If you just got your Ryzen CPU and looking for a compatible cooler for it or your old cooler stopped working, then you are at the right place.
Because, in this guide, I’ll be showing you five best AM4 CPU coolers, along with their features, pros, and cons that you can get in 2023.
Top 5 Best AM4 CPU Coolers 2022
 | AMD Wraith Prism |
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 | Noctua NH-D15 |
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 | Noctua NH-U12S |
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 | BUDGET PICK Deepcool Gammaxx 400 |
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 | Noctua NH-L9a |
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AMD Wraith Prism - The worthy Stock Cooler!
- Comes with high-end AMD’s processors.
- Supports different motherboard sockets including AM4.
- LED RGB lights.
- Copper made base, and aluminum made heatsink.
- Great for budget builds.
Recommended Cooler For Budget Builds
This CPU cooler does not cost those extra bucks as it comes with the new High-end Ryzen processors.
If you are planning to build a budget Ryzen-based system, then this is the CPU cooler to go for you as long as you are not planning to overclock your processor.
Performance and Features
The AMD Wraith Prism cooler features copper heat pipes along with a two-position fan. The cooler comes with pre-applied thermal paste so you do not have to worry from that side.
If we talk about the performance and efficiency of it, then we’d say it is capable of supporting all the new Ryzen processors with ease. It works silently, keeps the temperatures down, and does not make too much noise. What else could you ask for?
Socket Support and Size
The AMD Wraith Prism CPU cooler is a very convenient cooler for all types of users as it supports AM2/ AM3/ AM3+ / AM4 motherboard sockets. The size of the cooler is not that big. It fits in almost all the standard size cabinets without blocking the RAM slots.
Not For Overclocking
If you are planning to overclock your CPU, then we won’t recommend this CPU cooler for you. Try to look for a third-party CPU cooler that provides more performance than a stock cooler.
As for the standard usage, this cooler won’t disappoint you.
As long as you are not going to overclock your processor. This is the best choice you could go for without spending any extra money.
- Decent looks.
- Durable.
- Economical friendly.
- RGB lights.
- Does not support overclocking.
- No premium looks.
Noctua NH-D15 - Premium Pick
- Trusted and premium product.
- Dual Tower Design.
- Contains six heat pipes for outstanding cooling.
- Great for Overclocking.
- Contains two premium quality fans with automatic speed control feature.
Build Quality and Performance
The latest model of renowned CPU cooler Noctua NH-D14 is the Best Air CPU Cooler for AM4 Socket, period!
The cooler contains two NF-A15 140mm fans along with the six heat pipes that provide exceptional cooling and airflow inside the cabinet. It is excellent for gaming purposes as it is capable of leaving the gamers fighting their battles without worrying about the CPU temps.
RAM Compatibility
The Noctua NH-D15 offers high RAM compatibility in single fan mode. It is compatible with almost all the RAM modules you can get as it provides around 64mm clearance for them.
However, in dual fan mode, you need to use the cooler with standard height RAM that is up to 32mm to avoid all the consequences.
Compatibility with AM4
Noctua launched a special edition of NH-D15 for AMD AM4 slots to make the CPU cooler compatible with the AMD Ryzen Processors.
With the copper made the base and heat pipes and aluminum made cooling fins and a pre-applied Noctua’s NT-H1 thermal compound, the NH-D15 becomes a must CPU cooler for all the AMD builds.
The cooler is capable of supporting all kinds of load-burdens in any environment.
Drawbacks
It’s a great cooler performance-wise, but the price of the product is too high. Other than that, you may face RAM clearance issues in dual fan mode if not using the standard size RAM.
The cooler comes in only one color scheme that is brown. It may not intrigue all the gamers out there.
A recommended CPU cooler with an excellent build quality and working efficiency. If the cooler falls in your budget, then you should not think otherwise, get this now, and you won’t regret that later.
- Related Guide: 10 Best CPU Coolers for Overclocking
- High-quality performance.
- Exceptional build quality.
- Great for gamers.
- Expensive.
- Brown is not for everyone.
Noctua NH-U12S - Simple yet Powerful!
- Increased compatibility with SecuFirm2 mounting system.
- Minimum thermal resistance with reliable NT-H1 thermal compound.
- Stays 100% compatible even with two fans installed.
- Low noise adapter ensures quiet yet capable performance.
Easy Installation
The installation is super easy and should go on with an absolute breeze.
To mount the cooler in place, all you need to do is to tighten the four screws with the Allen key. After mounting, standard memory DIMMs can be installed without a hassle.
However, rams with cooling equipment would require re-adjustment of the fan.
Quality Finish With Style
Noctua’s traditional color scheme has been used.
The NF-F12 120mm PWM fan is covered in brown/red and cream color. This color scheme suits perfectly with the metallic hues of the cooling tower. The five heat pipes have been nickel plated on the Noctua NH-u12s, which results in a design that is not only seamless but also professional.
Exceptional Fan Design
Noctua has always been famous for its impressive production levels and work that goes into its fan design. Noctua fans are considered among the best even when it comes to chassis airflow.
Excellent Temperature Control
Five nickel-plated heat pipes, along with the full coverage cooling base also plated in nickel, make sure heat does not become a problem. Additionally, the provided NT-H1 thermal compound also ensures minimal heat buildup.
Withdraws of Noctua NH-U12S
- Steep Price: Price is a problem here since the price bracket of it puts the Noctua NH-U12S TR4-SP3 against some serious competition. Also, considering that the NH-U12S TR4-SP3 is a modified version of the original, the price seems unsatisfactory.
Not for Overclocking: The NH-U12S TR4-SP3 doesn’t perform much well under overclocking conditions, which should be expected given that its a single fan doing all the work.
Although having a steep price, the Noctua NH-U12S TR4-SP3 offers to build quality and performance in quite a small size. The color scheme can be a hit or miss, but the positive factors make it a worthy purchase.
- Minimum noise levels.
- Exceptional performance.
- Adjustable base for maximum compatibility.
- Expensive.
- Traditional Noctua color scheme.
Deepcool Gammaxx 400 - Budget AM4 CPU Cooler 2022
- Provides maximum performance with minimum noise.
- Contains four copper made heat pipes for maximum cooling.
- Contains blue lights strips.
- Supports all the common Intel and AMD slots.
- Supports two fans.
Easy Installation
The Deepcool Gammaxx 400 comes with an AMD installation kit, especially for AMD system builds.
The kit features a bracket to attach the cooler. The fan clips that come with the cooler are also very essential, as their unique design helps the cooler to stick at its place tightly. The clips and the kit make the installation of the cooler very easy.
High Performance
Copper heat pipes and aluminum heat fins in the cooler have the capacity to keep your PC cool during long hard-core gaming sessions. The cooler supports two fans that make excellent airflow and pressure inside the chassis that helps to keep the temperatures maintain.
For all the RGB lovers, the cooler has blue light strips present near the fan that could be a great addition to the looks of your PC.
Style and Looks
When it comes to looks, the Deepcool Gamma 400 does not offer very premium looks. However, it looks decent and fancy. The lights strips on it make it a big yes for the people looking for an RGB efficient cooler in a budget.
Drawbacks
The cooler lacks when it comes to installation. The pressure clips that come with the cooler for installing purposes are not for everyone. You may get frustrated while installing the cooler, but its a 1-time job anyway.
If you are looking for something fancy yet efficient in a limited budget, then this is the way to go. The cooler is great to keep the temperatures of your system maintained even under full load.
- Quiet yet decent performance.
- Inexpensive.
- Good GPU clearance.
- Bad RAM clearance.
- Lights focused not performance.
Noctua NH-L9a - Best AM4 Low Profile Cooler
- Comes with pre-applied Noctua’s premium N1-H1 thermal paste.
- Best for HTPC cases and SFF builds as the cooler is very short in length.
- Superior quality fan with an automatic speed control feature.
- Great RAM clearance.
- 6 years warranty.
Compatibility
The Noctua NH-L9a is an extraordinary low-profile CPU cooler for small cases, and SFF builds. The cooler supports AM4 socket that means it is a cooler for Ryzen based systems. The small size of the cooler helps it to get fit in every casing easily.
The cooler comes with a custom-made SecuFirm2 mounting kit/system that makes the mounting of the cooler trouble-free.
Performance and Efficiency
When it comes to efficiency, this low-profile CPU cooler does not leave you disappointed. It’s 92mm fan works with the automatic speed control feature via Pulse Width Modulation that helps your PC to get the amount of airflow it needs.
The cooler comes with the standard Noctua’s N1-H1 thermal paste pre-applied to it. So, it does not create any complications from that side and provides you with a long-lasting cooling performance.
RAM and PCIe cards Clearance
When it comes to compatibility, the Noctua NH-L9a performs great, being a low profile CPU cooler makes it easily fit onto the socket without taking any of the memory space.
Few Ryzen based mini-ITX motherboards that have their PCle slot is just next to the CPU socket. So, usually, they cause a lot of clearance issues with the CPU coolers, the fans of the cooler most of the time overhangs the slot. But in this case, the size of the cooler makes it support compatible with all the boards and slots.
Steep Price
With all the pros, here comes the con of the Noctua NH-L9a. With all those multiple features and advantages, it costs you more than the average price of a good cooler.
It is a recommended low-profile CPU cooler with tons of good features. Compatibility with all the cases and motherboards makes it a big yes.
- Exceptional when it comes to compatibility.
- Impressive Performance.
- Expensive.
- Typical Noctua color theme.
AM4 CPU Coolers
Buyers Guide
When considering upgrading your PC, one of the most crucial aspects to consider, particularly when planning to take it over the clock, is choosing the right cooler for every sort of comfort and security.
It not only provides you stress-free dragging when intending to be kept under a maintained load but also makes a massive impact on the noise output, giving you a rather quiet PC experience.
It is undoubtedly important for you to buy a cooler that tackles the thermal output or heat ejection from your CPU when overclocked or dragging. It is essential to avoid throttling by achieving the complete system potential and maintaining the temperature of its surroundings, keeping the system noise-free.
If you are someone with all the necessary know-how about the type or quality of the CPU cooler you want, then you’re good to go to test the market. However, this read will surely help you choose the best CPU cooler if you are not a tech-freak.
AM4 CPU Coolers
Many famous brands are providing the top quality CPU coolers depending on your CPU sockets and the ratio at which it is used.
These brands have precise knowledge about the needs of cooler, whether it’s for the computer used for personal errands or work use.
No matter if you like plain CPU structure or RGB lights within your PC to make it, or if you are a dedicated worker or silent task manager, there are every type of CPU cooler available depending on your needs.
If you have an AM4 socket and need a CPU cooler for that, then you need a reliable AM4 cooler.
Types Of AM4 Coolers
AM4 is a socket in your microprocessor, which is mainly used in the CPUs generally by AMD, which are built on the Excavator and Zen microarchitectures.
It was launched as the successor of its series, starting from AM3+. If you have a similar socket, then there is a wide range of CPU coolers coming in many shapes and sizes, suiting your needs.
However, the basic categories of these coolers fall into three parts:
- Air coolers
- Closed-loop coolers
- Open-loop cooling setups
It should be noted that the most complex choice you can make in terms of budget and mechanism would be the open-loop coolers. However, they are really effective in delivering exceptional cooling with a perfect look with your system. Let’s discuss further these types.
Open-Loop Setup
For the first time, people searching to build an open-loop setup would prefer some high-tech lineup supporting both air and water cooling mechanisms.
Many AM4 CPU coolers are supporting the setup providing free tutorials for installation if you prefer to DIY. It can clear out all your confusion by simplifying the process by guiding you about the selection of the right parts for your system.
However, these open-loop setups are costly comparing to air coolers or closed-loops. Being expensive, they also deliver quite productive results as they’re termed as the custom cooling setups.
Closed-Loop Setup
If you are unable to understand the mechanism of the open-loop set up with a tight budget, then the best option to pursue is going for closed-loop CPU coolers. These coolers have a lead in the cooling market for several decades and are considered quieter than any other cooler.
You won’t be reading the manual and solving complex theories when installing its tubes and maintaining the cooling level. Closed-loop setups are also known as All-In-One coolers or AIO coolers, which is highly popular for its non-leaking technology been matchless all these years.
Air Coolers
AM4 CPU coolers have air cooling technology too.
It is made from a combination of metal fans and heating sinks available in different sizes and shapes. These coolers specifically vary in the capacity of thermal dissipation. Air coolers have been competing for the popularity of AIO coolers all these years and have more clock speed than other coolers.
Other than that, if any of these coolers aren’t sufficient for your needs or the aim you’re trying to achieve, there’s another thing you can add. The next best thing is to build custom cooling loops with large radiators. The main factor that can reduce the heating element is the radiator. The larger would be the radiator, the better will be the performance.
Why you should buy an AM4 CPU Cooler?
There are a dozen reasons for getting AM4 CPU Coolers for your PC.
Gamers generally keep increasing performance as a prior deal. However, when upgrading your PC, where the fan noise could disrupt the surroundings, some consider quiet operation as a critical element.
Many influencers, gamers, and streamers prefer their system to be noise-free to have a better experience. AM4 coolers can bundle up with almost every AMD CPU, which generally does a consistent job in giving the best performance being as quiet as you want.
Quick Shopping Tips
Before buying any CPU cooler, you must check clearances.
Go for AM4 CPU Coolers, and you’ll get what they’ve advertised. Otherwise, you have to deal with the issues that occur with many big air coolers and low-profile models. These low-profile models can make your VRM heat smell most of the time bumping up against tall RAM. Be very particular about the dimensions and the clearances advertised by the companies of any cooler and your case.
You must know the coolers’ equation before buying any, which is more fans equal to better cooling, but you have to bear the noise in the meantime.
If you have a problem with the fan noise, you must buy the cooler, which can balance out the noise and cooling, giving you a peaceful system.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use my old Intel’s system CPU cooler on my new Ryzen system?
No, you cannot do that because the new Ryzen based motherboards support AM4 socket. You need to look for a cooler that is compatible with that slot.
Can I overclock my Ryzen processor using the Wraith cooler that comes with the processor?
No, it is not safe to overclock the Ryzen processor using the Wraith cooler. You need to use an efficient third-party CPU cooler for overclocking.
Should I go for air cooling or liquid cooling for my Ryzen processor?
It depends on your personal preference. If you are on a budget, then air cooling is more recommended because liquid coolers are usually expensive than air coolers. For a more precise idea, have a look at the buying guide above.
Are the AM4 coolers more expensive than other coolers?
No, AM4 is just a cooler slot for Ryzen based systems. They are not any expensive than other coolers in terms of socket compatibility. The price of every cooler depends on its features and qualities.
Do I need a high-end CPU cooler for my Ryzen processor as they produce excessive heat?
Ryzen processors indeed produce more heat than Intel’s. Any decent CPU cooler that supports AM4 socket should perform well in terms of cooling as long as you do not overclock your CPU as overclocking demands a better cooler to control that excessive heat.
Conclusion
To make things trouble-free for you, we have made a complete buying guide on Best AM4 CPU coolers. Do your research and decide what suits your PC according to its usage.
Also, we are open to suggestions. Let us know below how can we improve these buying guides in the future. Thanks for reading.
Doing such a wonderful job thanks for the product awareness.