The Best CPU Coolers in 2026
Most builds only need the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE: a $36 air cooler Tom’s Hardware says can cool 200W while staying extremely quiet. For the hottest CPUs, Tom’s strongest AIO is the Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ($125 MSRP).
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Quick answer
Most builds only need the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE: a $36 air cooler Tom’s Hardware says can cool 200W while staying extremely quiet. For the hottest CPUs, Tom’s strongest AIO is the Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 ($125 MSRP). Best for most people: Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE, $36. Best big air cooler: Thermalright Royal Pretor 130, $50.
Last updated Prices checked Oct 2026
Key facts at a glance
| Pick | Product | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for most people | Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE | most gaming PCs | $36 |
| Best big air cooler | Thermalright Royal Pretor 130 | the most air-cooling headroom | Around $50 |
| Quietest mid-size | Scythe Mugen 6 | a quiet mid-size build | Often around $40 |
| Best under $20 | Thermalright Assassin X 120 R SE | mainstream CPUs at stock settings | Under $20 |
| Best fanless | Noctua NH-P1 | a silent PC | — |
| Best 360mm AIO | Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 | the hottest CPUs | $125 MSRP |
| Best budget 360mm AIO | ID-Cooling FX360 INF | 360mm liquid cooling on a budget | Around $80 |
| Best 240mm AIO | Lian Li Galahad II Trinity Performance 240 | smaller cases | $119.99 |
Check your case’s cooler height and radiator support and your socket (AM5 or LGA 1851) before buying.
Which should you buy? Our quick picks
How do they compare?
| Cooler | Price seen | Type | Tom’s pick | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE | $36 | Dual-tower air | Best for most people | Most gaming PCs |
| Thermalright Royal Pretor 130 | Around $50 | Big air | Best big air cooler | The most air-cooling headroom |
| Scythe Mugen 6 | Often around $40 | Mid-size air | Best mid-size | A quiet mid-size build |
| Thermalright Assassin X 120 R SE | Under $20 | Single-tower air | Best entry-level | Mainstream CPUs at stock settings |
| Noctua NH-P1 | — | Passive (fanless) | Best fanless | A silent PC |
| Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 | $125 MSRP | 360mm AIO | Best 360mm AIO | The hottest CPUs |
| ID-Cooling FX360 INF | Around $80 | 360mm AIO | Best budget 360mm | 360mm liquid cooling on a budget |
| Lian Li Galahad II Trinity Performance 240 | $119.99 | 240mm AIO | Best 240mm AIO | Smaller cases |
The picks in detail
1. Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
Best for: most gaming PCsTom’s Hardware’s[1][2] best air cooler for most people, and one of the best-performing air coolers it has tested. It can cool 200W, is extremely quiet and costs just $36; Tom’s lists no drawbacks of consequence.
Price (Oct 2026): $36 Source
Pros
- Cools 200W
- Extremely quiet
- Exceptional value
Cons
- None of consequence, per Tom’s
2. Thermalright Royal Pretor 130
Best for: the most air-cooling headroomTom’s Hardware[1][2] calls it hands down the best air cooler available: the strongest air-cooling performance it has tested, competitive with entry-level 360mm AIOs and exceptional at normalized noise levels, for around $50. It’s arguably more cooler than most users need.
Price (Oct 2026): Around $50 Source
Pros
- Strongest air cooler Tom’s tested
- Rivals entry 360mm AIOs
- Around $50
Cons
- More than most users need
3. Scythe Mugen 6
Best for: a quiet mid-size buildTom’s best mid-size air cooler combines good performance with the lowest possible noise levels, full RAM compatibility and a price often around $40 on sale. Stronger similarly priced options exist, but they aren’t as quiet.
Price (Oct 2026): Often around $40 Source
Pros
- Very low noise
- Full RAM compatibility
- Affordable
Cons
- Stronger options at the price
4. Thermalright Assassin X 120 R SE
Best for: mainstream CPUs at stock settingsTom’s best entry-level air cooler: a single-tower, single-fan cooler for under $20 with essential cooling and low noise. Tom’s says not to use it for extended heavy loads with a top-end chip. The fan clips are a bit flimsy, and its one-year warranty is shorter than most competitors’.
Price (Oct 2026): Under $20 Source
Pros
- Under $20
- Quiet
- Enough for most mainstream chips
Cons
- Flimsy fan clips
- One-year warranty
- Not for top-end CPUs
5. Noctua NH-P1
Best for: a silent PCTom’s best fanless cooler: literally silent, one of the only coolers sold without fans, with strong performance for its form factor, and you can add a fan later. It can only be mounted one direction on AMD systems and can have GPU compatibility issues on AMD. It’s not for overclocking.
Price (Oct 2026): — Source
Pros
- Silent
- Can add a fan later
- Strong for a passive cooler
Cons
- One mounting direction on AMD
- GPU compatibility issues on AMD
6. Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro 360
Best for: the hottest CPUsTom’s Hardware’s[1][2] best 360mm AIO: “the strongest AIO I’ve tested, bar none,” easily handling a Ryzen 9 9950X3D with PBO enabled, with a six-year warranty and a $125 MSRP. Intel users have to install the included contact frame, and it’s not a quiet cooler.
Price (Oct 2026): $125 MSRP Source
Pros
- Strongest AIO Tom’s tested
- Six-year warranty
- Good price
Cons
- Intel needs a contact frame installed
- Not quiet
7. ID-Cooling FX360 INF
Best for: 360mm liquid cooling on a budgetTom’s best budget 360mm AIO delivers strong thermal performance and low noise for around $80, with RGB fans and an infinity mirror on the CPU block. There’s no screen or other fancy features.
Price (Oct 2026): Around $80 Source
Pros
- Low price
- Strong cooling
- Low noise
Cons
- No screen or fancy features
8. Lian Li Galahad II Trinity Performance 240
Best for: smaller casesTom’s best 240mm AIO, with class-leading performance that outperforms many larger 360mm AIOs, low noise in common workloads and a $119.99 price.
Price (Oct 2026): $119.99 Source
Pros
- Competes with 360mm AIOs
- Low noise
- Reasonable price
Cons
- None listed by Tom’s
Also considered
Thermalright Grand Vision 360: Tom’s 360mm AIO alternative with a screen: industry-leading thermals for $129; slightly louder on the default fan curve.
Thermalright Wonder Vision 360: Budget curved-screen AIO with a detachable 6.7-inch screen and six-year warranty; gets loud (47dBA max).
Silverstone IceMyst 360: Tom’s multipurpose AIO with stackable VRM and RAM fans ($16 extra per fan).
Cooler Master MasterLiquid 240 Atmos: Tom’s 240mm alternative: premium looks and quiet operation for $135.
Air cooler or AIO?
A good dual-tower air cooler like the Peerless Assassin 120 SE handles most gaming CPUs quietly and cheaply. A 360mm AIO makes sense for the hottest chips or for a clean look, but your case needs room for the radiator. If you need to reapply thermal paste, see our best thermal paste.
The rest of the build
See our best CPUs, best PC cases (check cooler height and radiator support), best motherboards and best power supplies.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best CPU cooler?
What is the best AIO liquid cooler?
Do I need liquid cooling for gaming?
Sources
Pricing and plan details were checked on the official pages below as of Oct 2026. Vendors change prices, credits and plan names often, and some show regional pricing at checkout, so confirm on the vendor’s site before you buy.
- Tom’s Hardware: Best CPU coolers 2026 (last updated October 6, 2026) (tomshardware.com)
- Tom’s Hardware: Best AIO coolers 2026 (last updated October 5, 2026) (tomshardware.com)
Related
The Best PC Case Fans in 2026
Both Tom’s Hardware and PC Gamer put the Noctua NF-A12x25 G2 at the top for quiet airflow. The Arctic P12 Pro is the budget pick at both, and the P12 Pro RGB costs less than $10 a fan in 3-packs.
best ofThe Best CPUs for Gaming in 2026
Both Tom’s Hardware and PC Gamer name the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D (about $444 to $479) the best gaming CPU. For mid-range builds, both like Intel’s Core Ultra 5 250K Plus ($219), and the Ryzen 5 7600X ($139) is Tom’s Hardware’s budget pick.
best ofThe Best PC Cases in 2026
Tom’s Hardware’s best-looking case, the Fractal Design North ($139.99), also has exceptional thermals. On a budget, the Montech TG3 ($56.90) comes with four fans; for a big showpiece build, the NZXT H9 Flow (2025) fits the largest GPUs.
best ofThe Best Motherboards in 2026
For most AMD Ryzen builds, Tom’s Hardware’s B850 pick, the MSI MAG B850 Tomahawk Wifi II ($229.99), has all the essentials. Intel Core Ultra builders on a budget should look at the Asus Prime Z890-P Wifi ($199.99). Pick the socket first: AM5 for current Ryzen chips, LGA 1851 for Intel Core Ultra 200S.
best ofThe Best Thermal Paste in 2026
Tom’s Hardware calls Thermal Grizzly’s Duronaut the best-performing thermal paste it has tested. For a budget pick, ID-Cooling’s Frost X45 ($6.99) topped its air-cooling tests. Liquid metal is faster still but electrically conductive and hard to apply.
best ofThe Best Gaming PCs in 2026
Tom’s Hardware’s best gaming PC is the Corsair Vengeance a7500 (Ryzen 7 9800X3D, RTX 5070 Ti). PC Gamer and Tom’s Guide both pick the iBuyPower RDY Element 9 Pro, and the CyberPowerPC Gamer Xtreme is the budget pick for 1080p.