If you are using the stock air cooler that came in the box with your CPU, there is a chance that your CPU might be running on higher temperatures than it should be but have no worries! It doesn't mean that you have to go spend $150 on a new fancy liquid AIO cooler to get the best thermal performance.
Here is why cheap air coolers have taken control of the PC building market and which ones are very well worth your money.
Why Upgrade Your Stock Cooler?
- Lower temperatures: lowering the temperatures will prevent your CPU from thermal throttling, which will help to maintain higher performance
- Quieter PC: Your PC will not sound like a jet engine trying to lower the CPU temperature
- Better Aesthetics: Buying a modern budget cooler feature with a clean blacked out- or ARGB Lighting will really make your case and setup look much better
Top Budget Air Coolers
- The Slim Single -Tower: This is the best for small cases or builds where tall ram might interfere with a bigger cooler.
- The Dual-Tower King: This Dual tower air coolers feature twin heatsinks and 120mm fans that offer the best thermal performance for such a low price.
My personal recommendations
- For best Overall performance: Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE - check price here
- Best Compact Single-Tower: DeepCool AK400 / ARCTIC Freezer 36 - check price here
- Essential Thermal Compound: ARCTIC MX-6 Thermal Paste - check price here
