Hey everyone! I'm considering swapping my air cooler for an AIO on my 7800x3d to achieve a quieter setup and potentially better temps. I'm currently looking at two options: the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 A-RGB and the Thermalright FW360 SE ARGB V2 360mm. I've heard great things about the ARCTIC being one of the best AIOs available, but I'm drawn to the Thermalright since it has a cool screen feature. I'm curious about what most people think and if anyone has other AIO recommendations in the same price range. Also, should I consider getting a CPU bracket holder for extra support? Thanks for any advice!
4 Answers
Honestly, AIOs are a bit overrated. They mainly serve aesthetic purposes or if your case doesn’t accommodate air coolers. They still use fans, which can actually produce more noise than you might expect. For instance, my old Coolermaster Hyper 212 keeps my CPU cool and is way quieter—and cheaper too! If noise is your main concern, I’d suggest checking into getting a better fan instead of pivoting to an AIO.
The Arctic Freezer is top-tier when it comes to cooling, but check if it fits in your case since it has larger fans. I've used Thermalright products too, and while they're decent, AIOs aren't always better or quieter than air coolers. Sometimes, they can even heat up your room more quickly since they push heat directly out of the case. If you're looking for an AIO, it might mostly be for aesthetics!
I get that! I'm kinda okay with it making my room a bit warmer because it’s cold here, but I just want to cut back on the bulkiness of my cooler.
AIOs aren't always quieter, and sometimes they can be louder than a good air cooler. What air cooler are you using right now?
I'm currently using the Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120SE CPU Air Cooler. I was thinking of changing.
I have the Liquid Freezer III Pro 420, and I've never gone over 65°C on my 9950x3d. It's been solid for me!
Looks matter to me too, so I want something cleaner without that bulky dual tower. Any air coolers you think would be quieter?