Best CPU Coolers for Ryzen 9 7900X

AMD recently launched the new Ryzen 7000 series processors including the new Ryzen 9 7900X. The Ryzen 9 7900X is based on the new Zen 4 architecture and is manufactured on a smaller 5nm process. The reduction in transistor size and the new Zen 4 architecture have resulted in around 40% better performance than Ryzen 9 5900X.

With the new Ryzen 7000 series processors, AMD has drastically increased its TDP. The Ryzen 9 7900X now comes with a TDP of 170W. With higher TDP, AMD was able to increase the clock speed. The Ryzen 9 7900X comes with a base clock speed of 4.7GHz and a boost clock speed of 5.6GHz. With support for overclocking paired with higher power consumption, an excellent CPU cooler is essential to avoid any throttling.

The Ryzen 9 7900X is a 12-core processor targeted toward hardcore gamers, streamers, and professional creators. These types of users tend to use 100% of the CPU for the most part for prolonged periods. A high-performance liquid cooler is essential to keep the temperature low and avoid any thermal throttling. In this article, we compare some of the best AIO liquid coolers and recommend our favorite.

Our Recommended CPU Cooler

In our Best CPU cooler for Ryzen 7 7700X article, we compared an AIO liquid cooler against a high-performance dual fan air cooler. Since the Ryzen 9 7900X was an 8-core chip, an air cooler was sufficient. But with the Ryzen 9 7900X having a 12-core chip with a boost clock speed of 5.6GHz, we recommend opting for an AIO liquid cooler. We recommend the NZXT Kraken X53 240mm AIO RGB Liquid Cooler for Ryzen 9 7900X.

Read Next: Best RAM for Ryzen 9 7900X

Another good-performing liquid cooler is the Corsair iCUE H100i RGB Pro XT AIO Liquid Cooler. We will be comparing the NZXT Kraken X53 and Corsair iCUE H100i RGB Pro XT liquid coolers for design and build, RGB lighting, Performance, and Noise levels to recommend a clear winner.

Design and Build

The NZXT Kraken X53 Liquid Cooler has a simple and minimalist design. The base pump comes with RGB lighting. The 240mm radiator is paired with dual 120mm Aer P fans. The radiator is made from copper and aluminum for better heat radiation.

The Corsair iCUE H100i RGB Pro XT AIO Liquid Cooler design is classic Corsair. It also has RGB lighting on the pump head which can be done with the help of the included iCUE software. We personally feel the NZXT Kraken X53 Liquid Cooler has a better design and build.

RGB Lighting

Both the NZXT Kraken X53 and Corsair iCUE H100i RGB Pro XT come with RGB lighting on the pump head. The NZXT Kraken X53 pump can be rotated so that the RGB logo can be turned in any direction. But the Corsair iCUE H100i RGB Pro XT offers more customizable thanks to the included iCUE software.

Read Next: Best CPU Coolers for Ryzen 9 7950X

Performance

In terms of performance, both the NZXT Kraken X53 and Corsair iCUE H100i RGB Pro XT liquid coolers come with dual 120mm fans paired with a high-performance pump.

The NZXT Kraken X53 liquid cooler uses dual 120mm Aer P fans which use a dynamic fluid bearing. This helps in reducing noise. It can reach a max speed of 2300RPM and combined can move 73.11 CFM of air at peak. At 2300RPM the NZXT Kraken X53 240mm AIO RGB Liquid Cooler still manages to run quietly at 36dB.

The Corsair iCUE H100i RGB Pro XT also uses dual 120mm fans with magnetic levitation. The fans can run to a max speed of 2400RPM moving 75 CFM of air. The Corsair also comes packed with iCUE software which offers better control than the NZXT Kraken X53 liquid cooler. At 2400RPM, the Corsair iCUE H100i RGB Pro XT manages to run at around 37.4dB which is very close to the NZXT Kraken X53.

In our test, the NZXT Kraken X53 AIO RGB Liquid Cooler managed to keep the CPU about 2.6 deg celsius cooler than the Corsair iCUE H100i RGB Pro XT. Also, the NZXT Kraken X53 was a lot quieter at 34.3dB. Hence we recommend the NZXT Kraken X53 240mm AIO RGB Liquid Cooler for Ryzen 9 7900X.

360mm Liquid Cooler

Many gamers, streamers, and professional creators will opt for a 360mm AIO liquid cooler. A 360mm liquid cooler is great if you tend to run the CPU at peak performance for prolonged periods. We recommend the NZXT Kraken X73 AIO RGB CPU Liquid Cooler.

The NZXT Kraken X73 is a 360mm liquid cooler with three 120mm fans. These offer the best cooling performance thanks to the 360mm radiator paired with three Aer P 120mm fans. These Aer P fans have PWM for automatic speed control. They can run at a max speed of 2300RPM. 

The high-performance pump features RGB lighting on the top and is customizable through the NZXT CAM software. The speed and intensity of the cooler can also be manually configured through the NZXT CAM software. The pump is rotatable for easy installation. 

The radiator is made up of copper and aluminum resulting in better heat dissipation. With all three fans running at peak, the Aer P fans manage to move up to 73.11 CFM of air. In terms of noise, these Aer P fans are extremely quiet maxing out at 36dB.

The NZXT Kraken X73 360mm AIO RGB CPU Liquid Cooler is a great pick to be paired with the Ryzen 9 7900X. Another excellent 360mm AIO liquid cooler with RGB fans is the CORSAIR iCUE H150i ELITE Liquid CPU Cooler. 

With three 120mm RGB fans and a customizable LCD display on the pump head. The CORSAIR iCUE H150i ELITE Liquid CPU Cooler is a great option. A detailed comparison of the NZXT Kraken X73 and CORSAIR iCUE H150i ELITE liquid coolers is on our Best CPU Cooler for Ryzen 9 7950X article.

High-Performance Air Cooler

A high-performance dual fan air cooler is more than capable of cooling the Ryzen 9 7900X. We recommend the Noctua NH-D15 Air Cooler. It is a high-performance dual 140mm fan air cooler with excellent cooling performance. 

The Noctua NH-D15 Air Cooler is capable of cooling processors of up to 250W TDP with great efficiency. Another standout feature of the Noctua NH-D15 Air Cooler is that it is super quiet even at maximum fan speed. Running at around 24dB at max speed, the Noctua NH-D15 Air Cooler is one of the best silent high-performance coolers for the Ryzen 9 7900X.

Another great alternative to the Noctua NH-D15 Air Cooler is the be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 Air Cooler. This is a more compact CPU cooler thanks to 120mm fans. Standout features of the be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 Air Cooler includes its all-black design, a seven-blade fan with fluid-dynamic bearing for improved longevity.

Affordable CPU Cooler

Since the Ryzen 9 7900X is a 170W processor, a cheap CPU cooler will not provide enough cooling. A good high-performance cooler is required to avoid any thermal throttling. There are many cheap coolers available in the market. We have gone through all of them and picked some of our favorites. We recommend the be quiet! Shadow Rock 3 Air Cooler as the best budget CPU cooler for Ryzen 9 7900X.

The be quiet! Shadow Rock 3 Air Cooler is rated to cool CPUs up to 190W with great efficiency. Since the Ryzen 9 7900X is a 170W CPU, the be quiet! Shadow Rock 3 Air Cooler is a great budget pick.

The be quiet! Shadow Rock 3 heatsink contains 5 heat pipes made of nickel-plated copper and HDT Technology (High Direct Transfer). This heatsink is paired with a 120mm be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 fan. This 120mm fan runs at a maxim speed of 1600RPM and manages to reach a noise level of 24.6dB.

The be quiet! Shadow Rock 3 Air Cooler is built in a unique asymmetrical design. This helps in easy installation on any motherboard and does not block the RAM slots. With all these features combined, the be quiet! Shadow Rock 3 Air Cooler offers excellent performance at an affordable price making it our best budget pick.

Another budget alternative is the Vetroo U6PRO Dual Tower CPU Cooler. This cooler comes with RGB lighting. It also offers excellent cooling performance thanks to its dual 120mm fan design. With a rated 220W TDP, the Vetroo U6PRO Dual Tower CPU Cooler can easily cool the Ryzen 9 7900X.