Whether you’re after higher top clock speeds with your Core i9-13900K or Ryzen 7 7800X3D, or you just want your modest system to stay quiet under load, there are some key things to consider when choosing the best AIO (all-in-one) cooler for your new PC or CPU upgrade.
AIO coolers are much more convenient and affordable than custom liquid cooling loops. And, traditionally at least, they can deliver lower CPU temperatures with less fan noise than air coolers – although that’s not always the case these days, as air coolers have gotten better and, in some cases, bigger.
You’ll need to make sure there’s room to install an AIO cooler in your case, preferably in the top or rear, exhausting your CPU heat out of the chassis. AIO coolers typically come in three sizes, defined by the dimensions of the radiator and the fans the radiator is designed to fit: 120 (one 120mm fan), 240 (two 120mm fans), or 360mm (three 120mm fans).
There are some 140, 280mm, and 420mm AIO coolers as well, but they are far less common. As you might expect, the larger the radiator (generally speaking) the greater the cooling potential. That said, things like radiator thickness, materials, and fan and pump performance factor into cooling capability as well. Corsair's recent iCue H170i Elite LCD XT is the first 420mm cooler we've tested in a long time, and it also delivers the best performance we've seen in recent years.
If you aren’t running a flagship CPU with lots of cores and 5-6 GHz speeds and you don’t plan on overclocking, a 120mm AIO (which you can usually mount in the rear exhaust fan area of your PC case) should suffice. That said, Intel's 12th and 13th Gen CPUs are generally more demanding on coolers. And AMD's Ryzen 7000 lineup, while less thermally demanding than Intel's chips, isn't exactly easy to cool either. So if you want better temperatures and slower-spinning fans, a good 240mm AIO cooler is a better choice, but won’t fit in as many cases.
If money isn't a major concern and silent operation and low temperatures are important to you, you may want to consider a custom cooling loop. For more on how these tend to perform (and how good they look), check out our Blue Shift build feature. Just know that custom loops are always much more expensive than all other typical cooling alternatives, exponentially more complicated to assemble and install, and they can make future component upgrades much more complicated--especially if you add your GPU into the cooling loop.
In your quest for the best AIO cooler, don't forget to consider thermal paste or another thermal interface material (TIM) to use with your AIO cooler. Most coolers these days will come with some kind of paste, either in a small syringe or pre-applied to the metal cold plate. But to make sure you're getting the most efficient thermal transfer between your CPU and cooler plate, check out the many products we thoroughly tested to find the best thermal paste for your CPU.
Best AIO Coolers You Can Buy Today
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If you want to squeeze the best sustained performance possible out of your new Core i9-13900K CPU, DeepCool's LT720 AIO is the best we've tested yet using Intel's latest flagship CPU. The 360mm AIO managing to keep our CPU running at an impressive 315 Watts during our Cinebench tests.
It also has a unique infinity mirror CPU cover, and will stay out of the way of your RAM. The main downside? This cooler can get a bit loud when running at full speed. But if you bought a Core i9 and are running it full-bore with the power limits removed, a bit of extra fan noise probably isn't your biggest concern. The price of the LT720 is also quite nice, with multiple outlets selling it for around $130 and some as low as $120. If you need lots of cooling for your overclocked flagship CPU and you don't want to spend several hundred dollars on custom cooling, this is the best option we've tested with Raptor Lake.
Read: DeepCool LT720 AIO review
If you prize quiet operation over absolute cooling ability, Arctic’s Liquid Freezer II 360 ARGB is an excellent option, as it cooled our Core i9-13900K nearly as well as the DeepCool LT720, while staying quieter under our testing scenarios. Arctic’s 360 mm cooler handled over 290W in our long-term testing with the 13900K, making it a solid choice for those who run demanding workloads.
Just make sure your case has extra room wherever you plan on mounting it, because it achieves its quiet cooling skills by incorporating a thicker radiator than most of the competition. So it won’t fit as well in smaller cases, or those that just aren’t designed with a lot of room up top.
Read: Arctic Liquid Freezer II 360 ARGB review
The Alphacool Eisbaer Pro Aurora 360 features a full-cover CPU block sizable enough to fully cover Threadripper’s ample surface area, although it supports mainstream sockets like AM4 as well. There’s also a powerful, fast-flowing pump with built-in reservoir and an all-copper radiator, allowing the Eisbaer Pro Aurora 360 to morph into a custom cooling loop, one piece at a time.
Priced around $217, it's more costly than some other solutions, but does provide hands-down the absolute best cooling potential. And power users building high-end AMD Threadripper or Intel HEDT desktop workstation or gaming systems will have higher budgets, with a different focus than those looking for a more frugal desktop gaming or mainstream PC build.
Considering the cost associated with most of the CPUs and motherboards alone supported by the Eisbaer Pro Aurora, system builders in this realm of performance usually draw from a unique set of criteria, which a frequent aim for ‘the best at any price.' And that, quite simply, is what the Alphacool Eisbaer Pro Aurora 360 exemplifies. Whether you intend to run it as is, or expand into a custom cooling loop, you won't be let down by this versatile piece of cooling kit.
Read: Alphacool Eisbaer Pro Aurora 360 review
MSI's MEG CoreLiquid S360 delivers top-notch cooling performance, quiet(er) cooling fans and an excellent implementation of a simple-to-use MSI Center UI and a brilliant display above your CPU to deliver system performance stats, or even your favorite photo or animated GIF. At $280, it’s definitely a premium cooler, but MSI backs up that price with some real performance clout.
For those without concern for the high price, looking for excellent cooling and endless customization options via the display, the MSI MEG CoreLiquid S36 is worthy of serious consideration. Its toughest competition may come from Corsair's H150i Elite, although we haven't had a chance to test that cooler yet.
Read: MSI MEG CoreLiquid S360 review
Corsair’s iCUE H170i Elite LCD XT AIO offers the best cooling performance we’ve tested yet with Intel’s i9-13900K, handling over 325W in our most intensive thermal tests. And unlike other coolers, the noise level of the H170i Elite is tied to the CPU coolant temp, resulting in quieter operation during most common tasks and the elimination of bursty fan behavior. The tradeoff is that we saw noisier operation under the kinds of sustained loads that we use for testing.
The Corsair iCUE H170i Elite LCD XT is one of the best coolers currently available in terms of performance and features. It’s also quite expensive at $310, but if you don’t mind going without the pretty 2.1-inch display, the company also sells an iCUE H170i Elite Capellix XT with the same radiator and pump for around $240.
That’s still no small amount of money for a cooler. But if your needs are extreme enough to warrant a 420 mm radiator, you can probably afford to spend a bit extra on keeping your powerful CPU as cool as it can be under load.
Read: Corsair iCUE H170i Elite LCD XT review
While our thermal measurements indicate that it's integrated voltage regulator fan is little more than a gimmick, great CPU temperatures at ultra-low noise levels prove the Liquid Freezer II 280 far-more-valuable than its far-costlier rivals.
Read: Arctic Liquid Freezer II 280 AIO review
The Corsair H100i RGB PRO XT takes over where the H100i Pro left off by providing enthusiast levels of thermal load management from a 240mm AIO and making use of Corsair’s iCUE software suite for RGB lighting control, fan curve configuration and pump performance settings. Paring the capability of the cooler with a set of user-friendly software tools provides a great deal of value for system builders of any technical proficiency, in real time.
Read: Corsair H100i RGB Pro XT review
With Alder Lake’s increased cooling demands, many coolers that performed well on older platforms literally take the extra heat. But in our testing with Intel's Core i9-12900K, DeepCool’s LS520 delivered incredible cooling performance for its compact package. It handled our Alder Lake CPU without power limits in most situations. While it lacks software for its RGB lighting and fans, at just $109 its value is currently unbeatable.
Read: DeepCool LS520 review
The NZXT Kraken M22 is an incredibly compact, high-performance liquid cooler that delivers sleek styling and vibrant RGB lighting options, while offering support for current AMD and Intel processor sockets. Specifically, if you're building a small home-theater PC or a compact gaming build, the Kraken M22 offers surprising cooling potential in a condensed cooling package.
Just don't try to strap one to your Threadripper system. The demanding thermals and massive surface of those high-end CPUs aren't supported by this cooler.
Read: NZXT Kraken M22 review
Alphacool's Eisbaer is a factory-filled hybrid design, featuring a closed-loop-style pump and CPU cold plate with open-loop style fittings that including an anti-leak, in-line quick connector. Alphacool offers wide range of factory-filled companion parts, from additional radiators to GPU blocks, to suite nearly any expansion need. It's perfect for buyers who lack the time to assemble, purge, and leak test their own scratch-built component systems, as well as those who have more cash than self-confidence.
Read: Alphacool Eisbaer Aurora 240 CPU Digital RGB review
Other AIO Coolers We Tested:
We test dozens of PC coolers a year and while many AIOs offer pretty lights and slick software and some bring quiet fans or solid cooling performance, not all the coolers we test can make the best list. Below are some of the recent AIO coolers we’ve tested that didn’t quite make the cut. It’s possible that one of these may still be a worthwhile option for you, just know that the better options for most people are in the list of Best AIO Coolers above.
9/19/2022: Cooler Master MasterLiquid PL240 Flux
Cooler Master's 240mm PL240 Flux may have been released before the launch of Alder Lake, but it managed to tame the Core i9-12900K at up to 200W, while running quietly compared to other coolers. It couldn't quite handle the 12900K when power limits are removed, but many coolers can't.
The primary downside of this cooler is the price. It’s much more expensive than similar competing coolers, some of which perform better. But its thin radiator makes Cooler Master’s PL240 Flux ideal for small cases, so long as there is mounting space for the radiator and two 120mm fans.
Read: Cooler Master MasterLiquid PL240 Flux review
9/10/2022: Corsair H100i Elite
Corsair's 240mm H100i Elite stands out for its extremely silent performance and its robust software controls (via iCue). It handled our Core i9-12900K at up to 200W in our testing, but was one of the many coolers that couldn't keep up with the CPU when power limits were removed. It's not the strongest in terms of cooling capabilities and is best paired with a mid-range CPU if you're going to attempt overclocking. Also, its fan speeds are tied to coolant temp by default, rather than CPU temperature, which seems odd.
Read: Corsair H100i Elite review
Saving on the Best CPU Coolers
Whether you're shopping for one of the products that made our best CPU coolers list or one that didn't, you may find some savings by checking out our list of Newegg promo codes or Corsair coupon codes.
MORE: Best Air CPU Cooling
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