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Index

Every cooler

A CPU cooler moves the heat your processor makes into the air inside the case. Air coolers do it with copper heat pipes and an aluminium fin stack under one or two fans; all-in-one (AIO) liquid coolers pump coolant from a block on the CPU to a radiator mounted at the case edge, where fans blow through it.

At a glance: air coolers are simpler, have no pump, and the best ones match a 240 mm AIO; AIOs with 360 mm or larger radiators carry the most heat and keep the area around the socket clear, but need a matching radiator mount and add pump noise.

To match a cooler to a CPU, compare its sustained rating in watts with the processor’s boost power limit (Intel PL2, AMD PPT), not its lower base power or TDP. Aim for 25 W or more of headroom; then check RAM clearance and case height. Each of the 70 coolers below links to verdicts for 120 processors, or browse by CPU instead.

Cooler classes compared

CPU cooler classes: best use, sustained ratings, noise, clearance and price band from this database
Class	Best for	Sustained rating	Noise character	Clearance need	Price band
Dual-tower air coolers	High-power CPUs in cases with height to spare	220–280 W	Two fans share the load, so they can run slower	145–168 mm tall vs case max	~$30–160
Single-tower air coolers	Mainstream and budget CPUs	150–240 W	One fan; quiet at moderate loads	148–162 mm tall vs case max	~$16–110
Low-profile air coolers	Small-form-factor and slim cases	65–150 W	Thin fan spins faster under load	37–70 mm tall vs case max	~$22–75
120 mm AIO liquid coolers	Compact cases that need liquid	180 W	One fan plus a pump	120 mm radiator mount	$34
240 mm AIO liquid coolers	Most gaming CPUs	250–280 W	Two fans plus a pump	240 mm radiator mount	~$44–130
280 mm AIO liquid coolers	Like 240 mm, with larger 140 mm fans	290–300 W	Larger fans move the same air slower	280 mm radiator mount	~$130–232
360 mm AIO liquid coolers	High-power CPUs and sustained loads	320–370 W	Three fans can run slow; pump runs constantly	360 mm radiator mount	~$54–299
420 mm AIO liquid coolers	The hungriest CPUs in large cases	390 W	Three 140 mm fans plus a pump	420 mm radiator mount	~$110

Ratings, heights and prices come from this database; “~” marks typical prices where no live Amazon price is available.

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Single-tower coolers for 90W CPUs

Yes, a single-tower air cooler is ample for a 90 W CPU. Every one of the 14 single-tower coolers in our database is rated 150 W or more sustained, which is 60 W above 90 W, so a dual-tower cooler or an AIO is unnecessary. In our model a single tower stays Excellent on any CPU whose boost limit is 125 W or lower. The least expensive options:

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How to choose

Match the watts

The cooler's sustained rating should be at least the CPU's peak power (Intel PL2 / Maximum Turbo Power, AMD PPT), plus margin: 25 W or more is Excellent in our model, under that is Acceptable, and more than 15 W short is a throttling risk.

Radiator size

Pick the smallest radiator whose rating clears your CPU's boost limit by 25 W. In this database 240 mm AIOs are rated 250–280 W and 360 mm AIOs 320–370 W sustained.

Noise

Makers quote fan noise in dBA at full speed. More headroom means the fans can spin slower under the same load; AIOs add a pump that runs all the time.

Clearance

Check the cooler's height against the case's maximum CPU cooler height, its RAM clearance against your memory (tall RGB kits are about 44 mm), and for liquid, the case's radiator mounts.

Fan bearings

Fluid-dynamic and ball bearings are made for long service; sleeve bearings are cheaper. The bearing type is listed on the fan's spec sheet.

Warranty

Warranty length varies by maker and line; check the term for the exact model on the maker's warranty page before you buy.

The thresholds above are the ones every verdict on this site uses; see how the model works.

Dual-tower air coolers

Single-tower air coolers

Low-profile air coolers

120 mm AIO liquid coolers

Thermalright Aqua Elite 120 V3180 W · 52 mm · $33.90

240 mm AIO liquid coolers

280 mm AIO liquid coolers

360 mm AIO liquid coolers

420 mm AIO liquid coolers

Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 420 A-RGB390 W · 63 mm · ~$110

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Frequently asked questions

What size CPU cooler do I need?

One whose sustained rating exceeds your CPU's boost power limit (Intel PL2, AMD PPT), ideally by 25 W or more, which our model calls Excellent. Size it to the boost limit, not the lower TDP or base power; then check that it fits your case height and RAM.

Is liquid cooling better than air?

Not automatically. A liquid cooler (AIO) with a large radiator can carry more heat than most air coolers, but a strong air cooler matches a 240 mm AIO on many CPUs and has no pump. In our data, single-tower air coolers are rated 150–240 W and 360 mm AIOs 320–370 W sustained; choose by headroom on your CPU.

240mm vs 360mm AIO: which do I need?

It depends on your CPU's boost power. The 240 mm AIOs in our database are rated 250–280 W sustained and the 360 mm ones 320–370 W; pick the smallest size whose rating clears your CPU's boost limit by 25 W, and make sure your case has that radiator mount.

How do I check case and cooler clearance?

Compare the cooler's height with the case's maximum CPU cooler height from the case spec sheet, and the cooler's RAM clearance with your memory's module height. For a liquid cooler, check that the case lists a radiator mount of the same length at the top or front.

Do AIO coolers need maintenance?

Very little. An AIO is a sealed loop that is not refilled; keep the radiator and fans free of dust, and replace the cooler if the pump fails. Air coolers need the same dusting and nothing else.