Gaming computers are a complex combination of highly engineered parts. They need to function perfectly so that a competitive gamer can shoot, duck, and move with accuracy. It is common for a computer hardware performance to degrade due to heat generation. We have all seen the major throttling issue with M.2 drives during a heated session. One of the most heated components inside your computer rig is the CPU. Considering that the Ryzen 5000 series is now everywhere over the internet because of its excellent price/performance ratio, we thought we should give our readers a list to decide the best CPU cooler for Ryzen 9 5900X.
Ryzen 9 5900X (Amazon) is an excellent processor for a high-end PC build, and pc power up. It has insane encoding times and top-tier gaming performance. This beast is overkill for gaming, but for content creators and high AI-based applications, 5900x will prove to be the best investment you have made. However, with great power comes great heat. We need CPU temperatures to remain between 50 or 80 °C. Anything beyond 90°C will cause throttling if it is enabled. Otherwise, the system will crash or possibly damage your CPU. To select the best cooler for 5900x, let’s review some of the basic things we need to know so that the importance of the cooler is evident:
Quick Shopping Tips:
Socket Compatibility: First and most important is the socket size of your CPU. If the cooler does not support your CPU socket size, you will have an unusable CPU cooler. Many coolers come with pre-boxed kits that make them suitable for most sockets in the market. The current most used sockets are AM4, LGA1200, and LGA1151. Our list is selecting the best cooler for Ryzen 9 5900X. We already made sure that these coolers are AM4 compatible.
Dimensions: Dimensions might be the most important thing to look for in our list. Selecting the wrong dimensions might end up in a disaster. Motherboards come in different sizes and shapes, so if your air-based cooler is large, it could cover up a DIMM slot or a couple of RAM slots. A higher air-based cooler might interfere with your PC case side panel. For liquid-based coolers, one should carefully match the radiator size with the chassis. Not all chassis support large-size radiators. Be sure to check the above before making a purchase of the best cooler for ryzen 9 5900x.
TDP: Ryzen 9 5900x is an amazingly thermal efficient processor considering the 7nm lithography. AMD states its thermal design power (TDP) as 105W. It means the cooler should be capable of removing 105W of heat from the processor for stable operation. Some test bench enthusiasts have reported that Ryzen 9 5900x reaches a peak of 143W under certain conditions. We will keep the upper value in mind when we select a CPU cooler.
Best CPU Coolers for Ryzen 9 5900X at a glance:
- be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4
- Noctua NH-D15
- DeepCool Assassin III
- Noctua NH-C14S
- Alphacool Eisbaer LT360
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- Corsair H115i RGB Platinum
- Fractal Design Celsius+ S36 Prisma
The Best CPU Coolers for Ryzen 9 5900X You Can Buy Today
be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4
Quietest CPU Cooler for Ryzen 9 5900X
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: 5.35 x 5.74 x 6.41 inches | Base Height: 6.41 inches | Weight: 2.49 pounds | Fans: Two | Socket Support: AM4, LGA1200, LGA1151 | Warranty: 3 Years
REASONS TO BUY
✓ Brushed aluminum top cover
✓ Seven high-performance copper heat pipes
✓ Astonishing 250W TDP for air-based cooler
REASONS TO AVOID
✗ No low noise adapter
✗ Expensive for an air cooler
We have always been fans of products from “be quiet!”. The manufacturer lives up to its name of producing low noise products at an affordable price. Here, we present you with the Dark Rock Pro 4 as the best cooler for 5900x. It is an air-based cooler that requires a height clearance of 6.41 inches. It can easily fit into a decent-width PC case. Aesthetically it looks fantastic, especially for dark enclosures. Most motherboards are made from a black and white theme, and this cooler easily blends in with the other components.
The most significant advantage that air-based coolers have over liquid is that they have almost zero maintenance. An incredible 300,000 hours of operational life have been promised on the spec sheet of this cooler. The black color does seem significant, but it is easily scratchable, so handling it with care is recommended. There is no LED display or RGB lighting that some other manufacturer offers. The fans are easily replaceable, but the installation process is not the easiest. Owing to the enormous size, getting it to sit on the CPU right at the center is challenging.
It is the quietest CPU cooler for Ryzen 9 5900X. It produces only 24.3dB(A) at maximum fan speed. This air-based cooler can cool a processor with 250W TDP. Considering that the maximum TDP of Ryzen 9 5900x is 143W, this cooler is overkill which is a good thing for overclocking capable CPUs. The manufacturer assures its quality by backing it with three years operational warranty. It allows RAM clearance of 40mm, which is enough for XMP profile memory to go underneath the cooler. In short, it has everything that you expect from the best cpu Cooler for Ryzen 9 5900X.
Noctua NH-D15
Best Air CPU Cooler for Ryzen 9 5900X
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: 5.91 x 6.34 x 6.5 inches | Base Height: 6.5 inches | Weight: 2.86 pounds | Fans: Two | Socket Support: AM4, LGA1200, LGA1151 | Warranty: 6 Years
REASONS TO BUY
✓ Two premium-grade NF-A15 140mm fans
✓ Premium build with thermal paste included
✓ Low noise adapter for 19.2 dB(A) max noise
REASONS TO AVOID
✗ No RGB lighting
✗ Limited 32mm RAM clearance
Noctua is well known for its high-end PC coolers. That performs as they are advertised. They have an elite group of engineers that design each model with precision. Noctua NH-D15 is trusted as the best cooler for 5900x and one of the most successful coolers from Noctua. The impeccable build quality makes it a wise choice for any tech geek, and it comes with two 140mm fans with award-winning efficiency. All of their claims come with a six-year product warranty. Whether you are a silent PC gamer or a severe overclocker, this cooler is the best cooler for ryzen 9 5900x and can efficiently provide both types of usages.
The whole assembly is easy to install, but it’s substantial in size and requires 165mm of clearance above the CPU. RAM’s limited height that can fit under the cooler can be increased by offsetting the fan, but it will affect the cooler’s efficiency. The high quality does come with a premium price tag and might be a decisive factor for most users. The color scheme of beige/brown does not go with most themes that modern gaming computers have. However, it lets Noctua keep its unique brand image.
Noctua includes their best NT-H1 thermal compound for maximum performance. It can support 32mm of RAM heights. Under 100% load, the top noise level reaches 24.6 dB(A). If the low noise adapter (LNA) is used, the maximum load 19.2 dB(A). It’s the best air CPU cooler for Ryzen 9 5900X. They have included a kit to make it compatible with the AM4 socket since 2019. Noctua uses the term NSPR instead of TDP as it could be misleading. NSPR for this model is 183W, which is high enough to support the maximum 143W generated by the Ryzen 9 5900x.
DeepCool Assassin III
Best Budget CPU Cooler for Ryzen 9 5900X
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: 6.34 x 5.51 x 6.5 inches | Base Height: 6.5 inches | Weight: 3.23 Pounds | Fans: Two | Socket Support: AM4, LGA1200, LGA1151 | Warranty: 5 Years
REASONS TO BUY
✓ 280W TDP for an air cooler
✓ Aesthetically pleasing and high-end build quality
✓ Includes thermal paste, screwdriver, and spreader
REASONS TO AVOID
✗ No powder coating
✗ Large size challenging to fit
Gamer Storms DeepCool Assassin III looks a lot like our number one pick as the best cooler for 5900x, but it offers slightly higher TDP compatibility. This air-based cooler comes in a combination of silver and black. It is undoubtedly the best cooler for ryzen 9 5900x as it comes with a 6mm 7-heat pipe design combined with two 140mm fans. The fans can run at 1400RPM with maximum noise of 29.5 dB(A). The power consumption is wholly based on the fan, which is 2.5W/fan. The manufacturer included everything from the screwdriver to the thermal paste and thermal paste spreader.
Despite being a large air cooler, it makes higher noise. The cooler’s size is so large that you might need to consider the GPU size as well. You could end up touching the GPU backplate. There is no RGB lighting or display of any sort on the cooler, which some other manufacturers include in their air-based coolers. It might be a good thing for a minimalist. The brackets used in the cooler are massive and require careful evaluation before making a purchase.
The manufacturers back up their built quality with five years of warranty. The support for the AM4 socket is ensured back. The cooler allows 49mm of RAM clearance considering that the outer fan does not get in the way. It has a 165mm height, so check the clearance between your CPU and side panel before purchasing this cooler. This cooler is overkill for a Ryzen 9 the 5900x with the 280W TDP. It can easily let Ryzen 9 5900x to its maximum potential clock speed. It hands down the best budget CPU cooler for Ryzen 9 5900x, considering its premium features.
Noctua NH-C14S
Best Low-Profile Cooler for Ryzen 9 5900X
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: 4.53 x 5.51 x 6.42 inches | Base Height: 6.42 inches | Weight: 2.24 pounds | Fan: One | Socket Support: AM4, LGA1200, LGA1151 | Warranty: 6 Years
REASONS TO BUY
✓ 70mm RAM clearance
✓ Low-noise adaptor included
✓ Excellent material and offset design for PCIe slot
REASONS TO AVOID
✗ No RGB
✗ No installation with retention module
This product is considered the best CPU cooler for Ryzen 9 5900X due to one of the unique designs in air-based coolers. It is the first-ever cooler to feature the C-type top flow design. Noctua NH-C14S has been designed for users that require ample RAM clearance. It provides a staggering 70mm RAM height allowance. The cooler’s total height is 115mm, suitable for HTPC cases or any SFF PC case. It is not only carefully designed for RAM but also PCIe slots. The design is slightly offset to allow clearance for the top PCIe slot of most µATX and ATX motherboards.
Since Noctua uses many resources to design its products, they cost a lot compared to other coolers. The fan used on this cooler is costly. So if you end up frying your fan for some reason buying a second fan would be expensive. However, Noctua has got you covered with their six years warranty. The color theme used in Noctua products has always received heat from its users, but some people like it because of its uniqueness and brand image.
This Noctua product is the best low-profile cooler for Ryzen 9 5900x. It runs using only one fan and comes bundled with the Noctua’s proven NT-H1 thermal compound. The cooler provides 119W of NSPR, which can also be called TDP for simplicity. It’s enough to cool the Ryzen 9 5900x 105W nominal heat dissipation. The complete cooler is easy to install and remove from the chassis. The build quality is excellent, and the material used is of premium quantity. The price justifies the performance as the best cooler for 5900x.
Alphacool Eisbaer LT360
Best 360mm AIO for Ryzen 9 5900X
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: 3.94 x 3.94 x 3.94 inches | Base Height: 3.94 inches | Weight: 2.2 pounds | Fans: Three | Socket Support: AM4, LGA1200, LGA1151 | Warranty: 3 Years
REASONS TO BUY
✓ Quiet fan and pump operation
✓ Offers maintenance-free water loop
✓ Minimalist 100% copper-based design
REASONS TO AVOID
✗ No double bearing fan design
✗ Venting and filling not for beginners
We cannot count out liquid cooling in the race for the best cooler for Ryzen 9 5900X. Alphacool Eisbaer LT360, like other AIO solutions, has a very high heat removal capacity. TDP limits Air-based coolers, but liquid cooling is substantially powerful for a Ryzen 9 5900x. We picked this AIO solution because it’s the best 360mm AIO for Ryzen 9 5900X. Overclockers use this cooling kit to test CPU limits. Within this cooling kit, you can easily reach the top frequency of 4.8GHz. Some users have reported it to cross the 5GHz mark.
Some users have reported the loop containing some air which might require venting and filling of liquid. The tubes come with connector sections and blue/red indication for temperature differentiation. However, it does not seem to fit in with most chassis, and they are just rubber wrapped around the connector and easily removable. Since the loop is not completely sealed, it may cause new users who are unaware of filling and venting techniques. OVerall the radiator capacity is high enough to support the hottest of CPUs.
For advanced users, the quick-connect coupling is a blessing. The pump runs very quietly; even at 2600 RPM, it seems to make very little, barely audible noise. Tubing on the water block comes out the sides, making it easier to handle since the joint is movable. All the heat exchange material is made from copper. We know the material that conducts current well conducts heat as well too. The value for money that Alphacool offers for an AIO solution are its selling point as the best cpu Cooler for Ryzen 9 5900X.
ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
Best 280mm AIO for Ryzen 9 5900X
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: 13.27 x 9.57 x 6.81 inches | Base Height: 6.81 inches | Weight: 4.58 pounds | Fans: Two | Socket Support: AM4, LGA1200, LGA1151 | Warranty: 6 Years
REASONS TO BUY
✓ VRM cooling fan included on the water block
✓ High cooling performance with quiet operation
✓ Minimalist design with fine cable management
REASONS TO AVOID
✗ No diagnostic LED
✗ No anti-vibration paddings
One of the significant reasons for being the best cooler for ryzen 9 5900x is that its radiator is thicker and requires space evaluation. It’s perhaps one of our favorite liquid cooling kits. ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 is manufactured for the Ryzen 9 5900x overclocking, and ARCTIC has thought of every possible heat source in their design. The 280mm radiator is more than enough to dissipate CPU heat of 145W adequately and quietly. One of the unique cooling features of this AIO solution is the VRM cooling capability. It gets the air circulating the CPU, which helps cool VRM and RAM, always close to the CPU block. It is the best 280mm AIO for Ryzen 9 5900X.
Despite being the best AIO solution in terms of price and performance ratio, it has its downsides. The pipe comes out perpendicular to the water block and does not have an adjustable joint. It could be problematic when managing the tubing inside the chassis. There is also no RGB lighting or diagnostics on the unit for direct monitoring of parameters. People have reported astonishing results in terms of temperature performance of this AIO solution, but the radiator block is quite thick and requires careful space evaluation before purchasing.
It is suitable for minimalist design lovers. The cable management on this AIO solution iThe wires run underneath the tube sheaths, which are made from high-quality material. IT consumes 80% less power than its competitors owing to its simplistic design philosophy. The loop is entirely maintenance-free with no connection. It comes pre-filled and vented with high-quality coolant liquid. The high-quality fiber-reinforced EPDM tubing ensures that no leakage occurs during operation.
Corsair H115i RGB Platinum
Best Corsair CPU Cooler for Ryzen 9 5900X
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: 12.6 x 5.51 x 1.18 inches | Base Height: 1.18 inches | Weight: 2.16 pounds | Fans: Two | Socket Support: AM4, LGA1200, LGA1151 | Warranty: 5 Years
REASONS TO BUY
✓ Triple dynamic PWM fans
✓ Thinner Radiator for small chassis
✓ Stunning RGB with sufficient synced control
REASONS TO AVOID
✗ No motherboard RGB syncing
✗ Soft liquid tubing difficult to route
Corsair has made a name for itself for producing high-quality products. That’s the reason that this AIO solution has landed in our best cooler for the 5900X list. Corsair H115i RGB Platinum is a 280mm radiator cooling kit with two fans made from magnetic levitation technology that allows low resistance and low power operation. The fans are fitted with four ultra-bright hub-mounted LEDs combined with the 16 individually addressable RGB lights on the RGB pump. The pump can operate between 400 to 2000RPM, depending on your heat load from the CPU.
Despite being a top-quality product, there are some design-related problems that we faced during assembly. The tubing is soft, and manipulating the tubing can sometimes cause it to bend and cause hindrance in liquid flow. The brackets need to be adjusted for the AM4 socket as the default is set for Intel CPUs. The brand royalty cost makes it one of the expensive options on our list. The pump running at full RPM makes a little bit of noise. RGB cannot be synced with any onboard motherboard software.
We consider this as the best Corsair CPU cooler for Ryzen 9 5900X. The radiator fans run very quietly, and the CPU brackets support Threadripper mounting. Under extreme overclocking, this AIO solution kept Ryzen 9 5900x well under the 80C mark. The overall manufacturing quality is neat and tidy. The five-year warranty is a generous amount of time for a product with high moving parts and complex functionality. The water block size is small enough to allow sufficient RAM clearance.
Fractal Design Celsius+ S36 Prisma
Best RGB CPU Cooler for Ryzen 9 5900X
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: 15.75 x 5.12 x 4.53 inches | Base Height: 4.53 inches | Weight: 5.07 pounds | Fans: ?? | Socket Support: ?? | Warranty: 5 Years
REASONS TO BUY
✓ A thermally optimized cold plate
✓ Excellent RGB quality and control
✓ Physical switch for PWM/AUTO mode
REASONS TO AVOID
✗ No Micro-USB connector
✗ Low performance/price ratio
If you are looking for eye candy, then Fractal Design Celsius+ S36 Prisma should be your go-to AIO cooling solution. Fractal is known for its unique and stunning design for products. They have outdone themselves in terms of performance and looks. The product has proved as the best cooler for ryzen 9 5900x as it comes with three RGB fans, each containing six individually addressable RGB lights. The top of the water block is made of glass, and you can twist the head to switch between PWM or AUTO mode. The pump face also has ARGB with a backlit Fractal logo.
This product is one of the most expensive cooling solutions in our research targeted towards the best CPU cooler for Ryzen 9 5900X. The cables are well hidden in the tube sheats, but the cable routing at the radiator’s fan hub is messy. All the RGB from individual fans attaches to the connection hub, making it difficult to manage. Compared to the S28 model, there is no significant improvement in heat transfer, making it low on performance/price ratio.
It is the best RGB CPU cooler for Ryzen 9 5900X. You can sync your RGB lighting with RGB for motherboards like the Asus AURA, Gigabyte Fusion, MSI Mystic Light, and ASRock Polychrome support. The pump hub heat plate comes with a pre-applied paste that provides ease in installation. The tubing comes out from the pump hub’s side with a flexible joint to allow better management.
Conclusion
Picking the best cooler for ryzen nine 5900X won’t be easy. We recommend our users start with a budget. Decide whether you would want to go with the low maintenance but high space-occupying air-based solution, or you want to go with high maintenance but a small space-occupying liquid-based solution. Liquid-based solutions also tend to be less noisy during operation. Then be sure that you have already selected a chassis for your computer hardware or already own a PC case. Check the dimensional compatibility of the product that falls into your budget.
Especially check for radiator size and its fitting space in your PC case. Don’t worry about the socket size; we have already featured the AM4 compatible cooling solutions. Now decide whether you want to go for the RGB included cooling kit. We have featured numerous ARGB-based cooling solutions for added aesthetics. If you don’t have a good VRM cooling solution on your motherboard, you can go for the VRM fan included pump head solution. We hope that our readers find the best cooler for 5900x. Just be sure to check the RAM height compatibility before purchasing air-based coolers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Ryzen 9 5900x come with a cooler?
Ryzen 9 5900x does not come with a bundled cooler because it’s an overclockable processor. The bundled coolers have low heat removal capacities and could result in CPU failure when overclocked. We recommend Noctua NH-C14S for people who want to go for small space-occupying high-end solutions for cooling.
What is the best CPU cooler for Ryzen 9 5900x?
Dark Rock Pro 4 is the best CPU cooler for Ryzen 9 5900x in the air-based cooling category. It has the lowest noise levels. The aesthetics go with any modern-day gaming or content creator’s PC. Its low power consumption and efficiently adjusts speeds with the load.
Does Ryzen 9 need water cooling?
A decision between liquid cooling and air-based cooling depends on the amount of overclocking you are looking to achieve on the Ryzen 9. If you are a severe overclocker and can take liquid cooling to its boiling point, then using an air-based cooler could result in a disaster. If you are a novice user and remain within limits, then air cooling is enough.
Is the cooler that comes with a Ryzen CPU good?
Some coolers such as Wraith Prism, Wraith Max, Wraith Spire RGB, Wraith Spire, and Wraith Stealth come with Ryzen CPUs. They are good enough for base clock speed and very noisy when the processor reaches 100% capacity. But there is no bundled cooler with the Ryzen 9 5900x. You can take better cooling if you go for a liquid cooling solution for overclocking like the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280.
