Heatsink Buying Guide – Which one to choose

The heatsink is an essential component for our PC, without which it would literally burn out. Let’s see which aftermarket heatsink is right for us and if we prefer an All-in-One liquid solution or a classic air heatsink. The difference between Intel and AMD heatsink is very obvious, in fact, the stock AMD heatsink is much more efficient than some entry-level aftermarket heatsinks.

The air cooler consists of an aluminum body flanked by one or more fans and comes in two types: low-profile and tower. The first is designed for small configurations, such as the ITX format, while the second type offers higher performance and therefore ideal for CPUs with a high TDP.

The liquid heat sink usually performs better than an air heat sink and is divided into two types: custom and All-in-One. Custom models are complicated and expensive and designed by ourselves, while AIO models are ready to use.

As the last point we must take into account the space in our case , such as the height of the tower air coolers , the length of the radiator of an AIO heatsink and the compatibility with our socket , therefore AMD AM4 or Intel 1151.

To start if you want to replace or change the thermal paste to your old or new heat sink here is what we recommend.

1. LOW BAND DISSIPATOR

Arctic Freezer 7 Pro Rev. 2

This heatsink has a 92mm fan with 2 copper heat pipe cooling . It is compatible with AMD AM4 / AM3 (+) / AM2 (+) / FM2 / FM1 or Intel LGA 115x / 1366/775 sockets and is included with  pre-applied thermal paste .

We recommend this heatsink only for Intel configurations , as the Ryzen stock solution offers better cooling. Great for replacing and earning a few ranks for an Intel budget setup.

2. MEDIUM BAND HEAT SINK

Cooler Master Hyper 212X

This heatsink mounts a 120mm fan with a 4 heat-pipe cooling unit. It is compatible with AMD AM4 / AM3 (+) / AM2 (+) / FM2 / FM1 or Intel LGA 115x / 2066/2011-v3 / 2011/1366/775 sockets and is included with a tube of  thermal paste to be applied .

This is the new variant of the excellent Hyper 212 Evo, one of the best in this range, with small optimizations and a matte rather than a transparent fan. The company promises a longer-lived fan than the previous model.

Cooler Master MasteLiquid Lite ML240L

This liquid cooler mounts a 240mm radiator with two 120mm fans included . It is compatible with AMD AM4 / AM3 (+) / AM2 (+) / FM2 / FM1 or Intel LGA 115x / 2066/2011-v3 / 2011/1366/775 sockets.

Cooler Master offers this AIO with a decidedly excellent look; an excellent solution for its price range that will give us excellent temperatures. Its small size will make installation simple on most homes.

3. HIGH BAND DISSIPATOR

Noctua NH-D15

This Noctua mounts two 140mm fans on a 6 copper heat-pipe cooling unit . It is compatible with AMD AM4 / AM3 (+) / AM2 (+) / FM2 / FM1 or Intel LGA 115x / 2011-v3 / 2011/1366/775 sockets and is included with a tube of  thermal paste to be applied .

Noctua is well known for the superior quality and silence of its products. Surely in looking for the solution that best suits you you have come across the products of the Austrian house. This model is based on the predecessor, NH-D14, which still proves to be a valid product nowadays. The new version brings technical improvements to make sure that the NH-D15 is a leader in performance and silence. The products of this house offer a pleasant premium touch, from the accessories present to the packaging, obviously, you will have to go over the coloring of the fans or buy separately the black version of the fans, Cromax.

Corsair Hydro H115i Pro RGB

The high-end Corsair AIO solution is found in a heatsink with a 280mm radiator with two 140mm fans included. It is compatible with AMD AM4 / AM3 (+) / AM2 (+) / FM2 / FM1 or Intel LGA 115x / 2011-v3 / 2011/1366 sockets and is included with  pre-applied thermal paste .

This AIO will give you the opportunity to push your processor to the maximum, thanks to the large radiator and excellent heat dissipation, accompanied by RGB lighting on the pump. Corsair products are known to be simple but effective, to give the PC an extra touch of design. Before purchasing, check if your case can house 280mm radiators and also measure the width to be sure it doesn’t run smoothly.

Also read: Buy Best Cordless Lawn Mowers

CONCLUSION

In this guide, we have seen the various heat sinks recommended by us for various price ranges. We leave you below links to our guides on how to monitor the temperatures of your PC and then evaluate a new heat sink and a guide on how to change the thermal paste.