CPU Cooler Check

Intel Core Ultra 200S · LGA1851  /  Dual-tower air cooler

Does the Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE fit the Core Ultra 5 245K?

Yes. The Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE fits the Core Ultra 5 245K with 91 W of thermal headroom; we estimate 73 °C under sustained load and 51 °C while gaming, an excellent match.

Reviewed by Farrukh Sufyan SarwarHow we estimate temperaturesPublished Prices verified Model v1.2 · data updated

Full load

73°

Gaming

51°

Idle

32°

Excellent fit

Safe at 73 °C full load

27 °C below the 100 °C junction limit under a sustained all-core load.

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The Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE is an excellent match for the Core Ultra 5 245K, with 91 W of headroom above its 159 W boost ceiling. We estimate 51 °C in games and 73 °C under a full all-core render, leaving quiet-fan-curve room.

01

Thermal estimate

Both figures assume a 35 °C case-internal ambient and the cooler's sustained rating; the CPU's own junction limit caps the full-load figure.

Estimated core temperature35 °C case ambient
Estimated CPU temperatures for Core Ultra 5 245K with Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE20°40°60°80°100°TjMax 100 °CIdle: 32 °C32 °CIdleGaming: 51 °C51 °CGamingFull load: 73 °C73 °CFull load
Estimated temperatures
LoadEstimate
Idle32 °C
Gaming51 °C
Full load73 °C
Junction limit100 °C
0–85 % comfortable
85–100 % fans ramp
100 %+ throttles
Thermal headroom
+91 W
CPU boost / gaming draw
159 W / 90 W
Cooler sustained rating
250 W
Junction limit
100 °C
Cooler height
154 mm
RAM clearance
42 mm
Sockets in the box
AM4 · AM5 · LGA1200 · LGA1700 · LGA1851
02

What the numbers mean for this build

  • 01

    91 W of sustained headroom

    The Core Ultra 5 245K uses 64 % of the Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE's rated capacity at its 159 W ceiling, which means the fans can run a relaxed curve and stay quiet even in Cinebench.

  • 02

    RAM clearance 42 mm

    Most heatspreader kits up to 42 mm slide under the front fan without moving it. Check the first DIMM slot on boards with the socket placed close to the memory.

03

Will it physically fit?

Drag the sliders to your memory height and case limits. The schematic moves with you and shows where the Phantom Spirit 120 SE clashes.

44 mm

Stock front-fan clearance on the Phantom Spirit 120 SE: 42 mm.

165 mm

Listed as “CPU cooler clearance” in the case spec sheet. This cooler is 154 mm tall.

  • RAM heightClash (-2 mm)

    Modules sit 2 mm too tall. Raise the front fan or choose 34 mm low-profile RAM.

  • Cooler height vs caseFits (+11 mm)

    11 mm between the cooler and the side panel.

Overall Clash for the Phantom Spirit 120 SE with your inputs.

MOTHERBOARDFANRAM 44 mmCASE LIMIT 165 mm154 mm

Schematic, not to product scale.

04

Buy it, or compare the alternatives

Three tiers picked for this exact CPU: the cheapest tower that passes, the quietest liquid option per dollar, and the best low-profile heatsink.

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.

05

Related reports

Other coolers on the Core Ultra 5 245K

Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE on other CPUs

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.
TjMax
The maximum junction temperature the maker allows, typically 95–100 °C. AMD lists 90 °C for the Ryzen 7 5800X3D, 89 °C for the 7800X3D and 95 °C for the 9800X3D. At TjMax the CPU throttles clocks to stay in place; it will not overheat, but it will lose performance.
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.
Thermal throttling
Automatic clock reduction when the CPU hits TjMax. A pairing is flagged as a throttling risk when the modelled full-load temperature reaches the junction limit or the cooler is rated 15 W or more below the CPU's boost power.
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.
CPU cooler height
The installed height of an air cooler from the motherboard, compared against the case's published CPU cooler clearance. Coolers at or above 160 mm exclude many compact Micro-ATX and tempered-glass mid-towers.
Dual-tower air cooler
An air cooler with two fin stacks and a fan between them (often a second in front). Highest air-cooling capacity, but the front fan overhangs the DIMM slots, which is where RAM clearance limits come from.
06

Frequently asked questions

Will the Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE keep the Core Ultra 5 245K from thermal throttling?

Yes. The estimated full-load temperature is 73 °C, 27 °C below the 100 °C throttle point.

What temperature should I expect while gaming on the Core Ultra 5 245K with this cooler?

Around 51 °C with a 35 °C case ambient, because GPU-bound games only draw about 90 W from the CPU package. Cooler rooms and better case airflow lower that figure.

Does the Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE fit tall RGB RAM?

Modules up to 42 mm clear the front fan in its stock position. 44 mm kits require raising the fan.

Is the Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE compatible with the LGA1851 socket?

Yes, LGA1851 hardware is included. Supported sockets: AM4, AM5, LGA1200, LGA1700, LGA1851.

Hubs: Core Ultra 5 245K · Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE · LGA1851