No matter if you’re in the Intel or AMD camp, even the best CPU will be rendered useless unless it's fitted with a great CPU cooler. Liquid or AIO coolers, like our favorite, the Corsair iCUE H100i Elite Capellix are an efficient way to keep your processor and other components frosty and running at top performance. So, we’ve found 10 fantastic options that vary in price, size, and features, ensuring you find one that fits perfectly inside your PC case.
TL;DR – These are the Best Liquid CPU Coolers:
- Corsair iCUE H100i Elite Capellix XT – Best liquid CPU cooler
- Thermaltake TOUGHLIQUID 240 – Best budget
- DeepCool LS520 – Best ultra cheap
- NZXT Kraken 240 – Best 240mm
- EVGA CLCx 280mm – Best 280mm
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 ARGB – Best 360mm
- Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML240 Illusion – Best RGB
- Alphacool Eisbaer Aurora – Best refillable
- Corsair iCUE H150i Elite LCD XT – Best liquid CPU cooler with a display
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 420 – Best 420mm
Liquid CPU coolers are perfect for pairing with the best gaming PC as they can dissipate heat across a larger surface area quicker than the best PC fans. Plus, you can’t beat the often wide compatibility and flashy RGB lighting available on some options. That means for those building powerful rigs, nothing beats liquid cooling. Take a look at our favorites below.
Contributions by Brian Barnett, Georgie Peru, and Danielle Abraham
1. Corsair iCUE H100i Elite Capellix XT
Best Liquid CPU Cooler
The Corsair iCUE H100i Elite Capellix XT is a 240mm cooler with socket support for the latest AMD and Intel processors, including AMD’s powerful Threadripper processors. A copper cold plate with thermal paste preinstalled pulls heat away from your CPU, while the cooler pumps liquid into a 240mm radiator fitted with two 120mm fans for ultimate cooling. You won’t need to worry about the fans being too distracting because even running at a maximum of 65.57CFM, the noise will top out at 34.1dBA.
Managing this AIO cooler is simple with Corsair’s iCUE software, which lets you control fan and pump speeds right on your PC. You can even monitor the CPU temperature, ensuring your settings deliver optimal processor performance. If visual flair is also your thing, there are customizable RGB LEDs with 33 on the pump head and 16 on the fans.
2. Thermaltake ToughLiquid 240
Best Budget Liquid CPU Cooler
For a powerful way to cool down your computer on the cheap, grab the Thermaltake TOUGHLIQUID 240. With this cooler, you get a sizable 240mm radiator, a copper plate, and two 120mm fans, ensuring your CPU keeps frosty. Those fans hit up to 2,000 RPM and 58.35 CFM of airflow for ample air movement in your PC case, all while remaining whisper quiet even when pushing the fans to their limit.
You won’t find as much lighting on the Thermaltake TOUGHLIQUID 240 compared to some other coolers, but you do get a splash of color on the water block with six addressable RGB LEDs. There’s even a controller on that water block to adjust the speed, mode, and color of the lights, or you also get support for 5V RGB compatible motherboards to make controlling those lights simple. Beyond that, the kit supports most Intel and AMD processors, so you’ll have everything you need to get up and running.
3. DeepCool LS520
Best Ultra Cheap Liquid CPU Cooler
Looking for an all-in-one liquid cooler with a 240mm radiator, wide compatibility, RGB options, and a bargain price? The DeepCool LS520 is the one for you. It has a big radiator with two fans designed for higher static pressure and a strong, concentrated airflow. And the water pump has a powerful three-phase drive motor and great coolant flow. This cooler even manages to keep everything running quietly, as the pump noise only reaches 19 dB
Beyond the DeepCool LS520’s cooling prowess, you get adjustable RGB lighting on those fans, and the water pump features an infinity mirror to make its lights really shine. Motherboard connectivity even allows you to link and sync it with your existing RGB setup. And if you’re worried about the cooler working with your CPU, it complements a variety of builds thanks to its extensive socket compatibility, including LGA1700, AM5, and sTR4.
4. NZXT Kraken 240
Best 240mm Liquid CPU Cooler
The NZXT Kraken 240 is the successor to the Kraken X53 that previously held this spot and is perfect for any mid-range build. With it, you’ll still get the powerful, efficient, and quiet Asetek Gen 7 pump for plenty of cooling power. The two upgraded F120P fans provide high static pressure and ample airflow, hitting a max of 78.02 CFM. But the standout new feature is the 1.54-inch LCD on the pump, letting you choose between displaying your PC’s performance metrics, GIFs, custom images, and more.
Installing the NZXT Kraken 240 is relatively simple with only a single breakout cable from the pump to the motherboard and everything needed for the install included in the packaging. This CPU cooler offers wide compatibility, working with most Intel and AMD sockets, while keeping a sleek, simple matte black design that blends well in almost any build. If you want a little touch of flair, an RGB model is available.
5. EVGA CLCx 280mm
Best 280mm Liquid CPU Cooler
EVGA is a big name in PC components, and the CLCx 280mm, which refreshes our previous favorite, the CLC 280mm, is the perfect fully self-contained closed-loop cooling system. It features a 7th gen Asetek water pump, so you know it’s reliable and efficient. You also get a built-in 280mm radiator with twin 140mm hydro-dynamic bearing fans that are quiet and built to last, while you can control the fan or pump speed and monitor your system using the EVGA CLCx Software.
However, the real star of the show is the beautifully designed water block, which features a full-color 2.1-inch LCD screen that displays system vitals or personalized animations. Its fans also offer flashy adjustable RGB LED rings that’ll shine through your PC case. And you’ll be good to use the EVGA CLCx with almost any build thanks to its socket compatibility, including LGA 1700, LGA1200, AM5, and AM4.
6. Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 ARGB
Best 360mm Liquid CPU Cooler
Do you have a big, roomy PC case for airflow? If you’ve got the space, you might as well equip your build with a mighty powerful 360mm liquid CPU cooler like the Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 ARGB. Its 360mm radiator is thick for more liquid in the circuit. When you add in the three 120mm that hit a maximum of 2,000 RPM, your CPU should remain frosty. But things may get noisy, especially when running the fans at top speed. Arctic even includes a tiny PWM-controlled VRM fan, helping keep the VRMS around the CPU cool.
Further improving the airflow and look of your case is integrated cable management, so the only visible cable should be the one connected to the motherboard. There's no shortage of RGB lighting either, with individually addressable RGBs surrounding the fans ready to be customized. Even with everything this liquid CPU cooler offers, installation is relatively simple. However, there are compatibility issues with certain motherboards.
7. Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML240 Illusion
Best RGB Liquid CPU Cooler
When it comes to liquid CPU coolers, there’s a good reason the Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML240 Illusion stands out. It pairs RGB lights with translucent material for maximum visual impact. Imagine a glow stick dancing in the middle of your PC while it’s running, and you’ll have a good idea.
Cooler Master pairs the dual-chamber radiator with two MasterFan MF120 Halo fans (also translucent), which have a total of 24 ARGB LEDs each, and you can customize your look from the included ARGB controller, so you don’t need to have motherboard RGB controls to make use of it.
The radiator has wide water channels to increase surface area (and, by extension, cooling potential) and the fans offer up 47.2 CFM of airflow and 1.6mmH2O of static pressure, meaning this beast has cooling power (and cool looks) in spades.
8. Alphacool Eisbaer Aurora
Best Refillable Liquid CPU Cooler
The Alphacool Eisbaer Aurora offers just about everything you could want in an AIO water cooler. Its 240mm radiator provides powerful cooling, and the two 120mm Aurora Lux Pro fans are capable of 2.0 mmH2O of static pressure and 61.5 CFM of airflow. The biggest way this cooler sets itself apart is that you can open the fluid chamber and refill it, meaning it can have a longer life as part of your rig.
There’s a good amount of RGB lighting on display here as well, although it’s not as flexible as other options on this list. Both fans sport RGB light rings and the pump includes a transparent window with RGB lighting inside.
9. Corsair iCue H150i Elite LCD XT
Best Liquid CPU Cooler with a Display
You’ll find many of the best liquid CPU coolers offer a handy display for important system data, but the Corsair iCue H150i Elite takes it to the extreme. The pump features a 2.1-inch IPS LCD with a 24-bit color depth for millions of color options. That screen can display handy system performance data, like CPU temperature, and even visual effects, GIFs, or photos.
Beyond the impressive display, the Corsair iCue H150i Elite is one beastly unit offering a 360mm radiator ready to handle the hottest CPUs and the highest overclock speeds. Add three of Corsair’s 120mm AF RGB Elite fans to the mix for tons of low-noise airflow, ensuring your entire case stays nice and frosty as you push your PC to the extreme. The cooler has a straightforward install, and you can even use iCUE software to set up a colorful light show on the fans.
10. Arctic Liquid Freezer III 420
Best 420mm Liquid Cooler
Unless you’ve got a monstrous case with an equally beastly CPU you want to push to the limits, a 420mm liquid cooler might be overkill. But for those who need a massive liquid cooler ready to overclock the most demanding CPUs, the Arctic Liquid Freezer III 420 is a great, inexpensive choice. The downside here is the size makes it hard to mount, no matter the gaming PC case.
With Arctic Liquid Freezer III, you’ll enjoy three P14 PWM fans that deliver 69.90 CFM airflow and 2.0 mmH2O of static pressure. That’s paired with a powerful pump offering a copper cold plate, while the thicker radiator allows for a larger volume of liquid for better heat dissipation. There’s even a VRM fan to keep components around the base cool.
How to Choose the Best Liquid CPU Cooler
For most people with a mid-range processor like an AMD Ryzen 5 7600X, a 120 or 140mm liquid cooler is going to be more than enough to keep the chip cool most of the time. The only time when you're really going to need something more powerful is when you start moving into high-tier 7- or 9-class processors like the Core i9-14900K or Ryzen 9 7900X. These processors get extremely hot, and will need the extra cooling power that a 240, or even a 360mm all-in-one cooler can bring.
Generally speaking, the bigger the radiator, the more cooling power you're going to get. An out-of-the-box 360mm liquid cooler is going to be able to keep even the most powerful processors cool under normal conditions. However, if you really want to push your clock speeds as high as they can go, you might need to graduate beyond all-in-one coolers.
There are kits, like the Alphacool Eisbaer Aurora, that give you a solid entry point into the world of custom cooling. That CPU cooler allows you to upgrade each element of the cooler, to keep up with your cooling needs.
Best Liquid Coolers FAQ
Are liquid coolers better for your CPU?
It depends on what you’re going to be using your PC for. Liquid cooling can dissipate heat across a larger surface area and tend to be compatible with many CPUs and PC cases. However, liquid coolers tend to degrade faster than air cooling methods; if damaged, the liquid cooler could damage your PC’s components like your CPU.
Jackie Thomas is the Hardware and Buying Guides Editor at IGN and the PC components queen. You can follow her @Jackiecobra
