Your CPU may be at the heart of your computer, but in order to let your gaming PC truly run at its maximum potential, you need need to keep it properly cooled.
As your processor works, it can start to get incredibly hot. Once it reaches a high enough temperature, it will dial back its performance levels to cool down. A good CPU cooler ensures your processor stays cooler for longer, so it can run at its fastest speeds as much as possible. That means programs and games that can benefit from your processor ramping up to its clock speeds for maximum performance. With a robust enough cooling solution, you can even keep running at those high speeds indefinitely or push your processor beyond its factory settings. Some can even keep your processor cool without making a ton of noise.
We've picked out a range of coolers from capable air coolers to liquid coolers, giving you options that will work in many different types of PC builds.
Compatibility: LGA1200. LGA1151, LGA2066, AM4 | Size (h x w x d): 165mm x 150mm x 161mm | Heatpipes: 6 | Materials: Copper baseplate and heat-pipes, aluminum fins | Fans: 2 x 140mm NF-A15 | Fan Airflow: 82.58 CFM | Fan Pressure: 1.51 mmH2O (each) | Fan Noise: 24.6 dBA
OK, so paying $100 for an air cooler may sound like a lot – you can get a budget processor for that price – but the Noctua NH-D15 does a lot to earn its keep. For one thing, you can use it on a broad range of processors new and old, so you can get extra value from it by keeping it over multiple PC upgrades. Secondly, it's incredibly powerful, so you can relax about running into thermal throttling on your processor.
What's the secret to the Noctua NH-D15's power? Well, it's not much of a secret, as it's plain to see this cooler features two
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