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After extensive research, I have compiled a list of the top 3 CPU Coolers for the Intel Core i9 13900K today.
First up, I will show you the best budget-friendly option that doesn’t compromise on performance.
Then, a premium choice with unmatched aesthetics and cooling efficiency.
And lastly, my top overall pick that represents the zenith of cooling performance at a reasonable pricing
Number 3. ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III 280 A-RGB – Best Budget CPU Cooler for Intel Core i9 13900K
Considering its competitive pricing, the Arctic Liquid Freezer III 280-A RGB is arguably the best 280mm liquid CPU cooler on the market. It blends superb performance, value, low noise levels, and great looks in an aggressively priced package.
While it’s affordable, this cooler is anything but cheap. It’s an almost enthusiast-grade cooling solution at a fraction of the price.
Let’s get the basic stuff out of the way first. It consists of a 280mm radiator and two 140mm Arctic P-series fans. These are high-pressure static fans that are specifically designed for AIO coolers, and the fan speed is rated at 200 to 1700 RPM. As for the pump, it’s not using an Asetek pump, instead, Arctic is using its own efficient PWM-controlled pump that outperforms a lot of options on the market.
And this is where things start to get interesting. Compared to its predecessor, the Liquid Freezer II, the Freezer III has a lot of new tricks up its sleeve. For one, it comes with an Intel LGA1700 contact frame that replaces the stock ILM. This Arctic contact frame distributes contact pressure on the Integrated Heat Spreader more evenly.
This might sound like nerd-talk and a bit gimmicky, but for a processor like the Core i9 13900K, we need all the cooling we can get. This aftermarket contact frame paired with Arctic’s new pump helps a lot in controlling temperatures. Arctic has always had ingenious solutions to these tiny problems, as seen with the VRM fan on their previous Liquid Freezer II.
Speaking of which, the VRM fan is back, and it’s bigger than before. If you remove the pump cover on the Liquid Freezer III, you’ll find that inside is a large fan that helps to cool the voltage converters on the motherboard. Again, this was a feature present on the Liquid Freezer II, but it’s more effective here because of the larger fan.
Sadly, with an enthusiast-grade CPU cooler such as this one, there are bound to be some issues for those who are not used to all this technical stuff. For example, removing the stock ILM and replacing it with the Arctic’s contact frame is an added step that most people are not used to. It makes the installation more finicky, and that might turn some people away.
However, in return, you’re getting a CPU cooler that offers innovative features with excellent performance. This 280mm cooler is capable of outperforming some 360mm coolers on the market, and that’s saying a lot. At this price, there are other options like the Kraken X53 and the highly reliable CoolerMaster ML240 RGB V2. Both options are easier to install, but the Liquid Freezer III is arguably the best looker out of them and performs better especially when it comes to noise levels and durability.
However, make sure you check out Arctic’s CPU cooler compatibility checker to see if the cooler will fit properly on your motherboard or not as the pump of this cooler might block the first M.2 slot if your SSD has an oversized heatsink.
Overall, this is an ingenious CPU cooler, but not without its quirks. It has limited motherboard compatibility due to the M.2 issue, and installation involves extra steps. If you can look past that, you’re getting a CPU cooler that delivers impressive performance at a very reasonable price. And that makes it the best budget CPU cooler for the i9 13900K, hands down.
To sum up, what I like is…
Innovative features like the contact frame and VRM fan
Impressive performance compared to its predecessor
Available in black and white, and looks good in both color schemes
Addressable RGB LEDs
On the downside
Limited motherboard compatibility
A bit difficult to install
RATINGS:
Design and Aesthetics: 9/10
Cooling Performance: 9/10
Noise: 9/10
Installation: 7/10
Value for Money: 9.5/10
Overall Rating: 9/10
Number 2. Lian Li Galahad II LCD 360 – Best Premium CPU Cooler for Intel Core i9 13900K
Lian Li earned their popularity with O11 Dynamic, one of the best PC cases out there. Since then, they have been known for their sleek and stylish design as seen with their UNI Fans. Now, the company has decided to bring all those great design queues to AIOs, and the result is one of the best-looking high-performance CPU coolers out there. The Galahad II LCD 360 is one of the best CPU coolers for the i9 13900K, and it’s fitting for any high-end build.
Before I proceed, there is one thing you need to be aware of. Previously with the original Galahad and Galahad Trinity Performance, Lian Li had a lot of issues with overall quality control. Failure reports were high, and their in-house pump design was the main culprit. Since then, Lian Li has switched to an Asetek design with their new Galahad II line, and durability is much better as a result.
While an Asetek pump might sound similar to what every other manufacturer is using, Lian Li is using one of the best options from Asetek. It’s a powerful pump that goes up to 3600RPM, and the motor inside promises impressively high flow rates compared to the original Galahad.
Now, in terms of sheer numbers, the Galahad II uses a 360mm radiator with a thickness of 30mm. It also comes with Lian Li’s SL Infinity RGB fans. These fans look great and can spin up to an RPM of 2450. However, the star of the show is the new LCD Display CPU block. We’ve seen this in CPU coolers like the ID-Cooling SL360 Space and the NZXT Kraken Elite RGB 360.
With that said, compared to both of those coolers, the Galahad II LCD offers better performance. This is because of the higher RPM pump and the faster fans. Coming back to the LCD Display, it uses an IPS panel with a resolution of 480 x 480. It’s sharp, vibrant, and customizable. You can use Lian Li’s software suit to display your images, videos, or GIFs on the block.
It also comes with a fan control hub if you get the SL Infinity fan version. This allows you to add additional RGB fans and accessories for synchronized lighting.
In terms of performance, the it is quite impressive. It features a slightly larger copper contact plate than the original, and it’s optimized for AM5 and LGA1700 processors. I would have liked to see a contact frame included at this price, since there is not which is a bit of a shame. Regardless, this cooler can easily handle the 13900K or the 14900k at full throttle and it even leaves a bit of room for overclocking.
Compared to Kraken Elite RGB 360 and the original Galahad, a CPU like the 13900k can hit its maximum performance, with no undervolting required. Thermal throttling won’t be an issue, which is something you’d expect at this price.
Apart from the superb cooling performance, Galahad II has a few features that are harder to find on cheaper alternatives. For example, it has a bigger cold plate than something like the Kraken Elite 360. It also has rotatable tubing that allows you to adjust the orientation for more flexible and cleaner cable routing. This also prevents issues with RAM clearance. The rotatable tubing comes with dedicated brackets, allowing you to lock them into position to prevent unexpected movements.
Unfortunately, all that performance does come at a cost. Also eventhough it uses a powerful pump, it tends to get noisier than other coolers out there. It doesn’t get uncomfortably loud, but you’d expect it to be relatively quiet given the price. If you don’t care about the looks of the SL Infinity fans, you can easily get about the same level of performance from Arctic Liquid’s cheaper AIOs.
All that being said, it’s still one of the best CPU coolers for the Core i9 13900K. It’s expensive, sure, but if you’re building a high-end gaming PC with great aesthetics as a priority, it worths it.
To sum up, what I like is…
Excellent performance
SL-Infinity fans look and perform great
Large IPS LCD block
On the downside…
Quite expensive
Tends to get a bit loud
RATINGS:
Design and Aesthetics: 9/10
Cooling Performance: 9/10
Noise: 8/10
Installation: 9/10
Value for Money: 7.5/10
Overall Rating: 8.5/10
Number 1. Corsair iCue H170i Elite CAPELLIX XT – Our Top Choice
Corsair has been in the AIO liquid cooler game for a long time, and while they usually just take advantage of the great Asetek pumps out there, it’s a strategy that has worked well. The Corsair iCue H170i Elite Capellix XT is a simple CPU cooler that pairs an RGB Asetek pump with a massive 420mm radiator. On top of that, you get three AF140 RGB Elite fans, extensive software support, and low failure rates.
This model builds upon the success of previous H170i AIOs. The direct predecessor would be the H170i Elite XT, without the newer Capellix RGB LEDs. This newer version that we’re looking at takes advantage of brighter and more efficient Capellix LEDs and also uses a newer high-performance thermal paste in the form of the XTM70.
There’s also an LCD version of this cooler that features an IPS LCD Block, similar to the one seen on NZXT’s Kraken line and the MSI MEG CoreLiquid S360.
Now, let’s talk about performance. One interesting thing about this cooler is that the fan curve is tied to the AIO coolant temperature, not the CPU temperature. In less-intensive workloads, the cooler will still run as loud as it would with more intensive workloads. The fans will also follow suit. However, this means that the transition to lower or higher noise levels is smoother, as the AIO coolant temperature takes a bit longer to cool down than the CPU temperature.
It’s a risky idea, but one that pays off well. In common workloads where temperatures aren’t that high, the pump won’t be working too hard at all. Fans won’t ramp up or ramp down suddenly either, and the overall result is a surprisingly quiet 420mm cooler. Of course, you’ll still have trouble fitting a 420mm radiator into most cases, and that’s a downside we’ll touch on later.
Despite the quiet operation, this thing offers phenomenal performance. It easily beats out a lot of the 360mm CPU coolers out there. It leaves a lot of headroom for overclocking, and it’s nice to see that even with intensive workloads, it is capable of keeping the most demanding cpus like the i9 13900K under 45-50 degrees Celsius.
H170i Elite Capellix XT is not only one of the best CPU coolers for the intel Core i9 13900K in terms of performance, but also in terms of looks as well. Its RGB pump looks great, and there are a few pump cover options in the box to match your build theme. The AF140 RGB Elite fans are also quite bright, and they aren’t as loud as other fans would be.
Unfortunately, as I mentioned before there is one big issue. Most mid-tower ATX cases simply won’t have space for a 420mm radiator. If you want to buy this CPU cooler, you’ll need to first check if it can even fit in your case. That might be something that pushes you away, as there are 360mm CPU coolers out there like the Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 that offer almost the same level of performance.
With that said, if you have room for it, this is a CPU cooler that will last you for a long time. It’s more than capable of handling the most demanding cpus like the 13900K, and I reckon it will do just fine with newer CPUs in the future as well.
To sum up, what I like is…
Best-in-class performance
Quiet operation
Easy installation
Reasonable pricing for a 420mm radiator
On the downside
Limited case compatibility
RATINGS:
Design and Aesthetics: 8.5/10
Cooling Performance: 9/10
Noise: 9/10
Installation: 9/10
Value for Money: 8/10
Overall Rating: 9/10
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