Our processor coolers category has over 2,000 products: all-in-one liquid coolers, air coolers, standalone fans, liquid cooling kits and heatsinks, for anyone building or upgrading a PC. Brands include Thermaltake, ARCTIC, Corsair, NZXT and Noctua. You will also find thermal pastes and pads for mounting a cooler properly.
How to choose a processor cooler
Processor socket. A cooler ships with mounting hardware only for certain sockets, such as AM5, AM4 or LGA1700. Check your processor's socket against the product specifications before ordering. Server and workstation processors need coolers of their own.
Air or liquid cooling. An air cooler is a heatsink with a fan and has no pump, so the design is simpler. An all-in-one (AIO) liquid cooler carries heat to a radiator fitted at the top or front of the case, which suits processors that give off a lot of heat or cases with little room around the socket. AIO coolers are the largest group in our range, though there are plenty of air coolers and fans as well.
Size and case fit. Tower air coolers can be tall, so check that the side panel will close and that the cooler will not block the memory modules. With an AIO, look at which radiator sizes your case supports. Most coolers in our range use 12 cm fans, and some use 14 cm: a larger fan can turn more slowly for the same airflow.
Noise and fan control. A fan with PWM (pulse-width modulation) support changes speed automatically with processor temperature, so it stays close to silent at idle. Most coolers in our range offer it. AIO radiators are usually fitted with two or three fans, and several slower fans are generally less noticeable than one fast one.
Cooler brands we carry
- Noctua: known for quiet air coolers with large, carefully balanced fans.
- ARCTIC: makes reasonably priced air and AIO coolers and is also known for its MX thermal pastes.
- Corsair and NZXT: known for AIO liquid coolers whose pump and fan speeds can be controlled through software.
- Thermal Grizzly: specialises in thermal pastes, liquid metal and thermal pads. Our range includes its thermal putty and phase change sheets.
- Cooler Master and DeepCool: long-standing makers of tower air coolers, such as the Hyper and Assassin series.
- Thermaltake: makes PC cases as well as cooling, so an AIO cooler is easy to match with a case.
- ASUS: offers ROG series AIO coolers, some with a small display on the pump block.
- Lenovo and HP Enterprise: coolers and heatsinks from server and workstation makers are usually designed for specific models, so compare the part number.
Also in our range: Inter-Tech.
Frequently asked questions
Is an air cooler or a liquid cooler better for a processor?
Neither type is better in every case. A good air cooler often handles a mid-range processor and is simpler because it has no pump. An AIO liquid cooler is worth choosing when the processor gives off a lot of heat or when you want more free space around the socket.
How do I know if a cooler will fit my processor?
Compare your processor's socket with the sockets listed in the cooler's specifications. An AM5 processor, for example, needs a cooler that comes with AM5 mounting. Also check the cooler height or radiator size against your case.
What does PWM mean on a cooler fan?
PWM stands for pulse-width modulation, which lets the motherboard vary fan speed smoothly with temperature. A PWM fan speeds up under load and slows down when the computer is quiet. It connects to a 4-pin fan header.
Do I need to buy thermal paste with a cooler?
Often not, because many coolers come with thermal paste or have it pre-applied. You need separate paste when you remove and refit a cooler, or when you want a better thermal interface. Clean off the old paste and apply a thin layer of the new one.
