If you want to keep your gaming PC cool, the best liquid CPU coolers definitely get the job done. Our number one pick, the Corsair iCUE H100i Elite Capellix brings a perfect balance of size and cooling capability, fitting liquid cooling into pretty much any mid-tower PC case. But if you want something cheaper or something more powerful, there are so many liquid CPU coolers out there to choose from.
TL;DR – These are the Best Liquid CPU Coolers:
- Corsair iCUE H100i Elite Capellix XT
- Thermaltake TOUGHLIQUID 240
- DeepCool LS520
- NZXT Kraken X53
- EVGA CLCx 280mm
- Arctic Liquid Freezer II 360 ARGB
- Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML240 Illusion
- Alphacool Eisbaer Aurora
- Corsair iCUE H150i Elite LCD XT
- Arctic Liquid Freezer II 420
Water coolers are more efficient at cooling than PC fans while remaining compact, quiet, self-contained, and easy to install. To help you on the quest to keep your case frosty, we’ve tested and researched various AIO liquid CPU coolers, bringing you our ten favorites.
Best Liquid CPU Coolers
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 X53
Best 240mm Liquid CPU Cooler
- See it on Best Buy (RGB fans model)
The NZXT Kraken X53 is the successor to our longtime favorite NZXT Kraken X52 that features some major improvements to look better and cool more efficiently. It’s available in 120mm, 240mm, and 360mm.
If you love flair, it also features a unique-looking “infinity mirror” lighting setup, creating seemingly endless rings of RGB light.
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 II 360 ARGB
Best 360mm Liquid CPU Cooler
If you have space, why not add one of the most powerful liquid CPU coolers to your build for better heat dissipation? This option includes a 360mm radiator. And it’s thicker than your average radiator, letting more liquid be used in the circuit. That’s paired with three 120mm pre-installed fans ready to produce high static pressure and ample airflow for optimal cooling. There’s even a tiny fan on the CPU block, helping keep the VRMs around the CPU frosty.
Though Arctic Liquid Freezer II 360 ARGB is beefy, the fans and the Arctic-designed PWM-controlled water pump remain virtually silent in operation. It also comes with support for the latest AMD and Ryzen sockets. Plus, this unit doesn’t skimp on lighting, with 36 LEDs around the fans ready for you to customize.
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 II 420
Best 420mm Liquid Cooler
A 420mm liquid cooler is going to be overkill for most people, only really needed if you're really planning to push your CPU to its limits. With this massive liquid cooler, you're going to be able to overclock even the most demanding CPUs, like the Intel Core i9-13900K, which kind of has a reputation for being a monster of a chip when it comes to heat output.
The downside here, of course, is the size of the thing. A 420mm radiator is going to be hard to mount, no matter what kind of PC case you're looking at, and you're pretty much going to be locked into a full tower PC case. Because even the most spacious mid-tower PC is going to have a problem mounting this massive cooler. If you can finagle the space for it, though, the Arctic Liquid Freezer II 420 is going to have some of the best cooling performance this side of a custom water cooling loop. And it's not even that expensive, either at just around $150.
Brian Barnett writes reviews, wiki guides, deals posts, features, and more for IGN. You can get your fix of his antics on Twitter (@Ribnax) or check out his show on Twitch (The Platformers).
