Best £40 budget Air Cpu Cooler?

My basket at Overclockers UK:
Total: £162.96 (includes shipping: £0.00)
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Any of the above would be great, I'd lean towards the Mugen 5 if you can stretch.

A lot of people suggest the Freezer 34 eSports Duo but personally I'm not a fan, for a small amount more the Shadow Rock 3 and Mugen 5 are far superior. Same issue with the Evo 212, it was a great budget option a long time ago but popularity has pushed the price of it into the realm where there's better coolers available at a similar price.

The cheap Freezer 34 I've listed is literally the same heatsink as the eSports DUO but without the black coating and with one less (different) fan.
 
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Gray2233 said:
I'd lean towards the Mugen 5
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This is the one I've been considering for a new 5800X upgrade, was originally planning to get the arctic freezer 280 but unfortunately no room for it now with a large 3080 installed so looking for a mid size air cooler that performs well and this one seems to fit the bill with maybe a couple of arctic P12s instead of the slower flax fans.
 
Joxeon said:
This is the one I've been considering for a new 5800X upgrade, was originally planning to get the arctic freezer 280 but unfortunately no room for it now with a large 3080 installed so looking for a mid size air cooler that performs well and this one seems to fit the bill with maybe a couple of arctic P12s instead of the slower flax fans.
Click to expand...

It's an excellent bit of kit for the price and should be great with the 5800X.
 
Gray2233 said:
Any of the above would be great, I'd lean towards the Mugen 5 if you can stretch.

A lot of people suggest the Freezer 34 eSports Duo but personally I'm not a fan, for a small amount more the Shadow Rock 3 and Mugen 5 are far superior. Same issue with the Evo 212, it was a great budget option a long time ago but popularity has pushed the price of it into the realm where there's better coolers available at a similar price.

(different) fan.
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Looking at Mugen 5's is there much difference between the https://www.overclockers.co.uk/scythe-scmg-5100-mugen-5-rev.b-cpu-cooler-hs-046-sy.html#comments and https://www.overclockers.co.uk/scythe-scmg-5pcgh-mugen-5-pcgh-edition-cpu-cooler-hs-047-sy.html

I see more reviews for the rev b, and the pcgh edition has two fans at lower rpm
 
Matmatty65 said:
Looking at Mugen 5's is there much difference between the https://www.overclockers.co.uk/scythe-scmg-5100-mugen-5-rev.b-cpu-cooler-hs-046-sy.html#comments and https://www.overclockers.co.uk/scythe-scmg-5pcgh-mugen-5-pcgh-edition-cpu-cooler-hs-047-sy.html

I see more reviews for the rev b, and the pcgh edition has two fans at lower rpm
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I think the cooling performance is a little better with the prior, while the latter should be a little more quiet.

That said, I don't think there's much difference in either regard between the two.

I'd just buy the cheapest Mugen 5 you like the look of.
 
Matmatty65 said:
I see more reviews for the rev b, and the pcgh edition has two fans at lower rpm
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PCGH version's performance is capped by slow speed fans.
To maintain "compact" size (for weight class) Mugen 5 has mid dense fin stack needing some pressure to get good airflow through and 800 rpm fans sacrifice lots of that.


If 1cm higher height and also otherwise bigger dimensions aren't issue Alpenfohn Brocken 3 would be good option.
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/alpenfohn-brocken-3-cpu-cooler-140mm-hs-05a-al.html

With direct contact heatpipes its base is definitely flat fitting well with AMD's flattish heatspreader and off-center heat production of chiplets.
Scythe apparently still uses Intel optimized convex base, which makes best contact only with small center area potentially lowering cooling performance with Ryzens.
(unless gridning/lapping cooler's base flat)


mickyflinn said:
Arctic freezer 34 if he doesn't have a windowed case.
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/arctic-freezer-34-co-cpu-cooler-120mm-hs-079-ar.html
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£4 too pricy. ;)
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/arctic-freezer-34-cpu-cooler-120mm-hs-077-ar.html
 
Gray2233 said:
£15 too pricy in some regards!

It's amazing how much money people slap onto an item for a paint job.
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Very much so. The base Freezer 34 that's linked has 1 P12 Arctic fan attched already and a spare fan mount wire clips for a second fan. Grab yourself the pack (x5) of P12's and most cases the fans can the be fitted onto the case, and you're basically 4 more P12 fans than if you bought the Duo alone (which can be fitted onto other things or the case). Much more economical if budget is tight.
 
Recently got the single fan 34 and it's great. The dual and single get basically the same cooling done going by some comparasions so saved myself a couple of quid and some noise.
 
I always thought the downfall of the Mugen is the fan. Not enough pressure. But the heatsink is excellent and the way it is displaced to one side is just great. You could always hold the option to get a higher pressure fan if you feel the performance is lacking.
 
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