Affordable and high-quality CPU cooler for gaming.
Getting the best CPU cooler for gaming is of paramount importance, particularly if you want to overclock your PC. The quality of the cooling system can severely limit the overclocking capacity, especially when it comes to long sessions that put a heavy load on the CPU. Picking an appropriate cooler is also vital if you want your computer to run silently.
The cooler you choose needs to be powerful enough to control the thermal output of your processor (at both base and overclocked speeds), prevent throttling, and allow you to unleash the full potential of your PC while making minimum noise.
Type: For gaming | Compatibility: With all current sockets | Rotation frequency: 600-1600 rpm | Noise volume: 9-27.2 dbA
The new addition to the range of Cooler Master products is the Hyper 212, which is the newest addition to the range and is packed full of all the features you would expect from a modern day computer cooler. If you were to look past the price, you would see that this cooler offers some pretty good value for money. In this article I will briefly run through some of the features of the Hyper 212 and then go into what the price offers you.
It is made out of high quality aluminum, which cools air to ensure that you get maximum airflow from your system. It has two fan slots, and a comprehensive list of features, which gives it an appealing appearance. This range also has four heat pipes, which are used to dissipate heat away from your system. The other benefit to the Hyper 212 range is the long heat pipe, which runs for about three hundred millimetres, which means that you get the maximum possible performance from your computer components.
Type: For gaming | Compatibility: With all current sockets | Rotation frequency: 100-1000 RPM | Noise volume: 90 dbA
The Be Quiet! Dark Rock Pro is a great CPU cooler which has been tested by five professional sound technicians. This review was done on a reference system, which was upgraded to a quad core processor. The main reason for this upgrade is because the computer's old dual fan configuration was no longer efficient and needed to be replaced with a new thermal design.
The be quiet! dark rock from 4 air cooler with two almost inaudible Silent Wings fan controllers, gives extremely high cooling capability (250 watts TDP), with seven aluminum heat pipes, and ultra-quiet operation. The cooling abilities are outstanding for a CPU cooler of this caliber. There are very few compact cooling systems that can offer such fantastic results at an affordable price tag. Cool running devices like these will keep your central processing unit (or passively cooled desktop) very cool while saving money on electricity bills.
Type: For gaming | Compatibility: With all current sockets | Rotation frequency: 600-1700 rpm | Noise volume: 19 dbA
With a new split-flow and micro- Channel cold plate design, the H60 delivers many impressive new features to a great new affordable cost. Like all of the Hydro series products, this one also has an adjustable mounting options so you can get it right the first time. There are many advantages you get with a Hydro series cooler including better overall reliability and much better efficiencies at operating temperatures.
Some of the more typical features that the Hydro Series H60 comes with include multiple fans, a thermal body, dual-axis operation, an aluminum finned heatsink, and variable-dumping technology. It also features two 120-mm fans, which can be easily switched out to help lower your noise output and to control your temperatures more precisely. All of these features are accomplished through the use of a patented sliding motion that allows the water to be cycled between the top and bottom of the heatsink. This is achieved through the addition of a fin ring in the rear of the heatsink. While other coolers have one fin ring only, the Hydro series has dual-axis operation and is able to get a dual-frequency result from its dual fans.
Type: For gaming | Compatibility: With all current sockets | Rotation frequency: 900–2000 RPM | Noise volume: 16.2 - 31.5 dbA
For over three years now ID-COOLING has been providing us with high quality air-conditioning and dehumidifiers that have all of the features that we need in order to keep our cool in the summer or warm in the winter. The new CPU cooler that they are releasing, these 234 Advanced CPU Cooler by ID-COOLING is the next generation of air-conditioning that will be available in the near future. They have designed this cooler with two separate channels, which allows for each channel to provide dual outputs of cooling at a higher wattage than any of their previous air-conditioners that were available.
One of the best features that comes with this air-conditioning unit is the fact that it is able to use argb lighting inside of its front panel. argb lighting has proven to be a great asset when it comes to cooling and visual appeal as a result of the special filtering materials that are used to keep out the dirt and dust from these bulbs. If you are interested in buying an air-conditioner that uses art lighting, then make sure that you look at the ID-COOLING SE-234-ARGB model.
Type: For gaming | Compatibility: With all current sockets | Rotation frequency: 200-2000 RPM | Noise volume: 20 dbA
The MSI mage is no ordinary cooler; it is the only one of its kind that is completely water-cooled. This is due to the fact that there is an adjustable radiator that allows users to run a waterblock directly under the fan, in order to increase the heat generating capacities of the chip. The heat generated by the MSI mage is then pushed into the aluminum base of the cooler, where a high precision heatsink is located. From there, the MSI liquid cooler is able to employ its liquid cooling engine, and use the latest socket fan that comes standard with any Intel or AMD processor.
The MSI mage is no ordinary cooler; it is the only one of its kind that is completely water-cooled. This is due to the fact that there is an adjustable radiator that allows users to run a waterblock directly under the fan, in order to increase the heat generating capacities of the chip. The heat generated by the MSI mage is then pushed into the aluminum base of the cooler, where a high precision heatsink is located. From there, the MSI liquid cooler is able to employ its liquid cooling engine, and use the latest socket fan that comes standard with any Intel or AMD processor.
| IMAGE | NAME | FEATURES | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Cooler Master Hyper 212
Our choice
|
CHECK PRICE → | |
|
be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4
Budget
|
CHECK PRICE → | |
|
Corsair Hydro Series H60
Powerful
|
CHECK PRICE → |
Not everyone has to purchase a cooler to overclock their system. All Ryzen 300- and 2000-series CPUs as well as some older products are sold with coolers, most of which can endure reasonable overclocking. That said, if you want to achieve ultimate processor speeds, you’ll need to get the best CPU cooler for gaming on the aftermarket.
Large cooling systems can collide against big RAM modules and even GPU heatsinks. If you have a compact tower, it can also bump against the side panel, so check all the measurements to ensure the cooler you plan to buy will fit nicely in the case and won’t fight for space with other hardware.
The best CPU cooler for gaming in terms of pure temperature control will usually also be the one that makes the most noise. If you can’t stand a loud cooling fan, you have to only consider models that provide a nice balance between noise and cooling efficiency.
Most gamer-oriented coolers come with RGB lighting. While it’s a nice addition for anyone wanting to add some flair to their gaming rig, it’s advised to only get such a model if it offers a way to disable the lights without having to turn off your computer.
