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Looking for the best CPU cooler for the intel core i7 12700KF?
The “KF” variants of Intel processors are always a great value for gaming, and the 12700KF is no different.
However, Intel CPUs can be difficult to cool, and you need a strong cooler to maximize performance. To help you keep this beast under control, I’ve picked out three of the best CPU coolers that balance performance, value, and respectable noise levels.
Our Top Choices
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 140 (amazon link) – Best Budget CPU Cooler For intel core i7 12700KF
- Lian Li Hydroshift LCD 360R AIO (amazon link) – Best Premium CPU Cooler For intel core i7 12700KF
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III 280 A-RGB (amazon link)- Our Top Choice
(affiliate links)
Why Should You Trust Us?
With over 24 years of hands-on experience building PCs, starting at age 14, Konstantinos Chiotis brings unmatched expertise to the table, especially when it comes to CPU coolers and PC hardware. Having spent more than a decade in the tech industry, Konstantinos dives deep into components like motherboards, CPU coolers, and processors, delivering detailed comparisons and reviews that will help you make informed choices for your Intel Core i7 12700KF build.
How We Chose The Best CPU Coolers for the Intel Core i7 12700KF
Selecting the best CPU coolers for the Intel Core i7 12700KF involved a careful evaluation of several critical factors that directly affect cooling performance, ease of installation, noise levels, compatibility, and overall value for the price. Given the high thermal demands of Intel’s Alder Lake CPUs, especially performance-oriented variants like the 12700KF, the coolers needed to excel in multiple areas.
Thermal Performance
A CPU like the i7 12700KF generates substantial heat, particularly under gaming or intensive workloads. Hence, effective thermal management is a priority. Each cooler was assessed based on:
- Heat dissipation efficiency: Ensuring that temperatures stay comfortably below throttling thresholds, typically aiming for sustained temperatures below 80°C under peak loads.
- Cooling technology: Evaluating whether air or liquid cooling methods provided sufficient performance for extended periods.
- Benchmark testing: Checking how coolers performed consistently across multiple demanding benchmarks and gaming sessions to mimic real-world usage scenarios.
Noise Levels
Cooling solutions must balance performance with acoustics, as excessively loud coolers can diminish user comfort. Key considerations included:
- Decibel levels under full load: Prioritizing coolers that maintained noise levels generally below 45 decibels at peak operation.
- Fan quality: Fans were tested for smoothness and sound profiles, with premium bearings and fan blade designs preferred.
- PWM fan control: Coolers with PWM fans allowing adjustable speeds, balancing cooling performance and noise, were favored.
Size and Compatibility
Due to the diverse build scenarios of users, cooler size and compatibility played a significant role. Points of consideration included:
- RAM clearance: Ensuring sufficient room for high-profile RAM modules, with a preference for coolers featuring asymmetrical or adjustable fan placement.
- Case compatibility: Evaluating the dimensions of each cooler, highlighting potential clearance issues for smaller mATX and mini-ITX builds.
- Motherboard compatibility: Checking specifically for compatibility with Intel’s LGA1700 socket, ensuring hassle-free installations.
Ease of Installation
Complex installation processes can discourage users and potentially affect performance if incorrectly installed. Factors considered here included:
- Mounting mechanism: Prioritizing user-friendly mounting systems with clear instructions and fewer required tools.
- Additional components: Preferring coolers that come bundled with thermal paste, mounting brackets, and clearly labeled hardware.
Build Quality and Durability
CPU coolers must offer long-term reliability, making build quality a major factor. Important criteria assessed were:
- Materials used: Premium materials like copper heat pipes, aluminum fins, and robust fan frames ensuring longevity.
- Warranty and customer feedback: Products from brands with positive reputations and generous warranties were prioritized.
Value and Price
Finally, affordability without sacrificing performance was a key aspect of our evaluation:
- Price-to-performance ratio: Selecting coolers that deliver outstanding cooling efficiency and noise levels at reasonable prices.
- Comparative analysis: Evaluating each cooler’s performance against similar options available at varying price points to ensure optimal recommendations.
Through this detailed selection process, we chose the 3 best CPU coolers for the Intel Core i7 12700KF, offering a balance of exceptional performance, minimal noise, ease of installation, and excellent compatibility, all at competitive prices.
Best CPU Coolers For intel core i7 12700KF
Thermalright Peerless Assassin 140 – Best Budget CPU Cooler For intel core i7 12700KF
Thermalright has made it incredibly difficult for any other manufacturer to compete in the air cooling department. They offer fantastic performance at a reasonable price, and their coolers often outperform pricier options. The same is true for the Peerless Assassin 140, an air cooler with an unorthodox fan design, plenty of performance, and a low price tag.
This cooler is a slightly improved version of the highly successful Assassin 120. It features a larger heatsink, a denser fin array, and a combination of a 120mm and a 140mm fan. The new cooler is also much bigger, which we’ll get to later. For CPUs like the 12700KF, all these improvements are important as we need as much cooling as we can get.
The design is quite similar to that of other air coolers from Thermalright. You get a dual-tower structure, six 6mm copper heat pipes that are anodized black, and a larger cold plate at the bottom to cover the CPU effectively. If you’re building an all-white PC, you can also grab this cooler in a white finish. The heat sink has an asymmetrical design, meaning RAM clearance is not an issue. If you have taller DIMMs, you can raise the front fan by a few millimeters to make everything fit.
Speaking of which, making this cooler fit inside your case might be an issue if your chassis is on the smaller side. This applies to just about any beefy dual-tower cooler, including the Peerless Assassin 140. If you have a microATX case, check the dimensions before you buy it. For most mini-ITX cases, this cooler will have an even tougher time fitting in.
For the fans, this cooler uses a hybrid fan setup. You get a 120mm TL-C12B V2 at the front, and a 140mm TL-D14CB in between the two towers. Both fans have a maximum speed of up to 1500, and the 140mm fan has higher airflow.
While the sheer size of the cooler is something to worry about, it puts that large footprint to good use. During heavy gaming workloads, the Peerless Assassin 140 handles CPUs like the i7 12700KF impressively well. Temperatures hover around 75 to 78 degrees, which is not bad at all for a power-hungry CPU like the 12700KF. That level of performance is on par with a lot of entry-level and mid-range 240 radiator AIOs, which is highly impressive at this price point.
Noise levels aren’t all that bad either. At full load, both fans will ramp up to 100% speeds, and noise levels rise to 42 to 43 decibels. While that’s not necessarily what I’d call “quiet”, it’s on par with other dual-tower air coolers when paired with modern Intel CPUs. Although, it’s worth mentioning that beQuiet’s Dark Rock Elite is a bit quieter.
On that note, the Dark Rock Elite is the main competitor here. The performance of the two is very similar, though the Dark Rock Elite is slightly quieter and comes with RGB. Here’s the kicker though, the Peerless Assassin 140 is half the price of the Dark Rock Elite, and provides the same level of performance. It’s a no-brainer to pick the PA140 for budget builds.
As far as Thermalright coolers go, the verdict here is very familiar. The Peerless Assassin 140 is a high-performance CPU cooler with a very affordable price. The performance is impressive, and the only reason you’d want to skip this is because of the sheer size. Other than that, I can’t find any real problems with this cooler.
To sum up, what I like is…
Aggressive performance
Easy installation process
Moderate noise levels
Low price
On the downside
Quite big and it won’t fit into many mATX and miniITX cases
Lian Li Hydroshift LCD 360R AIO – Best Premium CPU Cooler For intel core i7 12700KF
When it comes to high-end PC components and peripherals, Lian Li is one of the top brands to consider. Primarily popular for its high-quality PC cases and fans, the company has recently started to create premium AIOs for high-end builds. The Lian Li Hydroshift is their latest AIO line, and the 360R stands out as the best blend of features, performance, and price.
The Hydroshift LCD 360R is mainly a successor to the Lian Li Galahad 2 LCD. This newer AIO features a similar 360mm radiator, an improved pump with a higher flow rate low noise levels, and better fans. From the Hydroshift line, you can also get the Hydroshift 360S which comes with basic fans and no RGB, or the Hydroshift 360TL featuring Uni TL Fans.
In terms of appearance, this is one of the best-looking AIOs out there. The standout feature here is the 2.88-inch IPS display with a square aspect ratio. It’s one of the better-looking LCD pumps, with a high brightness of 500 nits. You can control the display with Lian Li’s software, which is easy to use and comes with a few designs pre-loaded. The 360R version also comes with ARGB fans that feature a daisy-chaining function.
Another interesting feature is the attached bar that hides the tubes connecting to the radiator behind the back of the AIO. This means that the tubes don’t hang over your RAM sticks, ensuring full compatibility. The radiator is 31mm thick, which makes it bigger than a lot of entry-level 360 AIOs. The fans have a maximum speed of 2500RPM, which means there’s a lot of cooling performance to unpack here.
Out of the box, you get a lot of accessories with the Hydroshift 360R. This includes the 360mm radiator, preinstalled ARGB fans, mounting hardware for Intel and AMD, thermal paste, cable management clips, and alternate parts for cases that have reverse installation like the Lian Li O11 case.
Thankfully, it’s not just about the looks with this AIO. In terms of performance, the cooler does an excellent job keeping Intel CPUs like the 12700KF cool under heavy CPU loads. It can even handle the mighty 14900K, which is no small feat. Under normal ambient temperatures, most CPUs will stay under 70 degrees, usually at 65 – 68 degrees Celsius. Since the cooler is designed for even higher-end CPUs, the fans only ramp up to about 70-80% speeds.
However, if you do run the fans at full max speed, the noise creeps up to around 47 decibels. This is a bit louder than almost every air cooler out there, but about average if you factor in other 360 AIOs at the same price. Fortunately, a 12700KF won’t push this AIO to 100% speed, but it is something to consider if you plan on upgrading to a higher-end, even more power-hungry CPU down the line.
One of the few 360 AIOs that has an LCD at this price is the Thermaltake TOUGHLIQUID Ultra. The overall performance and noise levels are quite similar between the two, but the Lian Li version has a thicker radiator and ARGB fans.
Lian Li’s software for customizing the display also works better than Thermaltake’s, though that’s a minor advantage. Considering the price is similar between the two, and the Lian Li cooler features better adjustable tubing, the Hydroshift 360R is the winner here.
So, the 360R AIO certainly has a lot going for it: adjustable tubing, a stunning IPS display, excellent performance, and a decent price. The only downside is the louder noise levels at 100% speed. Still, it’s hard to find a 360 AIO with a display at this price, and harder still to find one that’s not nearly $400. If you have the budget for it, this is an excellent AIO that will last you for quite some time.
To sum up, what I like is…
Decent price considering the feature set
Very impressive performance
Adjustable tubing
Bright and colorful IPS display
On the downside…
Gets a bit loud at 100% fan speeds
ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III 280 A-RGB – Our Top Choice
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 demanding high-end processor like the i7 12700kf, 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, you’re getting a CPU cooler that delivers impressive performance at a very reasonable price. And that makes it my top choice to pair with the intel core i7 12700kf
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
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What type of CPU cooler is best for the Intel Core i7 12700KF?
The best CPU cooler for the Intel Core i7 12700KF is typically a high-performance air cooler or a mid-to-large-sized liquid cooler (AIO). Both types efficiently handle the heat produced by this powerful CPU, with air coolers being simpler to install and maintain, and liquid coolers offering slightly better cooling performance and aesthetics.
2. Do I really need an expensive CPU cooler for the Intel i7 12700KF?
An expensive CPU cooler isn’t always necessary for the Intel i7 12700KF, but a high-quality cooler is recommended due to its high heat output. Mid-range air coolers or affordable AIO liquid coolers often deliver excellent performance without breaking your budget, striking a great balance between cost and cooling ability.
3. Are liquid coolers always better than air coolers for the i7 12700KF?
Liquid coolers are not always better than air coolers for the i7 12700KF. High-end air coolers can match or even surpass many liquid coolers in performance and noise levels. However, liquid coolers often provide a cleaner look and slightly better cooling performance under heavy loads at similar price points.
4. Will large CPU coolers fit in smaller PC cases with the Intel i7 12700KF?
Large CPU coolers typically won’t fit comfortably in smaller PC cases. Many high-performance dual-tower air coolers and larger liquid coolers may require mid-tower or larger PC cases. Always check your case’s maximum CPU cooler height clearance and radiator support before choosing a CPU cooler for the Intel i7 12700KF.
5. How much noise do CPU coolers produce under full load on the i7 12700KF?
CPU cooler noise under full load with the i7 12700KF typically ranges between 40 to 47 decibels (dB). Air coolers generally produce less noise, around 42-43 dB, while liquid coolers can be slightly louder, reaching around 45-47 dB at maximum fan speeds.
6. Why does RAM clearance matter when choosing a CPU cooler for the Intel i7 12700KF?
RAM clearance matters when choosing a CPU cooler because large coolers or low-hanging fans may block or interfere with taller RAM modules. Coolers with asymmetrical designs or adjustable fan heights help avoid compatibility issues, ensuring your Intel i7 12700KF build is hassle-free.
7. What is an aftermarket CPU contact frame, and do I need it for my Intel i7 12700KF?
An aftermarket CPU contact frame is a replacement mounting bracket that applies more even pressure on the CPU’s surface, improving cooling efficiency. While not required, it significantly benefits powerful CPUs like the Intel i7 12700KF by providing better thermal performance compared to standard mounting brackets.
8. How do I know if my CPU cooler is compatible with Intel’s LGA1700 socket for the i7 12700KF?
You can confirm CPU cooler compatibility with Intel’s LGA1700 socket by checking the cooler’s specifications or manufacturer’s website. Most modern coolers either include mounting brackets compatible with LGA1700 out-of-the-box or offer an optional upgrade kit available from the manufacturer.
9. Is RGB lighting necessary in a CPU cooler for the Intel i7 12700KF?
RGB lighting in a CPU cooler for the Intel i7 12700KF isn’t necessary; it’s purely aesthetic. If your PC build prioritizes appearance and you prefer customizable lighting effects, RGB coolers enhance the look. Otherwise, non-RGB coolers usually offer identical performance at a lower cost.
10. Can a CPU cooler affect gaming performance with the Intel Core i7 12700KF?
Yes, a CPU cooler can indirectly affect gaming performance with the Intel Core i7 12700KF. A good cooler helps maintain lower CPU temperatures, preventing thermal throttling and allowing your processor to run consistently at higher clock speeds. This results in smoother and more stable gaming performance overall.
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