Best Coolers For AMD AM5 PCs In 2024

AMD has made its first platform change in some time with Ryzen 7000. The new chips are for the AM5 socket, and all of them need to be cooled. AMD doesn’t always include a cooler in the box with its Ryzen CPUs, so you’ll often need to provide one yourself, especially for high-end models, because the better the cooling, the better the performance – not to mention a better cooler means quieter fans.

Fortunately, while the socket has changed, existing AM4 coolers will work just fine with AM5. The placement of the holes is the same as on AM4, and so most AM4-compatible brackets will work on an AM5 motherboard (though there are situations where this isn’t the case). It’s a much simpler situation than when Intel introduced LGA 1700 and cooler manufacturers had to issue new brackets for every cooler. There are a lot of CPU coolers out there, both air and liquid, but if you’re getting started with a Ryzen 7000 CPU, here are some of my favorites.

Editor’s Choice

Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE CPU Cooler

Thermalright’s Peerless Assassin 120 SE is a value-oriented CPU cooler that costs around $40 and offers six heatpipes and two 120mm fans. That’s enough cooling capacity for almost any AM5 CPU, and will keep your PC at optimal temperatures under load. Plus, it looks pretty decent, which is always an important consideration for large CPU coolers.
Best low-profile cooler

Noctua NH-L9a-AM5

Fans of small form-factor builds usually have to compromise on CPU power, but the low-profile NH-L9a-AM5 is up to the task of cooling any midrange Ryzen 7000 series processor. It’s perfect for mini-ITX PCs, or other builds that have limited clearance for the CPU cooler, and comes with a nearly silent fan.
Best low-end air cooler

Thermalright Assassin X120

Thermalright’s Assassin X120 is an affordable CPU air cooler that’s capable of cooling any midrange AM5 CPU you mount it to. With four heatpipes and a single 120mm fan, it can whisk heat away from the processor and out of your case in short order, and it looks more stylish than its price would have you assume.
Best high-end air cooler

Cooler Master MasterAir MA824 Stealth

$86 $100 Save $14

The Cooler Master MasterAir MA824 Stealth is a high-performance air cooler with dual fans to maximize airflow over the fin stack. Those Mobius fans are quiet, and shift tons of air to keep temperatures in check. The best thing is how easy it is to mount, with screws that go all the way through the finstack, so you don’t have to stretch your screwdriver hand much.
Best 240mm liquid cooler

be quiet! BW017

$95 $115 Save $20

Be quiet! makes some of our favorite CPU coolers, and the BW017 is no exception. With 240mm of radiator space, it’s perfect for small form-factor builds or midrange CPUs. And with the decoupled pump design, which is able to be refilled, it will stay quiet and cool for years to come.
Best 240mm liquid cooler with RGB

Arctic Liquid Freezer II 240 A-RGB

Arctic’s Liquid Freezer II 240 A-RGB is a refresh of one of the company’s most popular liquid coolers, now sporting RGB lighting. It has two 120mm A-RGB fans, sleeved liquid tubes, and a slimline CPU block with an offset coldplate for peak performance on AM5. It also won’t interfere with the RAM slots, so you can use whichever DIMMs you like the look of.
Best 360mm liquid cooler

CoolerMaster MasterLiquid ML360L ARGB V2

The Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML360L ARGB V2 is a well-performing liquid cooler with 360mm of radiator capacity. The dual-chamber pump is designed to be quieter than Asetek designs, and you get three 120mm A-RGB fans for added style. It’s a cost-effective cooling system for even the spiciest CPUs.
Best 420mm liquid cooler

Corsair iCUE H170i Elite LCD XT

Bigger doesn’t always mean better, but it does apply to the Corsair iCUE H170i Elite LCD XT. It has a 420mm radiator with three 140mm fans for excellent thermal performance. You don’t just get fantastic cooling capacity, as the CPU block has an IPS LCD screen to show performance metrics, or maybe the latest memes in GIF form.
Best passive

Noctua NH-P1

While not every AM5 processor can be tamed by the completely passive NH-P1, it’s good for the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D and below, so you can go completely fanless if you prefer. This oversized cooler uses natural convection to whisk away heat from the CPU, and it doesn’t interfere with RAM slot clearance, so you can use those high-profile DIMMs you’ve been eyeing.

A recap of the best CPU coolers for the AM5 platform in 2024

Since AM5 shares cooler compatibility with AM4, there are lots of options for anyone building a PC using AM5 motherboards and Ryzen 7000 CPUs. Even existing coolers made for AM4 will work, though they may require a mounting bracket designed for AM5. However, since the top-end Ryzen 9 chips consume much more power than those from the last generation, you might find yourself needing a higher-end cooling solution if you plan on getting the Ryzen 9 7900X or 7950X.

For non-X Ryzen CPUs like the Ryzen 7 7700 and even the Ryzen 7 7800X3D, I recommend Thermalright’s Assassin 120X. These CPUs only consume up to 90 watts under full load, and even less in gaming, making them very easy to cool even with a $30 to $50 cooler. The higher-end Cooler Master MasterAir MA824 Stealth and the AIOs are better for X model Ryzens and the Ryzen 9 7900X3D and 7950X3D. For Ryzen 9 CPUs, I recommend getting a 360mm or 420mm cooler like Cooler Master’s MasterLiquid ML360 or Corsair’s iCUE H170i Elite LCD XT.

You should also consider whether a high-end air cooler for an AIO liquid cooler is best for you. Air coolers like Thermalright’s Peerless Assassin 120 SE are generally equal to 280mm and 360mm liquid coolers in performance but take up more space and can make it challenging to perform maintenance. On the other hand, it’s more common to find support for big air coolers than it is for 360mm radiators. Check the specifications of your PC case to see whether it supports the cooler you want the most. If it doesn’t, it might be time to upgrade your chassis.