The cooler is a special device responsible for cooling the processor, preventing overheating of this equipment. In order to choose such products correctly, you should know the overall dimensions and operational parameters of the socket, processor and motherboard. If these moments are not taken into account, then the cooling system will not work correctly. This will ultimately lead to an increase in the temperature of the central processor, which will significantly reduce its service life.
As you already understood, we decided to devote our today's review to coolers. Unfortunately, not all people are well versed in computer hardware, so they often have to follow the advice of consultants whose main task is to sell the most expensive or stale goods. In our article, we presented a number of key points that you should pay attention to when choosing a cooler - this will allow you to better navigate in the variety available on the shelves. For each model included in our rating of the best coolers of this year, we tried to collect as much information as possible so that you can decide whether this model is suitable for you or whether it is worth looking for something else.
Summary of the rating:
What do you pay attention to when buying a cooler for a processor?
If you yourself are assembling your computer for certain tasks, then you will probably face a problem: purchase a separate cooler or a boxed processor that already has an integrated cooling system. The latter option will be cheaper, but its effectiveness often leaves much to be desired, and besides, it is very noisy. If necessary, a failed separate cooler can be replaced, while the box processor will have to be purchased in its entirety.
In order to purchase a suitable device, you should know two key parameters of both the processor itself and the motherboard - the socket and the amount of heat generated. The socket is a special connector on the board, which connects both the processor itself and the cooler. When choosing a separate cooler, you will have to take into account which socket it fits under - manufacturers usually indicate socket options on the package. Heat dissipation is measured in Watts - it is indicated by the processor manufacturer, and cooler manufacturers indicate the maximum load.
Depending on the type of radiator and the presence or absence of heat sink tubes, the design of coolers can vary quite a lot. You should also look at the basis of what materials the fan blades and radiator are made of. In most cases, these parts are made of high-quality plastic, but in the past few years, models equipped with metal or aluminum blades have begun to appear.
The most economical option would be a cooling system equipped with an aluminum radiator; the cooler does not include heat-conducting tubes, which are usually made of copper. Such models are inexpensive, have small overall dimensions.It should be borne in mind that they are not very suitable for processors that are planned to be overclocked in the future, in addition, it is undesirable to install them on powerful processors.
The most popular coolers today are those that include a metal radiator and a copper tube system used to remove heat. However, the overall dimensions of such devices are quite large, so they cannot be installed in a compact system unit. It is very important to look where the heat is removed - it should go away from the motherboard. Otherwise, the efficiency of the entire cooling system is reduced to zero.
When compiling this rating, we took into account all of the above parameters, relying mainly on user reviews. In addition, we paid attention to the ratio of price and quality of models, so very expensive products simply did not fall into our rating. So, now is the time to move on to the analysis of specific models.
The best model of the passive type
1. Thermalright HR-22
This model looks quite attractive, the whole body of the device is covered with nickel plating. However, this cooler has a decent mass - more than 1 kg with overall dimensions of 150x120x159 mm. Here, eight tubes made in the form of the letter U immediately act as the basis of the radiator, and each of them has a diameter of 6 mm - quite a lot for such a compact device as a cooler. The sole is slightly shifted to one of the edges, which does not very well affect the stability of the structure. The tubes are located in special grooves.
Processing the device at a height - all surfaces of the product are carefully polished. The heat generated by the processor will be transmitted immediately to 35 fins made of aluminum, each of which has a thickness of 0.5 mm and a distance of 2.8 mm between them. This allows the device to use even small amounts of air. The three lower ribs have a shortened width. In total, the approximate dispersion area is about 1200 square centimeters. Special cutouts are provided in the plates, which can significantly increase the aerodynamic performance of the cooler itself. There is a through hole in the center of the product. It is intended not so much for efficient operation as for ease of installation.
Benefits:
- Very efficient passive cooling system;
- A kit for connecting a case fan is supplied with the device.
Disadvantages:
- The motherboard will have a very significant physical load due to the mass of such a device.
The best horizontal design
1. Deepcool Gabriel
It is a fairly efficient design, which easily removes all excess heat, allowing the processor to maintain a comfortable working temperature. The product is a small horizontal device made on the basis of 4 tubes with a diameter of 6 mm, they are made in the form of the letter C. All these tubes pass through vertical ribs. Such a system is quite interesting and effective, as it allows direct blowing of all key components of the motherboard. In turn, it is very useful for small system units in a limited workspace. Such a cooling radiator is equipped with 47 fins of various shapes and sizes. Thanks to them, the heat dissipation area is 2800 sq.cm. No aerodynamics are provided here, these models are only slightly curved in the places where heat pipes pass through them. Between these plates a small gap is maintained - 1.6 mm.
The fan used in this product is thinner than standard similar devices - 20 mm instead of the usual 25 mm. The impeller is painted gray, has 11 blades at once, 6 V voltage is sufficient for its operation, and its operating speed is 800 rpm. If necessary, it can be accelerated to 1900 rpm.If the fan rotates at a speed of up to 1000 rpm, then it works absolutely silently. The installation process of such a device is quite simple in many respects due to the fact that it can work with most socket connectors. The mounting tabs are included with the device, they are installed using special screws. This cooler is perfect for small system units, it fits well with any motherboard, it has a rather attractive appearance, the fan is standard, if necessary it can be replaced.
Benefits:
- Excellent blows all heated elements on the motherboard;
- Small overall dimensions (especially the height of the article).
Disadvantages:
- It is not always very convenient to install this design on AMD release sockets.
The best tower coolers in the middle price segment
5. Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO
It has not too much mass, which is 569 grams, due to which the load on the motherboard will be less. The cooler radiator includes 57 plates made of aluminum, each of them has a thickness of 0.5 mm. All of them are pressed onto heat pipes made of copper, the diameter of which is 6 mm with a distance between the ribs of 2 mm. The estimated area of this product is about 6400 square meters. see. Heat pipes are staggered, so that the distribution of heated air flows is made as evenly as possible. The efficiency of the radiator is at a height both at low and at high speeds. The mount here is universal. If necessary, it is possible to connect another fan, which will increase the power of the cooler and allow it to be used on overclocked or game processors.
Aluminum inserts are not provided between the heat pipes, due to this design feature of the product, excess heat is removed from the processor as evenly as possible, which also increases the efficiency of the device. The cooler is perfectly combined with all the most common platforms - AMD, Interl and so on. It is possible to install on the LGA2011 connector, however, for this you will have to purchase a special mount. In the system unit, this cooler will not take up too much free space, so it can also be installed in compact products.
Benefits:
- Quiet fan operation;
- Quite reasonable cost;
- Does not close the slots for connecting RAM.
Disadvantages:
- If you install an additional fan, the device becomes quite high - it does not fit in every system unit.
4. Thermalright Macho Rev. A
This model is a tower cooler, which has a rectangular perforated radiator, where excess heat is removed by a radiator on heat pipes, additionally equipped with a fan. The base and the heat pipes themselves are coated with a thin layer of nickel, the plates are made of aluminum. As the main feature of this device, users note not too large overall dimensions, as well as anodized upper plastic, which makes the cooler more attractive externally. There are 30 aluminum plates, the thickness of is 0.4 mm, a distance of 3.1 mm is observed between them. It is worth noting that each of them has 56 rectangular slots in its structure, with the edges bent up. Together with a rather large central hole and open sides, this allows you to maintain the high efficiency of this cooling system even at low fan speeds.
There are 5 heat pipes here, each of them has a diameter of 6 mm. They alternate with each other so that the heat is distributed as evenly as possible across the aluminum plates, and the contact of these elements is ensured by an ordinary pressing. Above the radiator is a fan with seven blades, the overall dimensions of which are 120x120x25 mm.The edging is black and the fan itself is painted white. The rotation speed is automatically controlled in the range from 600 to 1300 rpm. Energy consumption is low - even at maximum loads it, in fact, does not exceed 1.6 watts. In order to fix the fan on the radiator, classic wire staples are used, which are distinguished by excellent reliability.
Benefits:
- Superior performance over the entire life cycle;
- Included with the device is a set of mounts for any current processors.
Disadvantages:
- Quite expensive;
- Some motherboards may overlap the rear memory slots.
3. Deepcool Lucifer V2
The radiator of this device has a tower structure in which there is only one section, and its dimensions are 163x140x110 mm, that is, the shape is quite massive. The total heat dissipation area of this product is about 6800 square meters. cm - this value is slightly above average compared to other similar products. The radiator includes immediately 6 nickel-plated heat pipes of a standard diameter of 6 mm, on which 36 plates made of high-quality technical aluminum are pressed on top. Each of them has a thickness of 0.5 m, a stable distance of 2.7 mm is maintained between them. This factor allows you to install these products in system units, where there is a low level of purge.
If necessary, you can install an additional fan, but only one is included, the second will have to be purchased additionally. The mass of the device is 745 grams - not very much. Two heat pipes exit to the cooling plates at a slight angle, due to which heat is distributed more evenly throughout the radiator, which increases its efficiency. The contact pad of the device is carefully polished, which ensures the most tight contact between the cooler and the processor.
Benefits:
- Fairly simple installation on any relatively modern platform;
- It is possible to install an additional fan;
- Quite reasonable price.
Disadvantages:
- The fan hangs strongly over the near connectors for connecting RAM, because of which it is possible to place only low-profile modules;
- Heat pipes could be positioned more optimally.
2. Deepcool Gammaxx 400
The overall dimensions of such a cooler are 159x135x76 mm with a mass of 638 grams. It includes 51 plates, the thickness of which is 0.4 mm, a distance of 1.8 mm is maintained between them. In addition to them, 4 heat pipes with a diameter of 6 mm each are provided in the design. They pass through the radiator with a slight offset relative to each other. Between them there are aluminum inserts that provide the most tight contact with air heat flows and, as a result, more efficient cooling of the processor. The diameter of the fan is 120 mm, it is equipped with nine blades. It itself is mounted on a hydrodynamic bearing, its rotation speed is from 900 to 1500 revolutions per minute. Maximum fan consumes 3 watts of energy. Fastens on a radiator due to two wire brackets. An additional pair of brackets is provided - they are designed to install an additional fan.
The appearance of the cooler is very original and attractive. The fan is made of matte black plastic, on which dust is practically invisible, the blades themselves are made of transparent, slightly darkened plastic. There is a LED backlight, which gives the product additional originality. Turnovers are regulated by the motherboard in automatic mode. The design is carefully thought out, so it will not interfere with the installation of a video card, nor does it cover the memory card slots.
Benefits:
- You can install it on the motherboard without removing it from the system unit;
- For its price provides a very efficient removal of excess heat, even at low speeds;
- There is a beautiful LED backlight;
- The fan is made of matte plastic; accumulated dust will not be noticeable on it;
- Acceptable overall dimensions.
Disadvantages:
- The fan is quite noisy.
1. Scythe Kotetsu
The recognized leader among the best coolers for the processor in its price category is this model. Outwardly, it is a classic design without any original solutions and design refinements. The height of the device is 163 mm, the width and thickness of the model are 130 and 82 mm, the product weighs 604 grams, and the lion's share - about 480 g - falls on the radiator. This cooler is arranged quite simply: it consists of aluminum plates 130x58 mm in size, there are only 56 of them. These plates are strung on thermal copper tubes of standard diameter. The diameter of the fan is also ordinary - 120 mm. On the top of the structure with special rivets there is a special steel plate with the logo of the manufacturer.
If we talk about the distinctive characteristics of the device, we can note the alternating height of the ends of the ribs, so that the heat fluxes are distributed more evenly. The thickness of the ribs of aluminum is 0.35 mm, and the distance between them is 1.7 mm. Plates and heat pipes are in direct contact due to ordinary crimping, these pipes are soldered to the base. The tubes themselves are very well distributed over the plates, due to which the heat distribution area becomes much larger. The base is not polished, but this practically does not affect the product's performance. The fan speed is in the range from 400 to 1400 revolutions, and it functions quite quietly.
Benefits:
- Reasonable cost;
- High performance for its price;
- It is possible to install on most systems;
- It works pretty quietly;
- Can be installed on a backplate.
Disadvantages:
- For such a price they are not.
The best coolers for gaming computers
3. Noctua NH-D15
This is a product manufactured by a well-known Austrian company, it is a fairly large two-section product, the mass of which is 1 kg, if you do not take into account the fans (they will add about 320 grams). The propeller frame is quite large, with cropped ribs located in front, which creates a false visual feeling that the cooler has small overall dimensions. The size of the fan itself was chosen quite well, since almost all radiator plates and heat pipes are within the radius of the airflow. In the lower part you can see the open area through which air will pass, cooling the radiators of the main power circuits located on the motherboard. The height of the product is 160 mm, thanks to this parameter, this device can be conveniently placed even in a small system unit.
Two fans come with the device, each of which has a standard diameter of 120 mm, they can rotate at a frequency of 400 to 1500 rpm. Moreover, with the number of revolutions up to 900 per minute, the operation of the product remains completely silent. The impeller is spinning on the basis of a hydrodynamic bearing with magnetic stabilization. It is worth noting that the fan frame has special pads that reduce vibration. Workmanship and assembly are at their best.
Benefits:
- The mounting system is universal - it can be installed on any model of processors and motherboards;
- Fans with a rather significant resource of work are supplied with the product;
- The speed adjustment is automatic.
Disadvantages:
- If you place an external fan according to the instructions, then it can overlap the connectors for RAM strips;
- If the motherboard has small overall dimensions, then the cooler can block the extreme PCI-Express slot on it;
- It is quite expensive.
2. Thermalright Macho Rev.B
A fairly powerful and carefully thought-out model, which, moreover, is not very expensive. This design has a redesigned fan shape, the base is enlarged compared to other models developed by this brand. The cooler has a very interesting appearance. The dimensions of the plates are quite large, they are pressed with six heat copper pipes, which ensures good potential for this cooling system. The mount of this product is traditional, instead of the standard backplate, the complete one is used. Fairly decent dimensions can cause certain compatibility problems - plates depending on the design of the motherboard can hang over the VRM. This, ultimately, can lead to a deterioration of the cooling system of mosfets, even abut against their radiator.
At the cooler itself, the radiator differs in pretty decent dimensions, all copper parts are covered with a layer of nickel. The quality of production and assembly does not raise any questions. The design provides 31 aluminum plates, and between them a fairly decent distance of 3 mm. This allows you to use a fan with a low air pressure. With this approach, the fan will most optimally cool the processor. Three of the six tubes are directed vertically upward, the remaining three have a bend. The product is slightly offset in relation to the base, however, this is done so that the cooler does not interfere with the RAM slots. The base, which is directly adjacent to the surface of the processor, is also covered with a layer of nickel, due to which it has a mirror surface.
Benefits:
- Quite reasonable cost;
- Excellent heat dissipation
- It is quite easy to install (a screwdriver is supplied with the cooler).
Disadvantages:
- Under certain operating conditions and overall dimensions of the motherboard, some restrictions arise regarding compatibility with RAM and other product modules.
1. Noctua NH-U14S
This is indeed the best cooler for the processor, which is characterized by high efficiency, long life, good compatibility and excellent build quality. First of all, it is worth noting that the device has a fairly powerful fan of the Noctua NF-A15 PWM model. It has non-standard dimensions, but a traditional mount. The thickness of the device is 25 mm with a height of 140 and a width of 150 m. The color scheme of the product is classic for the products of this company. The angle at which the blades are located is chosen so that the balance between the static pressure and the volume of conducted air is optimal. The fan speed range is from 300 to 1,500 rpm. It is equipped with a special frame, which provides rubberized pads, the action of which is aimed at reducing vibration. It is connected to the power via four contacts at once. The length of the power cables is 200 mm - the average value.
Included with the product is an additional set of vibration isolation pads, which are 4 mm thicker than standard ones. They are designed for installation in an additional fan. Heat pipes are configured as a hexagon. The main array of the radiator includes 51 aluminum plates, between which a distance of 1.7 mm is observed. The ends of the plates are bent at a right angle, which allows the exhaust air not to diverge in different directions, but to pass directly through the fan. The clamping bracket includes a special bar and two spring-loaded screws.
Benefits:
- Not very large overall dimensions - there are practically no problems with compatibility;
- Significant fan life;
- The cooler functions quite quietly, but at the same time it has high power indicators;
- Can be mounted on a wide variety of platforms.
Disadvantages:
- Not found.
In conclusion, a useful video
Our review of the best coolers for this year's processor has come to an end. We hope that the information will be quite enough for you to acquire the most suitable model. If you still have any questions, you can ask them in the comments to this article - we will try to answer them as soon as possible.
(2 ratings, average: 5,00 out of 5)
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