Best computer cooling system in 2020

Heavy loading and long-term operation of the PC leads to an increase in temperature, which can slow down the device when performing various tasks, and sometimes even errors appear. For efficient heat dissipation, various devices are used, which can be active or passive, and some even work on the basis of liquids. The article contains different options, so a potential buyer can determine what is the best computer cooling system in 2020 for him.

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TOP popular air systems

Hardware from this segment is recommended for cooling the case, processor or video cards. They work with a fan that runs at different speeds based on the heating of the main equipment, after which the metal elements are cooled. In some cases, add-on type radiators can be used, which are in contact with the PC elements, which makes it possible to more efficiently take heat.

Zalman ZM-F3 SF

This option is considered the best for a computer case due to its low cost, which will be about 350 rubles. A fan with efficient blades, and a special technology helps to capture and pump more air for cooling than classic models with smooth blades. In addition, it eliminates vibrations, lowers the volume of operation. The equipment is fixed behind the computer unit. Sold in black or transparent.

Pros:

• The fans have 9 blades for improved cooling performance.
• 4 scions are installed on each blade to suppress noise and vibration.
• The total diameter of the equipment is 12 cm.
• Quiet and easy rotation thanks to bearings.
• During operation, extraneous noise is excluded, since the fasteners are soft from silicone inserts.
• The manufacturer's stated lifespan is 50,000 hours.
• Low weight of the equipment - 125 grams.
• A small case in thickness (25 mm) eliminates bulging inside or outside the system unit.
• Low fan cost.
• Noise up to 23 dB.
• Simple connection to many computers in classic design, using a 3 pin cable.
• The body is cooled down to 35 degrees.

Minuses:

• During operation, it attracts a lot of dust, which gets inside the case.
• Maximum rotation in the overclocked state is not more than 1200 rpm.
• Due to the thin plastic, it is necessary to mount the cooler very carefully, in case of a strong tightening of the bolts, the mounting ears will burst.

Be quiet Pure Rock (BK009)

An excellent choice for PC processors due to the use of 4 tubes of 6 mm in diameter. They are connected to the heat pickup plate, which is on the CPU, after which they easily transfer heat into a large radiator with a 12 cm cooler.The fan itself has great opportunities for blowing, since it is powerful (1.44 W), provides a pressure of 1.25 mm, but its dimensions do not allow installing a high-performance video card just below it.

Pros:

• Suitable for connection and installation on all Intel processors.
• Comes with a frame that connects to AMD brand devices.
• An aluminum radiator, copper tubes and such a combination can effectively remove heat.
• Productive cooler with rotation speed up to 1500 rpm, working with a bearing.
• Quiet operation of the fan, which does not exceed 26 dB, and the minimum indicator is 19 dB.
• There are 48 fins embedded in the heatsink that help to quickly remove heat from the pipes.
• The blades allow you to effectively pump air, the figure is 51.4 m3 / h.
• Low electricity consumption - 12 V and 0.12 A.
• The period of operation declared by the manufacturer is 80,000 hours of operation at 25 degrees.
• The hardware can easily cope with the cooling of the i5 processor after overclocking to 4600 MHz. In this case, the temperature will be up to 45 degrees.
• Small dimensions that will not interfere with other PC elements - 8.7x12.1x15.5 cm.

Minuses:

• 22cm power cable, which can cause some inconvenience if the PC case is very large or the power port is located far away.
• For AMD processors, you will need to use a RAM model less than 33 mm, this is due to the fact that the first pair of slots will be covered by the mounting part of the heatsink. But the rest of the slots remain accessible, you can insert any RAM sticks into them.

Arctic Cooling Accelero Twin Turbo 3

This device is ideal for cooling video cards from the manufacturer Nvidia or Radeon. The cooling system will ensure long-term operation of the chips under heavy load. The body of the device itself is made of durable plastic, there is a pair of 9.2 cm fans.On the other side, there are 5 nozzles, which are used to combine with a mounting plate, and also help to remove heat into a small radiator. The cooler blades are protected by a metal grill and this adds beauty in the case of a transparent block case.

Pros:

• The power dissipated is 0.25 kW.
• The rotation of the fans can be controlled independently or automatically. The frequency range is 900-2000 rpm.
• The case is thin at only 53 mm, so a lot of space will not be taken up inside the case.
• Supplied with a 4 pin power connector.
• Reducing the temperature of cards to 34 degrees, and under heavy load to 78.
• Quiet operation of fans, which does not exceed 25 dB.
• Supplied with an installation kit for any video card.

Minuses:

• There is no backlight.
• In some cases, rework may be required, namely, filing the plastic of the board and the corners of the radiator so that the equipment can stand up correctly.
• The high cost of the device - 3.5 thousand rubles.
• After installation work, it may be necessary for auxiliary cooling on the circuit.

Rating of liquid cooling systems

Such a technique for dissipating heat is recommended when the processor is under heavy loads, as a result of using powerful programs, working with graphics or video. A regular cooler will not be able to provide the required cooling for the chips, so it is recommended to install liquid models that work effectively.

NZXT Kraken X62

Such equipment is characterized by a small pump with a copper plate that fits right on top of the processor. It is recommended to use the product for the most powerful chips. With the help of thermal paste, the processor will quickly give off heat, and the pump is used to pump warm liquid to a pair of coolers and a radiator. Long fan spigots allow you to install it on the wall of the system unit so that the temperature goes outside the case.

Pros:

• Beautiful illumination, in which diodes of different colors are used, the company logo also glows.
• Coolers with 7 blades for efficient cooling.
• The plate is 7 cm in diameter, which helps to quickly transfer heat from the chip.
• The fans are 14 cm in diameter and quickly blow hot air out of the unit.
• Operation with hydrodynamic bearings.
• It is possible to adjust the backlight, as well as the speed of the device using a program from the company.
• Supplied with several adapters to connect the system to different processors and boards.
• Aluminum radiator.
• The pump rotation range is 500-2000 rpm, and the cooler has 500-1800 rpm.
• 40 cm tubes for liquid.
• Sold with a power cord for coolers, there is a USB cable.

Minuses:

• The high price of the device is around 10 thousand rubles.
• A plastic frame that bends easily and can deform from pressure.
• Quite noisy operation, which is 38 dB at maximum.
• At first use, a slight crackling sound is produced due to the circulation of liquid inside.
• The functioning of the company's software is not always stable.
• Large dimensions 31.5x14.3 cm, which does not allow installing the device in small blocks.

EKWB EK-KIT P240

If the PC case is quite large, used for industrial tasks or a huge network, then this cooling model will be one of the best. The equipment includes a separate unit for liquid and a container for collecting and cooling hot water coming from a radiator with associated cooling using coolers. This device allows you to get maximum efficiency when using powerful processors.

Pros:

• Used a copper plate on a block of water.
• Reliable fastening of the device using 4 screws that give a tight contact.
• Suitable for many processors from Intel or AMD.
• Supplied with fasteners for AMD chipsets.
• Radiators with copper plates.
• The presence of a pair of vertical radiators of 12 cm.
• Coolers operate at a frequency of 1850 rpm.
• The water is mixed in a large reservoir, which initially passes through the fans, which allows for more efficient cooling of the system.
• The presence of a separate pump to reduce the load on the fasteners to the board.
• All system adapters are nickel plated.
• Complete with a container with a 100 ml concentrate.
• There is a block for pumping and starting.
• Cooling parts can be purchased separately, so the liquid block can be changed over a period of time, rather than buying everything assembled.

Minuses:

• The fans cannot be adjusted so they always run at maximum speed.
• The price of the equipment is about 20 thousand rubles.
• Not suitable for classic PCs in standard cases.
• No backlight.
• The splitter is only 10 cm long.

Arctic Liquid Freezer 120

This model is considered the best of the water systems for a small case due to the dimensions of only 12x15.5 cm. Dimensions are taken into account with the cooler. The equipment includes a pair of fans placed one behind the other to increase the amount of heat dissipated. The placement does not require much space inside the PC. Liquid module with copper plates, which ensures high heat transfer.

Pros:

• Recommended for use with various modern processors.
• Small size of the cooling system.
• Easy rotation of coolers using hydrodynamic bearings.
• It is possible to independently adjust the speed of rotation.
• The coolers are 12 cm in diameter.
• Aluminum radiator fins.
• Each cooler has 9 blades.
• Using the device for the i3 chipset overclocked to 5200 MHz, the result is 62 degrees.
• Silent operation of the equipment.

Minuses:

• Weight is almost 1 kg.
• The price is about 6 thousand rubles.
• Mediocre speed - 1350 rpm.
• Small nozzles of the water block, which necessitates close placement of holes in the body.
• The inability to independently set the speed of the pump.
• Does not include board spacers.
• Due to the location of the pair of fans, it is difficult to firmly fix it, it may be necessary to expand the standard window.

Passive systems rating

In addition to the already presented models of cooling systems, passive devices can be used. They do not require a connection to the power supply, they are fixed directly on the chips, and the heat intake and its removal are carried out using a radiator. The operation is completely silent. Often, passive installations do not attract dust into the case and are very easy to mount, but it is recommended to use it only on medium-power processors.

Supermicro SNK-P0048PS

This device is recommended for chips with a maximum frequency of 3000 MHz, which is caused by the height of the heat transfer plates of 64 mm. The dimensions of such cooling are 104x80 mm, there are 3 tubes, which help to remove heat from the processor and this effectively affects the result. For high-quality contact, a copper plate is used, and the rest of the parts are made of aluminum. The technique is fixed with 4 bolts directly to the motherboard.

Pros:

• Fits many modern sockets and 2 U servers.
• The presence of 3 tubes for heat transfer through the radiator.
• Quiet operation.
• The optimal price of the device is 1400 rubles.
• The weight is 350 grams, so a large load on the board fasteners is excluded.
• The manufacturer has already applied thermal paste to the base.
• The plates are protected from dust penetration inside.
• Among the main materials used are copper and aluminum.
• The dimensions are optimal, do not complicate the installation of a hard drive or video card.

Among the minuses, one can single out the appearance, which will worsen the picture for transparent system blocks.

Supermicro SNK-P0047PS

An excellent choice for simple processors used at home or in the office. The connection is made to any processor with an LGA 2011 socket. The model is fixed on top of the chip with 4 screws that are offered in the kit. Thermal grease is applied between the equipment to improve heat transfer. The design of the cooling system itself includes 27 aluminum fins to efficiently dissipate heat.

Pros:

• The unit's total height is only 2.7 cm, so it won't interfere with other devices. The dimensions of the system are 8x10.4 cm, allowing you to install cooling on any motherboard, and nothing will rest against the video card or other components.
• The price of the product is optimal - about 1200 rubles.
• The model will fit many modern processors.
• Effective heat dissipation.
• Easy installation using one screwdriver.
• No need to connect power.

Minuses:

• Cannot be installed on gaming PCs that use a processor after overclocking.
• The heat output is reduced due to the ingress of dust and its settling on the radiator, therefore, it is necessary to clean it from time to time.
• There are no tubes to remove heat further from the chipset.
• There is no backlighting and decorative elements, which affects the beauty when using a transparent case.

The described review will allow you to choose the best devices for cooling the processor, which will satisfy in terms of their properties, size and cost.