I'm considering the Micro Center bundle with the 9950X3D and want to pair it with the Thermalright PA 140 cooler. Will this cooler work well with the CPU? I'm not a fan of AIOs, so that's definitely a dealbreaker for me.
3 Answers
If you're just gaming, the PA 140 should do fine! Just keep in mind, the 9800X3D is often a better option for gaming performance.
Yeah, the PA 140 will work but you might want to undervolt or lower the TDP in the BIOS. You won't really notice any difference in gaming performance, though. I've heard the Noctua DH15 also pairs great with the 9950X3D!
So here's something interesting: even though liquid coolers typically perform better on paper, many have found that high-end air coolers actually boost better on the 9950X3D. The Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 and the Royal Pretor 130 have been noted for outperforming some AIOs in both benchmarks and noise levels.
It's a bit strange with AM5 CPUs, but for most usage outside of extreme workloads, the air cooler can be more than sufficient. Just make sure you know what you need: if you’re gaming, maybe consider the 9800X3D instead!
That makes a lot of sense! I’ve seen similar feedback about air coolers performing surprisingly well with these chips. Thanks for the suggestion!