The CPU in a PC, whether it’s for gaming or productivity, produces a lot of heat. In fact, along with the GPU or graphics card, it accounts for much of the heat a computer produces. More heat means more wear and tear, and it can also hamper the CPU’s performance; but you can alleviate this common issue without breaking the bank thanks to budget CPU air coolers.
With the heat output of the latest generation of CPUs from Intel and AMD, it’s almost mandatory to replace their janky stock coolers. That’s an added expense on top of an already expensive gaming PC, so budget CPU air coolers will soften the blow.
Why Budget?
Because there are other components that deserve the price premium instead. Besides, the budget tag doesn’t mean that the component will underperform. A lot of options in the aftermarket CPU air cooler category have proven themselves to be competitive against the more expensive options.
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As for the so-called expensive options, the usual premium are Noctua’s offerings, specifically the legendary Noctua NH-D15 or the Noctua NH-U12A. Both of those cost around $100 or more.
So our definition for budget, is anything that costs around half or less than half of those big boys from Noctua. That’s a price point of around $50 to $60, preferably less.
Why Air Coolers?
Yeah, why air coolers when there are liquid coolers around? Well, first off, liquid coolers tend to be more expensive. There are cheap ones but don’t count on their reliability– because this is a component category where reliability and reputation are the best factors. If those cheap liquid coolers leak or break inside a plugged computer, it can and will destroy the other, more expensive components.
Now, if a cheap CPU air cooler goes kaput, at least it won’t take other components with it to heaven. At most, the fans will stop spinning.
Certain Considerations
Now, before you choose among the list of budget CPU air coolers we’ll present today, you need to take into account a few important details about compatibility. Take note of these factors and cross-reference them with your current hardware to see if the coolers here are compatible:
- Socket type (LGA 1700, AM4, etc.)
- TDP/TGP/wattage (200 watts, 75 watts, etc.)
- CPU cooler clearance of your PC case/chassis
- CPU cooler clearance of your motherboard and RAM
All things considered, let’s get to our best options.
DeepCool AK620
PROS
- Impressive cooling performance
- Highly affordable
- Comes in white
- Beautiful design
- Powerful yet quiet fans
- Good socket compatibility
- Comes in white
CONS
- Heavy
- Huge (might not fit in some cases)
Specs:
- Socket compatibility: Intel LGA1700 (& below) / AMD AM5 (& below)
- TDP/TGP dissipation: 260 watts
- Noise: 28 dB
- Case clearance: 160mm
- RAM height clearance: 43mm
Noctua enjoyed a relatively long period of supremacy since not many CPU air coolers could challenge its flagship NH-D15. That is until DeepCool AK620 came along. At half the price, this CPU cooler offered similar or even marginally better cooling performance.
Now, it’s one of the toughest competitions for Noctua since it also comes with some silent but powerful fans and a stylish design. In terms of cooling, you can pair it with just about any compatible CPU– even the i9 or Ryzen 9 models and it will keep those power-hungry CPUs below 80 degrees Celsius.
Of course, weaker CPUs such as the i7 or the Ryzen 7 and below will hover in the low 70C or even high 60C.
The only downside of this CPU air cooler is its size. It’s relatively huge and you can say goodbye to seeing your RAM sticks if you use this as it will cover the upper half of the motherboard.
DeepCool AK620
DeepCool AK400
PROS
- Highly affordable
- Good cooling performance
- Thin form (you can see your RAM!)
- Comes in white
- Beautiful design
- Good socket compatibility
- Powerful yet quiet fan
CONS
- Might struggle with overclocking for K and X CPUs
Specs:
- Socket compatibility: Intel LGA1700 (& below) / AMD AM5 (& below)
- TDP/TGP dissipation: 130W
- Noise: 29 dB
- Case clearance: 155 mm
- RAM height clearance: N/A
Of course, there might be instances when you actually want to see your RAM or memory sticks, especially if they have RGB. Also, some CPUs, such as the i5/Ryzen 5 or below don’t exactly need huge heatsinks to keep cool. For such cases, you can go with half-an-AK620 or the DeepCool AK400.
It’s literally the AK620 cut in half. The TDP heat dissipation is also just half of the AK620 at 130 watts. That’s still ample enough for any CPU weaker than an i7 or Ryzen 7. Beyond that, it’s not as heavy as its bigger and fatter brother but it still has one of the good fans the latter uses as its blower.
DeepCool AK400
Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120
PROS
- Lots of style variants (RGB, white, grey, etc.)
- Even more affordable for its cooling potential
- Impressive cooling performance
- Good socket compatibility
- Powerful yet quiet fans
CONS
- Might run a bit hotter with high-end overclocking (i9 or Ryzen 9)
Specs:
- Socket compatibility: Intel LGA1700/2066/2011 (& below) / AMD AM4 (& below)
- TDP/TGP dissipation: 245 watts
- Noise: 25.60 dB
- Case clearance: 157 mm
- RAM height clearance: 58mm
If you want to go even cheaper and more affordable, then the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 (or 120 SE, etc.) is a good choice as well. It has a more affordable price tag than the DeepCool Ak620 and features a similar cooling performance.
Apparently, it’s also quieter but don’t expect it to reach the same overclocking cooling potential that the DeepCool AK620 has. The Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 does have a lower heat dissipation.
It’s up to user preference since this CPU air cooler is also quite a looker, especially since it has RGB, aRGB, white, and grey variants.
Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120
Arctic Freezer 34 eSports Duo
PROS
- Lots of variants and color options
- Impressive cooling performance for its form
- Doesn't cover the RAM slot
- Good socket compatibility
- Powerful yet quiet fans
- Affordable
CONS
- The narrow bottom plate might not completely cover larger CPUs
- Not great for i9 or Ryzen 9 overclocking
Specs:
- Socket compatibility: Intel LGA1700/2066/2011 (& below) / AMD AM5 (& below)
- TDP/TGP dissipation: 210 watts
- Noise: 28 dB
- Case clearance: 157 mm
- RAM height clearance: N/A
For a CPU cooler with just one heatsink tower, the Arctic Freezer 34 eSports Duo sure is powerful. Arctic, its manufacturer, even proudly claims that it has the same or similar cooling performance compared to the Noctua Noctua NH-D15.
Some reliable reviews can also confirm this. However, there is a certain point when this budget CPU air cooler will falter. Anything that gets overclocked past 200 watts might be problematic, such is the case for i9 or Ryzen 9 CPUs.
So at best, an i7 or Ryzen 7 is the best maximum pairing for this cooler. If you want to keep the heat manageable.
Arctic Freezer 34 eSports Duo
be quiet! Shadow Rock LP (BK002)
PROS
- Low-profile
- Good socket compatibility
- Powerful yet quiet fans
- Affordable
CONS
- Not exactly aesthetically pleasing
- Not for overclocking or high-power CPUs (i7/Ryzen 7 and above)
Specs:
- Socket compatibility: Intel LGA1700/2066 (& below) / AMD AM4 (& below)
- TDP/TGP dissipation: 130 watts
- Noise: 25.5 dB
- Case clearance: 76mm
- RAM height clearance: N/A
Of course, we’re not one to leave behind those with ITX or small form-factor PC cases. The tower heatsinks and their fans tend to hog too much space after all. And when it comes to low-profile CPU coolers, the be quiet! Shadow Rock LP looks to be one of the strongest options.
It has a max TDP dissipation of 130 watts, which, frankly, makes it a good competitor against the DeepCool AK400 (though you can add another fan to that one). The main advantage of this kind of CPU cooler is that its heatsink and fans run parallel to the motherboard, allowing for tight spaces and configurations.
Just don’t expect too much from it when it comes to overclocking.
be quiet! Shadow Rock LP (BK002)
The Right Budget CPU Air Cooler for You
When it comes to picking the correct cooler for your PC, you don’t need to worry too much about compatibility as most of those options above are compatible with the latest generation of CPUs whether it’s from AMD or Intel.
If you don’t know how to install these CPU coolers, we recommend watching a quick and simple guide on YouTube. There’s no shortage of DIY videos. If not, you can always ask for help from a technician; there’s one part where you can mess up the cooler installation and that’s with the amount of thermal paste and peeling off the cooler cover.
Still, most of these coolers have included instructions inside the box, so you’re not completely in the dark here.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Are air coolers better than liquid coolers?
Not necessarily. Liquid coolers can dissipate more heat and lower temperature more efficiently. But they're more dangerous than air coolers. -
How much thermal paste should I use?
As a rule of thumb, a pea size dot on the CPU die will suffice. But if the CPU is rectangular, you can do a capital "X" instead to cover the CPU better.