Ready to buy the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X? If so, this article will give you guidelines on what parameters you need to consider in order to properly chill – and get the best performance out of – your new CPU.
The Ryzen 5 7600X has a TDP of 105 Watts, which is quite the leap from the previous generation’s 65W requirement. This means you’ll need substantially better performance from your cooler, which is more akin to the last gen’s higher-end processors, like the R9 5900X.
There is more than one way to properly cool the CPU. The two main methods are AIO (All In One) liquid cooling and HSF (HeatSink and Fan) – more commonly known as ‘air’ or ‘tower’ coolers. When considering which to choose, you need to take into account the following:
- How much available space does your case have?
- What does your budget allow?
- How good is the cooling in your case?
- What’s the threshold of noise you can tolerate?
- Which type of CPU cooler is compatible with your case?
- Are your workloads primarily active or passive?
- Are your rig’s aesthetics important to you?
Air coolers take up more space (generally) but are cheaper than their AIO counterparts. They also produce less noise on average and are easier to install. AIOs don’t clutter the space around the CPU, can be more pleasant to look at, and provide better cooling for extended periods – as opposed to the cooling in bursts of the HSF. Of course, the R5 7600X is designed for active (gaming, editing, modeling, etc.) rather than passive (rendering) workloads, so the HSF does have the advantage in terms of performance for the price. Still, the AIO cooler allows more thermal headroom for those looking to consistently overclock the 7600X.
To help you decide which to choose for your setup, let’s look at the best CPU coolers to pair with the Ryzen 5 7600X – for both cooling types.
Best Coolers for Ryzen 5 7600X – Our Recommendations
1. Best Air Cooler for Ryzen 5 7600X: Noctua NH-U14S
The NH-U14S is a U-type air cooler (it only has a single vertical tower/heatsink) and comes with one NF-A15 140mm fan.
It is an excellent choice for the R5 7600X because it provides more than ample cooling even at extreme thermal loads (according to Anandtech’s benchmarks). In fact, at a 340 W load, it outperformed even dual-tower coolers like the Dark Rock Pro 3.
Another favorable aspect of the NH-U14S is that it is upgradeable. You can add a second 140mm fan and have a push-pull fan configuration around the heatsink. This allows for further cooling potential, especially if you have a smaller rig with fewer case fans.
Pros:
- Slim design that’s easy to install and compatible with most cases.
- Can assist with proper airflow in the case.
- Benchmarks prove barely audible noise emissions.
- Excellent for active workloads and overclocking, especially with a second fan.
Cons:
- Even as a U-type CPU cooler, it is still rather tall.
- Rather expensive at $79.95.
- Does not have the most stylish look.
2. Best Budget Cooler for Ryzen 5 7600X: Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
Moving on to a D-Type (dual tower) HSF cooler, we have the Peerless Assassin 120 SE. Despite its low price, it offers exceptional performance even for high CPU power limits. Tom’s Hardware proved it averages only 61 degrees over ambient at 200W, which is very impressive for an air cooler. At 140 Watts, temperatures went down to 42 (50% fans) and 47 degrees Celsius – beating or tying with 360mm AIO coolers.
The same benchmarks show a noise level of only 34.5 dbA produced with the fans working at maximum speed, which is incredibly impressive for an under $40 CPU cooler. If you’re looking for a cheap cooler, the Assassin 120 SE truly is Peerless.
Pros:
- Quiet operation.
- Great for active workloads and low TDP performance.
- More than sufficient cooling for overclocking.
- $36 price tag.
Cons:
– Can be unappealing visually.
– Large dual-tower design may translate to compatibility issues.
3. Best Low-profile Cooler for Ryzen 5 7600X: Big Shuriken 3 Rev.B
Next, we have a top-flow, low-profile (L-Type, or LP) CPU cooler: the Big Shuriken 3 Rev. B.
Of course, each SFF (small form factor) case will benefit differently from various low-profile coolers. This is why it is always best to check CPU cooler benchmarks specifically for your SFF case.
There are, however, reasons why the Big Shuriken 3 Rev. B is an excellent pick for almost any build. The most important reason is that it has high cooling potential, as proven by OptimumTech’s benchmarks. Within these benchmarks, you’ll notice another selling point of the Big Shuriken 3: it is upgradable (given you have the clearance). With a 25mm fan attached to it, it can cool your R5 7600X even while overclocking. Also, it allows for full-sized RAM, something that its competitors, like Noctua’s L12-S, cannot guarantee.
Pros:
- Quiet operation that maxes at 35 dB, according to TweakTown.
- Excellent compatibility with most cases and RAM sticks.
- Upgradable with a 25mm fan.
- Great price at under $50.
- RGB variant for those looking for some extra flare.
Cons:
- It is not quite at the level of cooling performance as some of its competitors, like the Noctua L12-S.
- Though upgradeable, doing so will increase the price significantly.
- Requires adequate case cooling, as the top-flow configuration will push the CPU’s hot air into the case.
4. Best AIO Cooler for Ryzen 5 7600X: ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 240
Last but not least, we have the liquid cooling category. All things considered, the best choice here is the Liquid Freezer II 240. It has excellent thermal performance, proven by several benchmark tests like those carried out by Tech4Gamers and EnosTech, low noise output (especially for an AIO cooler), and costs under $100. In fact, out of the 17 240mm AIO coolers EnosTech tested, Arctic’s model performed the best in the noise normalized (44 dBA) thermal performance tests.
What makes the Liquid Freezer unique, when compared to its competitors, is the 40mm VRM fan (PWM controlled) that cools the base and voltage transformer. This extra feature can be crucial when overclocking the R5 7600X.
Pros:
- Excellent price for an AIO cooler.
- No maintenance water loop.
- VRM cooling.
- Low noise output for an AIO cooler.
- Thermal performance that rivals 360mm AIO coolers.
Cons:
- Can be tricky to install due to the 40mm fan.
- Not as visually appealing as other AIO coolers, especially on the pump. It does, however, have a variant with A-RGB lit fans for $14 extra.