At Tech4Gamers, I take on the role of Hardware Reviewer with pride. My responsibilities involve a thorough examination of essential hardware components like motherboards, graphics cards, processors, PC cases, and CPU coolers, among others, focusing on their complexities and functionalities.
Hayyan Serwer
As the CPU Cooler and RAM Expert, I test the latest hardware to provide tips for smart purchases. I cover everything from busting myths about CPU coolers to looking into the newest RAM designs, examining various parts of PC hardware.
With the rapid increase in clock speeds and power consumption in processors from both Intel and AMD, buying an aftermarket cooler has become a must to get the maximum performance out of your processor. However, selecting the ideal cooler for your particular budget and use case can be a bit challenging. Keeping that in mind, I have curated a shortlist of the very best CPU coolers that you can buy for under $100, based on my own testing and hands-on experience.
Why you can trust Tech4Gamers: Our roundups feature products that are based on dedicated hands-on testing by our teamof experienced hardware experts. Find out more about how we test.
I’ve also compiled a comparison table showcasing my top choices for CPU coolers under $100:
Cooler
DeepCool AK620
Be Quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4
DeepCool AS500 Plus
Noctua NH-L9i Chromax.black
ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 240 A-RGB
Cooler Master Hyper 212 Black Edition
Looks
Award
Best Overall CPU Cooler Under $100
Best Silent CPU Cooler Under $100
Best White CPU Cooler Under $100
Best Low Profile CPU Cooler Under $100
Best AiO Liquid Cooler Under $100
Best Value CPU Cooler Under $100
What We Liked
Great performance, Amazing RAM clearance
Low noise levels, Excellent performance
Elegant design, Excellent performance, Great RAM clearance
Excellent RAM clearance, 6 years warranty, Silent operation
Great value, Exceptional performance, VRM fan included
Amazing value, Excellent case compatibility, Great RAM clearance
Cooling Performance: The DeepCool AK620 features a dual tower design, with six 6mm copper heat pipes soldered to the base plate. The fans have a noise level of 28 dBA, which means the cooler stays relatively quiet even at maximum load. In my testing, the DeepCool AK620 managed a temperature of 54.7°C on an Intel Core i7-10700K at 5.0 GHz on all cores.
Build Quality: The DeepCool AK620 has a height of 160mm, which is surprisingly compact for a cooler that delivers this much performance. The aluminum fin stack on top of the base plate features a square pattern that helps reduce the noise levels. It consists of a total of 50 nickel-plated fins which help to give the cooler a premium feel in my opinion.
Aesthetics: The top of the cooler is capped using black plastic covers, giving the AK620 a unique look. Moreover, the cooler provides a clean design with its gigantic fin stack and nickel-plated copper heat pipes. There is a stark lack of RGB lighting, which may not be ideal if you love personalizing your PC components.
Here’s what our CPU cooler specialist, Nauman Siddique, had to say about the DeepCool AK620.
It delivers strong thermal performance and low noise levels, making it a hidden gem for air-cooling enthusiasts.
Buy It If:
Here are a few shots from our review:
DeepCool AK620
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DeepCool AK620 (Image by Tech4Gamers)
DeepCool AK620 heatpipes (Image by Tech4Gamers)
DeepCool AK620 fins
✅ You want reliable performance: The excellent cooling performance is the key highlight of the DeepCool AK620 according to my test results.
✅ You want excellent compatibility: DeepCool has also done a great job in providing mounting kits for newer processors and sockets, so there should be no problems regarding compatibility.
Don’t Buy It If:
❌ You want RGB lighting: While the clean aesthetic completely makes up for the lack of RGB, it still might be an issue for someone who already has an RGB build.
What Makes It The Best Overall CPU Cooler Under $100?
Ultimately, the DeepCool AK620 has a competitive price and provides top-of-the-line cooling performance in this range. When it comes to CPU coolers that provide amazing value, the DeepCool AK620 is one of the first ones that come to mind, as its efficient cooling performance with the clean dual tower design makes it the best overall CPU cooler under $100.
Cooling Performance: The Be Quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 features a total of seven copper heat pipes which is already an upgrade on most air coolers in this budget. It has a noise output of 24.3 dBA, which is surprisingly low for a dual-tower cooler. My testing showed that the Dark Rock Pro 4 keeps the Core i7 12700k at 26°C on idle, and 78.6°C on load.
Build Quality: One thing that was obvious to me about the Dark Rock Pro 4 right out of the box is its massive size, with a height of 163mm, a length of 146mm, and a width of 136mm. This imposing size is reflective of its solid build quality. The cut-out at the bottom of the cooler for extra RAM clearance is also a significant upgrade over the Dark Rock 3.
Aesthetics: The cooler uses an all-black finish which is done using a ceramic coating instead of a paint job which helps improve the efficiency of the heat sinks. Although it doesn’t have any RGB lighting, it still looks phenomenal when installed in a case thanks to its all-black fans and blacked-out aluminum fins.
PRO TIP: Always cross-check the compatibility of your RAM with your CPU cooler, since the Dark Rock Pro 4 is a hefty CPU cooler with a width of 136mm.
Buy It If:
We captured some images during our review:
Be Quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4
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Be Quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 (Image By Tech4Gamers)
Be Quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 Heatsink (Image By Tech4Gamers)
Be Quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 Base (Image By Tech4Gamers)
✅ You want a silent experience: The main selling point of the Be Quiet Dark Rock Pro 4 is its top-notch performance with low noise levels of just 24.3 dBA. Surprisingly, the Dark Rock Pro 4 has noise levels lower than even some single-tower coolers.
✅ You want to overclock the CPU: The level of performance that the be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 manages to provide is comparable to that of an AiO liquid cooler as per my testing. With a rated TDP of 250W, the Dark Rock Pro 4 can overclock even the most power-hungry processors.
Don’t Buy It If:
❌ You want an easier installation experience: While Be Quiet! Has done a lot to improve the installation process of the Dark Rock Pro 4, it can still be tricky, especially for beginners installing a CPU cooler for the first time.
What Makes It The Best Silent CPU Cooler Under $100?
If you are looking for a CPU air cooler that can overclock your high-end processor while remaining silent, then the Dark Rock Pro 4 from Be Quiet! is perfect for you. The clean aesthetic coupled with the unbeatable noise-to-performance ratio makes the Be Quiet Dark Rock Pro 4 the best silent CPU cooler under $100.
Cooling Performance: The cooler is rated to have a TDP of 220W and has a total of 5 copper heat pipes. Furthermore, the cooler has a noise output of 29 dBA which is reasonable for a cooler with 140mm fans. My Core i7 10700K @ 5.0GHz all-core stabilized at a peak delta temperature of 55.5C during my testing, which is a great result.
Build Quality: One thing that’s apparent right off the bat is its compact size, it has a width of 142mm and a length of 102mm. In addition, the high fin density further improves the build quality of the entire cooler in my opinion. The new AS500 Plus White is an upgrade from the original AS500, it comes with improved build quality and cooling performance.
Aesthetics: The AS500 Plus White has an all-white finish, with a small RGB strip at the top of the aluminum fin stack. Additionally, an ARGB controller is also present in the accessory box, giving you control of the color and modes of the RGB. The fans feature a unique criss-cross fin design that provides improved aesthetics and airflow.
WARNING: While the AS500 Plus White is very slim, it does have a height of 164mm which may cause compatibility issues with mid-tower PC cases.
Buy It If:
Take a look at a few pictures from our review:
DeepCool AS500 Plus White
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DeepCool AS500 Plus White. (Image by Tech4Gamers)
DeepCool AS500 Plus White Fins
DeepCool AS500 Plus on our test-bench
✅ You want a unique white design: DeepCool has essentially nailed the design with the AS500 Plus White. From the clean white finish to the subtle RGB on top of the cooler, everything about the design is close to perfection.
✅ You want a simple installation experience: DeepCool has gone out of its way to make the installation process extremely simple, on top of that the AS500 Plus white is compatible with most sockets from Intel and AMD.
Don’t Buy It If:
❌ You have a smaller PC case: The DeepCool AS500 Plus White does not have many weaknesses aside from a few nitpicks, such as its height of 164mm, which is bound to cause some issues with smaller cases.
What Makes It The Best White CPU Cooler Under $100?
The DeepCool AS500 is a solid CPU air cooler that competes with the likes of Noctua’s NH-D15 and the Dark Rock Pro 4 from Be Quiet. DeepCool has gone above and beyond with the build quality and design of this CPU cooler, and the excellent RAM clearance along with superb performance make the DeepCool AS500 Plus White the best white CPU cooler under $100.
Cooling Performance: The Noctua NH-L9i consists of only two copper heat pipes, it has a total of 53 aluminum fins. It has a maximum noise output of 23.6 dBA which is also quite impressive. I tested the Noctua NH-L9i Chromax Black with an overclocked Core i9-12900K @4.9 GHz on the P-Cores and found a peak load temperature delta of 68.2C.
Build Quality: Standing at a height of 37mm, the Noctua NH-L9i is one of the smallest coolers you can get. It has a depth and width of 95mm, and the slim design allows it to offer excellent RAM clearance, making it perfect for mini-ITX builds in my experience. Noctua has used their NF-A9x14 HS-PWM fan which uses an SS02 bearing, and is known for its premium quality.
Aesthetics: With the Noctua NH-L9i Chromax Black, Noctua has introduced a low-profile cooler featuring an all-black design. Gone is the unsightly brown and beige that is synonymous with Noctua products. Instead, the all-black design looks extremely attractive in my opinion, even if it does lack RGB lighting.
I turned to our resident CPU cooler specialist, Nauman Siddique, for his view on the Noctua NH-L9i Chromax Black.
The NH-L9i is Noctua’s first small cooler designed for ITX and HTPC builds. The all-black style extends not just to the outside but also to the heat pipes, fans, vibration cushions, and screws.
Buy It If:
Here are a few snaps from our review:
Noctua NH-L9i Chromax.Black
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Noctua NH-L9i Chromax.Black (Image by Tech4Gamers)
Noctua NH-L9i Chromax.Black installed
Noctua NH-L9i Chromax.Black Base
✅ You have a compact PC case: Its small height of 37mm makes it compatible with almost every mini-ITX case and motherboard out there. Its RAM compatibility is also better than any CPU cooler under $100 that I have tested so far.
✅ You want a black Noctua cooler: The all-black design in the Chromax black edition of the cooler is a huge upgrade from the brown design of the older models which was famous for ruining the aesthetic of the entire build.
Don’t Buy It If:
❌ You want to overclock the CPU: While Noctua has done a good job with the overall design and noise levels of the cooler, its performance levels do not allow for noticeable overclocking results.
❌ You want RGB lighting: The NH-L9i chromax.black features no RGB at all, which might be a bummer for RGB-focused builds.
What Makes It The Best Low Profile CPU Cooler Under $100?
The Noctua NH-L9i Chromax black sets the bar high for low-profile air coolers, featuring great aesthetics, solid build quality, and low noise levels. Its amazing RAM clearance and PC case compatibility make it ideal for compact mini ITX builds, making it the best low profile CPU cooler under $100.
Cooling Performance: The Arctic Liquid Freezer II 240 ARGB delivers exceptional cooling performance thanks to its solid pump block and two identical fans, which have an air pressure of 48.8 CFM and a static pressure of 1.85mm H20. In my testing with the i9-12900K OC, the Liquid Freezer II peaked at a delta temperature of just 38.3C under load.
Build Quality: What stands out to me about the Liquid Freezer II 240 A-RGB is obviously the pump unit which comes with a 40mm VRM fan that can spin up to a speed of 3000 RPM. Arctic has used a 240mm radiator that has a thickness of 38mm, which adds to the overall build quality of the cooler. The radiator also comes equipped with rubber pads that absorb vibrations.
Aesthetics: The pump block is rather simple in design, but the fans do have beautiful RGB lighting in my opinion. While Arctic does not include an ARGB controller, the RGB can still be controlled using software such as ASUS Aura Sync, MSI Mystic Light, and RGB Fusion 2.0. Arctic has also used a 450mm tube with braided sleeves that make the design stand out.
PRO TIP: Make sure you have space for a 240mm radiator in your case before buying this CPU cooler.
Buy It If:
We also captured some shots during our review:
ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 240 A-RGB
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ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 240 A-RGB (Image By Tech4Gamers)
ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 240 A-RGB (Image By Tech4Gamers).
RGB Showcase (Image By Tech4Gamers)
✅ You want top-notch cooling performance: With a rated TDP of over 200W, The Liquid Freezer II is able to handle even the most power-hungry processors according to my testing, even while overclocking.
✅ You want a built-in VRM fan: The inclusion of the VRM fan into the pump block can especially be a game-changer for motherboards with weak VRM cooling systems.
Don’t Buy It If:
❌ You want an easier installation process: There are a few minor inconveniences in the installation process such as the single connector which controls both the pump and the fan, and the lack of a user manual in the box.
What Makes It The Best AiO Liquid Cooler Under $100?
The Liquid Freezer II RGB is one of the best 240mm AiO coolers one can currently purchase, thanks to its low noise levels, elegant design, and top-notch performance all in an affordable price range, making it the best AiO liquid cooler under $100.
Cooling Performance: The Cooler Master Hyper 212 Black Edition is a single-tower air cooler that features a total of four heat pipes in direct contact with the baseplate. The Silencio FP120 fan has an air pressure of 2.9mm H20 and an airflow of 42 CFM. Even while spinning at the maximum speed, I found the peak fan noise level to be quite comfortable at 26 dBA.
Build Quality: Unlike most air coolers that use fan clips to mount the fan, Cooler Master uses fan brackets that make the installation of an extra fan much easier. An extra set of fan clips is also present with the cooler, allowing you to add another fan. Due to its slim design, RAM and GPU clearance should was not an issue in my experience, and the build quality is adequate.
Aesthetics: Cooler Master has launched the Black Edition of the Hyper 212, which performs just as well as the other iterations of the Hyper 212 but with an all-black aesthetic. The clean design fits really well with the industrial theme of the Hyper 212, and while the cooler does not have any RGB lighting, it really does look attractive in a case.
Editor`s Note
The Cooler Master Hyper 212 has been around for a long time, and for good reason. With a little bit of digging, even the Black Edition can be found for under $50, which gives it a gigantic advantage over the other coolers in terms of value. This cooler will not let you down if you are looking for an entry-level cooler for your new build.
– Hayyan Serwer
Buy It If:
✅ You want superb value for money: The unbeatable price-to-performance ratio is what stands out about the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Black Edition. While the price does fluctuate a lot, you can certainly manage to find one under $50, which is surprising for the performance it delivers.
✅ You want an all-black air cooler: The all-black aesthetic of the Cooler Master Hyper 212 with nickel-plated copper heat pipes simply looks amazing.
Don’t Buy It If:
❌ You want to overclock the CPU: Depending on your CPU of choice, you may be able to get a moderate amount of overclocking performance out of this cooler but don’t expect anything fancy in this department.
What Makes It The Best Value CPU Cooler Under $100?
The Cooler Master Hyper 212 Black Edition is perfect for anyone looking to get an air cooler for their first build due to its easy installation and excellent value. The Cooler Master Hyper 212 Black Edition provides all of this at a low price point, making it the best value CPU cooler under $100.
Performance: 8/10
Value: 10/10
Features: 8/10
Design: 8/10
Thermal Benchmarks
To make sure the coolers I recommend offer truly the best bang for the buck under $100, my team and I tested all of them, here are our results:
Thermal Benchmarks
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Benchmarks (Image by Tech4Gamers)
Benchmarks (Image By Tech4Gamers)
Benchmarks (Image By Tech4Gamers)
Benchmarks (Image By Tech4Gamers)
How We Tested & Picked The Best CPU Coolers Under $100
Ensure you’re aware of these pivotal factors when you’re shopping for a CPU cooler in a budget under $100.
Type: CPU coolers come in many different types and sizes such as dual-tower air coolers, single-tower air coolers, All-In-One liquid coolers, and low-profile air coolers. A larger dual tower CPU cooler with a huge footprint would require an adequate casing to fit into; whereas, smaller low-profile coolers can even be installed in small form factor cases.
Compatibility: Before purchasing your next cooler, you need to make sure it is compatible with your processor. This can be done by visiting the manufacturer’s website. You also need to make sure you have the correct mounting brackets. In case you are not provided the required mounting brackets with the cooler, extra ones can be bought separately.
Efficiency and Performance: Performance is essentially the most important factor when choosing a cooler for beefier processors. There is no point in buying a CPU cooler that can’t perfectly cool your CPU. A relatively simple way of measuring the performance your CPU cooler can deliver is by looking at its rated TDP.
Size and Clearance: CPU coolers are generally available in a number of sizes; picking the right size depends on the type of case you have. Usually, mid-tower cases have a CPU cooler clearance of up to 165mm. One must also ensure that there is no interference between the RAM kits and the CPU cooler itself.
FAQs
What is a good budget CPU cooler for gaming?
The DeepCool AK620 and the be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 are two great options for good CPU coolers on a budget. Both of them offer excellent thermal performance, as seen in our tests, and they also look good without compromising build quality.
What is the best brand for CPU coolers?
There is no single best brand for CPU coolers, but Noctua, DeepCool, be quiet!, ARCTIC, and Cooler Master are among the best.
Is DeepCool trustworthy?
Yes, DeepCool is a great brand for CPU Coolers. Their products are not only offer good value for money, excellent performance, and solid reliability, but their after-sales service is one of the best.
Recent Updates
March 10, 2024: I have added thermal benchmarks from our individual cooler reviews and made some text changes to improve readability. No products were changed.
Hayyan Serwer is a tech enthusiast, with a love for PC building and article writing. Hayyan specializes in writing about CPU coolers and RAM kits. Hayyan has been familiar with the tech industry for over half a decade now, and has now stepped into providing quality reviews for the latest and greatest tech.
The EK-Nucleus CR240 Dark is a sleek, high-performance 240mm liquid cooler without RGB, designed for Intel and AMD platforms. It features efficient cooling with a copper cold plate, EK-Loop FPT fans, and a simple cable management system.
The Arctic Liquid Freezer III 280mm AIO cooler shines with its top-notch cooling capabilities, compatibility with leading Intel and AMD sockets, and the inclusion of the high-performance MX-6 thermal paste.
The Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 Black A-RGB efficiently cools and offers great value for Intel LGA1700 and AMD AM4/AM5 sockets at an attractive price of €88.43 with a 6-year warranty. It features a large aluminum radiator, a copper cold plate, and three A-RGB fans, ensuring top performance and minimal noise.
I have tested the Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 White ARGB and it is a true beast! From top-tier cooling performance to a beautiful design, the cooler nails every essential aspect of being the best of 2024!
