The Top 3 CPU Coolers of 2016

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What were the top 3 CPU coolers of 2016? The folks at Overclockers Club have made a list what they feel to be the best air cooler and all-in-one coolers of 2016. The article has links to reviews of each cooler selected along with a video for each as well.

As 2016 comes to a close, it is time for me to talk about the top three coolers. After reviewing many coolers throughout the year, the line blurs and it is really hard to pick, since they are all quite so good. None of them are bad, and it often comes down to price or maybe a certain color scheme that gets my attention. Testing coolers is fun - you get to see what the various manufacturers are doing to set themselves apart from each other. Sometimes it is a new pump design or maybe some new ultra-quiet fans. Fancy lighting effects seem to be the thing now, and I have to say I like every one I have seen.
 
I am so tempted to rip out the Corsair Hydro H5 SF Water Cooler in the I7 rig and put in the Reeven Justice. Mostly because of noise more then anything else from the blower that is used, works great at stock speeds but when OC it keeps it cool with a high price of noise.
 
I've owned a Corsair A70 for like...7? years now and I can't imagine today's air coolers are anything but marginally better. Heatsink tech hit a ceiling a long time ago.
 
Odd review, not sure I can trust what they say.
The 2nd place cooler DarkRock TF was released in early 2015.
Not 2016.
 
BXTS13A used in a 6850k build, doing it's job nicely for the $22.66 cost, though this package TDP is a low 84ish watts running 6 thread prime95...ymmv
 
I guess I'm not up to date. I thought Thermalright still made the best coolers (or very close to it).
 
Noctua NH-D15

Best Air Cooler. Period.

NoctuaNHD15_pspc.jpg


/Thread.
 
KIAman said:
I even have their older NH-D14 and still keeps my OC'd 6700k nice and cool 4.7Ghz @ 1.4v
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D14 cools just as well as D15 with same fans. TRUE Spirit 140 Power is a couple degrees better., but 2c for most of us doesn't mean much. ;)
 
Since I went to an AiO a few months ago I can't see myself going back to an air cooler in my main rig. I enjoy the freedom of not having an enormous air cooler blocking various screws and memory slots as my Megahalems did.
 
HeavensCloud said:
Since I went to an AiO a few months ago I can't see myself going back to an air cooler in my main rig. I enjoy the freedom of not having an enormous air cooler blocking various screws and memory slots as my Megahalems did.
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Strange, I can't see going back to a AIO cooler after riding in that sweet sweet Noctua Cadillac :D

Seriously though, I switched because safety and security issues, I didn't want a AIO cooler to have a chance of springing a leak and shorting out my components or worse. I guess its a person preference thing. That being said though, My Noctua NH-D14 is quieter & cools better than my previous Corsair AIO so its win win for me.
 
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KIAman said:
I even have their older NH-D14 and still keeps my OC'd 6700k nice and cool 4.7Ghz @ 1.4v
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I like the NH-D14, doesn't the D15 interfere with the top PCIE slot on some boards? The D14 is dang close to the GPU on a ASUS Maximus VIII GENE, but cools well.
 
nilepez said:
I guess I'm not up to date. I thought Thermalright still made the best coolers (or very close to it).
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They are still easily in the top 5. Thermalright has a few problems though. They sometimes aren't as readily available as their immediate competitors (e.g. non-existant on Newegg), they are generally more expensive for very little performance gain, and they don't come up with new designs often.
 
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I keep a Macho 2 around to test systems before going in the case, and that's what my 3770K has. No complaints, but Nans Gaming or whatever the place that carried them was out of all Thermalright stuff last time I went to order.
 
Thermalright are very good, but as already stated availability is an issue. Nan's is always out of stock and they are the only distributor in North America.
 
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doyll said:
If you check them out you will find most of those listing are either the same coolers listed many times or priced much higher than is realistic.
As I said before Nan's Gaming Gear is only distributor Thermalright supplies in America
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Actually they're also sold by Nan's, but they're cheaper on Amazon than Nan's is after shipping (assuming the order qualifies for free shipping ($50+) or you have prime). So you're right, but they seem to have 10-20 of the ones I looked at.
 
Thermalright is also now sold on newegg.
The thing is all are coming from Nan's Gaming Gear, and Nan's does not stock the full Thermalright line of coolers and fans. TRUE Spirit 140 Rev.A has been 'out of stock' for months, No Silver Arrow IB-E, Silver Arrow IB-E Extreme, Le Grand Macho RT or TRUE Spirit 120i coolers listed, no TY-147A SQ or TY-143 SQ fans listed.

TRUE Spirit 140 rev.A is a great cooler! It's offset base means is is only 69mm center CPU toward PCIe sockets and it's 165mm height is good to.
Silver Arrow IB-E is very good and the Extreme version is 4-8c better cooling . if case fans are upgraded to flow the air it needs.
Le Grand Macho RT has TY-147A fan and out-performs HR-22
TRUE Spirit 120i ihas offset base with 51mm toward PCIe sockets, is offset back so front of fan is 38.5mm toward RAM and is 150mm tall.
 
Been a fan of Thermalright hsf since the days of Ultra Extreme 120. Still have it, along with a TRUE Spirit 120 and 140. Am eyeing a TRUE Spirit 140 Power for a new build this year...
 
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