RGB lighting is hardly a new phenomenon for PCs, with multiple PC vendors toying with the idea and its implementations as part of a push to make PC gaming and hardware more appealing to users. Moreover, PC gaming has become an increasingly larger industry with demand for performance PC hardware and better aesthetics often going hand in hand when it comes to the latest gaming rigs.
CPU coolers are one such beneficiary of the constant revisions we get in terms of design and aesthetic with what was once a standard stock cooler is now a much more complex choice, with performance being gauged by cooling capacity, noise and RGB lighting and its ability to sync with the rest of a gamer or creator's PC hardware with ease.
The team at GameRant has made a list of some of our top ARGB (Addressable RGB) CPU cooler picks that consist of both liquid-cooled and air-cooled options.
ASUS ROG Ryujin II 360 ARGB AIO Liquid Cooler
Superior RGB Cooling At A Premium
The ASUS ROG Ryujin II 360 ARGB CPU Cooler is an excellent liquid cooler that comes with Noctua fans in the non-ARGB version looks great with Asus's own ROG AF 12S ARGB fans too. With the Asetek 7th Gen pump coupled with a copper base and a tri-fan radiator, the Ryujin II 360 ARGB is designed to take on the fastest consumer-grade AMD and Intel chips you can throw at it while keeping them remarkably cool.
- Brand
- ASUS
- Cooling Method
- AIO Liquid Cooling
- Integrated Lighting
- Yes, ARGB fans + 3.5' OLED Screen
- Noise Level
- 36.45 dB
- Fan Speed
- 600 - 2200 RPM +/- 10%
- Has an embedded fan to help cool motherboard VRMs and nearby M2 Slots to keep latent heat from building up on the surface of the motherboard
- Has an excellent 6-year warranty from Asus which is one of the most comprehensive in the market currently
- Can handle some of the most powerful CPUs in the market without breaking a sweat
- One of the most expensive coolers available to purchase
- Requires the somewhat-bloated Asus Armoury Crate crate to function
For PC hardware enthusiasts, the ASUS ROG Ryujin II 360 ARGB AIO Liquid Cooler needs no introduction. Asus's top-end liquid cooler, which concentrated until recently purely on performance, has had an ARGB upgrade that sees it using ASUS's own fans that deliver excellent looks in tandem with the performance that matches its older Noctua fan-based sibling.
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While performance is a major highlight for one of the best AIO coolers money can buy in today's market, The Ryujin II has much more going for it than just pure performance. The cooler looks excellent with a large 3.5' OLED screen in the center that covers the pump area and can be configured using Asus's bundled Armoury Crate software suite. With the excellent sleeved tubing and outstanding ARGB fans, the Ryujin II ARGB is as premium as they come for AIOs, and it backs its looks with a check that the cooler's performance definitely can cash.
All in all, The Ryujin II ARGB is an extremely solid performer with excellent looks priced at a premium, that it works very hard to justify to high-end PC gamers, creators, and builders alike.
DeepCool Liquid Cooler LS720 360MM ARGB Liquid Cooler
Cooling With Style On A Budget
The DeepCool Liquid Cooler LS720 360MM ARGB Liquid Cooler is one of the best-looking ARGB liquid coolers available on the market, and it delivers excellent cooling that can handle some of the most powerful CPUs on the market without costing the part as some of the more premium ARGB liquid coolers.
- Brand
- DeepCool
- Cooling Method
- AIO Liquid Cooling
- Integrated Lighting
- 3 x ARGB Fans + ARGB Infinity Mirror Pump Block
- Noise Level
- Upto 32.9 dBA
- Fan Speed
- Upto 2250 RPM±10%
- Can handle some of the hottest 13th generation Intel CPUs in the market
- Looks and feels like one of the highest-end liquid coolers in the market despite its budget pricing
- Has Daisy-chained fans, which make it a much neater design with lesser wires to handle
- Some fans and RGB lighting units can have QC issues at times; While replacements are quick and easy, an AIO unit takes a bit of time to set up and this can be annoying for users who receive a faulty unit
- Fans can get a bit loud when the AIO is pushed thanks to some of the hotter chips from Intel/AMD
The DeepCool Liquid Cooler LS720 360MM ARGB Liquid Cooler is a tri-slot ARGB liquid cooler that does an adequate job to cool some of the hottest chips in the market from both Intel and AMD while looking and feeling like a much more premium cooler than its price thanks to both its extensive attention to detail in terms of design and the daisy-chained fans it comes with.
While the fans can get loud during sustained stress loads, the cooler itself is solid and if you desire better fans with the same cooler, you can simply add on a pair of your favorites with ease to the existing configuration. All in all, the LS720 is a capable AIO cooler and while it isn't one of the best performers, it does hold its own against the competition and edges many higher-priced coolers in terms of aesthetic handily.
ID-COOLING FROSTFLOW X 240 Snow CPU Cooler
Good Things Come With White LEDs
The ID-COOLING FROSTFLOW X 240 Snow CPU Cooler is an excellent budget cooler that offers a somewhat longer tubing than most competing brands' 360 mm coolers while offering decent cooling and acceptable LED lighting that can help you build an excellent system without punching your wallet repeatedly.
- Brand
- ID-Cooling
- Cooling Method
- Liquid-cooled AIO
- Integrated Lighting
- Yes, White LEDs
- Noise Level
- 35.2 dB
- Fan Speed
- 700-1800 RPM +/- 10%
- Widely compatible; works with a large array of processors including AMD's Threadripper, AMD's 7000 series (and older) and Intel's 12th and 13th gen processors
- Extremely affordable and a competent choice for liquid cooling, clocking in at sub-$50 rates
- Provides excellent cooling for mid-range CPUs, handling load well and remaining silent during operation while doing so
- Has longer tubing than most CPU coolers which allows it to be mounted to different locations on larger cases
- Seems to have mild QC issues relating to spare parts such as screws for the cooler
- Does not have the ability to change or control color. Has static white LEDs
ID Cooling's FrostFlow X 240MM Snow CPU Cooler is an excellent AIO cooler that provides excellent lighting and acceptable cooling in a 240 mm form factor that should be easy to fit in even the smallest of cases while thanks to its above-average tubing length. While the FrostFlow X 240 MM is not a true 'ARGB' or even 'RGB' cooler, it does tend to have excellent looks and feels like one thanks to its well-placed and well-lit white LED configuration.
The FrostFlow X 240MM Snow is an excellent cooler that happens to offer decent cooling muscle without breaking your back. It does have caveats such as the inability to display or change RGB colors, but it is a tradeoff that we suspect most gamers on a budget looking for an RGB cooler would be willing to accept given the value proposition in tow.
Curiously, the FrostFlow also supports AMD Threadripper processors which generate a significantly larger amount of heat than we expect a cooler of this caliber to be able to dissipate with ease. For now, we can't find any evidence of it being used in this configuration, and we would not recommend it. Threadrippers are large, multicore CPUs that rely on excellent coolers to avoid throttling or damaging their CPUs over extended periods. This however is an excellent candidate to be paired with a mid-range CPU and should deliver more than adequate cooling performance for most current-generation processors.
CoolerMaster MasterAir MA612 Stealth ARGB CPU Air Cooler
ARGB Stealth Mode
The Cooler Master MasterAir MA612 Stealth ARGB CPU Air Cooler is an excellent CPU cooler that is compatible with all the latest Intel and AMD sockets in the market. It has a 6 heatpipe design complimented by a nickel base and a painted black brushed aluminum finish. With two of Cooler Masters Sickleflow ARGB fans in tow, it provides excellent cooling while remaining quite almost to a fault for an air-cooled solution.
- Brand
- Cooler Master
- Cooling Method
- Push-Pull Configured Air Cooling
- Integrated Lighting
- Yes, ARGB Fans
- Noise Level
- 27 dBA
- Fan Speed
- 1800 RPM
- Operates much more quietly than its competing air coolers
- Has subtle, controllable ARGB lighting that works well with most ARGB-compatible motherboards
- Excellent cooling performance that can rival some lower-end liquid-cooled solutions
- Despite claims to the contrary by cooler master, ram clearance can be an issue at times, especially with smaller motherboards for the MA612 Cooler
The Cooler Master MasterAir MA612 Stealth ARGB CPU Air Cooler is one of many capable mainstream entries by Cooler Master that are in contention for the best ARGB CPU air cooler. What makes this edge most of its competition is its strong, silent performance and subtle ARGB lighting that is the hallmark of a high-end Cooler Master air cooler when done right.
What is an excellent product, albeit at a relatively high price for an air cooler is somewhat undone on smaller motherboards as, despite assurances by Cooler Master, it can easily cover the first ram slot at times thanks to its push-pull fan configuration's space requirements. To run the latest Intel CPUs, you might need to also buy the standalone upgrade kit by Cooler Master for the LGA 1700 platform if your cooler does not come with one bundled in the box.
Deepcool GAMMAXX GT CPU Cooler
ARGB Air Cooling At A Cool Price
The DeepCool GAMMAXX GT CPU air cooler combines the best performance with efficient power usage and stunning RGB effects. The cooler uses four direct-contact heat pipes for 180w TDP heat dissipation, cooling even the most intense gaming PCs. The 1500 RPM PWM fan provides ample airflow without distracting noise levels. The DeepCool GAMMAXX GT is compatible with a wide range of Intel and AMD processors.
- Brand
- DeepCool
- Cooling Method
- Air
- Integrated Lighting
- Yes
- Noise Level
- 27 dbA
- Fan Speed
- 1500RPM
- Excellent value for money; Performs better than most stock cooler units that it seeks to replace or compete with
- Outstanding ARGB fan and lighting effect. Feels very premium compared to similarly priced options
- Is a quiet operator, even at maximum RPM, this remains relatively silent compared to some other air-cooled solutions
- Somewhat inadequate for cooling some of the hotter 12th and 13th generation Intel chips in the market
- The installation process is slightly more complicated that its competing coolers
The DeepCool GAMMAXX GT CPU Air Cooler is our pick for a mid-range CPU cooler that does an excellent job for its form factor and price, delivering adequate cooling for mid-range CPUs thanks to its 4 heat-pipe design making it a solid replacement for most stock coolers and also delivering excellent cooling for some mid-range unlocked processors from Intel and AMD.
With an ARGB logo next to an excellent PWM ARGB fan, the GAMMAXX GT not only contends with a higher tier of air coolers in terms of pricing and value but also backs it up with solid looks that are not over-the-top but rather subtle in a way that it would blend in most PC rigs with ease while being considered a mainstay for most users for its quiet and efficient operation.
ID-COOLING SE-214-XT ARGB CPU Cooler
Inexpensive Stellar ARGB Air Cooling
The ID-COOLING SE-214-XT ARGB CPU Cooler is one of the better air coolers in the market that replaces stock coolers from Intel and AMD, doing an excellent job at a price that makes it a steal. With the ability to cool CPUs with a TDP of up to 180W and an excellent bundled PWM ARGB fan, this adds both, color and competent cooling at a price that seems almost criminal to ignore
- Brand
- ID-Cooling
- Cooling Method
- Single Fan Tower Air Cooler
- Integrated Lighting
- Yes, ARGB Fan
- Noise Level
- Upto 30.5dBA
- Fan Speed
- Upto 1500±10% RPM
- Wide compatibility is a key focus for the cooler. It has kits for both Intel and AMD processors from the latest generation
- Has 4 heat pipes and an excellent fan that does a solid job at cooling most mid-range CPUs with ease
- Has decent RGB lighting that can be controlled via your motherboard
- Installation instructions are not clear; Beginner users might have to do their own research to install the cooler properly
The ID-COOLING SE-214-XT ARGB CPU Cooler is our pick for the Best Budget ARGB CPU Air Cooler in 2023 and with good reason. Not only does it do RGB lighting quite well, but it also exceeds our expectations when it comes to cooling. With 4 dedicated heat pipes and an excellent fan in tow, the SE 214 XT is a no-nonsense cooler that also adds a bit of aesthetic to your system by throwing in an ARGB PWM fan in the mix.
The ID-COOLING SE-214-XT ARGB CPU Cooler supports a wide range of AMD and Intel processors including the latest AMD 7000 series as well as Intel's 12th and 13th generation processors out of the box. While the provided instructions are somewhat unclear for entry-level users, there are guides on how to install this particular cooler that cover this topic extensively. Just make sure you watch the one relevant to your motherboard's specific socket.
FAQ:
Q: What is the difference between RGB and ARGB Coolers?
A: While many end users use the words RGB and ARGB interchangeably, there is a subtle difference between the two with ARGB allowing every single LED connected to it to have a different color compared to RGB lighting which can support only one color at a time.
Q: Is Liquid Cooling a CPU Superior to Air Cooling?
A: While higher-end liquid coolers in the PC spectrum do tend to outperform their air-cooling-centric competition, this is not necessarily always the case. Sometimes high-end CPU air coolers considerably outperform liquid coolers in the same bracket, making them a better purchase for PC gamers, content creators, and enthusiasts alike.