Best AM5 CPU cooler 2024 – best coolers for Ryzen 7000 series
In this article, we will unveil our best choice of AM5 CPU cooler. Zen 4 is a powerful beast and you’re going to need something just as powerful to keep it cool.
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Looking for the best AM5 CPU cooler 2024? Look no further. AMD released its best CPUs back in September of 2022. This release brought with it several heat-related issues plaguing the new CPUs. If you want to keep these high-performance beasts cool, you’re going to need a good CPU cooler. And by good, we ideally mean a 240mm AIO or more.
Should you want more budget-conscious solutions, we have included an air cooler that would be better suited to the low end of the AM5 CPUs. If you’re pressed for time and just want to know what we deemed the best AM5 CPU cooler, we have selected the ASUS ROG Ryujin ii – thanks to its robust cooling performance, and its interesting industrial aesthetic.
Best AM5 CPU cooler – ASUS ROG Ryujin ii
ASUS ROG Ryujin III 360 ARGB AIO Liquid CPU Cooler with LCD screen
Screen
3.5” LCD Display
Pump
The latest 8th gen Asetek pump with a 3-phase motor
Design
Embedded fan with a new ring-shaped frame design and advanced airflow channels
Fans
Premium ROG ARGB magnetic daisy-chainable fans with Gen 2 LED
The ASUS ROG Ryujin III is one of the most aesthetically pleasing AIO coolers on the market, mostly thanks to its huge pump and vivid LCD screen.
This model is available in both 240 and 360mm variants, giving builders with different size cases some flexibility.
The Ryujin features 400mm sleeved tubing comprised of thick rubber, to add durability and improve the visual design. The main talking point of the Ryujin III is the addition of the LCD screen, which allows any image or GIF to be displayed front and center. The LCD screen has full AIDA64 support, meaning you can slap system information on the 3.5″ full-color screen if so inclined.
All in all, we have a beefy, efficient radiator that will provide your new Intel Zen 4 CPU with all the cooling it needs, and the inclusion of a strong water pump means your CPU will never be in short supply of cold water to cool it.
You can check out our full Ryujin ii review here to see what we think of the previous gen version of the same cooler.
- New daisy-chainable fans
- ASUS tough design
- Easy to install
- LCD screen
- Expensive
Best Budget AM5 CPU cooler – Noctua NH-D15
Noctua NH-D15
Type
Air
Max RPM
1500 RPM
Max Noise
24.6 dB
Dimensions
(H)165 x (W)150 x (D)150 mm
The Noctua NH-D15 stands strong against the competition, with this air cooler even giving liquid options a run for their money.
The design is a bit hit-and-miss for some but we are a fan of the brown, and it’s the cooling potential that matters most when opting for a CPU cooler. The size can be an issue if you’re trying to build in a smaller form factor, with extra clearance needed for the two giant heatsinks and accompanying 140mm fans. Noctua does offer an ‘S’ variant, which is significantly downscaled for those who lack the space for the larger model.
Overall, if you can fit this into your PC, it’s one of the best air-based coolers. The max noise sits near 24.6dB and with a max RPM of 1500, you’ve got a powerful cooling solution here.
- Solid thermal performance
- Excellent acoustic performance
- User-friendly mounting system
- Outstanding build quality
- Comes with (2) 140mm fans
- Relatively expensive
- Hefty size
Runner up AM5 CPU cooler – Corsair iCUE H150i Elite Capellix Liquid CPU Cooler
Corsair iCUE H150i Elite Capellix XT Liquid CPU Cooler
Item Dimensions LxWxH
15.63 x 4.72 x 1.06 inches
Brand
Corsair
Cooling Method
Water
Noise Level
34.1 dB
When the Corsair H150i iCUE Elite Capellix first arrived on the scene, it was high on a lot of PC builders’ lists. Corsair managed to keep its unmatched efficiency and magnificently update its aesthetics.
The cooling potential of the H150i matches the competition and there are other similar variants to cater to a variety of case sizes too. This 360mm option is perfect for the new high-end Ryzen CPUs, and the RGB makes any system look impressive.
Speaking of aesthetics, there are a few coolers that do it as well as the Capellix. From the pump to the fans, it is incredibly well-designed, and it can provide all the cooling a high TDP CPU needs.
- Quiet Running Volume – This system should rarely break 36dBA.
- RGBs – bright and punchy, these RGBs will breathe new life into your case.
- Pump Design – A split-flow copper cold plate and a ton of micro-skived fins enable you to push your CPU to the limit.
- Price – You may have to liquidate your assets to afford this liquid asset.
- Installation – The fans can be difficult to screw into place.
Best silent AM5 CPU cooler – be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4
be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4
Socket
Multi-socket Intel: LGA 1150 / 1151 / 1155 / 1156 / 1366 / 2011(-3) square ILM / 2066. AMD: AM2(+) / AM3(+) / AM4 / FM1 / FM2(+)
Fan compatibility
120 mm
Measurements without mount (L x w x H)
5.7 x 5.35 x 6.40 inch
Fans
2
The Dark Rock Pro 4 by be quiet! is a popular option, thanks to its highly efficient cooling performance and near-silent operation. You could opt for any cooler on this list to take care of the new Zen 4 CPUs but we have always been a fan of the Dark Rock Pro 4, thanks to its efficiency, noise output, and ease of installation.
Aesthetically the Dark Rock is the rival to the Noctua above, giving you a beefy air cooler in an all-black color scheme. The size is quite large thanks to the giant heatsinks and fans but designed well enough to fit into most ATX systems. All of this performance at the low noise of 24.3 dB maxed is extremely impressive.
Lastly, the Dark Rock is very easy to install, with none of the headaches larger cooling solutions can induce.
Things to consider when picking the best AM5 CPU coolers
Here are some things to consider when considering your next AM5 cooler, or considering upgrading to AM5 from an AM4 cooler.
CPU cooler Size
What size is your PC case and what special requirements do you have? These two questions are perhaps the most important when considering a new cooler. You must check your PC case radiator compatibility and the height clearance requirements of your RAM and case, to make sure it will all fit without creating any air choke points – further worsening airflow.
Zen 4 & TDP
Zen 4 is AMD’s latest generation of CPUs and they are looking power-hungry. The only information we have about these new CPUs is the TDP of a mystery 18-core Ryzen 7000 CPU, and the TDP reads 170W.
A 170W TDP is significantly higher than any other current Ryzen CPU and will require a pretty hefty cooler to keep the high-end chips cool enough to operate properly.
What is TDP?
TDP stands for ‘Thermal Design Power’ and is the maximum amount of thermal energy a component can produce in Watts. In short, TDP is the maximum amount of heat produced at a full CPU load. TDP is your enemy and must be dissipated as quickly as possible before it builds up and causes unsafe CPU operating temperatures.
That’s where CPU coolers come in. CPU coolers bring the heat away from the CPU and dump it into the air around it, whether that be through air or water cooling. A higher TDP means more heat, more heat means you need a better CPU to dissipate it all.
Is your AM4 cooler compatible with AM5?
Speaking of TDP, AMD confirmed during the company’s keynote back at CES 2022 that the AM5 socket will be fully compatible with AM4-based CPU coolers. This is all thanks to a similar backplate screw configuration and an unorthodox IHS design on the Zen 4 CPUs themselves.
Hopefully, the backward compatibility avoids the problem of Intel LGA 1151/1200 coolers needing a special backplate adapter to fit the LGA1700 socket.
Backplate
There’s a lot of excitement around the compatibility of AM4 coolers on the AM5 platform, but we think it’s important to discuss the backplate for a second because everything isn’t what it seems.
The two pre-installed “clip” factory mounting kits that ship with AM4 motherboards will make a return on AM5. This kit can competently secure cooling solutions weighing up to 500 grams before the weight becomes a problem, the same as AMD’s AM4 socket.
Nothing differs here and you will be able to continue to use the best AM4 coolers in this configuration.
The problem with backward compatibility becomes apparent when you have to remove the default mounting solution to mount a cooler that either is not compatible with the standard mounting kit or weighs over 500 grams.
The new Socket AM5 requires a special backplate whose necessary cut-outs vastly differ from AM4, and the Socket Actuation Mechanism (SAM) is screwed directly into the backplate.
This means that if your CPU cooler requires a custom backplate to mount, you may have to wait for an upgraded version of the cooler or wait for the manufacturer to ship a backplate.
It does seem strange for manufacturers to ship backplates alone, but more than a couple opted for this solution with the release of the LGA 1700 Intel socket. The aim was to upgrade the compatibility of LGA 1200 coolers, without having to redesign the mounting mechanism.
Our tests indicate the Ryzen 7000 CPUs run hot
We strongly recommend you go for liquid cooling this time around, AMD Ryzen 7000 CPUs run hot, we’ve seen this on numerous occasions now and we just don’t think air coolers are up to the task.
Ryzen 7000 series CPUs run very hotly, even with an ASUS ROG Ryujin ii we got the 7600X up to 91 degrees Celsius. this is all thanks to the increased clock speeds of the Zen 4 cores, boasting a much larger TDP than the 5000 series.
Despite the AM4 cooler compatibility, we also don’t think a lot of the AM4 coolers are up to scratch either. With many AM4 CPUs falling short in terms of rated cooling capacity.
If you’re trying to cool a Ryzen 9 CPU we would recommend a larger CPU cooler, definitely an AIO of at least 360mm. On the flip side if you’re looking for a cooler for the Ryzen 5 or 7 family. We recommend an AIO of at least 240mm.
This is mandatory, your CPU will not last long at high temperatures. Holding a CPU in the 90-degree range can really reduce its longevity. Keeping your CPU as cool as possible is a surefire way to keep it running well and without issue for a long time.
FAQs
How do you know if your cooler is AM5 socket compatible?
First of all, the manufacturer will boast that its latest hardware is compatible with the most recent socket release, so you’ll find the information wherever you purchase your cooler. You’re looking for “AM5” under “Socket support” or something close to those words. If you have an older CPU cooler and outdated information, then AMD has you covered here too. Most AM4 coolers are forward-compatible with AM5. So this in essence means the upgrade from AM4 to AM5 should be seamless in terms of coolers. But as you will see below, it’s not that clear cut, as some AM5 coolers struggle to cool the 253W TDP titans.
What happens when a CPU overheats?
When a CPU overheats, it can lead to decreased performance and stability issues. The high temperature can cause the CPU to throttle its frequency, which slows down the processing speed to prevent further damage.
In severe cases, the heat can cause permanent damage to the CPU, leading to hardware failure. Overheating can be caused by several factors such as clogged air vents, insufficient cooling solutions, high ambient temperature, and high CPU utilization.
It’s important to monitor the temperature of a CPU and ensure adequate cooling to prevent overheating.
Conclusion
Arguably, the best CPU cooler for the Ryzen 7000 series right now, is the ASUS RYUJIN iii 360. Its massive cooling capacity and cool aesthetics make it a perfect candidate to not only look the part but play the part too.
The fact of the matter is that you can use almost any AM4 CPU cooler on the AM5 socket, but the coolers on this list are the best for both platforms currently. Manufacturers will definitely design their own coolers specifically for AM5, and we can’t wait to see what they’re capable of.
As long as you’re using a beefy cooler capable of dissipating a TDP of 170W, or over if you want to overclock, then you’ll be just fine. Whether you want to splash out on an LCD screen-wielding 360mm CPU cooler, or just pick up something budget-friendly, we have you covered in this best AM5 CPU cooler article.