Hey everyone! I'm finalizing my first PC build featuring the Intel i9 14900K, and I need some advice on coolers. I was considering the Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE, but I'm wondering if that's really enough for such a powerful CPU. It's important for me to invest wisely in cooling, so what do you recommend? Thanks for your help!
5 Answers
If air cooling's your thing, I'd look at something like the Thermalright Frozen Edge or Magic 360. However, if you can make room for it in your case, going for a large AIO cooler like the Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 is definitely the better choice for a chip like the i9.
You really need to consider the power limits you’re aiming for with the i9. For high performance, I can't stress enough how important a 360mm or 420mm AIO is. The i9 14900K generates a lot of heat, so adequate cooling is essential.
Honestly, the Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE won't cut it for the i9 14900K. I'd recommend going with a 360mm or 420mm Arctic Liquid Freezer III instead. You'll want something that can handle those temperatures efficiently, especially with such a high-end CPU.
The best strategy is to get the largest cooler that fits in your case. For an i9, you definitely want to keep those temperatures down.
For heavy workloads, a dual tower air cooler like the Thermalright Peerless Assassin or at least a 240mm AIO is a solid start. However, I'd suggest undervolting as well to manage temperatures better. Honestly, for the i9, a quality 360mm AIO is necessary if you're pushing it to its limits.
Related Questions
Lenovo Thinkpad Stuck In Update Loop Install FilterDriverU2_Reload