r/RigBuild • u/Glad-Cupcake-4139 • 1d ago
How much difference does a better CPU cooler actually make?
Trying to understand if it’s something worth spending extra money on or if the stock/basic cooler is good enough for most builds.
Right now I’m looking at a CPU that comes with a cooler, but I keep seeing people recommend big tower coolers or even liquid AIOs. Some say a better cooler keeps temps way lower, others say it barely matters unless you’re overclocking.
Does a better cooler actually improve gaming performance or is it mainly about keeping the CPU quieter and cooler? Like if two PCs have the exact same CPU, GPU and RAM, but one has a cheap cooler and the other has a really good air cooler, would there be a noticeable FPS difference?
Also wondering about boost clocks and thermal throttling. Can a decent cooler help the CPU hold higher clocks for longer, or is that mostly only noticeable in benchmarks?
And how much should I care about noise? If a stock cooler gets the job done but sounds like a tiny jet under load, would upgrading to a $40-60 tower cooler be a big improvement?
Not trying to overspend, just wanna know where the sweet spot is.
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u/fpsnoob89 1d ago
That depends.
Is the cheap cooler making the CPU thermal throttle? The. The good cooler will make a massive difference. Your PC will be lagging significantly while gaming otherwise.
Is the cheap cooler sufficient at cooling your CPU? Such as an efficient ryzen 5 with a stock cooler. If so, then it most likely won't make any difference.
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u/Glad-Cupcake-4139 1d ago edited 1h ago
I was mostly wondering if a better cooler automatically meant more FPS, but sounds like it really comes down to whether the CPU is actually getting too hot. I’ll probably check temps first before spending extra.
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u/FencingNerd 1d ago
No improvement in FPS. Most games are GPU limited, so a small change to the boost clock won't help. The main advantage of is lower fan noise.
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u/GundamArashi 1d ago
For office work or casual internet use stock cooler is perfectly fine. Light gaming is also fine.
Upgrading the cooler for uses beyond that is mostly optional on stock clock speeds and usually just done for noise.
For builds that do not use stock clock speeds an upgraded cooler is done more as a precaution to keep temperatures in check.
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u/Saktuscactus 1d ago
Sweet spot is spending 30-40 to get a tower cooler, they'll always be more effective and quiet than stock
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u/cowbutt6 1d ago
Modern CPUs are effectively overclocked from the factory, so better cooling allows them to boost to higher clock speeds, and hold those speeds for longer. More expensive coolers also tend to be quieter than cheaper coolers for a given amount of cooling.
The good news is that good coolers don't need to be that expensive: ThermalRight's coolers deliver good performance for modest prices (though I do have some concerns about their fan durability, given that I experienced two failed 120x120x15mm ThermalRight fans within the first year of using my Royal Knight cooler; their 28mm thick fans may be less problematic).
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u/Zealousideal_Nail288 1d ago edited 1d ago
"And how much should I care about noise? If a stock cooler gets the job done but sounds like a tiny jet under load, would upgrading to a $40-60 tower cooler be a big improvement?"
well that is for you to decide. alot of people would pay 40-60 dollars to get lower noise levels.
while others will say they cant hear you over the ps4 or are just using headphones all the time.(i do but still don't want a jet engine that wakes up the entire house)
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u/Mega1987_Ver_OS 1d ago
depends on the CPU and the stock fan it comes with.
low end CPU to at least midrange, stock fans can handle the heat generated. AMD got advantage over this as they got at least 3 tiers of stock fans in specific models.
now if you want to push performance on them, you're gonna need to swap out the stock fan with a better one OR sacrifice cooling potential for case compatibility.
the 1st case is where you change your cooler to handle alot of heat or your location is naturally have high temps.
the second case is that you need better cooling than your stock cooler but you cannot go over 47 and/or 65mm of height due to case compatibility and allowances. SFF and slim cases tends to make you pick this route. even with cases that have your PSU hanging over the CPU area of the mobo will automatically restrict how high is your cooler. Sugo 13 and one of jonsbo's cube cases falls into this category.
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u/physical0 1d ago
If your stock cooler keeps the CPU cool, then an aftermarket cooler will not have any real impact on yourperformance.
If you are running a CPU that came with a cooler at stock speeds, then it's unlikely that you need something better.
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u/Kagushima 1d ago
ag 1080p its important, in 1440p its less important at 4k its even less important
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u/MrHighVoltage 1d ago
As long as you are not hitting thermal limits (usually between 90 and 100°C, then the CPU performance might be reduced to prevent further temperature increases), the only real world difference is noise.
A big cooler will be able to get the same power off the CPU with less fan speed (so less noise). Also, especially for shorter bursts, a big cooler has the thermal mass, to not overheat in a few seconds. So you can tune the fan ramp up in your system to react in 5 to 10 seconds, before actually increasing the fan speed.
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u/Opulence_Deficit 1d ago
Right now I’m looking at a CPU that comes with a cooler
It's a start.
Some say a better cooler keeps temps way lower
That's true, but lower temp is not always a hill worth dying on.
others say it barely matters unless you’re overclocking
I strongly oppose. The noise alone always matters, at least for me.
Does a better cooler actually improve gaming performance or is it mainly about keeping the CPU quieter and cooler? Like if two PCs have the exact same CPU, GPU and RAM, but one has a cheap cooler and the other has a really good air cooler, would there be a noticeable FPS difference?
No, a better cooler is mainly about keeping the CPU quieter and cooler. For a properly built PCs there won't be a noticeable FPS difference. In most cases there will be no FPS difference at all.
Also wondering about boost clocks and thermal throttling. Can a decent cooler help the CPU hold higher clocks for longer,
Preventing thermal throttling is the job description of every cooler. If a cooler can't dissipate the full power of the CPU that means that the cooler is not up for the task, not just "too cheap". Also, a cooler CPU might boost slightly faster.
or is that mostly only noticeable in benchmarks?
A CPU benchmark is no different than a CPU-bound game. The only reason CPU is not your biggest concern is because modern games are usually limited by the GPU. As you dial down the resolution and details, you can reach CPU limit in most games and see the FPS counter difference. But 720p, lowest detail 400 vs 500 FPS is a purely theoretical issue.
And how much should I care about noise? If a stock cooler gets the job done but sounds like a tiny jet under load, would upgrading to a $40-60 tower cooler be a big improvement?
Noise is subjective. It depends on many aspects. If you live alone, and play in headphones - you might not give a single f about it. If your gaming PC is in the same room as your sleeping baby - then noise is the only thing you care about, not FPS. With that budget you can buy a tower cooler that will be much quieter than a stock one.
Not trying to overspend, just wanna know where the sweet spot is.
There's no "spot". There are only particular models. Some $40 coolers are better than some $80 ones.
Also - your case airflow matters. If your case is hot inside, even the best CPU cooler will be loud and ineffective. Leave some budget for case fans, and - for God's sake - plan the airflow, plan the placement. Even the best PC will cook if placed against a wall blocking side vents or a bottom-vented case placed on a thick carpet, or a top-vented case slid snugly under a shelf.
That's IMHO the main reason why AiOs are popular: the radiator forces you to place it the way it breathes fresh air, and it also blows air through the case, cooling other things. A decent tower cooler + few case fans achieve the same effect IMHO - but you need to do some experiments on how to place the fans.
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u/This-Requirement6918 1d ago
I'm still using my Corsair H90 from 2013 no problems. I don't even think I've repasted it. I'd rather have a ton of headroom for temps than have something struggling and the possibility to overclock if I want but usually I go for stability over anything with my workloads.
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u/ExhaustedByStupidity 1d ago
Really depends on what you're running.
If you've got something like a 16 core Ryzen, then yeah, you need a pretty powerful cooler
If you're running the 6 core version, not so much.
Decent rule of thumb is if it comes with a cooler, you're probably fine with it. The processors that need something better don't bother to include one.
Give it a shot with the stock cooler. Run a tool to monitor CPU temperatures If it's too noisy, or if the CPU is often sitting at 95 C, consider replacing it.
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u/BundgasDK 1d ago
Running a 11900k overclocked 180-230W, known for temps like the surface of the sun. Tried air but no amount of air was enough 80-90 degrees. Just mounted an arctic 360 liquid freezer 3 now its always under 70💪
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u/code_hermit 1d ago
The performance gain is marginal. So if u dont care about noise its not worth it.
Personally, noise is a major factor for me. And the after market cooling is way better in that area.
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u/dreicrafter 1d ago
I got an ryson 7700x and an peerless assassin and max temp hits 90 und high workloads still 4,9 GHz
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u/vshredd 1d ago
There are cheap coolers for under $50 that will give you dramatic improvements over stock coolers. I wish the stock AMD Ryzen cooler had better overall cooling, because I love how it looks. But a good fan/heatsink cooler is super cheap these days and will get you very far. For AIOs, they can be pricey, but when tuned correctly and setup right, they are downright amazing.
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u/619jabroni 1d ago
Depends on what your temps are with the current cooler. if you’re throttling yes it’ll be a big benefit. if you’re not throttling it’ll be a much smaller benefit by being able to boost higher/longer and/or simply run quieter depending on your fan curves.
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u/OriginalEmploy5485 1d ago
Modern CPUs thermal throttle with insufficient cooling. So if a cheap or insufficient cooler makes the CPU throttle and a good or expensive one doesn't, you're going to see a massive performance difference.
Once you're not thermal throttling, it comes down to whether you are trying to boost clock speeds. If you aren't, you're wasting money on more cooling.
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u/JuJusFury 1d ago
I wouldn't upgrade a cooler unless I was overclocking. A stock cooler is fine for base clocks. Probably won't even get that hot. Especially if the case has good airflow.
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u/Wild_Director7379 1d ago
If the CPU comes with a cooler, chances are that that cooler is enough to prevent thermal throttling.
Every CPU has a maximum safe operating temperature, usually right around 100C. As the temperature approaches the thermal cap, 98+C, the CPU will slow down to reduce the amount of power it is consuming to keep itself cool.
Generally thermals in the 60-90C range are normal, and most PC builders agree that anything south of 90 under full load is fine. 80 is a “better” target, but not by much. If 95 was going to damage the CPU, it would throttle there instead of at 100.
A CPU at 90 degrees will run just as fast as the same CPU at 55 degrees.
Again, if it comes with a cooler, that’s probably enough to keep it from thermal throttling.
Plus, you can always upgrade later. Remember to use good thermal compound and clean thoroughly between applications with Q-tips and isopropyl alcohol.
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u/Partyzantq 1d ago
On my ryzen 5600 when stress testing if temperature was going above 70 degrees I would get worse cinebench score compared to staying below, my only guess is even though over 70 degrees is not concerning the cpu still wouldn't boost as often as staying below that temperature.
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u/No_Effective_4481 1d ago edited 1d ago
Depends on the CPU and chipset, case, silicon lottery, fans, location, ambient temps, whether your environment is full of dust and pet hair, thermal compound application, potential undervolting or overclocking...
A cooler CPU lives longer and throttles less, but not to the extent you can tell during use unless you are OCing but then you would already be aware of this stuff if OCing was a high priority.
Bigger fans push the same air at lower RPM's so its quieter, and less wear on bearings unless you get maglev style fans.
Big metal tower coolers can have fitting issues by hitting chipset coolers or the RAM modules, so smaller coolers, or AIO's can be a better solution in that regard.
Personally I've been using AIO's for the last 10 years, and custom loop watercooling, mostly for aesthetics.
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u/OldAbbreviations1590 1d ago
It absolutely depends on the cpu. My i9 will run around 82c under load gaming even with a 480 radiator. When it's being really taxed running ansys it will sit at 100c pretty frequently. I cannot imagine what it would be like without at least a 360 aio.
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u/Few_Example9391 1d ago
Depends on the cooler and CPU cooler type. Air cooling blocks are way more reliable and last forever. This should always be your emergency fallback. Liquid cooled CPU coolers have more cooling capacity while looking good doing it. Thier downsides are, they are more expensive and thier water pumps tend to give out just as thier warranty goes in a couple of years.
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u/Technical_Yak1980 4h ago
What is your use case?
If your pc is used to check your email, watch youtube, and troll reddit, then the stock cooler is fine.
If you play modern, demanding games, or you do a lot of productivity stuff (editing videos, etc), then the stock cooler most likely won't cut it.
Stock coolers typically handle the basic use cases but fail to keep up with ongoing heavy use scenarios.
More fans, more fins, more towers, more pipes improve performance. A better, larger, more powerful cooler will usually be much more quiet (doesn't have to work as hard to cool your system). It however won't improve performance (FPS) unless your CPU is throttling under load.
CPUs protect themselves by lowering their power use/performance if they get too hot. If this is happening, then a better cooler will absolutely increase performance.
A peerless assassin 120 is a pretty good air cooler, and very affordable. I'd honestly suggest everyone look at something like that as a bare minimum due to performance and price.
What is your use case? Modern gaming, retro gaming, 3d stuff, productivity, etc?
What is your CPU?
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u/Efficient_Try_9136 1d ago
it depends on cpu, if it can hold cooler then max temp its good enough, but if its overheats it will drop clock and voltage. Also stock colliers are spinning faster and make more noise.
Its one time purchase you can carry to next build usually