10 Best CPU Coolers for Ryzen 9 5950X (Tested) 2023

1. Corsair Hydro H100i Pro RGB Platinum

High-Performance Liquid Cooler

Corsair has really stepped up their game when it comes to liquid cooling systems, and their new H series is superb. The Hydro H100i Pro RGB Platinum is no exception – it features improved tubing and a redesigned pump that’s both quieter and more precise.

It has an improved cold plate design too, which Corsair says will cool 25% better than the competition.It also comes with a new Asetek Gen5 pump design that is supposed to be both quieter and more power-efficient.

The Hydro H100i Pro RGB Platinum has a 240mm radiator that mounts its two 120mm fans on opposite sides of the radiator for better heat dissipation. This should maximize airflow through the radiator, which decreases CPU temperatures. 

The cooler features an easy-to-use fan-and-pump speed controller built into the included Corsair LINK software. It supports 4-pin (PWM) and 3-pin (DC) fans, but you can also connect it directly to your motherboard without any software if you prefer.

The hydro copper series uses nano bridge technology, which increases internal water surface area by 45% compared to standard microchannel cold plates. The aluminum radiator is also a lot thicker than the competition’s, so it should be more durable as well.

There are versions available with and without fans if you want to save some money, but we think the version with the fans is a better deal for about $20 more.

You can pick this one up at Amazon or see local prices by clicking here .2. Corsair Hydro H115i Pro RGB Platinum High-Performance Liquid Cooler

If you’re looking for an even bigger cooler, check out the Hydro H115i Pro RGB Platinum from Corsair – it has an enormous 360mm radiator that lets you mount two 140mm fans on either side of it for even better airflow through your water block.

Of course, this cooler comes with RGB lighting as well – you can change the colors of the LED ring using Corsair’s Link software. You can also use it to control fan speeds and pump lighting (on supported motherboards). Not bad for a 280mm AIO liquid cooler!

2. ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280

This cooler is one of the cheapest options on this list but it doesn’t skimp out on quality or performance. Arctic says that Liquid Freezer II series coolers are compatible with all Intel and AMD sockets (including Ryzen) so you won’t need additional hardware to install them properly if they’re compatible.

The heat pipes used here are the standard 6mm diameter models which means you can lower fan speeds for quieter operation, but if you want better cooling then there’s always the option of increasing RPMs too.

The cooler comes with two 120mm PWM fans which is the standard these days – they’re not too loud and offer better cooling than most models out there.

All in all this is a good choice if you want to upgrade your existing heatsink, especially since it’s so cheap compared to similar products on the market right now.

To keep noise levels down ARCTIC has included an innovative design feature known as anti-vibration pads that work like rubber suspension – there are four rubber pillars between the fans and heatsink that help reduce vibrations even further.

The bundled fans are 120mm PWM models so they’re very quiet, but the fan control isn’t built-in so you’ll have to purchase an external controller or motherboard with fan headers if you want easier tweaking (it’s not included).

3. NZXT Kraken X52 240mm AIO Liquid Cooler

The Kraken series is known to be among the best of all air/liquid coolers available right now, and the top-of-the-line X52 is no exception. This beast of a cooler comes with a single 120mm fan in the center, but you can add up to 3 more fans for some serious cooling performance.

There is also a black-and-white version that comes with two white 120mm fans, and it’s definitely the one to pick if you like your PC looking sharp.

The Kraken series of coolers come with NZXT’s CAM control software – this lets you create custom fan profiles and check up on your system vitals like temperature and fan speeds.

You can even hook up your Kraken to NZXT’s GRID+ V2 digital fan controller/hub (sold separately), which lets you control multiple fans at once for optimal noise levels 

You’ll need some good cables to hook this beast up though! Like other liquid coolers in this price range, the X52 has braided hoses that are both flexible and kink-resistant.

This one also has a bright white LED lighting system that comes with 7 different effects and can be set to your liking using NZXT’s CAM software.

The X52 definitely brings the performance as it’s capable of cooling an overclocked CPU as well as some other components like graphics cards, RAM, and even M.2 drives (if you have room for it!)

The pump ensures that your CPU gets direct contact with the coolant on its cold plate, which means fast heat transfer speeds are possible – you get around 25% better cooling performance thanks to this!

You can customize lighting colors using NZXT’sCAM software, and the pump also makes very little noise thanks to fluid dynamic bearings.

4. Be Quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 CPU Cooler

If your PC is in a place where it doesn’t have to look good but you still want great performance from a liquid cooling system, this might be the unit for you.

The Dark Rock Pro comes with two large fans and a thick 240mm radiator: there’s room enough to add another fan if you like (and we know you will), and these can all be controlled using an included PWM signal splitter.

This cooler has six copper heat pipes that make direct contact with the CPU – each one is nickel-plated which means that they’re both durable and efficient at dissipating heat. Add in the low-noise 120mm fans and you should be able to get away with using this in an office or bedroom setup.

Be Quiet! is known to be one of the best manufacturers of quiet computing components, and that expertise shines through in this cooler.

Thanks to a combination of advanced engineering and top-notch build quality, you won’t hear much noise coming from your PC when you have it running – even under full load!

The radiator has a matte black paint job so dust will be less visible – this not only looks great but also ensures that heat transfer capabilities are maximized.

Each fan comes with rubber shock absorbers that reduce the transfer of vibrations so whatever you do (within reason) your PC should stay quiet while cooling your overclocked Ryzen processor.

5. DEEPCOOL Assassin III Air CPU Cooler

This is a good-looking heatsink, and the black/red accents will look great on any gamer’s PC. The cooler features heat pipes that make contact with the CPU using a combination of copper bases and aluminum fins: this not only gives you maximum heat transfer capabilities but also saves on weight compared to all-copper designs.

There’s room enough for two large fans (120mm minimum).

The Assassin III has a low profile design – as such it can fit into most mid towers and even some smaller form factor cases. This unit comes with both Intel and AMD mount points so you have no compatibility issues whatsoever – just pick your favorite socket!

This cooler has been designed from top to bottom by Deepcool engineers, which means the focus has been put on reliability and durability.

Thanks to its low profile design, you can easily get rid of any dust that accumulates inside the unit – just use compressed air or a vacuum cleaner if it’s really dirty!

You’ll love this cooler if you want great cooling performance without having to worry about clearance issues.

The Assassin III comes with seven U-shaped heat pipes which mean faster heat transfer than lesser designs – the only downside is that there isn’t much room for overclocking unless you remove the fans.

6. Cryorig H7 Tower Cooler

If you’re looking for an affordable cooler that gives great performance at stock speeds, this is the one to get. The Cryorig H7 comes with a single 120mm PWM fan which can be adjusted easily using the included controller on the side of the heatsink itself. 

This nifty little device allows you to adjust fan speed in real time and see how noise levels change depending on different settings – if you’re going to be running at stock speeds then you should have a minimum of noise coming from your PC.

The fan is mounted on a circular frame which improves the splash resistance compared to other types – this makes it ideal for office use or even in a living room PC where you might have drinks next to your computer’s tower.

You can fit up to two 120mm fans if your case has enough clearance, and there are options for different mounting kits depending on your needs so compatibility isn’t an issue here 

Couple that with the metal mesh design of the cooling fins and you get excellent heat transfer capabilities while being able to keep noise levels way down compared to stock coolers that come with CPUs.

If you’re looking for a good replacement cooling solution for a Ryzen processor, this would be an excellent choice.

7. Noctua NH-C14STR4-SP3 CPU Cooler**

This massive heatsink from Noctua is designed for CPUs with TR4 and SP3 sockets. If your motherboard has a socket like this, you might want to get the NH-C14S instead of an ordinary air cooler – not only will it fit without any issues, but you’ll also avoid having to buy another unit in the near future.

The extra width of this cooler compared to others on our list is due to its double-tower design. This type of heatsink has a lot more cooling fins and heatpipes than a single tower design, which means better heat dissipation and less noise.

The heatsink comes with two 140mm fans which provide excellent airflow at low noise levels – even though they’re larger than most 120mm models out there, the blades are very thin so that helps keep down vibrations and noise coming from inside your case (not sure why MSI doesn’t take this approach on its motherboards). 

We didn’t put the NH-C14S in our top 3 because it’s not easy to install – if you have average or greater PC building skills then you’ll manage just fine, but there are much easier coolers out there that beginners can use without any issues.

This might be an expensive unit, but given the choice between stock coolers and this one, we know what we would choose when buying high end Ryzen processors! 

There’s support for upto five fans in total (120mm and 140mm) which means you can go with a push-pull configuration if you want even better performance.

Youtube video 

 Check the video guide before attempting the installation process. If you have a big case, you might need two fans to get good enough performance from this heatsink. 

8. Alphacool Eisbaer LT360CPU Cooler**

This unit is designed for extra cooling power in HTPCs or SFF cases – the compact size means it won’t take much space. Like its bigger brother, this cooler features an all copper design with an aluminum heatsink and two 120mm fans working alongside each other to increase airflow and performance.

The unit’s fan speeds are adjusted automatically by PWM technology which helps keep noise levels down, but if you want better control then there’s a controller wheel that lets you pick your own RPM values in real time.

Alphacool has thrown in some anti-vibration pads on top of the fan towers so you can use these without worrying about any annoying creaking sounds when the fans are running at max RPM.

The cooler has a copper base so it’s ready to be used with all Ryzen processors that use the TR4 socket without any additional mounting hardware required (the AMD brackets are included).

Just make sure you tighten the screws properly if you want great performance – over-tightening might cause damage, but cross-threading will definitely ruin your day!

9. Fractal Design Celsius S36 PrismaCPU Cooler**

This unit has a very stylish design that’s difficult to ignore – it fits in much better with HTPCs and other high-end systems than it does with SFF cases. The overall design is great, but there are some flaws you should know about before making your final purchase decision. 

The cooler uses heatpipes which means they’re thicker than the ones included on most comparable models out there, but this also means the fans work at lower RPMs compared to more “exotic” designs (but that keeps noise levels down of course).

The main issue we have with this cooler is the fans – they’re too loud and create annoying whining noise when running at max RPM, so you might want to replace them with some high quality models if you don’t mind spending a few bucks extra.

Another problem is compatibility – Fractal Design says this unit works fine on lots of Intel and AMD processors but there are reports out there showing it doesn’t play nice with Ryzen chips because of poorly positioned mounting brackets (you can actually see them in the official picture above).

You get two 120mm PWM fans along with the cooler which give you great control over performance vs noise balance.

The Prisma series has won several awards because of its sleek design, simplicity and quiet operation – Fractal has done a great job at building this unit.

10. Corsair H115i RGB Platinum** 

This is one of the more pricey options on our list but it’s also the best all-in-one solution for your Ryzen chip right now.

Corsair has plenty of experience when it comes to cooling solutions so you can expect top notch performance here – the radiator is made out of 240mm aluminum fin stack that’s packed with two SP120 RGB LED fans.

The cooler uses a state-of-the-art mounting mechanism that allows fast installation and easy removal too (it works with most AMD sockets).

The RGB lighting adds some bling to your PC case, especially if you go for this model which features a built-in digital RGB controller (you can choose between static or breathing effects). There are lots of compatible motherboards since Corsair recently introduced a new version of iCUE.

You get the usual 4 pin PWM fans that spin between 1200 and 2400 RPMs – they’re not as quiet as Arctic which is why we included this option on the list.

The installation process requires some patience since you have to remove your motherboard from the case, but if you’ve done it before then it shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes for you to secure the H115i’s mounting mechanism.

Final words

All of the options on our list are compatible with the Ryzen chip but some require motherboard disassembly to install them properly. On top of that you’ll need additional hardware if your cooling fan doesn’t include a 4 pin PWM header so check first before making any purchases – 12V power is required.

If you don’t want to fully remove your motherboard then go for low profile models that don’t block the first RAM slot (still works with most X399 boards). Moreover, if you want to upgrade your existing cooling solution then keep in mind that there are two types of heatsinks – air coolers use aluminum or copper towers to dissipate heat while all-in-one liquid coolers include a radiator and water block. 

You’ll need a big case if you want to use liquid cooling since the radiator is usually pretty large compared to air coolers. Feel free to check out our other guides too – there are plenty of Ryzen compatible PSUs, RAM kits, graphics cards , cases, SSDs etc listed on our website .