CPU Cooler Check

Thermalright · 120 mm AIO liquid cooler

Aqua Elite 120 V3 CPU compatibility

Rated for 180 W sustained, it holds CPUs up to the Core i7-12700K (190 W) below their junction limit in our model, and keeps 66 of 120 processors in the Excellent band.

Reviewed by Farrukh Sufyan SarwarHow we estimate temperaturesPrices verified

Rated

180 W

Rad + fans

52 mm

Price

~$45

RAM clearance
Unrestricted
Type
120 mm AIO liquid cooler
Sockets in the box
AM5AM4LGA1851LGA1700LGA1200
Thermalright Aqua Elite 120 V3 product photo
Amazon$33.90as of Sep 17, 11:38 PM UTC · In Stock

Check bundled mounting kits before ordering; revisions add sockets over time.

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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.

Design and fitment

The Thermalright Aqua Elite 120 V3 is a 120 mm aio liquid cooler rated for about 180 W of sustained heat at acceptable noise. Its radiator and fans stack to 52 mm, which matters for top-mount clearance above the motherboard VRM heatsinks; the pump block itself leaves the memory slots clear.

Mounting kits for AM4, AM5, LGA1200, LGA1700, LGA1851 are in the box. Every current desktop socket is covered.

Which processors it suits

Across the 120 processors it can mount, the Aqua Elite 120 V3 rates Excellent on 66 (55 %) and a throttling risk on 38. The most power-hungry chip it holds comfortably is the Core i5-11400 at 154 W (estimated 86 °C under full load). Throttling risk begins around 162 W parts such as the Ryzen 7 7800X3D.

In practice that makes it a good match for Core i5 and Ryzen 5/7 processors, with headroom for quiet fan curves.

VS

Compared with close alternatives

01

AM5

bracket included
02

AM4

bracket included
03

LGA1851

bracket included
04

LGA1700

bracket included
05

LGA1200

bracket included

Terms used on this page

Sustained dissipation rating
The continuous heat load, in watts, a cooler can remove at acceptable noise. This site uses realistic sustained figures rather than marketing peak numbers, and models temperature as ambient plus load ÷ rating × a per-load scale.
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.
AIO liquid cooler
A sealed closed-loop liquid cooler with a pump block and a 120–420 mm radiator. Radiator length determines case compatibility; thickness plus fans determines top-mount clearance above the VRM heatsinks.
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.