Here are the best CPU cooling solutions (air and liquid) for a range of systems, from small form-factor builds to overclocked big-rigs.

Whether you’re aiming for ultimate overclocks or just a PC that doesn’t get noisy under load, choosing the right CPU cooler is an important decision in any PC build or upgrade that can make a big difference in temperatures and noise. If your existing cooler can’t keep your chip’s temps under control, that could mean slower performance and / or a shorter lifespan for your precious CPU, and no one wants that.

That said, you don’t have to splurge on a massive tower cooler or closed-loop liquid chiller with a giant radiator unless you’ve got an extremely high-end CPU (like AMD’s Threadripper chips or high-end Intel Core X models) and /or you’re trying to push your CPU right to the edge of its overclocking limits. A budget-to-mid-range cooler is usually best for most builders, whether that be an air cooler with a stack of metal fins, or liquid-filed AIO with a one-or-two-fan radiator.