Aircooler, need help with recommendation

IGBT

IGBT

IGBT

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27 Jan 2019
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Hi all, I am getting the Ryzen 9 7950x and I want air cooler instead of water cooler.

I am after some recommendations. Which one would you recommend? I want the best available within a reasonable budget. I would say budget can vary but was looking in the range of £50 - £100.

I was looking at the Noctua NH-D15 but there are som many variations. Don't know which one is the best. Maybe there is one that's similar and costs less.

Looking at the option on overclockers website:

Noctua NH-D15S Chromax Black CPU cooler - 140mm £110​

be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 CPU Cooler - £80​


I wonder if I should go to the be quiet one and save £30.

Thank you.
 
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Thanks for this. Wow the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 blew the others and it is much cheaper! Thanks.

There is an SE and non-SE version. Which one was tested? Seems then non-SE.
 
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IGBT said:
Thanks for this. Wow the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 blew the others and it is much cheaper! Thanks.

There is an SE and non-SE version. Which one was tested? Seems then non-SE.
Click to expand...
For cooling performance the SE and non SE version should be almost identical, the main difference is that the SE version doesn't have a top cover over the heat pipes.
 
Phantom Spirit 120 SE aka PS120SE (7x 6mm heatpipes & 2x TL-C12B V2 fans) is same price range as Peer.ess Assassin SE aka PA120SE w/ 6x 6mm heatpipes & 2x TL-C12C fans).

Phantom Spirit 120 SE aka PS120SE is 125x110x154mm (WxDxH) with base centered front to back and offset 12mm toward PCIE sockets under twin fin packs for better GPU clearance and weights 765g.

Peerless Assassin 120 SE aka PA120SE is 125x110x155mm (WxDxH) with base centered under twin fin packs weighting 730g.

I would get get Phantom Spirit 120 SE. It's basically same price, has one more heatpipe with offset base and same basic fans.
 
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Eddie99 said:
£36 Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE outperforms them both.

Click to expand...
Using the Black Version, 44 pounds and is whisper quiet, at least for my non-X CPU. You can always replace the fans and get something quieter if the fans at high rpm annoys you, but if the airflow is good and the chip isn’t running full blast 24/7, should be more than enough.
The only other option, without going custom loop would be an AIO, like the Arctic Liquid Freezer II or EK (used both and are quiet and performance is great).
 
Thermalright coolers have always been some of the best.

Phantom Spirit 120 SE (PS120SE) has black top with heatpipe silver tips showing so looks like PA120SE (but with 1 more heatpipe) at basically same price. ;)
 
I've been round the bend trying to find a cooler for the 7800X3D that meets the following criteria.

Needs to be big, but not so big it's rubbing shoulders with my GPU.
Decent looking, in black.
Super thermals.
Easy install preferable.
Good ram clearance.
AM5 compatible.

I looked at:

Noctua NH-D15. Ancient and too expensive for what it is. It still might be good, but it's ugly af (even in black) and way too big.
Deepcool AK620. This was a good contender, but Chinese company with dodgy rep. Still, I probably would have bought their upcoming cooler/redesigned existing line with big LCD screen atop the heat sink, but they've been faffing around for too long now.
Be Quiet Dark Rock Pro 4. Another old cooler. Best look I think, easy install, but the fans are woeful. I found a few old forums threads talking about replacing the fans, but looked like it was too much of a faff as one is a 130mm.
Some others, none of which fit the bill.

I looked at the Peerless Assassin and was initially put off by the installation. But then, what is the guy in the review doing? He complains about the amount of force required and the bend on the MB, but he's installing it where all the corners are elevated on 1 inch high pins? I presume this is the 'professional' way to do it, but wouldn't you put it flat if it was bulging like that? Saw a couple of other installs where they were done on flat surface with ease.


doyll said:
Thermalright coolers have always been some of the best.

Phantom Spirit 120 SE (PS120SE) has black top with heatpipe silver tips showing so looks like PA120SE (but with 1 more heatpipe) at basically same price. ;)
Click to expand...

Thanks for this! I decided on the PA 120, but it's out of stock everywhere in black, and I probably wouldn't have discovered this had you not posted.

Limited reviews on this specifically, but the extra heat pipe starts to weigh in more at higher temperatures. An okay trade-off with the heat sink fins being silver as opposed to black, I suppose. Ram clearance is a concern though, seems really low.

Anyhow, went with the Phantom. I resent how the big brands (especially Noctua) who have just sat on their ugly overpriced dinosaur for years without innovating, so I'm quite hopeful there's actually something better at a third of the cost (£34.90 free delivery).
 
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Smokey Deza said:
I've been round the bend trying to find a cooler for the 7800X3D that meets the following criteria.

Needs to be big, but not so big it's rubbing shoulders with my GPU.
Decent looking, in black.
Super thermals.
Easy install preferable.
Good ram clearance.
AM5 compatible.

I looked at:

Noctua NH-D15. Ancient and too expensive for what it is. It still might be good, but it's ugly af (even in black) and way too big.
Deepcool AK620. This was a good contender, but Chinese company with dodgy rep. Still, I probably would have bought their upcoming cooler/redesigned existing line with big LCD screen atop the heat sink, but they've been faffing around for too long now.
Be Quiet Dark Rock Pro 4. Another old cooler. Best look I think, easy install, but the fans are woeful. I found a few old forums threads talking about replacing the fans, but looked like it was too much of a faff as one is a 130mm.
Some others, none of which fit the bill.

I looked at the Peerless Assassin and was initially put off by the installation. But then, what is the guy in the review doing? He complains about the amount of force required and the bend on the MB, but he's installing it where all the corners are elevated on 1 inch high pins? I presume this is the 'professional' way to do it, but wouldn't you put it flat if it was bulging like that? Saw a couple of other installs where they were done on flat surface with ease.




Thanks for this! I decided on the PA 120, but it's out of stock everywhere in black, and I probably wouldn't have discovered this had you not posted.

Limited reviews on this specifically, but the extra heat pipe starts to weigh in more at higher temperatures. An okay trade-off with the heat sink fins being silver as opposed to black, I suppose. Ram clearance is a concern though, seems really low.

Anyhow, went with the Phantom. I resent how the big brands (especially Noctua) who have just sat on their ugly overpriced dinosaur for years without innovating, so I'm quite hopeful there's actually something better at a third of the cost (£34.90 free delivery).
Click to expand...
Just found FC140 and PS120SE review below:
www.youtube.com

Review: Frost Commander 140 vs Peerless Assassin 120 SE

This videos compares the the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE vs the Frost Commander 140 on both qualitative factors and performance.Website link: https...
www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
 
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I went with the PS120SE.
I got the in the end 7950x, x670 gigabyte aourus elite ax, 2x32gb ddr5 5600mhz, ASUS 3060ti ddr6x, 2TB Samsung 990 PRO, rm 1000w shift, be quiet 500dx.

Thanks all.
 
doyll said:
Thermalright coolers have always been some of the best.

Phantom Spirit 120 SE (PS120SE) has black top with heatpipe silver tips showing so looks like PA120SE (but with 1 more heatpipe) at basically same price. ;)
Click to expand...
More heatpipes isn't always better, there's a good explanation why in this video.


Until the Phantom Spirit has some good reviews I think the Peerless Assassin would be a better recommendation.
 
Eddie99 said:
More heatpipes isn't always better, there's a good explanation why in this video.


Until the Phantom Spirit has some good reviews I think the Peerless Assassin would be a better recommendation.
Click to expand...
youtu.be

Review: Peerless Assassin 120 SE vs Phantom Spirit 120 SE

This videos compares the the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE vs the Phantom Spirit 120 on both qualitative factors and performance.Website link: https:...
youtu.be youtu.be
 
I've just received delivery of a Peerless Assassin 120 (non SE) and will be installing it on a toasty 5800X3D. Nothing wrong with my existing cooler but fancied a tinker with this heatsink to see what the fuss was about.
 
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