CPU Cooler Rankings & Ladder

CPU Cooler rankings and ladder chart with 142 entries (Air, AIO). Switch between gaming, single-core, multi-core, efficiency and value; AMD, Intel and NVIDIA side by side. Data updated 2026-10-15.

Air CPU Cooler

  1. Noctua NH-D15 G2 — Noctua · 2024-06 · The air-cooling ceiling; tames the 9950X and 285K.
  2. Noctua NH-D15 chromax.black — Noctua · 2019-11 · Previous flagship in all black, still elite.
  3. Noctua NH-U12A — Noctua · 2019-04 · The limit of 120 mm single towers; clears RAM.
  4. Noctua NH-U12S redux — Noctua · 2021-01 · Noctua's entry model with the same build quality.
  5. Noctua NH-L9a-AM5 — Noctua · 2022-09 · 37 mm ultra-slim; 65 W CPUs only.
  6. Noctua NH-L12S — Noctua · 2017-10 · 70 mm top-down, an ITX staple.
  7. Noctua NH-D12L — Noctua · 2022-04 · 145 mm low dual tower, fits 4U cases.
  8. Noctua NH-U14S — Noctua · 2013-05 · Classic 140 mm single tower, quiet.
  9. Noctua NH-U9S — Noctua · 2015-03 · 125 mm short tower for compact cases.
  10. Noctua NH-D14 — Noctua · 2009-10 · The dual-tower cooler that started it all.
  11. Noctua NH-U12S — Noctua · 2013-05 · A single tower that stayed relevant for a decade.
  12. be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 5 — be quiet! · 2023-11 · Silence-first flagship with a two-mode fan switch.
  13. be quiet! Dark Rock Elite — be quiet! · 2023-11 · Top model with a sliding front fan and ARGB.
  14. be quiet! Dark Rock 5 — be quiet! · 2023-11 · Quiet single tower that clears memory.
  15. be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 — be quiet! · 2018-04 · Last-gen silent dual tower, still strong.
  16. be quiet! Dark Rock 4 — be quiet! · 2018-04 · 135 mm fan, very low noise.
  17. be quiet! Pure Rock 2 — be quiet! · 2020-05 · Entry single tower with quiet operation.
  18. be quiet! Pure Rock Slim 2 — be quiet! · 2021-05 · 135 mm short tower, mATX-friendly.
  19. be quiet! Shadow Rock 3 — be quiet! · 2020-04 · Balanced mid-range single tower.
  20. be quiet! Shadow Rock LP — be quiet! · 2017-06 · 75 mm top-down, tuned for silence.
  21. be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3 — be quiet! · 2025-05 · First dual tower in the Pure line.
  22. AK400 — DeepCool · 2022-03 · The budget benchmark single tower.
  23. AK620 — DeepCool · 2021-10 · Value dual tower that handles a 7950X.
  24. AK620 Digital — DeepCool · 2023-06 · Top plate shows temperature and load.
  25. Assassin IV — DeepCool · 2023-04 · Boxy flagship with both silence and performance.
  26. AK500 — DeepCool · 2022-06 · Thicker single tower, close to dual-tower results.
  27. AN600 — DeepCool · 2023-05 · 67 mm top-down, handles 105 W in ITX.
  28. AG400 — DeepCool · 2022-12 · A cheaper alternative to the AK400.
  29. GAMMAXX 400 — DeepCool · 2013-01 · The best-selling entry tower of its decade.
  30. Peerless Assassin 120 SE — Thermalright · 2021-12 · Brought dual-tower cooling under ¥200.
  31. Phantom Spirit 120 SE — Thermalright · 2023-03 · Seven heat pipes, the PA120 upgrade.
  32. Phantom Spirit 120 EVO — Thermalright · 2023-06 · Top-tier air cooling under ¥300.
  33. Assassin X 120 Refined SE — Thermalright · 2022-05 · An ¥80 single tower good for 65–105 W.
  34. Assassin King 120 SE — Thermalright · 2021-08 · One of the cheapest reliable single towers.
  35. Burst Assassin 120 — Thermalright · 2022-03 · Thick single tower near entry dual-tower level.
  36. AXP90-X47 — Thermalright · 2020-10 · 47 mm ultra-slim top-down, the ITX pick.
  37. AXP120-X67 — Thermalright · 2021-04 · 67 mm top-down that handles 105 W.
  38. Frost Commander 140 — Thermalright · 2022-01 · 140 mm dual tower on par with the D15.
  39. Royal Pretor 130 — Thermalright · 2024-05 · Eight-pipe flagship, top of air cooling.
  40. Thermalright HR-02 Macho Rev.B — Thermalright · 2014-02 · The semi-passive air-cooling legend.
  41. Arctic Freezer 36 — Arctic · 2024-02 · Twin-fan single tower that punches above its class.
  42. Arctic Freezer 34 eSports DUO — Arctic · 2019-01 · Last-gen twin-fan single tower.
  43. Arctic Freezer A35 — Arctic · 2021-10 · AMD-only entry tower.
  44. Arctic Freezer 7 X — Arctic · 2020-05 · Small tower for mATX and office builds.
  45. Cooler Master Hyper 212 Black Edition — Cooler Master · 2019-02 · The 212 line in black.
  46. Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO V2 — Cooler Master · 2021-11 · The classic 212, modernized.
  47. Cooler Master Hyper 212 Halo Black — Cooler Master · 2022-10 · ARGB Halo fan edition.
  48. Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO — Cooler Master · 2011-10 · A generation's first tower cooler.
  49. Cooler Master Hyper 622 Halo — Cooler Master · 2022-11 · Cooler Master's value dual tower.
  50. Cooler Master MasterAir MA612 Stealth — Cooler Master · 2021-03 · Thick six-pipe single tower.
  51. Cooler Master MasterAir MA824 Stealth — Cooler Master · 2023-08 · Eight-pipe flagship dual tower.
  52. Phanteks PH-TC14PE — Phanteks · 2012-01 · An early dual tower that challenged the D14.
  53. ID-COOLING SE-224-XTS — ID-COOLING · 2022-11 · A ¥100 single tower rivaling the AK400.
  54. ID-COOLING FROZN A620 — ID-COOLING · 2023-12 · A ¥200 dual tower close to the PS120.
  55. ID-COOLING FROZN A410 — ID-COOLING · 2024-03 · New-gen entry single tower.
  56. ID-COOLING SE-207-XT Slim — ID-COOLING · 2022-04 · 148 mm low-profile dual tower.
  57. ID-COOLING IS-55 — ID-COOLING · 2022-06 · 55 mm top-down for ITX.
  58. Scythe Fuma 3 — Scythe · 2022-03 · Low dual tower with great compatibility.
  59. Scythe Mugen 6 — Scythe · 2024-06 · Sixth generation of the Mugen line.
  60. Scythe Ninja 5 — Scythe · 2019-01 · 800 rpm fans, nearly silent.
  61. Scythe Big Shuriken 3 — Scythe · 2019-05 · Classic 69 mm top-down.
  62. HX6250 — Jonsbo · 2022-10 · All-black dual tower at 150 mm.
  63. HX6200D — Jonsbo · 2023-04 · Dual tower with a top temperature display.
  64. HX4170D — Jonsbo · 2022-07 · 70 mm top-down with temperature display.
  65. Vind SL125 — Valkyrie · 2023-05 · Single tower from a newer brand, 5-year warranty.
  66. Vind SL125 Dual — Valkyrie · 2024-01 · Dual-tower version for high-power CPUs.
  67. RZ620 — PCCOOLER · 2023-02 · A ¥200 six-pipe dual tower.
  68. RZ400 — PCCOOLER · 2023-02 · Entry single tower.
  69. Thermaltake TOUGHAIR 510 — Thermaltake · 2021-03 · Twin-fan single tower in many colors.
  70. SilverStone Hydrogon D120 ARGB — SilverStone · 2021-09 · SilverStone's ARGB dual tower.
  71. Zalman CNPS10X Performa Black — Zalman · 2020-08 · A revived classic at a low price.
  72. Zalman CNPS9900 MAX — Zalman · 2010-06 · All-copper fan-shaped relic of its era.
  73. Montech Metal DT24 Premium — Montech · 2023-06 · Montech's dual tower at the ¥200 tier.
  74. Endorfy Fortis 5 Dual Fan — Endorfy · 2023-02 · Polish single tower with two fans.
  75. Corsair A115 — Corsair · 2024-01 · Corsair's first flagship air cooler.
  76. NZXT T120 — NZXT · 2022-09 · Single tower in NZXT styling.
  77. Cryorig H7 — Cryorig · 2015-04 · Classic short tower with good RAM clearance.
  78. Gigabyte AORUS ATC800 — Gigabyte · 2019-08 · AORUS-styled RGB dual tower.
  79. Assassin III — DeepCool · 2019-08 · Last-gen flagship with twin 140 mm fans.

AIO CPU Cooler

  1. Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 — Arctic · 2024-01 · 38 mm radiator, among the strongest 240s.
  2. Arctic Liquid Freezer III 280 — Arctic · 2024-01 · The 280 sweet spot, quiet and efficient.
  3. Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 — Arctic · 2024-01 · The value AIO benchmark.
  4. Arctic Liquid Freezer III 420 — Arctic · 2024-01 · The AIO cooling ceiling.
  5. Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 A-RGB — Arctic · 2025-03 · Pro version with P12 Pro fans.
  6. Arctic Liquid Freezer II 280 — Arctic · 2019-10 · Last-gen classic, still strong.
  7. Arctic Liquid Freezer II 360 — Arctic · 2019-10 · Last-gen 360 with a stellar reputation.
  8. LS520 — DeepCool · 2022-05 · Infinity-mirror block, mainstream 240.
  9. LS720 — DeepCool · 2022-05 · The LS line's 360.
  10. LT720 — DeepCool · 2022-09 · Fourth-gen pump, 5-year warranty.
  11. LT520 — DeepCool · 2022-09 · The LT line's 240.
  12. LD360 — DeepCool · 2024-02 · 360 with a temperature readout.
  13. Mystique 360 — DeepCool · 2024-07 · 2.8-inch LCD pump block.
  14. LE520 — DeepCool · 2021-11 · Entry 240 under ¥400.
  15. Frozen Notte 360 — Thermalright · 2023-10 · A ¥500 360 with excellent value.
  16. Frozen Prism 240 — Thermalright · 2022-11 · A ¥350 240 with ARGB.
  17. Frozen Prism 360 — Thermalright · 2022-11 · Prism line 360.
  18. Aqua Elite 360 V3 — Thermalright · 2023-03 · A 360 under ¥400.
  19. Frozen Warframe 360 — Thermalright · 2024-08 · Thermalright AIO with an LCD.
  20. Corsair iCUE LINK H150i RGB — Corsair · 2023-07 · Single-cable iCUE LINK ecosystem.
  21. Corsair iCUE LINK TITAN 360 RX — Corsair · 2024-09 · New FlowDrive pump, 6-year warranty.
  22. Corsair iCUE LINK TITAN 240 RX — Corsair · 2024-09 · TITAN line 240.
  23. Corsair iCUE H100i ELITE CAPELLIX XT — Corsair · 2023-01 · Capellix-lit 240.
  24. Corsair iCUE H170i ELITE LCD XT — Corsair · 2023-01 · Corsair's 420 flagship with LCD.
  25. Corsair H115i RGB PLATINUM — Corsair · 2018-10 · Two-gen-old 280 that was once popular.
  26. Corsair Hydro Series H100i — Corsair · 2012-10 · The original that made 240 AIOs mainstream.
  27. NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB (2024) — NZXT · 2024-01 · 2.72-inch LCD with a new pump.
  28. NZXT Kraken Elite 280 RGB (2024) — NZXT · 2024-01 · Elite line 280.
  29. NZXT Kraken 240 (2023) — NZXT · 2023-02 · 240 with a 1.54-inch LCD.
  30. NZXT Kraken 360 (2023) — NZXT · 2023-02 · Non-Elite 360 with 6-year warranty.
  31. NZXT Kraken X62 — NZXT · 2016-11 · Pioneer of the infinity-mirror block.
  32. Lian Li Galahad II Trinity 360 — Lian Li · 2023-05 · Lian Li gen 2 with a rotatable block.
  33. Lian Li Galahad II Trinity Performance 360 — Lian Li · 2023-05 · Performance version with a 32 mm radiator.
  34. Lian Li Galahad II Trinity 240 — Lian Li · 2023-05 · Trinity line 240.
  35. Lian Li Galahad II LCD 360 — Lian Li · 2023-10 · 2.88-inch LCD version.
  36. Lian Li HydroShift LCD 360 — Lian Li · 2024-05 · Side-routed tubes keep the LCD clear.
  37. ASUS ROG Ryujin III 360 ARGB — ASUS · 2023-08 · 3.5-inch LCD with a VRM fan.
  38. ASUS ROG Ryujin II 240 — ASUS · 2021-03 · Last-gen Ryujin 240.
  39. ASUS ROG Strix LC III 360 ARGB — ASUS · 2023-07 · Strix gen 3 without LCD.
  40. ASUS TUF Gaming LC II 360 ARGB — ASUS · 2022-06 · TUF line 360 with 6-year warranty.
  41. MSI MAG CORELIQUID I360 — MSI · 2024-05 · New block design, easy install.
  42. MSI MAG CORELIQUID E360 — MSI · 2023-03 · MSI's mainstream 360.
  43. MSI MAG CORELIQUID A13 360 — MSI · 2025-01 · 2025 model with pre-daisy-chained fans.
  44. MSI MEG CORELIQUID S360 — MSI · 2021-05 · 2.4-inch LCD plus a 60 mm block fan.
  45. Cooler Master MasterLiquid 360 Core II — Cooler Master · 2024-05 · A ¥700 360 with 5-year warranty.
  46. Cooler Master MasterLiquid 240L Core ARGB — Cooler Master · 2023-02 · Entry 240.
  47. Cooler Master MasterLiquid 360 Atmos — Cooler Master · 2023-02 · 38 mm radiator, Cooler Master's flagship.
  48. Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML360R RGB — Cooler Master · 2019-03 · Last-gen RGB 360.
  49. Phanteks Glacier One 360 D30 — Phanteks · 2023-04 · D30 fans, daisy-chained.
  50. EK-Nucleus AIO CR360 Lux D-RGB — EK · 2022-11 · AIO from the custom-loop specialist.
  51. Fractal Design Lumen S36 v2 RGB — Fractal Design · 2023-01 · Fractal's 360.
  52. Thermaltake TOUGHLIQUID Ultra 360 — Thermaltake · 2022-03 · 2.1-inch LCD.
  53. Thermaltake TH360 V2 ARGB Sync — Thermaltake · 2022-08 · Entry 360 with ARGB.
  54. TG-360 — Jonsbo · 2023-06 · Jonsbo 360 with temperature display.
  55. GL360 — Valkyrie · 2023-03 · A ¥700 360 with an LCD.
  56. A360 — Valkyrie · 2022-05 · A ¥500 ARGB 360.
  57. DS360 — PCCOOLER · 2023-05 · Entry 360 with temperature display.
  58. Gigabyte AORUS WATERFORCE X 360 — Gigabyte · 2021-04 · LCD block, fans run loud.
  59. SilverStone PF360-ARGB V2 — SilverStone · 2022-01 · SilverStone's entry 360.
  60. ID-COOLING SPACE SL360 — ID-COOLING · 2024-04 · LCD for about ¥550.
  61. ID-COOLING FROSTFLOW X 240 — ID-COOLING · 2019-06 · A ¥300 entry 240.
  62. Montech HyperFlow ARGB 360 — Montech · 2024-03 · Montech's entry 360.
  63. Endorfy Navis F360 ARGB — Endorfy · 2023-04 · Quiet 360 with 6-year warranty.