Welcome back to another blog where we break down all the numbers—because you clearly love checking out performance stats. Today, we’re talking all about CPU coolers and which ones actually do the job right.
But before we dive in, let’s clear up a few things about how we tested and what you should keep in mind.
How We Tested
There are tons of CPU coolers out there—way too many to test all of them. So, we kept it simple and picked two 2 of our most shipped CPUs that are super popular and cover both ends of the spectrum:
Intel 14900K – for high-end builds
AMD 7600X – for mid-range and budget builds
If a cooler can handle the 14900K, it can pretty much handle any high-end chip. Same goes for the 7600X on the mid-range side.
This isn’t a full list of every cooler out there, but it’s a solid look at the ones we’ve used and recommend.
What Makes a Cooler “Good”?
Most people think the cooler with the lowest temperature wins. That used to be true until a couple of generations ago but not anymore.
Since the launch of Ryzen 5000 series – both AMD and Intel now have target temperatures set for all their CPUs. Which means no matter which cooler you use, it will not go above its target temperature. For example:
- Intel CPUs are designed to run up to 99°C
- AMD CPUs are fine up to 95°C
So yes, those high temps are normal and safe. Your CPU is built to handle it.
So What Should You Look At?
Instead of just temps, the real thing to watch is performance. A good cooler lets your CPU run at full speed without slowing down due to heat.
So we looked at how well each cooler lets your CPU perform, rather than just how “cool” it keeps it.
