Coolers

In the world of CPU cooling solutions, there are two main options. Air Cooling, and Water Cooling.

Air cooling is generally seen as cheaper and more reliable, but it has the downsides of a lower cooling potential and (subjectively) less aesthetic appeal.
Water cooling, when implemented correctly, has a much higher thermal threshold; being able to cool hotter processors faster and keep them cool longer.

Our standard advice for most clients, when their other build choices do not dictate which must be used (be it for looks or compatibility), is that we recommend going with an air cooler as long as that air cooler will perform well enough to keep your CPU cool. Honestly, only the hottest chips, or the longest computer use sessions, require water cooling for performance gains. Running a chip that outputs less heat, or outputting heat for shorter periods of time, means that good air cooling is more than enough for your computer. This all means, for most users, you will get the exact same cooling results from both an air cooler and a water cooler, while the air cooler has the objective advantages of simplicity, reliability, and cost, over their water cooling counterparts.

However, despite these facts, you can't discount style! Water cooling is a major contender in this industry not just for the better performance necessary at the high end, but because it just looks cooler. (Pun intended.)

For this reason, we are splitting our air cooler reviews and water cooler reviews into two separate pages. The decision to go with air or water cooling should be made first, and independent of which exact model you choose. Things like budget, style, compatibility, and long term reliability are the primary factors you should consider in your build, and should be decided before narrowing down on any specific part.

NOTE: As we do not have the resources to properly test and control variables to identify exact cooling potential, for cooling performance we will be referring to better equipped experts. Namely, LTT Labs, Gamer's Nexus, Tom's Hardware, and PC Mag. These four groups all have controlled, verifiable testing environments and, while their results do not match exactly based on slightly different testing methods and equipment, they have proven trustworthy as sources of accurate data.