Fans & Cooling

Both work well. A good air cooler is reliable, quiet and great value, and handles most CPUs with ease. An AIO liquid cooler can shift more heat from hot or overclocked chips and frees up space around the socket, with a tidy look. For most gaming builds an air cooler is plenty, while a 240mm or 360mm AIO suits high-end or warm-running CPUs.

A 240mm AIO comfortably cools most mainstream CPUs, while a 360mm AIO gives extra headroom for high-end chips or quieter running under load. The deciding factor is often your case, since it must have a mounting point for that radiator size in the front or top. Check the case radiator support before choosing.

Make sure the cooler lists support for your socket, such as AMD AM5 or AM4, or the current Intel socket. Then check two clearances: air cooler height against your case, and radiator size for an AIO. Tall coolers can also block tall memory, so check that too. Our cooler listings show the socket support and sizes you need to match your processor.

A good starting point is two intake fans at the front and one exhaust at the rear, which creates steady front-to-back airflow. 120mm and 140mm fans are the common sizes, with larger 200mm fans on some cases moving lots of air quietly. Add more fans if your build runs warm or you want lower temperatures, and RGB fans are available if you want the lighting.

A low-profile cooler is designed for small mini-ITX cases and slim builds where a tall tower cooler will not fit. If you are building in a compact case, check the cooler height limit and choose a low-profile model that supports your socket. For a normal mid tower, a standard tower air cooler or an AIO gives better temperatures.

For most people, the thermal paste applied when you build the PC lasts for years and only needs replacing if you remove the cooler or temperatures start creeping up. A good quality thermal compound helps your cooler do its job. If you reseat a cooler, clean off the old paste and apply a fresh pea-sized amount before refitting.