After testing dozens of AIO coolers for thermal performance and noise, we’ve listed the best models below.

(Image credit: digitaltrends)

Perhaps you want the fastest sustained clock rates possible out of your forthcoming Ryzen 9 9950X or Core i9-14900K. Or maybe all you want is for your little machine to be silent when it’s under stress. In any case, there are a few crucial factors to take into account when selecting the top AIO (all-in-one) cooler for a CPU upgrade or a new PC.

Custom liquid cooling loops are far more expensive and less practical than AIO coolers. Furthermore, AIOs have historically been able to provide lower CPU temperatures with less fan noise than air coolers; however, this isn’t necessarily the case these days since air coolers have improved and, in certain circumstances, grown larger.

Make sure your PC case has enough space for an AIO cooler to be installed, ideally on the top or back, to remove the heat generated by your CPU from the chassis. Based on the radiator’s dimensions and the number of fans it can accommodate, AIO coolers are generally available in three sizes: 120 (one 120mm fan), 240 (two 120mm fans), or 360 (three 120mm fans).

While they do exist, 140, 280, and 420mm AIO coolers are much less popular. As one may anticipate, the cooling potential increases with radiator size (in general). Having said that, cooling capacity (and noise output) are also influenced by radiator thickness, materials, and fan and pump performance.

If you don’t intend to overclock and aren’t using a flagship CPU with plenty of cores and frequencies of 5–6 GHz, a 120mm AIO—which you can typically install in the back exhaust fan section of your PC case—should be plenty. Having said that, cooler requirements are typically higher for Intel’s 12th and 13th generation CPUs. Even while AMD’s Ryzen 7000 series of chips isn’t as thermally demanding as Intel’s, it’s still difficult to cool. Therefore, a decent 240mm AIO cooler is a better option if you want greater temps and slower-spinning fans, but it won’t fit in as many cases.

You might want to think about a custom cooling loop if low temperatures and silent operation are important to you but cost is not a major factor. Check out our Blue Shift build feature for additional information on these’s typical performance and attractive appearance. Please be aware that custom loops are always far more expensive than any other common cooling option. They are also substantially more difficult to assemble and install, and they may hinder future component upgrades, particularly if your GPU is added to the cooling loop.

Remember to take thermal paste or another type of thermal interface material (TIM) into account when searching for the best AIO cooler. These days, the majority of coolers include some sort of paste, which is either pre-applied to the metal cold plate or comes in a tiny syringe. However, to ensure that the heat transmission between your CPU and cooler plate is as effective as possible, have a look at the numerous products we rigorously tested to determine which thermal paste is ideal for your CPU.

New Coolers Shown at Computex

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At Computex, we saw dozens of new coolers, and it seemed like every AIO cooler included some sort of screen. ADATA, DeepCool, Hyte, Noctua, and a few other businesses showcased their latest and forthcoming coolers. In the upcoming months, expect evaluations of a plethora of new models, some of which may very likely end up on this page.

QUICK LIST

• BEST 360MM : Lian Li Galahad II Performance 360
• BEST 360MM ALTERNATIVE : Cooler Master Master Liquid 360 Atmos
• BEST BUDGET 360MM : Iceberg Thermal IceFLOE Oasis 360mm
• BEST MULTIPURPOSE : Silverstone IceMyst 360
• BEST 420MM : Corsair iCUE H170i Elite LCD XT

(Image credit: igorslab)

1. Lian Li Galahad II Performance 360

Best 360mm AIO Liquid Cooler

SPECIFICATIONS

Dimensions: 396 x 130 x 32 mm

Pump Height: not specified

Weight: not specified

Fans: (3) 120 x 28 mm

Socket Support: Intel:/1700/1200/1151/115x AMD: AM5/AM4

Warranty: 5 years

TODAY’S BEST DEALS

AIO Cooling reaches new heights with Lian Li’s Galahad II Trinity Performance. All the parts have been updated, giving you complete control over cooling. The cooler costs a fair $169 USD, and installation is straightforward and uncomplicated. This is the first liquid cooler I have ever given a 5-star review for, and with results like these, I find it difficult to suggest any other. Without a doubt, this is the greatest liquid cooler available right now.

Even while cooling performance is outstanding, thermals are not the whole story. Another crucial factor is the cooler’s operating noise level. Lian Li’s GA II Trinity Performance operates at a loud 55.2 dBA when set to default. There are very few coolers that produce this much noise that I have tried.

Normally, I would see this as a negative indicator for the product, however Lian Li incorporated a smart toggle switch that allows you to easily adjust the maximum fan speeds and noise levels. When in low-noise mode, the majority of coolers operate less thermally. However, when I tested on my i7-13700K, I saw no change in thermals between the two modes. The overall noise output drops to 49.2 dBA in the low noise mode, which is comparable to the 360mm AIOs from DeepCool and MSI.

(Image credit: thinkcomputers)

2. Cooler Master Master Liquid 360 Atmos

Best 360mm AIO Liquid Cooler (Alternative)

SPECIFICATIONS

Dimensions: 394 x 119.6 x 52.2mm

Fans: (3) 120 x 120 x 25 mm

Socket Support: Intel: 1700, 1200, 115X; AMD: AM5, AM4

Warranty: 5 years

TODAY’S BEST DEALS

I found Cooler Master’s new MasterLiquid 360 Atmos to be an exceptionally stunning flagship AIO after installing and testing it. In the majority of typical workloads, it has an incredibly low noise profile and has some of the best thermal performance I’ve seen in a 360mm cooler.

The design clearly demonstrates the attention to detail, and the cooler’s rated lifespans of over 160,000 hours for the fans and 210,000 hours for the pump, along with a 5-year warranty, demonstrate Cooler Master’s genuine belief in the quality of its product.

(Image credit: tomshardware)

3. Iceberg Thermal IceFLOE Oasis 360mm

Best Budget 360mm

SPECIFICATIONS

Thickness: 52 mm

Width: 120 mm

Depth: 397 mm

Fans: (3) 120 mm

Socket Support: Intel: 1851, 1700, 1200, 115X, 2066, 2011-0 & 2011-3; AMD:AM5, AM4, AM3(+), AM2(+), FM2(+), FM1

Warranty: 7 years

TODAY’S BEST DEALS

In terms of PC cooling, Iceberg Thermal may not be the most well-known brand. Yet, the IceFLOE Oasis 360mm AIO strikes a wonderful mix between affordability, minimal noise, and performance. This cooler ought to be in your short list if even two of those three factors are the most important to you. It may not have the best temperatures or cooling capabilities, but it’s not bad either. Additionally, this cooler isn’t the quietest right out of the box, with maximum noise levels of 45.3 dBA (but it’s still not too far behind the leaders here).

However, the IceFLOE Oasis 360mm really shines when tuned to our noise-normalized 38.2 dBA (low, but still somewhat audible to most people). It practically delivers the same watts chilled as the best performers in our benchmark, which are much more expensive solutions from Lian Li and Silverstone. Anyone searching for a 360mm AIO that is both affordable and quiet should give the IceFLOE serious consideration. It’s possibly the finest option available if you’re looking for both.

(Image credit: tomshardware)

4. Silverstone IceMyst 360

Best Multipurpose AIO Cooler

SPECIFICATIONS

Thickness: 28 mm

Width: 120 mm

Depth: 396 mm

Fans: (3) 120 mm

Socket Support: Intel: LGA 1700, 1200, 115X, 2011, 2066 | AMD: AM5/AM4

Warranty: 3 years

TODAY’S BEST DEALS

The IceMyst AIOs from Silverstone demonstrate that the industry for CPU cooling still has a lot of space for innovation. In addition to providing adequate overall CPU cooling, this cooler allows you to install numerous fans around the base of the CPU block and direct them over your SSD, RAM, VRMs, and other components for an additional $16 per fan. There isn’t a product on the market that compares to this functionality. Additionally, the IceMyst coolers are less expensive than a lot of premium AIO cooler substitutes.

The IceMyst AIOs—we tested the 360 and 240mm models—performed admirably in our CPU cooling tests, typically matching or exceeding the best-performing coolers in terms of chip-chilling capabilities. Furthermore, Silverston’s IceMyst 360 cooler outperformed all others in our testing, handling 237 watts when all coolers’ fans were adjusted to the same low noise level of 38.2 dBA. With 228W, the 240mm model performed admirably as well.

My only gripe is that the IceMyst’s built-in radiator fans run rather louder than necessary by default, but that can be readily resolved by adding a custom fan curve. Don’t worry too much if fan noise disturbs you; the 360mm IcyMyst has the best noise-normalized performance of any cooler I’ve seen on the market when set to run silently.

(Image credit: corsair)

5. Corsair iCUE H170i Elite LCD XT

Best 420mm AIO Liquid Cooler

SPECIFICATIONS

Thickness: 27 mm

Width: 140 mm

Depth: 457 mm

Fans: (3) 140 x 25mm

Socket Support: Intel LGA 1700, 1200, 1150, 1151, 1155, 1156, 1366, 2011, 2066; AMD AM5, AM4, AM3, sTRX4, sTR4

Warranty: 5 years

TODAY’S BEST DEALS

With Intel’s i9-13900K, Corsair’s iCUE H170i Elite LCD XT AIO provides the highest cooling performance we’ve tested to far, managing over 325W in our most demanding thermal testing. Furthermore, the H170i Elite operates quieter during the majority of typical operations and does away with bursty fan behavior because, in contrast to other coolers, its noise level is directly related to the temperature of the CPU coolant. As a trade-off, we observed noisier functioning at the sustained load levels that we test at.

In terms of features and performance, the Corsair iCUE H170i Elite LCD XT is among the top coolers on the market right now. At $310, it’s also very pricey, but if you don’t mind forgoing the attractive 2.1-inch LCD, the business also sells an iCUE H170i Elite Capellix XT for about $240, which has the same radiator and pump.

Even still, that sum of money for a cooler is not insignificant. However, if your demands are so great that a 420 mm radiator is necessary, you can definitely afford to pay a little bit more to ensure that your potent CPU runs as coolly as possible when under strain.

Savings on the Best AIO CPU Coolers

New coolers, and likely new chipsets and CPUs, coming very soon

A plethora of new motherboards will undoubtedly be on display at Computex 2024 in early June, as new chipsets (and the CPUs that go with them) are anticipated from both AMD and Intel. We anticipate seeing a number of new coolers to go along with these impending new platforms because the trade show is also heavily component-heavy.

It would be interesting to observe how the new silicon—along with an updated socket from Intel—affects both the coolers that are introduced in Taiwan and the current AIOs. However, we’ll have to wait for the platforms to launch in order to do so. In the interim, visit our Computex 2024 coverage page to discover everything that Taipei has to offer in terms of new cooling hardware, along with a ton more.

Savings on the Best AIO CPU Coolers

Check out our list of Newegg promo codes or Corsair coupon codes to see if you can save some money on a product—whether it was included in our list of the top CPU coolers or not.