Buying guide · LGA1200 (10th / 11th Gen Core)

Best CPU coolers for LGA1200

Of 68 coolers that ship LGA1200 hardware, the Thermalright Frozen Notte 360 ARGB V2 ranks first: it keeps 20 of 20 LGA1200 processors in the Excellent band, up to the Core i5-11600K at 251 W, for about $50. Rankings weigh coverage of the socket's processors against price, so cheaper coolers that cool the same chips rank higher.

Reviewed by Farrukh Sufyan SarwarHow we estimate temperaturesPrices verified

01

Top three overall

#1 · 360 mm AIO liquid cooler

$49.85as of Sep 17, 11:38 PM UTC · In Stock
Thermalright Frozen Notte 360 ARGB V2 product photo

ThermalrightFrozen Notte 360 ARGB V2

360 mm AIO liquid cooler · 52 mm

Excellent fit

Excellent on 20 of 20 LGA1200 CPUs, up to the Core i5-11600K.

#2 · Dual-tower air cooler

$42.39as of Sep 17, 11:38 PM UTC · In Stock
Thermalright Peerless Assassin 140 product photo

ThermalrightPeerless Assassin 140

Dual-tower air cooler · 157 mm

Excellent fit

Excellent on 20 of 20 LGA1200 CPUs, up to the Core i5-11600K.

#3 · Dual-tower air cooler

$51.90as of Sep 17, 11:38 PM UTC · In Stock
Thermalright Peerless Assassin 140 Digital product photo

ThermalrightPeerless Assassin 140 Digital

Dual-tower air cooler · 157 mm

Excellent fit

Excellent on 20 of 20 LGA1200 CPUs, up to the Core i5-11600K.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

02

Air coolers

Air coolers ranked for LGA1200
#CoolerRatedExcellentThrottle riskHandles up toPrice
1Thermalright Peerless Assassin 140Dual-tower air cooler · 157 mm280 W20 / 200Core i5-11600K$42.39
2Thermalright Peerless Assassin 140 DigitalDual-tower air cooler · 157 mm280 W20 / 200Core i5-11600K$51.90
3be quiet! Dark Rock EliteDual-tower air cooler · 168 mm280 W20 / 200Core i5-11600K$84.90
4be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 6Dual-tower air cooler · 168 mm280 W20 / 200Core i5-11600K$119.90
5Noctua NH-D15 G2Dual-tower air cooler · 168 mm280 W20 / 200Core i5-11600K$159.95
6ID-Cooling FROZN A620 Pro SEDual-tower air cooler · 157 mm260 W14 / 200Core i7-10700K$26.99
7Cooler Master Hyper 622 Halo BlackDual-tower air cooler · 157 mm255 W14 / 200Core i7-10700K$49.99
8Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 EVODual-tower air cooler · 158 mm255 W14 / 200Core i7-10700K$42.21
9Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SEDual-tower air cooler · 154 mm250 W13 / 200Core i7-10700$34.10
10Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 Digital ARGBDual-tower air cooler · 157 mm250 W13 / 200Core i7-10700$45.90
11Cooler Master MasterAir MA624 StealthDual-tower air cooler · 165 mm270 W14 / 200Core i7-10700K$383.46
12be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 5Dual-tower air cooler · 168 mm270 W14 / 200Core i7-10700K$84.81
13Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 Vision MAX ARGBDual-tower air cooler · 157 mm250 W13 / 200Core i7-10700$57.69
14Scythe Fuma 3Dual-tower air cooler · 154 mm250 W13 / 200Core i7-10700$41.40
15Noctua NH-D15Dual-tower air cooler · 165 mm250 W13 / 200Core i7-10700$109.95
16Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120Dual-tower air cooler · 155 mm240 W9 / 200Core i5-10600K$38.90
17Arctic Freezer 36Single-tower air cooler · 159 mm240 W9 / 200Core i5-10600K$22.49
18Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SEDual-tower air cooler · 155 mm245 W9 / 200Core i5-10600K$29.42
19Arctic Freezer 36 A-RGBSingle-tower air cooler · 159 mm240 W9 / 200Core i5-10600K$35.80
20Noctua NH-D15SDual-tower air cooler · 165 mm240 W9 / 200Core i5-10600K$109.95
21Thermalright Assassin X 120 R SESingle-tower air cooler · 155 mm220 W9 / 206Core i5-10600K$17.49
22Thermalright Assassin King 120 SESingle-tower air cooler · 160 mm230 W9 / 206Core i5-10600K$17.29
23Noctua NH-D12LDual-tower air cooler · 145 mm220 W9 / 206Core i5-10600K$99.95
24Noctua NH-U12ASingle-tower air cooler · 158 mm230 W9 / 206Core i5-10600K$109.95
25be quiet! Dark Rock 5Single-tower air cooler · 162 mm210 W9 / 207Core i5-10600K$64.90
26Thermalright Assassin X 120 Refined SESingle-tower air cooler · 148 mm180 W7 / 2011Core i5-11400$17.90
27ID-Cooling SE-224-XTSSingle-tower air cooler · 154 mm180 W7 / 2011Core i5-11400$19.99
28Thermalright Burst Assassin 120Single-tower air cooler · 155 mm200 W7 / 2011Core i5-11400$21.49
29Vetroo V5Single-tower air cooler · 158 mm180 W7 / 2011Core i5-11400$19.99
30be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3Single-tower air cooler · 155 mm200 W7 / 2011Core i5-11400$54.90
31Noctua NH-U12SSingle-tower air cooler · 158 mm180 W7 / 2011Core i5-11400$79.95
32Cooler Master Hyper 212 Halo BlackSingle-tower air cooler · 154 mm160 W5 / 2013Core i5-10400$33.00
33Cooler Master Hyper 212 Black EditionSingle-tower air cooler · 159 mm150 W2 / 2013Core i3-10100$52.69
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Low-profile coolers

Low-profile coolers ranked for LGA1200
#CoolerRatedExcellentThrottle riskHandles up toPrice
1Thermalright AXP120-X67Low-profile air cooler · 67 mm150 W2 / 2013Core i3-10100$27.99
2ID-Cooling IS-55Low-profile air cooler · 55 mm130 W2 / 2015Core i3-10100$39.99
3Scythe Big Shuriken 3 Rev.BLow-profile air cooler · 69 mm130 W2 / 2015Core i3-10100$149.80
4Noctua NH-L12SLow-profile air cooler · 70 mm120 W2 / 2018Core i3-10100$74.95
5Thermalright AXP90-X47Low-profile air cooler · 47 mm95 W0 / 2018$21.90
6be quiet! Pure Rock Low ProfileLow-profile air cooler · 45 mm100 W0 / 2018$42.90
04

Liquid coolers (AIO)

Liquid coolers (AIO) ranked for LGA1200
#CoolerRatedExcellentThrottle riskHandles up toPrice
1Thermalright Frozen Notte 360 ARGB V2360 mm AIO liquid cooler · 52 mm320 W20 / 200Core i5-11600K$49.85
2Thermalright Frozen Infinity 360360 mm AIO liquid cooler · 52 mm340 W20 / 200Core i5-11600K$53.90
3Thermalright FW360 ARGB360 mm AIO liquid cooler · 52 mm340 W20 / 200Core i5-11600K$59.31
4Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360360 mm AIO liquid cooler · 63 mm370 W20 / 200Core i5-11600K$69.89
5Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 A-RGB360 mm AIO liquid cooler · 63 mm370 W20 / 200Core i5-11600K$76.99
6Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB420 mm AIO liquid cooler · 63 mm390 W20 / 200Core i5-11600K$89.79
7Cooler Master Atmos II Stealth 240240 mm AIO liquid cooler · 63 mm280 W20 / 200Core i5-11600K$119.99
8Corsair Nautilus 360 RS360 mm AIO liquid cooler · 52 mm320 W20 / 200Core i5-11600K$109.99
9NZXT Kraken Plus 280280 mm AIO liquid cooler · 52 mm290 W20 / 200Core i5-11600K$129.99
10NZXT Kraken Plus 360360 mm AIO liquid cooler · 52 mm330 W20 / 200Core i5-11600K$129.99
11Lian Li Galahad II LCD 280280 mm AIO liquid cooler · 52 mm300 W20 / 200Core i5-11600K$139.99
12MSI MAG CoreLiquid I360360 mm AIO liquid cooler · 52 mm320 W20 / 200Core i5-11600K$148.82
13Corsair iCUE Link Titan 240 RX RGB240 mm AIO liquid cooler · 52 mm280 W20 / 200Core i5-11600K$52.99
14Lian Li Galahad II Trinity 360360 mm AIO liquid cooler · 52 mm330 W20 / 200Core i5-11600K$192.99
15Corsair iCUE Link Titan II 360 RX RGB360 mm AIO liquid cooler · 52 mm350 W20 / 200Core i5-11600K$179.00
16Corsair iCUE Link Titan 360 RX RGB360 mm AIO liquid cooler · 52 mm340 W20 / 200Core i5-11600K$124.45
17NZXT Kraken Elite 280 RGB280 mm AIO liquid cooler · 52 mm300 W20 / 200Core i5-11600K$231.99
18NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB360 mm AIO liquid cooler · 52 mm340 W20 / 200Core i5-11600K$299.99
19Thermalright Frozen Infinity 240240 mm AIO liquid cooler · 52 mm260 W14 / 200Core i7-10700K$46.90
20ID-Cooling FX240 Pro240 mm AIO liquid cooler · 52 mm260 W14 / 200Core i7-10700K$49.99
21Thermalright Frozen Magic 240 ARGB V2240 mm AIO liquid cooler · 52 mm250 W13 / 200Core i7-10700$43.90
22Thermalright Frozen Notte 240 ARGB V2240 mm AIO liquid cooler · 52 mm250 W13 / 200Core i7-10700$47.19
23Corsair Nautilus 240 RS ARGB240 mm AIO liquid cooler · 52 mm260 W14 / 200Core i7-10700K~$100
24Thermalright Aqua Elite 240 V3240 mm AIO liquid cooler · 52 mm250 W13 / 200Core i7-10700$40.41
25NZXT Kraken Plus 240240 mm AIO liquid cooler · 52 mm260 W14 / 200Core i7-10700K$119.99
26Cooler Master 240 Core II240 mm AIO liquid cooler · 52 mm250 W13 / 200Core i7-10700$59.99
27Lian Li Galahad II Trinity 240240 mm AIO liquid cooler · 52 mm260 W14 / 200Core i7-10700K$170.17
28MSI MAG CoreLiquid A13 240240 mm AIO liquid cooler · 52 mm250 W13 / 200Core i7-10700$69.99
29Thermalright Aqua Elite 120 V3120 mm AIO liquid cooler · 52 mm180 W7 / 2011Core i5-11400$33.90

Terms used on this page

Thermal headroom
The cooler's sustained dissipation rating minus the CPU's boost power limit, in watts. Positive headroom lets fans run slower and quieter; 25 W or more is rated Excellent here.
PL1 / PL2
Intel's two power limits. PL1 (Processor Base Power) is the sustained draw the CPU settles at; PL2 (Maximum Turbo Power) is the short-term boost ceiling. Many desktop boards run PL2 indefinitely, so a cooler must be sized for PL2, not PL1.
TjMax
The maximum junction temperature (typically 95–100 °C, 89 °C on Ryzen X3D parts). At TjMax the CPU throttles clocks to stay in place; it will not overheat, but it will lose performance.
RAM clearance
The tallest memory module that fits under an air cooler's front fan in its stock position. Dual-tower coolers with less than 42 mm clash with tall RGB kits (typically 44 mm) unless the fan is raised.