Best CPU Cooler for i5 9600K
The overclocking support of i5 9600K is exceptional, and there are some of the best CPU coolers for i5 9600K that you can consider for your build.
Best CPU Cooler for i7 11700K
Intel released their Rocket Lake processors in early 2021, and these processors ensure no bottlenecking with the Nvidia RTX-30 series of graphics cards. These processors give AMD counterparts a tough time and provide much identical or even better performance for a great price. Still, the PCIe lanes (see also how many PCIe lanes does M.2 slot use here) problem is available on the Intel 500 series of motherboards, and their chipset lacks its lanes but shares the CPU lanes. To reduce thermal throttling, you need some excellent aftermarket cooling solutions, and there are some of the best CPU Cooler for i7 11700K (we also have for i5 9600K here) that you can consider in 2021.
The Core i7 11700K is eight cores and sixteen threads processor with hyper-threading enabled. The base clock of this processor is 3.60 GHz, while the boost clock of this CPU is 5 GHz which you can easily achieve with a potent CPU cooler. Intel again bought a new chipset, and these processors are not going to work with older chipsets. Also, even after checking all these CPU coolers, you still can’t decide which one is best for you. There is a buying guide that you can check, and it will help you pick up a cooler as you will know what product will be best for your build.
Quick CPU Cooler Recommendations for i7 11700K
| Award | Model | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Best Premium CPU Cooler for i7 11700K |
Noctua NH-D15
|
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| Best Silent CPU Cooler for i7 11700K |
Be Quiet Dark Rock Pro 4
|
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| Best Budget Liquid Cooler for i7 11700K |
ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
|
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| Best Silent Liquid Cooler for i7 11700K |
Be quiet! Pure Loop 280
|
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| Best Cheap CPU Cooler for i7 11700K |
Scythe Mugen 5 Rev.B
|
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Quick Buying Tips!
TDP: The first thing you need to look at while buying a CPU cooler is the TDP of the processor and check what TDP that cooler can handle. The TDP is also known as Thermal design power, and it’s the maximum heat that a processor produces at its peak performance, and you can easily check it out on the CPU box or the manufacturer’s website. If the cooler handles the heat generated by the processor, you can do a little bit of overclocking, but if it doesn’t, it will result in thermal throttling and will ruin your gaming experience.
Liquid or Air Cooler: This is one of the most confusing things as users can’t decide either they need a liquid or an air cooler. There is a decade-year-old war between both of these coolers that which one is better. If you are low on budget, get a good air cooler, but if you can afford a liquid cooler and are willing to do some serious overclocking, you are good to go with the liquid cooler. Air coolers are mostly preferred as they have a low number of moving parts and are very easy to install, while liquid coolers need a large space to install.
Socket Compatibility: Usually, coolers come with both Intel and AMD support, and you can pair them with most of the sockets out there, but sometimes manufacturers release some coolers specifically for a socket. In that case, you can’t use that cooler with other sockets like the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo is compatible with both Intel and AMD sockets but not with TR4, so with that processors, you need to get a different cooler especially made for them.
You might be interested in this article what is AMD equivalent to Intel Core i7.
Best CPU Cooler for i7 11700K Reviews
The Noctua coolers are my favorites because they are affordable and give excellent value for our pay price. We have the NH-D15, the company’s flagship cooler, and can overclock any high-end processor without breaking a sweat, and it performs similarly to the 280mm AIOs. There are no RGB fans on this cooler, and the aesthetics are also straightforward, but there is no rival when it comes to the performance, which makes the users consider it for their builds. In our case, it can easily handle the Intel Core i7 11700K and will give you exceptional overclocking headroom.
The Noctua NH-D15 has dual tower heatsinks and six heatsink pipes that connect the CPU block to the heatsinks. Two fans blow air to the heatsink, where one is located at the front while the other is sandwiched between the heatsinks. The two 120mm fans on this cooler run quietly, but sometimes, they go a bit loud when on the high load. One problem that most of the users face with this kind of cooler is the installation, as due to its large size, the installation is not going to be easy. However, it comes with all required accessories to install and a user manual, making the process easier.
The price of this cooler is relatively high compared to other coolers, but it still looks affordable as it performs similar to 280mm AIOs, which costs half price compared to them. For modern RGB builds, an entirely black-colored variant of this cooler is released, but that also lacks the RGB lights or fans. If you still think it’s expensive, don’t worry because we’ve got some other great options you can consider.
The Be Quiet Dark Rock Pro 4 offers exceptional performance and quiet operation for a slightly lower price than the NH-D15. Be Quiet is a top-tier brand in manufacturing CPU coolers, and as the name suggests, this cooler works much more silently than its competitors. It’s aesthetically pleasing but still doesn’t come with RGB fans or lights, and the two fans which come pre-installed on it give excellent airflow to the heat exchange surface of the heatsinks. Again, it’s a dual-tower cooler, and its performance is much similar to NH-D15 and Deepcool Assassin III, so it’s worth considering.
There are seven heatsink pipes on this cooler, which helps in the heat’s dissipation and increase the cooler’s thermal performance. The dark theme of this cooler is well suited for the latest RGB casing and motherboards and is loved by users. The 120mm fans on this cooler are replaceable, but that would not be an easy procedure as it requires the disassembly of the cooler. Air coolers usually give a better lifespan than liquid coolers, and the company claims this can work more than 300 000 hours. Intel i7 11700K has a TDP of 125W, while this cooler supports up to 250W, which is impressive.
The simplicity of this cooler at one place, but the reason we recommend you is the excellent features and aesthetics. The heat spreading area on the radiator is one of the best in their class, and we’ve never seen something like it before. There is a small fan on the CPU block of this cooler, which helps cool down the VRM heatsinks, and a few manufacturers have put that fan there while most of them lack it. This helps in better overclocking the processor and makes all of the components on the motherboard cool down.
With the help of a 280mm radiator, this cooler can efficiently cool down the Intel Core i7 11700K 125W TDP without having any sweat. It comes in various radiator sizes, and you can consider the one which fits perfectly with your cooling requirements. There are no RGB lights on this cooler, but still, it looks good in modern RGB builds. The pipes lack flexible joints and are coming straight from the CPU block, making it hard to manage in casings. Other than that, there is no problem with this cooler, and I would say it’s the best cooler for overclocking the Intel Core i7 11700K.
The noise of this cooler never crossed 25.7 dBA in our tests, which impressed us much, and if you own an utterly closed casing, you will never listen to the fan noise. The manufacturers claim that they have filled the tubes and tested all of the coolers before boxing them. A maintenance-free loop allows users to install it and never worry about it. Overall it’s the best CPU cooler for i7 11700K that you can consider in 2021.
Be Quiet is a reputed manufacturer of air and liquid coolers, and they are known for being the quietest coolers. Another thing that impressed me is the durability of their coolers as they give more than three years of warranty. The aesthetics of this cooler are appealing, and the dark color scheme of Be Quiet is perfect for modern RGB casings and motherboards. The sides of the water block have white LED lights installed on the edges, making sure that the cooler is working and plays some part in the looks of this cooler. If you also want to purchase some LED lights for a gaming room, you can check this article here.
The previous AIO lacks flexible tube joints, but luckily, this one comes with them and is easy to install in the casing. The loop[ of this cooler is not maintenance-free like the cooler mentioned above, but you need to refill it regularly. The refilling port of this cooler is located on the radiator, and you can easily get the process done even if you have never done it before. The two 140mm fans named Pure Wings 2 are also used on some other Be Quiet air and liquid coolers that work silently and cool down the radiator vents.
The loop refilling is a significant problem, but it also lacks the VRM fan, and it would be great if it comes with it. The fans are quiet, and Be Quiet does marketing on the quietness of their fans, but it feels a bit loud when running at higher RPMs, but for completely closed casings, you will not have any problem.
When you can’t afford the dual-tower coolers but are still willing to get something that can overclock your Intel Core i7 11700K, there we have got an excellent option for you. Scythe Mugen 5 Rev B comes with a single tower heatsink and a fan, but there is an option for an additional fan, and you can install it as per your requirements. The mounting system of this cooler has springs that help in better contact of the CPU block with the processor integrated heatsink. There is no clearance issue with this cooler, and it allows you to install 40mm memory kits without having any problems.
The aesthetics of this cooler are very straightforward as it has a nickel-colored copper coating on the heatsink and grey colored fan. The fan mounting of this cooler is a little complicated, and the heatsink is slightly large, which makes the cooler mounting process a little difficult. The company claims 120 000 hours working for their fans, and it comes with a five years of warranty which ensures the durability of the product. It is the lowest-priced cooler for overclocking some mid-range processors like Intel Core i9 11900K (also, see good motherboards for the i9 11900K), and I would say it’s the best consideration for a budget air cooler.
Conclusion
Intel Core i7 11700K is undoubtedly a great processor for gaming and productivity work, and the balance of performance compared to mainstream and flagship processors in the series is amazing. The eight cores and sixteen threads are enough to handle most of the latest titles, and it performs somewhere similar to the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X with an identical price.
As you might already know, that processor can’t give its maximum output without having a potent motherboard and cooler. A dedicated guide on the best motherboards for i7 11700K is also available to you, but there we’re listing up some of the best coolers for this processor that you can consider buying in 2023. The very first air cooler I would recommend you to pick with this processor is Noctua NH-D15. This cooler doesn’t care what processor is equipped with, as it can even overclock the mighty i9 9900K. Also, if you are a bit low on budget, you can consider the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo. There are a lot of other options available so give them a look.
Also, I would not recommend you to get a liquid cooler for this processor if you are a little tight on budget, as a good air cooler can easily handle the heat produced by this processor. But if you are thinking of overclocking this processor, you need an excellent AIO so that there will be no thermal throttling in this processor.
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