I'm trying to figure out whether an air cooler or an AIO (all-in-one) liquid cooler is quieter. My top priority is silence. I'm considering the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 for air cooling and the Aqua Elite 240 v3 for liquid cooling, but I can't find any sound tests for the Aqua Elite. I've heard mixed opinions on pump noise — some say it can be bothersome while others claim it's almost inaudible. I wear open-back headphones, so I tend to hear everything. I'd really appreciate insights from anyone who has used both types of coolers. Also, aesthetic appeal is important to me, but it's the sound that I care about the most. My CPU is an Intel 13400F, and price is not a concern for me.
1 Answer
From my experience, the pump noise in AIOs is often negligible unless it’s really old. It usually comes down to fan choice. If you use Noctua fans, for example, you’ll get similar noise levels from either type of cooler. People often prefer air coolers for their longevity and price-to-performance ratio, but if quiet is your goal, you can customize fans.
But wouldn’t having two fans on an AIO make it quieter?