• Welcome to TechPowerUp Forums, Guest! Please check out our forum guidelines for info related to our community.
  • The forums have been upgraded with support for dark mode. By default it will follow the setting on your system/browser. You may override it by scrolling to the end of the page and clicking the gears icon.

which cooler CPU is better?

SunRise-

SunRise-

Joined
Oct 27, 2023
Messages
89 (0.15/day)
My CPU cooler failed ,and these days I want to buy another liquid cooler CPU. I found different coolers from different manufacturers and I would like to choose the best one. Since there are many manufacturers on the market, I focused on a few models.

1. Corsair Hydro Series H115i RGB Platinum
2. NZXT Kraken X52
3. NZXT Kraken X62
4. Empire Gaming Guardian P-W360
5. Arctic liquid freezer II or III (360)
6. NZXT Kraken z73

I would like to choose efficient and silent ventilation for my present processor, which is a 7820x, but I would want to change the platform completely in the future. I saw that the CFM airflow is different from manufacturer to manufacturer, so I am at a standstill and do not know what to choose better...
I want a good,silent cooling efficient solution for my present CPU and for future CPU like 13700k why not...I have in plan to upgrade CPU.
any suggestion?
thanks,
 
Arctic. I personally like the 280 and 420 models as I prefer 140mm fans, but they're all great, especially when you consider performance/price.

Things to note:
1. Their radiator is thicker than most AIOs (which is a big reason why they're so good) so make sure you have room.
2. The liquid freezer iii series has had several people with am5 chipsets struggle to get it mounted right due to their mounting bracket pressure and not being able to get the screws threaded in easily. The lga-1700 mounting system replaces the stock ILM of the motherboard. So just check out reviews before you buy to understand what you're signing up for.
 
I'd go for Arctic without even considering others if I'd go for an AIO.
 
The arctic LF III is high performance, high quality, and cheap.

The NZXT AIO's are just throwing money away, you aren't getting anything for the 2-3x you are going to spend on them.
 
If you want silence stay away from AIOs. They have small 40mm pumps that need to spin very fast to compensate for their small size, which induces annoying and very noticeable high pitch noise compared to the low pitch sound of a 140mm fan.

There are some very good heatsinks like the noctua nh-d15 which performance rivals AIOs while having no pump, so no risk of failing (or just a fan to replace) and no high pitch noise.

The only downside is that you need to have the room in your case for it.

I've had a nh-d15 for a few years now and noise-wise it's just the best. I wouldn't go back to an aio even if someone gave me one for free.
 
N3utro said:
If you want silence stay away from AIOs. They have small 40mm pumps that need to spin very fast to compensate for their small size, which induces annoying and very noticeable high pitch noise compared to the low pitch sound of a 140mm fan.

There are some very good heatsinks like the noctua nh-d15 which performance rivals AIOs while having no pump, so no risk of failing (or just a fan to replace) and no high pitch noise.

The only downside is that you need to have the room in your case for it.

I've had a nh-d15 for a few years now and noise-wise it's just the best. I wouldn't go back to an aio even if someone gave me one for free.
Click to expand...
The best thing about Noctua is that it's practically eternal, since you'll get new mounting hardware for free from them (if you have the receipt) when a new socket is released. Or it costs 10EUR when bought separately. Practically you could still use a Noctua NH-U12 from 2005 with modern hardware without issues.
 
Normally I'd say go with Arctic, but the LFIII doesn't have LGA2066 mounting options (LFII does and it's not a bad option, but the LFIII is better for modern AMD/Intel platforms). The Corsair model you have listed is around 7 years old so not that one. I've never heard of your #4 so don't know who makes the actual pump/rad and can't make any recommendation. NZXT is overpriced generally and 2 of the 3 you have listed are very old. If you're planning on looking for forward platform compatibility you want a more recent cooler.

I'm guessing you're in Europe so maybe Deepcool would be an option. If you're looking at 360mm AIOs the LT720 and LS720 would be potential options.
 
I've frequently used #1, 3, & 5 over the years, and I can make 1 more additional vote for the Artic, as I had fewer issues with it than the other 2, and still have a couple running in client rigs that I built in the past, which are workstations that get pounded on heavily for 10-14 hrs/day x 6 days/week, neveranottaproblemo :)
 
No long term issues wiht a Arctic liquid freezer II 360 on a ryzen 5800x with a msi x570 tomahawk wifi.
no pump sounds. I think I build that box for that person 3 or 4 years ago.

I would go for 420 mm arctic AIO. I think arctic has 6 years warranty. corsair has questionable quality for some of their products.
 
The Arctic AIOs have a very good performance-per-dollar value. I am happily using a Liquid Freezer II 360 with a Ryzen 5800X3D and a Liquid Freezer II 280 with a Ryzen 5900X. There's also an unused Liquid Freezer III 240 sitting in a closet.

I'd be surprised if there were still Liquid Freezer II models available for sale (at least in my area, California).

I have not tried any of the other products listed in OP's inquiry. I own a couple of NZXT product and my gut feeling about their AIOs is that there is better value to be found elsewhere. I do have a 140mm AIO in my NZXT H1 V2 case but the cooling performance is nothing to write home about (the water pump is located in the center of the radiator so it behaves more like a 120mm AIO). There's also the annoyance of NZXT's CAM software.

I would rather control the AIO strictly with motherboard UEFI fan curve settings which is how I have configured the Arctic AIOs.
 
Arctic Liquid Freezer or Thermalright Notte
 
So NZXT are all Asetek rebrands I think. They're fine I guess, but Asetek are the highly litigious bastards who patent-trolled the entire AIO industry for a decade. They aren't particularly cheap, they aren't particularly quiet, and they aren't particularly powerful. It's about as generic and mediocre as you can get, in terms of pump-block and radiator quality. The resellers of Asetek designs add their own flair to them, and with the right fans, software, and pricing they can be decent options. NZXT aren't known for their fans, but they're infamous for having some of the worst RGBLED software of any major brand. Combine that with high pricing for what is just an Asetek rebrand and I'm happy to narrow down your choices by ruling those three out.

That Corsair model you linked is, I think, a 2018 model. I don't know if it's still in production but AIO tech has moved on, and there's a non-zero chance you buy a box that's been sat on a warehouse shelf for 6-7 years. For that reason, I'm inclined to rule it out.

Of the remaining two options, it's easy. There's almost zero info about Empire Gaming - they seem to be a new company that drop stuff via Amazon and AliExpress. Their AIO history doesn't exist - this is their only AIO and I can pretty much guarantee it isn't made by them. As for the Arctic, they are a dedicated PC cooling company that has been around for multiple decades. They're good at what they do and there are so many glowing reviews of the LFII and LFIII that you'd be insane to choose the Empire Gaming Guardian over either of them. For what it's worth, the little VRM fan on the LF3 is going to be quieter than the one on the LF2 for any given amount of VRM cooling, since it's almost twice the size.
 
Last edited:
SunRise- said:
i want to buy this one.But im wondering if it is sompatible with my old socket of CPU 2066?

www.arctic.de

Liquid Freezer III 280 | Multicompatible All-in-One CPU Water Cooler | ARCTIC

ACFRE00135A | The brand new Liquid Freezer III 280 now available | New design and higher performance thanks to an in-house developed pump in a new format | Liquid Freezer III | 23 Years ARCTIC
www.arctic.de www.arctic.de
Click to expand...
It is compatible with LGA2066, just use the motherboard's own backplate and screw these four posts directly into the motherboard.

1746735024800.png

The most important consideration with 280mm radiators is whether your case will fit them in the roof without interfering with your RAM/motherboard VRM coolers. If you can't fit the radiator in the roof, most cases will handle a 280mm in the front at least.
 
Last edited:
SunRise- said:
I want Liquid Freezer III not II.It is different :confused:
Click to expand...
Oh, I missed that.
No, you need the LF II if you want support for HEDT sockets like 2011/2066.

There are several Thermalright/Coolermaster/Montech/Deepcool AIOs with 2066 support.
 
I would say artic because 1) thats what I'm familiar with 2) my II 240 has performed better than it has any right to.
 
i want this model because looks better :(

But for socket LGA 1151 paired with i7 8700k is compatible ???
 

Attachments

  • freezer 3.jpg
    freezer 3.jpg
    16.7 KB · Views: 25
If it were me, I would look at Alpha Cool since they are serviceable. But it will cost allot more then the Artic Freezer III, which is an exhalant AIO. Another good budget AIO is Thermalright, which I have a few of their 240 AIO's and are grate for the price.
 
None, because its just a matter of time before you see your temps start to creep upwards as the unit permeates.
 
Lost_Troll said:
If it were me, I would look at Alpha Cool since they are serviceable. But it will cost allot more then the Artic Freezer III, which is an exhalant AIO. Another good budget AIO is Thermalright, which I have a few of their 240 AIO's and are grate for the price.
Click to expand...
I've used Alphacool, Arctic, and Thermalright - all are good, though you won't beat Thermalright on price

It does have to be the Arctic Liquid Freezer II though. The III is incompatible unless you ditch the contact frame and jury-rig the LGA1200/115X optional mounting kit. It's not officially supported, but there is a thread where one person made it work. I can't recommend that approach - it may require some Dremel work, drilling, and invalidating the warranty.

freeagent said:
None, because its just a matter of time before you see your temps start to creep upwards as the unit permeates.
Click to expand...
I treat AIOs as disposable for a socket or two at most. You can at least dismantle the pump/block and refill them to extend their lifespan. If you want an immortal cooler, you need to buy a Noctua, I think. I had an NH-U12 that went through four different socket adapters before I eventually passed it on as part of a complete build. It's presumably still going strong...
 
Chrispy_ said:
If you want an immortal cooler, you need to buy
Click to expand...
I have so many coolers lol.. I think the combo I am running right now is gonna be tough to beat. PS120 EVO and 2x T30.. the whole setup is very quiet until its not :D
 
I also do that. I tend to use more compact coolers like the PA Mini or Silver Soul and it bugs me that one fan is supposed to server two fin stacks, yet there's a 5-6mm gap between the front fin stack and the fan. Swapping out to a T30 seals the gap nicely and makes a huge difference to the low-noise performance.

At full tilt the T30 is basically unbearable, but it's hard to deny the performance :D
 
Chrispy_ said:
At full tilt the T30 is basically unbearable, but it's hard to deny the performance :D
Click to expand...
I find them to be much more tolerable than any of the iPPC 3K fans. Omg, those fans sound monstrous, I can hear them on the main floor from the basement. Terrible.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top