For those who’re looking out for the greatest AIO cooler to your wants, then you definately’ve introduced your internet browser to precisely the fitting place. We have picked out the very greatest CPU liquid cooler fashions from our in depth evaluation catalog, so you should purchase the fitting CPU cooler to your setup, whether or not you are after one thing compact or a large cooler that may deal with essentially the most power-hungry of CPUs.
Why you’ll be able to belief us ✔ Customized PC has over 20 years of expertise testing {hardware}. We share trustworthy, skilled recommendation that can assist you purchase the perfect. Discover out how we check.
Listed below are the perfect AIO coolers in 2024:
- be quiet! Silent Loop 2 120mm – the perfect 120mm AIO cooler
- Antec Vortex 240 ARGB – the perfect low cost 240mm AIO cooler
- EK Nucleus AIO CR240 Lux D-RGB – the perfect 240mm AIO cooler
- Phanteks Glacier One 240 T30 – the strongest 240mm AIO cooler
- NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB – the perfect AIO LCD cooler
- Thermaltake TH420 V2 ARGB Sync – the perfect 420mm AIO cooler
1. be quiet! Silent Loop 2 120mm
The perfect 120mm AIO cooler is the be quiet! Silent Loop 2 120mm.
be quiet! Silent Loop 2 120mm specs:
| Intel sockets supported | LGA1700 (with adaptor equipment), LGA115x, LGA1200, LGA2066, LGA2011 |
| AMD sockets supported | Socket AM5, AM4, AM3/+, TRX/4 (with adaptor equipment) |
| Dimensions with followers (mm) | 120 x 154 x 77 (W x D x H) |
| Followers | 2 x 120mm |
| Said noise | 36dBA |
| RGB lighting | Sure, on pump |
| Extras | RGB controller |
Execs
- Glorious cooling
- Quiet pump
- Included RGB controller
Cons
- Comparatively costly
- Pump is 3-pin quite than 4-pin
- Noisy followers at full pace
If you do not have room to mount an expansive radiator in your PC case, maybe if it is a mini-ITX mannequin, then you’ll be able to nonetheless get a good bit of cooling energy from a 120mm AIO cooler, and the be quiet! Silent Loop 2 120mm is the perfect instance we have examined. It has two 120mm followers in a push-pull configuration, on both aspect of the 120mm radiator, so there’s loads of airflow.
It managed to maintain a 16-core Intel Core i9-12900K CPU in examine in our assessments, and it has a quiet pump as effectively. It isn’t the most cost effective choice out there, but it surely’s the only option if you would like respectable CPU cooling from a 120mm fan mount. The RGB lighting seems refined and stylish as effectively.
See our full be quiet! Silent Loop 2 120mm evaluation for a extra detailed rundown.
2. Antec Vortex 240 ARGB
The perfect low cost 240mm AIO cooler is the Antec Vortex 240 ARGB.
Antec Vortex 240 ARGB specs:
| Intel sockets supported | LGA1700, LGA115x, LGA1200, LGA2011, LGA2066 |
| AMD sockets supported | Socket AM5, Socket AM4, Socket AM3 |
| Dimensions with followers (mm) | 277 x 120 x 52 (W x D x H) |
| Followers | 2 x 120mm |
| Said noise | 31dBA |
| RGB lighting | Sure |
| Extras | RGB controller |
Execs
- Very quiet pump
- Nice-looking RGB lighting
- Straightforward set up
- Implausible value
Cons
- Followers get noisy at full pace
- Cooling skills might be higher
- No management software program
We’re amazed that you would be able to get a cooler of this normal for such an affordable value, however the Antec Vortex 240 ARGB manages it. Regardless of having a value of simply $85, this good-looking 240mm AIO cooler not solely has great-looking RGB lighting on the pumps and fan rings, but it surely additionally has some respectable cooling energy.
It managed to maintain our Core i7-13700K and Ryzen 9 7900X below management throughout our testing, and it has a quiet pump. To prime all of it off, it is even simple to suit. If you cannot spend greater than $100 in your CPU cooler, that is the 240mm AIO mannequin to get.
Learn our full Antec Vortex 240 ARGB evaluation for extra data.
3. EK Nucleus AIO CR240 Lux D-RGB
The perfect 240mm AIO cooler is the EK Nucleus AIO CR240 Lux D-RGB.
EK Nucleus AIO CR240 Lux D-RGB specs:
| Intel sockets supported | LGA1700, LGA1200, LGA115x, LGA2066, LGA2011 |
| AMD sockets supported | Socket AM4, Socket AM5 |
| Dimensions with followers (mm) | 124 x 281 x 52 (W x D x H) |
| Followers | 2 x 120mm |
| Said noise | 36dBA |
| RGB lighting | Sure |
Execs
- Nice lighting and cooling
- Straightforward set up course of
- Daisy-chained lighting and PWM cables
Cons
- Comparatively costly
- Won’t match all mini-ITX motherboards
- Pump lighting cannot be daisy-chained to followers
You would possibly know EK from its super-stylish customized water-cooling gear, but it surely additionally makes use of its liquid cooling experience to supply some very good AIO coolers, and the EK Nucleus AIO CR240 Lux D-RGB is a advantageous instance. It provides very good CPU cooling efficiency, its pump and followers are quiet, and its daisy-chained fan cables cease your case from being overrun with wiring spaghetti as effectively.
Try our full EK Nucleus AIO CR240 Lux D-RGB evaluation for extra element about this cooler.
4. Phanteks Glacier One 240 T30
The strongest 240mm AIO cooler is the Phanteks Glacier One 240 T30.
Phanteks Glacier One 240 T30 specs:
| Intel sockets supported | LGA1700 (with elective mounting equipment), LGA1200, LGA115x, LGA2066, LGA2011 |
| AMD sockets supported | Socket AM4, TR4/X |
| Dimensions with followers (mm) | 120 x 273 x 63 (W x D x H) |
| Followers | 2 x 120mm |
| Said noise | 40dBA |
| RGB lighting | Sure, on pump |
Execs
- Implausible followers
- Superb cooling energy
- Good wanting RGB lighting on pump unit
Cons
- Costly
- Will get noisy while you run it at excessive speeds
The Phanteks T30 120mm followers are the star of the present right here, with their nice construct high quality and excessive airflow. With regards to the Phanteks Glacier One 240 T30, these followers have additionally been mounted to a 38mm-thick radiator, giving this 240mm AIO mannequin a great deal of cooling energy. It will get noisy while you run it at full pace, however if you would like essentially the most cooling energy doable from a 240mm cooler, that is the one to purchase.
Learn by means of our full Phanteks Glacier One 240 T30 evaluation for extra data.
5. NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB
The perfect AIO LCD cooler is the NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB.
NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB specs:
| Intel sockets supported | LGA1700, LGA1200, LGA115x |
| AMD sockets supported | Socket AM5, Socket AM4, Socket sTRX4, Socket TR4 |
| Dimensions with followers (mm) | 121 x 52 x 394 (W x D x H) |
| Followers | 3 x 120mm |
| Said noise | 34dBA |
| RGB lighting | Sure |
| Extras | Software program management, RGB controller, LCD on pump |
Execs
- Implausible seems
- Very good cooling
- Low noise
- Customizable LCD
Cons
- Takes some time for followers and pump to spin up
- Need to take care of a lot of cables
- Very costly
LCDs are the most recent addition to AIO coolers, and whereas they’re largely superfluous in the case of cooling, they provide you an effective way to customise your PC’s inside. In addition to providing a elaborate LCD on the pump unit, the NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB can also be out there in black and white variations, so you’ll be able to match it to your PC’s inside.
It isn’t only a fairly face both – the Kraken Elite 360 RGB proved itself to be extraordinarily highly effective in our CPU cooling assessments, and it is quiet as effectively. If in case you have the cash, and room for it in your case, that is the perfect AIO cooler you should purchase in the meanwhile.
Learn our NZXT Kraken Elite 360 evaluation for the total lowdown.
6. Thermaltake TH420 V2 ARGB Sync
The perfect 420mm AIO cooler is the Thermaltake TH420 V2 ARGB Sync.
Thermaltake TH420 V2 ARGB Sync specs:
| Intel sockets supported | LGA1700, LGA115x, LGA1200, LGA2011, LGA2066 |
| AMD sockets supported | Socket AM5, Socket AM3, Socket AM2 |
| Dimensions with followers (mm) | 456 x 140 x 52 (W x D x H) |
| Followers | 3 x 140mm |
| Said noise | 35dBA |
| RGB lighting | Sure |
| Extras | None |
Execs
- Very good worth for cash
- Glorious cooling
- Attractive RGB lighting
Cons
- Case compatibility restricted by large radiator measurement
- Would not assist AMD Threadripper CPUs
- Need to take care of a lot of cable mess
We’re amazed on the worth on provide from the Thermaltake TH420 V2 ARGB Sync. This colossal brute of an AIO cooler provides essentially the most highly effective CPU cooling we have seen from an AIO cooler, but it surely nonetheless solely prices $140. With an enormous radiator at its disposal, plus three 140mm RGB followers, this cooler provides you a great deal of thermal headroom in case your case can accommodate it. The RGB lighting on the followers and pump unit seems good as effectively, and you may fine-tune it to run at low noise ranges whereas nonetheless sustaining nice cooling.
See our full Thermaltake TH420 V2 ARGB Sync evaluation for the entire lowdown.
How we check CPU coolers
So as to check AIO coolers pretty, we measure the CPU temperature with CoreTemp, earlier than subtracting the ambient air temperature from this determine. This offers us a delta T outcome, which allows us to check in a lab that is not temperature-controlled.
To load the CPU, we run the Prime95 smallest FFT check with AVX directions, and take the temperature studying after ten minutes. We use an AMD Ryzen 9 7900X to check AM5 cooling, and a Core i7-13700K to check Intel LGA1700 cooling. For extra particulars, see our How we check web page.
AIO cooler FAQ
What’s an AIO cooler?
An AIO cooler makes use of liquid coolant to shift the warmth away out of your CPU, and go it by means of an actively-cooled radiator. It’ll have a plate created from a conductive metallic, reminiscent of copper, which makes full contact together with your CPU’s heatspreader through a layer of thermal paste. This plate is then actively cooled by the pump biking liquid coolant by means of a waterblock instantly above the plate. The plate will comprise bumps and edges to disrupt the liquid because it passes by means of the block.
The pump cycles the coolant by means of the entire unit, so the new coolant goes from the pump/waterblock unit and is then handed right into a radiator. That is actively cooled by followers, which push the new air from the radiator out of the vents in your case.
The bigger your radiator, the higher your cooling capability. Likewise, bigger followers, and extra of them, produce extra airflow than smaller followers, or you’ll be able to run them at slower speeds to supply much less noise, whereas nonetheless getting the identical airflow. This is why a 420mm radiator is cooler and quieter than a 120mm mannequin. Until you are restricted by the room in your case, we advocate going for at the very least a 240mm mannequin for a Ryzen 7 or Core i7 CPU, and a 360mm AIO cooler for a Core i9 or Ryzen 9 processor.
What does AIO stand for?
AIO stands for ‘multi function’, which refers back to the pump, radiator, waterblock, and tubing being equipped collectively in a single unit, generally referred to as a sealed loop. That is not like a customized water-cooling system, the place you select these components and hyperlink all of them up individually.
Is a 120mm AIO cooler highly effective sufficient?
With a small radiator capability, a 120mm AIO cooler wants loads of airflow for it to work successfully, which is why variations with two followers in push-pull configuration are typically a lot better than variations with one fan. Additionally, keep in mind that the restricted radiator capability will imply a 120mm AIO cooler must spin up its followers for longer than on a 240mm mannequin when it will get sizzling, so it might probably take care of the warmth.
Our 120mm AIO cooler assessments have proven that you would be able to cool a high-end Core i9 CPU with a two-fan 120mm AIO cooler, however you are a lot better off utilizing one among these coolers on a Core i5 or Ryzen 5 CPU. The one purpose to make use of a 120mm cooler is in case you’re brief on house in your case – in any other case, we all the time advocate going for at the very least a 240mm mannequin.
That brings us to the tip of our roundup of the perfect AIO coolers, and we’ll hold this information repeatedly up to date as we evaluation extra liquid CPU coolers sooner or later. If you wish to have a look at different CPU cooling choices, be sure to additionally try our information to the greatest CPU cooler, the place we additionally take you thru air-cooled and low-profile choices. For those who’re planning to construct a brand new PC, be sure to learn our information to the greatest gaming CPU, the place we run you thru all the perfect choices at a variety of costs.
