Five Best CPU Coolers
Zalman CNPS9500A
Zalman's CNPS9500A may be a bit on the older side, but many of you praised it for its efficient, effective cooling, quiet sound, good looks (if you like LED fans in your case), and compact size. It packs a large-but-quiet 92mm fan, three heatpipes (although Zalman says its design gives it the heat transfer capacity of six heatpipes), and a super-quiet "silent mode" where the fan is near completely silent and doesn't vibrate. The heat sink is pure copper, and the entire unit is designed to be as space-saving as possible so you can mount it without getting in the way of your components. It's affordable, too—it'll set you back around $58 at Amazon.
Those of you who nominated the CNPS9500A specifically highlighted the fact that it's near-silent, and that it can keep your processor nice and cool even if the surrounding room gets uncomfortably warm. One of you mentioned that the fan on your graphics card makes more noise, and another of you pointed out that even though the model may be a little old these days, a few years back these were the go-to coolers to buy regardless of the type of processor you had in your system. Another of you mentioned that if you don't mind noise however, you can crank these babies up and keep things really cold.
Swiftech's H220-X liquid cooling system is a self-contained, all-in-one CPU cooling system that includes a 120mm copper radiator, a water pump, and a waterblock, all in one easy to install and easy to fill and set-up package. The entire setup is designed to be whisper-quiet, near inaudible for most people, and keep your processor nice and cool whether you just want a nice silent PC, or you plan to overclock and run that processor like crazy. Swiftech designed the system to be easy to install as well, with the waterblock and fans at the top of your case and closed loop right over the processor to minimize space and keep clear of other components. If you like lights in your case, the reservoir is LED backlit, which looks pretty cool but also allows you to check the coolant level to make sure nothing's wrong. If you'd like one, you can pick it up for $140 direct from Swiftech.
Those of you who nominated it praised it for being an easy to install and relatively affordable all-in-one CPU cooler that's also expandable should you want to add more components to it. For example, if later on down the line you decide to add a GPU to the cooling loop, or another radiator, you can do so easily without having to rip the whole thing out and replace it with a different model. One of you noted that it's exceptionally quiet, and definitely meets its promises on the noise front—and that it's even quieter than a similar Swiftech that's supposedly a more high-end version.
Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO
If you're not interested in complex cooling kits or water cooling but want to quiet things down or cool things off a good bit without spending a lot of money, the Hyper 212 EVO from Cooler Master is a great kit for you. Even if you're buying a stock processor and want a little something more, this kit is small, effective, affordable, and will keep your processor cool and happy no matter what you do with it. It's not as advanced as some of the other kits in the roundup, but that's okay—it's also not as expensive. It packs four copper heat pipes and huge aluminum dissipation fins, a huge 120mm PWM fan to keep airflow constant (and can be manually controlled), and a space-saving design that looks impressive in images (and will on top of your processor) but still leaves plenty of room for components in your case. Best of all, it's a mounting solution that works with just about any type of processor. If you want one, $35 at Amazon is all it takes to have one to add to your system.
The Hyper 212 EVO was popular in the nominations round, with many of you pointing out that you suggest it even to new computer builders—the people for whom stock cooling would probably be enough, but for the price, it's an incredible "thermal insurance policy" for that expensive CPU it sits on top of. Others of you, including our own Whitson Gordon, pointed out that it's well worth the money, and near-silent, especially compared to a stock CPU cooler. Almost all of your said the price-to-performance was exceptionally strong in this model, and many of you shared your own stories upgrading to this over a stock cooler and marveling at the difference it made—both in temperature and in noise.
Noctua's NH-D15 CPU cooler is an impressive beast, packing six aluminum heatpipes leading up to a twin aluminum radiator design with a pair of huge 140mm fans keeping airflow across those radiators constant. Noctua builds its coolers optimized for low noise and low temperatures, so whether you plan to overclock or you just want your PC to run quietly no matter what you're doing with it, this is a solid cooling option. The fans both support PWM, so you can manually control them if you prefer, and airflow across the cooler is enough to keep other components in your computer nice and cool as well as your processor. If you want one, it'll set you back $110 at Amazon.
Those of you who nominated the NH-D15 pointed out that it can keep processors as cool as liquid cooling in some cases, without the worry of leaky loops or damaged components. Some of you pointed out that the only thing that would perform better than a cooler like this is a custom cooling loop—which is arguable, but what isn't arguable is the impressive temperatures you can get from a unit like this. Others of you pointed out that you use this to keep your overclocked processors nice and cool. A few of you noted that it takes up a good bit of space in your case (and your case will have to accommodate something like this) but you all agreed it's worth the money.
Corsair's Hydro series is pretty well regarded around here, and for good reason. They're easy to install, easy to configure, get the job done, and are relatively maintenance-free. The H-110 is one of the more popular options in the Hydro series, and many of you mentioned it specifically as a solid, affordable option for people looking to do water cooling without spending a ton of money in the process. The H-110 is an all-in-one liquid cooling unit that packs a pair of 140mm fans that fits nicely in a 280mm radiator mount, along with a closed loop that's small enough to stay in direct contact with your processor but still easy to mount and install without risk of leaking (thanks to the easy-bend tubing leading to and away from the copper cold plate.) The fans are low-flow but have large blades, so they can run slower and quieter while keeping everything nice and cool. Best of all, it mounts on just about any CPU. If you'd like one, $128 at Amazon is all it takes.
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