I have a Fractal Design Meshify C Compact Mid Tower and live in the U.S. I'm looking for a reasonably quiet CPU cooler for gaming that I can order online. It should be straightforward to install since I haven't replaced a CPU or cooler in about ten years and will need to relearn the process. Would a Noctua, Thermalright dual-tower cooler, or an AIO be the better choice?
3 Answers
Noctua coolers are known for quiet fans and their SecuFirm2 mounting system is particularly beginner-friendly. A single-tower NH-U12S should handle the 5800X3D, although a dual-tower cooler gives you more thermal headroom and may stay quieter under sustained gaming loads. An AIO can also work, but it adds a pump and has a limited service life compared with a basic air cooler.
The Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE or Phantom Spirit 120 SE would be strong choices. They’re easy to install, cool the 5800X3D well, and the dual-tower design lets the fans run more slowly, which usually means less noise. The Phantom Spirit kept mine around 70°C in normal use and peaked around 77°C.
I didn’t realize dual-tower air coolers were an option. The Phantom Spirit sounds like a great fit, so I’ll look into it.
Your Meshify C has about 170 mm of CPU cooler clearance, so both the 155 mm Peerless Assassin 120 SE and 158 mm Noctua NH-U12S should fit. The 5800X3D can produce brief temperature spikes, and those often make the fan suddenly ramp up. After installing the cooler, set a gentler fan curve in the BIOS so short spikes don’t cause unnecessary noise. Remember to remove the protective film from the cooler’s contact plate.
That’s helpful, especially the advice about the fan curve. I’ll compare the Thermalright and Noctua options.
I’m leaning toward the Noctua because the mounting system sounds less intimidating, but I’ll keep the dual-tower options in consideration.