPU Cooler
PHOTO CREDIT: PLACEHOLDER
Why We Love
Easy to install
ARGB LED lights
Height-adjustable front fans
Maximum 25.8dB(A) in Quiet mode
Black coating with ceramic particles exterior
But…
Feels bulky
The be quiet! Dark Rock Elite is one of the best CPU air coolers and is extremely underrated for the features it offers. It has a nickel-plated base, which works well with most liquid metal thermal pastes. It has seven highly efficient copper heat pipes with two 135mm Silent Wing fans that are built to maximize its capabilities of bringing in cool air. With its built-in advanced fluid-dynamic bearings and the six-pole fan motors, the cooler offers nearly noiseless operation even under intense usage, making it ideal for overclocked PCs. There are two speed modes that you can choose from — 1500 and 2000 RPM — which allows you to decide at what speeds the fans need to run. You can select lower speeds if the PC is not running any heavy applications for power-efficient usage. Lastly, it works well with Intel’s Core i9 and AMD’s Ryzen 9 series socket types.
BEST AIO LIQUID COOLER
Corsair H100x RGB Elite Liquid CPU Cooler
PHOTO CREDIT: PLACEHOLDER
Why We Love
Closed-loop cooler
Pre-applied thermal paste
Tool-free mounting bracket
Individually addressable LED lights
Commander Core XT controller support
Compatible with the latest Intel and AMD sockets
But…
Commander Core XT controller to control RGB lights
If you’re having performance issues with your gaming PC, then the Corsair H100x is one of the best AIO coolers you can get. The main base is copper cold-plated, which is backed by a powerful and noiseless pump, ensuring your PC’s peak performance is maintained no matter the usage and duration. It has a 240mm radiator with two 120mm CORSAIR SP RGB ELITE Series AirGuide fans for consistent and powerful cool air to bring down the temperature of the liquid inside that circulates between the cooler and the CPU. You can manage the fan speed, which ranges between 400 and 1500 RPM. To control the fan speed, you can use Corsair’s iCue software to manage and monitor its performance. The software also helps you manage all the RGB light settings. Both 120mm fans have eight LED lights, which can be customized and synchronized for a dynamic effect.
BEST AIR CPU COOLER
Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE ARGB
PHOTO CREDIT: PLACEHOLDER
Why We Love
Affordable
Easy installation
120-265W power usage
S-FDB smooth-bearing fans
Includes THERMALRIGHT TF-7 thermal paste
Compatible with both Intel and AMD sockets
But…
Difficult to install on mini ATX cabinets
Belonging to the Peerless Assassin series, this Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE ARGB has an impeccable performance for its price category. The pure copper bottom has great thermal conductivity for quick heat dissipation and the best cooling performance. This is made possible with its two 120mm TL-C12-based PWM fans, which have proven to be powerful and nearly noise-free in Thermalright’s previous version. Additionally, the 6 AGHP (Anti-Gravity Heat Pipe) technology heat pipes used in this cooler allow you to install it in any way you want without having to worry about the right direction — you get the best and optimal performance either way. The performance, cost, and ease of use remain unmatched. It can’t get any better for the price.
BEST DOUBLE-TOWER
Cooler Master Hyper 622 Halo Dual Tower CPU Air Cooler
PHOTO CREDIT: PLACEHOLDER
Why We Love
All-black design
PWM 4-pin header
Easy installation
ARGB Auto Detection support
Dual loop ARGB lighting system
CryoFuze thermal paste included
But…
Noisy fans
Staying true to its brand name, Cooler Master’s Hyper 622 Halo uses cutting-edge technology to keep your PC cool as ice. The nickel-plated base is connected to six uniform heat pipes, which, when combined, offer better coverage of the CPU to quickly and effectively cool it down. It has a dual tower design that works with the two 120mm Halo fans to provide better cooling performance compared to its predecessor. These fan settings can be changed via bios and can be set anywhere between 650-2050 RPM at the user’s discretion. Despite its dual-tower design, it has a height of 157mm, giving you plenty of room to install multiple RAM without feeling too congested. To make the installation easy, all the included brackets are redesigned to make it user-friendly.
BEST 360MM RADIATOR AIO
ASUS ROG Strix LC II 360 ARGB
PHOTO CREDIT: PLACEHOLDER
Why We Love
Modern design
Six-year warranty
800 RPM starting speed
NCVM-coated pump cover
Supports both Intel and AMD sockets
Illuminated ROG log on the pump
But…
AMD TR4 socket isn’t included in the pack
Just like all other ASUS ROG products, the ASUS ROG Strix LC II 360 ARGB is a beast that offers phenomenal cooling performance! Each element of the cooler is designed to bring the best out of your PC. It has three 120mm ARGB fans in the radiator, ensuring your PC doesn’t even get the chance to reach high temperatures. The fans have incredible speeds to suck in cool air at a rapid speed. The RGB on each fan can be customized to match your style and mood. If you have an ROG motherboard, you can sync up the lights with each other for a synchronized lighting effect. The Seventh Gen Asetek pump silently transports the cooling liquid around the PC for a noiseless operation. The tubes that carry the cooling liquid have reinforced and sleeved tubing to ensure there is absolutely no leakage.
BEST 240MM RADIATOR AIO
ID-COOLING FROSTFLOW X 240 CPU Water Cooler
PHOTO CREDIT: PLACEHOLDER
Why We Love
Price-friendly
All-black design
Easy installation
Low-noise operation
All necessary tools included
Double-layered PTFE tubes
But…
Finicky backplate screws
ID-COOLING might not be a famous brand but its FROSTFLOW X 240 surely deserves some praise. It has a 240mm radiator with two 120mm fans, outperforming most of its competitors in this price range. It has a fairly big pump that pushes more water for faster and more efficient heat dissipation. The fans on the radiator can reach a maximum RPM of 2500 at a low 30 dB, giving you a whisper-quiet cooling experience. There is no fancy RGB lighting, just a minimalistic white LED on the pump. This is a great choice for people who don’t want anything flashy and just want pure performance.
BEST 120MM RADIATOR AIO
Corsair H60x RGB Elite Liquid CPU Cooler
PHOTO CREDIT: PLACEHOLDER
Why We Love
Low-noise pump
Tool-free mounting
28 dB max noise level
AirGuide technology support
Corsair iCUE software support
5V ARGB motherboard lighting control
But…
Noisy pump
The Corsair H60x RGB Elite is an exceptional liquid cooler if you’re running on a small PC cabinet and still need a reliable liquid cooling system. The 120mm radiator has one PWM fan with striking RGB lighting that not only cools your CPU efficiently but also elevates the look of your gaming PC. It is built to run anywhere between 400 and 1500 RPM to offer your CPU enough cooling to run smoothly without any dip in performance. The base plate is a thermally-optimized copper cold plate and comes with pre-applied thermal paste for ease of use, even for first-time users. Since Corsair is one of the most trusted brands, you know you’re getting the best.
Should I Buy an AIO or Custom Loop Liquid Cooler?
AIO liquid coolers are ideal for people who don’t know how to make a custom loop cooler or just don’t want the hassle of maintaining the custom loop cooler. AIO is less expensive and all the components are preassembled; all you need to do is install it as instructed in the manual and turn on your PC.
Although custom loop coolers provide better cooling and allow for a lot of customization, there are a lot of complications involved when trying to build them. Building custom loop coolers requires a high level of technical knowledge to understand the intricacies of how the cooling system works. You will have to buy all the components from the market or you can build all the components yourself. Plus, there is also a lot of maintenance involved in retaining the cooler’s health, which is absent in AIO coolers.
Unless you know how to manage a custom loop cooler, we highly recommend buying an AIO cooler.
How We Chose The Best CPU Cooler
These CPU coolers were chosen by our team of experts who have years of experience in testing and reviewing gaming hardware. They have reviewed these coolers to test for factors like performance, temperatures, ease of installation, and a lot of other factors. These coolers were installed in a wide range of PC with different configurations for understanding their compatibility and performance characteristics. After all the testing and data analysis, the team finalized the ones on this list.
FAQ
What is the fastest CPU cooler?
ID-COOLING FROSTFLOW X 240 CPU Water Cooler has the highest RPM of 2500 on our list. Check it out.
Is Intel or AMD cooler better?
AMD stock coolers are known to offer better cooling than Intel coolers.
Which kind of cooler is best?
AIO liquid coolers are the best type of coolers for any PC.
How do I find the best CPU cooler?
Our list has the best CPU coolers; go ahead and pick any.
Do cooler CPUs run faster?
Yes. When the CPU is at good temperatures, its performance is extremely good, consistent, and reliable.
Can you air-cool a 13900K?
Yes. You can air-cool the 13900K processor.
Which cooling is best for a gaming PC?
AIO Liquid Coolers are the best choice for a gaming PC since they can handle intense use and still perform extremely well.
