Particularly for inexperienced PC builders, cooling solutions are often an afterthought. Many PC cases ship with front and rear fans already installed and some Intel and AMD CPUs come with stock heatsinks in their retail boxes. In reality, this cooling hardware combination is sufficient for most low-end and mid-range gaming PCs. However, if users want to push the limits of their new system and overclock components like processors and graphics cards, heat can quickly build to levels ordinary fans can't handle. Since CPUs usually generate the most heat in a PC case, typical cooling solutions attempt to dissipate the extra heat emanating from overstressed processors.

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There are of course other advantages to the diverse selection of air and liquid cooling products on the market. For gaming rigs, installed fans, memory sticks, and graphic cards can complement a PC case with sleek designs and RGB lighting effects. Thankfully, even gamers lacking unlimited funds can find affordable solutions that reduce CPU temperatures more effectively than stock heat sinks. The PC cooling options listed here strike a fine balance between performance, cost, and style.

When picking out a CPU cooler for your next build, there are a couple of things you will want to keep an eye for besides budget.

• Compatibility: Does the CPU cooler fit the CPU socket you want to use it on?
• Air vs. Liquid Cooling: What type of cooling do you want to use for your build?
• TDP Rating: How much heat can the CPU cooler dissipate?
• Noise Level: Does it matter to you to have a silent computer?

Since 1996, Deepcool has served a wide range of PC users with an extensive selection of cooling products used in custom PC builds. In recent years, their budget-friendly coolers for Intel and AMD chipsets have risen to prominence including the Deepcool GAMMAXX GT. This air CPU cooler presents an impressive combination of performance and noise levels with a modest heatsink size. In addition, the GAMMAXX GT looks spectacular sitting in a PC case, displaying vivid RGB effects either controlled by motherboards or LED controls on the cooler.

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The GAMMAXX GT relies on four-direct contact heat pipes for heat dissipation. Combined with a 1500RPM PWM fan producing 56.5 cubic feet per minute (CFM) of airflow, the setup is sufficient for most PC rigs without extensive CPU overclocking. The CPU cooler is a great option for new PC builders, with a straightforward installation process involving screwing the backplate to the motherboard and applying thermal compound to the CPU before attaching the heatsink.

The lighting effects of the GAMMAXX GT set it apart from other budget air coolers, optimized for motherboards with a 12V 4-pin port to control the vibrant RBG effects. Unfortunately, gamers who have motherboards without this port will have to rely on in-line LED controls attached to the CPU cooler. Regardless, PC builders looking for performance that's a step up from other budget options will find that the Deepcool GAMMAXX GT is the best PC cooler on the market.

Assembling a new PC build on a budget doesn't mean that a CPU cooler capable of a seriously high airflow is out of reach. The Thermaltake Peerless Assassin 120 SE is a double-tower, double-fan CPU cooler compatible with a wide range of AMD and Intel chipsets. Users have even had success installing the Peerless Assassin 120 SE with recent Intel Alder Lake CPUs, which are sometimes notoriously hard to keep cool.

Thermaltake is a Taiwanese manufacturer of PC cooling products that is always at the forefront of innovation, even combining their products in their own branded PC builds. The symmetrical 6-heat pipe Thermaltake Peerless Assassin 120 SE utilizes a technique the company calls anti-gravity heat pipe (AGHP) to overcome the limitations of most standard heatsink orientations.

Despite its beefier appearance compared to other budget cooling options, the Thermaltake Peerless Assassin 120 SE remains simple to install with the included stand-offs and brackets easily mounted to motherboards. It's no small feat that Thermaltake has managed to design a dual-fan CPU cooler that outputs an airflow of 66.17 CFM sufficient for higher-end CPUs, without breaking the bank. RGB-enabled versions are also available but are occasionally difficult to locate in stock. The Thermaltake Peerless Assassin 120 SE is the best air CPU cooler for budget shoppers who demand maximum performance.

As effective as other budget cooling options are, space is sometimes at a premium when putting together a new PC rig. Also, with graphics cards consuming more power than ever, the total number of watts consumed by components can quickly become an issue. The Noctua NH-L9i is the best air CPU cooler designed for small form-factor PCs and motherboards but also many other builds provided that CPUs aren't overclocked.

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With a height of only 37 mm, the Noctua NH-L9i finds a home in most systems without blocking memory or other vital parts, even on mini ITX motherboards. The Noctua NH-L9i is compatible with Intel i3, i5, i7, and i9 processors with model numbers including LGA115x. AMD AM4 chipset fans don't have to feel left out, as the Noctua NH-L9a-AM4 is a low-profile cooler designed for those CPUs.

The compact NF-A9x14 PWM fan included with the Noctua NH-L9i can crank up to 2500 rpm. While already quiet, Noctua also includes a low-noise adapter when dead silence is preferable in a home theater PC. The Noctua NH-L9i is sturdier than one would expect from a budget low-profile cooler, and the company is confident in its durability offering a 6-year warranty. Not everyone will embrace the brown and tan colors of the cooler which looks straight out of the 1970s, but without RGB lighting, the Noctua NH-L9i is not intended as a showpiece in a high-end gaming rig.

Over the years, Cooler Master has expanded their product lineup to include mice and keyboards, but solving overheating issues in PCs remains its main mission. The Cooler Master Hyper 212 series is so legendary in PC cooling circles that many other brands have copied the basic design of the cooler over the years. In what seems like an impossible task, Cooler Master tries to make some improvements over past Hyper 212 models with the Halo Black edition. The changes aren't all cosmetic, as the blades on the 120 mm fan are larger than ever, now producing an airflow of 51.88 CFM.

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While looks certainly aren't everything with an air CPU cooler, it's hard not to see the appeal of the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Halo Black's design. True to its name, everything except the fan blades themselves are jet black, including the aluminum top cover and 4 heat pipes. However, the cooler really comes to life when its ARGB lighting is active, also compatible with ARGB Gen 2 using the appropriate 3-pin motherboard header.

The Cooler Master Hyper 212 Halo Black measures in a height of 154 mm, which is small enough to blend in among other components before the ARGB lighting takes effect. The noise level of 27 dB is more than acceptable, with graphic card fans drowning it out in most gaming rigs. This cooler doesn't offer the best raw performance in terms of airflow output at 51.88 CFM, but the improved mounting brackets make it a cinch to install. Anyone building a new PC rig should consider the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Halo Black as the best air CPU cooler for maximum visual impact.

Liquid cooling products have the reputation of being difficult to install and far more expensive than air cooling solutions. The Cooler Master MasterLiquid Lite 120 aims to give PC builders an affordable way to test the waters of liquid cooling systems. AIO CPU coolers present overclockers with a solution to the added heat that traditional fans and heat sinks just can't handle. While the Cooler Master MasterLiquid Lite 120 isn't sufficient for extreme overclocking, it's an attractive option for gamers looking to replace their traditional air coolers with modern cooling technology.

Installers of AIO coolers might expect an extensive parts list to greet them when they open the Cooler Master MasterLiquid Lite 120 box, but the brackets and screws are kept at a minimum. Once installed, the diminutive dual-chamber pump operates without distracting noise and vibrations. Evaporation is a valid concern, especially on inexpensive liquid cooling systems, but the thick FEP tubing included is resistant to snagging and should stand the test of time. Fortunately, the 120 mm fan doesn't affect the overall noise level of the system significantly, which measures at a level of 8 dB.

For a budget price, the Cooler Master MasterLiquid Lite 120 is a no-frills entry-level liquid cooling system. RGB lighting effects can really shine on more substantial AIO coolers, but buyers of the MasterLiquid Lite 120 will have to settle on its more basic aesthetic qualities. Despite some drawbacks, the Cooler Master MasterLiquid Lite 120 is the top budget liquid cooler available.

How To Choose The Best Budget CPU Cooler For You?

Compatibility

Compatibility is one of the most critical factors in choosing a new CPU cooler and can knock a lot off the list with a quick check. Whatever CPU you are using it has a specific socket type where it sits. A lot of CPU coolers are sold as universal mounts nowadays, but make sure that the socket you are using is listed in the specs of the cooler before going any further.

Another vital part of compatibility is ensuring it fits in your PC case and does not interfere with other components like RAM. RAM and case clearance can become a problem for some of these bigger air coolers like the Thermaltake Peerless Assassin. For most AIO coolers, you will not have to worry about clearing RAM, but make sure your case has enough space to hold the radiator correctly. If you are concerned about a cooler not fitting, make sure to check the dimensions and compare it to the rest of your build.

Air vs. Liquid Cooling

The argument over whether to go with air or liquid cooling has been going on ever since liquid cooling was introduced. However, when it comes down to it, there is not a clear winner between air and liquid cooling a PC. Each has its pros and cons.

Liquid Cooling Pros

• Typically, have lower profiles making it easier to fit in more cases.
• Certain liquid coolers can achieve better cooling results than some of the best air coolers.

Liquid Cooling Cons

• They are typically more expensive in price to performance than air coolers.
• Harder to install for most PC builders not experienced with liquid cooling.

Air Cooling Pros

• Little to no maintenance is needed to maintain an air cooler.
• Typically, better price to performance than liquid coolers.

Air Cooling Cons

• Air coolers can get quite large, causing issues with RAM and case clearance.
• Cannot keep up with extreme cooling needs, like heavy overclocking.

TDP Rating

TDP, or thermal design power, is a great way to gauge how much heat a CPU cooler can dissipate. Both CPUs and CPU coolers will have these specs listed; ideally, you should look for a cooler at or above the listed TDP for your CPU.

Most CPU coolers at this point will exceed the needed TDP to keep up with a good amount of current CPUs, but it is good to check, especially with Intel's chips getting more and more powerful, producing a lot more heat than usual.

Noise Level

Finally, the noise level. To some PC builders, it is vital to have a nearly silent PC; to others, it is not a major concern. But if you or the people around you want a quiet PC, paying attention to the noise level rating is highly recommended. This will be measured in decibels. For reference, 0 dB is about the lowest thing a human can hear, and around 60 dB is a typical conversation's volume.

Most of the air coolers we have listed here are around 26 to 27 dB, which is pretty typical for air coolers, but the one AIO we have is all the way down at 8 dB. So if you want to stick to a budget and have a pretty much silent PC be sure to look at the Cooler Master MasterLiquid Lite 120. Keep in mind that these coolers will be inside cases, dampening the noise slightly.

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FAQ

Q: Why do I need to purchase cooling products if I have a stock CPU cooler?

The stock CPU fans and heatsinks that ship with many Intel and AMD CPUs are fine for many users. However, if you wish to overclock a CPU, the basic stock coolers may not handle the excessive heat that an overworked processor generates.

Q: Won't larger CPU coolers block access to vital components like memory sticks?

Despite the bulk of some air CPU coolers, manufacturers carefully design them to fit into most PC cases without interfering with memory sticks and graphics cards. However, it's wise to consult specs and reviews of coolers to judge better if a cooling system is suitable for specific motherboards and cases.

Q: Is liquid cooling better than air CPU coolers?

Liquid cooling is best suited for CPUs that are significantly overclocked. These cooling systems use water as an alternative to air since liquid is a much better conductor of heat. The majority of PC builders will find lower-priced and easier-to-install air CPU coolers a more practical solution.