The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is a powerful processor requiring sufficient cooling to allow the cores to run as intended. With a maximum boost speed of 5.2 GHz and room for overclocking, there's plenty of performance available with the right CPU cooler. AMD recommends an AIO liquid cooler and after extensive testing for our Ryzen 7 9800X review, I'd agree with that sentiment. Our trusty be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 5 handled the 8-core CPU but it's also one of the most expensive air coolers on the market. For best results, go with a 360mm radiator-touting AIO kit. Here are my recommendations to help you make the right choice.
Best CPU coolers in 2025
Buying the best CPU cooler is just as important as buying any other core component. Here are some of the best CPU coolers on the market.
-
Best overall
Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 A-RGB
- Brand
- Arctic
- Cooling Method
- Liquid
- Integrated Lighting
- Yes
- Fan Speed
- ~2,500 RPM
This is one of the best AIO coolers on the market, largely thanks to its exceptional value. Arctic created a 360mm AIO kit with a striking design, RGB lighting, and great cooling performance, all for the low price of around $100.
-
Best air cooler
be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 5
$90 $100 Save $10- Brand
- be quiet!
- Cooling Method
- Air
- Noise Level
- ~24 dB(A)
- Fan Speed
- ~2,000 RPM
I'm a fan of be quiet!'s catalog of cooling products and the Dark Rock Pro 5 is one of the greats. This beefy CPU cooler has two premium be quiet! Silent Wings blowers and a huge heatsink for optimal cooling performance.
-
Alternative best air cooler
Noctua NH-D15 G2 LBC
So long as you don't mind the brown and cream design, Noctua's NH-D15 is one of the best for a reason — it's fantastic. There's almost nothing this CPU cooler can handle, though I'd still not recommend this with some of Intel's chips.
-
Best value AIO
NZXT Kraken 240 Liquid CPU Cooler
$122 $140 Save $18- Brand
- NZXT
- Cooling Method
- Liquid
- Integrated Lighting
- No
- Fan Speed
- 1,800 RPM
This NZXT AIO liquid cooler has a 240mm radiator, which is the minimum I'd recommend for any component, including the CPU. NZXT is renowned for producing some great coolers and the Kraken 240 is another fine example with its stealthy design and LCD block.
-
Best performance
Arctic Liquid Freezer III 420 A-RGB
It's the same excellent Arctic Liquid Freezer III CPU cooler as our top pick but comes with a slightly larger radiator and three 140mm fans instead of 120mm blowers. This provides the loop with as much cooling power as possible.
-
Best budget
Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE CPU Cooler
You likely won't be able to run the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D very hard through the day with this affordable CPU cooler, but the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE is a great budget pick.
How to pick the best CPU cooler for this AMD gaming CPU
The most important factor when choosing a CPU cooler for the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is the TDP. So long as the cooler matches or exceeds the rated heat output of the processor, you shouldn't have any trouble keeping the CPU within an optimal operating temperature range. The Arctic Liquid Freeze III 360 is one of the greatest AIO kits available for performance and value. For around $100, you get access to one of the most efficient ways of keeping the Ryzen 7 9800X3D cool. It supports the latest AMD and Intel platforms too.
Should you prefer an air cooler, I'd recommend the be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 5 or Noctua NH-D15. Either of these premium coolers can cope with the heat generated by the CPU. So long as your AIO has a radiator at least 240mm long or the air cooler has more than one fan and a beefy heatsink, the CPU shouldn't need to thermal throttle to keep temperatures in check. Spending on the CPU cooler for the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is worthwhile since you're spending enough already on the chip and shouldn't have to deal with reduced performance.