Best CPU cooler for AMD Ryzen 9 5900X in 2024 – air & liquid cooling
In this article, we will outline the best CPU cooler for the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X and explain exactly why you need one.
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Ever wondered what the best CPU cooler for the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X is? You’re in the right place. A CPU acts like the ‘brain’ of the PC, processing the instructions given to it via programs. A CPU’s processing speed depends on many factors such as transistor size (nm process), core count, core speed, and thread count, just to name a few. The more technology a CPU has packed into it, the more TDP it will generate.
TDP is our enemy when it comes to CPUs and computing, and it’s the sole reason we need CPU coolers today. This is especially so for the powerhouse of a CPU which is the Ryzen 9 5900X. But what is the best CPU cooler for AMD Ryzen 9 5900X?
- 01Best Ryzen 9 5900X AIO cooler
ASUS ROG Ryujin III 360 ARGB AIO Liquid CPU Cooler with LCD screen
- 02Runner up Ryzen 9 5900X AIO cooler
Corsair iCUE H150i Elite Capellix XT Liquid CPU Cooler
The Ryzen 9 5900X is a powerhouse of a CPU, but its TDP doesn’t reflect that. This Ryzen CPU can pull out all the stops when it comes to gaming and multithreaded performance, without creating huge amounts of heat. The heat comes from overclocking, as the 5900X tends to heat up dramatically when you apply an overclock. So it’s best to grab a cooler that can handle the heat. Here are some of the best coolers to suit the 5900X on the market today.
If you’re pressed for time, we chose the Asus ROG RYUJIN III 360 CPU Cooler as the best CPU cooler for the Ryzen 9 5900X. This is all thanks to its robust cooling performance and its future-proofing potential.
What is the best Ryzen 9 5900X CPU cooler?
The best CPU cooler for the Ryzen 9 5900X will be able to accommodate a moderate TDP wattage as well as suit your specific budget. Thankfully the Ryzen 9 is very efficient, despite it performing well and having many cores at its disposal – leaving a decent amount of room for cooling. Here we will list the three CPU coolers we feel are the best choice for the Ryzen 9 5900X CPU. Here is our best CPU cooler for AMD Ryzen 9 5900X. If you don’t have time to scour the full article, we have chosen the Asus ROG RYUJIN III 360 CPU Cooler
Asus ROG RYUJIN III 360 CPU Cooler
ASUS ROG Ryujin III 360 ARGB AIO Liquid CPU Cooler with LCD screen
Screen
3.5” LCD Display
Pump
The latest 8th gen Asetek pump with a 3-phase motor
Design
Embedded fan with a new ring-shaped frame design and advanced airflow channels
Fans
Premium ROG ARGB magnetic daisy-chainable fans with Gen 2 LED
The ASUS ROG Ryujin III is well regarded as the best CPU cooler for the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X, and it’s easy to see why. It’s one of the most aesthetically pleasing AIO coolers available, thanks to its large pump and vivid LCD screen. This makes it a great choice for those who prioritize the appearance of their build. Additionally, it’s available in both 240mm and 360mm variants, which provides builders with different-sized cases the flexibility to choose the appropriate size cooler for their setup.
The Ryujin III also stands out in terms of durability and visual appeal. It features 380mm sleeved tubing comprised of thick rubber, which not only adds durability but also enhances the overall aesthetic compared to duller tube designs. The inclusion of the LCD screen is another standout feature. This screen allows users to display any image or GIF, and it has full AIDA64 support, meaning it can display current system information in real time on the 3.5-inch full-color screen.
In terms of cooling efficiency, the Ryujin III is top-notch. Its beefy, efficient radiator is more than capable of providing the Ryzen 9 5900X with all the cooling it needs. Additionally, the strong water pump ensures that the CPU will never be in short supply of water to cool it down, even under heavy workloads.
You can check out our full Ryujin ii review here. We plan to review the Ryujin III very soon.
- LCD Screen
- High Performance
- Aesthetically, one of the best looking AIOs on the market
- Expensive
- More affordable options that perform similarly
Corsair iCUE H150i Elite Capellix Liquid CPU Cooler
Corsair iCUE H150i Elite Capellix XT Liquid CPU Cooler
Item Dimensions LxWxH
15.63 x 4.72 x 1.06 inches
Brand
Corsair
Cooling Method
Water
Noise Level
34.1 dB
The Corsair H150i iCUE Elite Capellix gets the runner-up spot for the best CPU cooler for the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X, offering a combination of cooling efficiency, aesthetics, and compatibility. When it first arrived on the scene, it was high on many PC builders’ lists, and it remains a popular choice thanks to its unmatched efficiency and updated aesthetics.
The H150i has cooling potential that matches the competition, and it comes in different variants to cater to a variety of case sizes. The 360mm option is perfect for high-end Ryzen CPUs like the 5900X, and its RGB lighting adds a stylish touch that can make any system look like it means business.
In terms of aesthetics, few coolers can match the Capellix. From the pump to the fans, it is incredibly well-designed and visually appealing. It can provide all the cooling a high TDP CPU like the Ryzen 9 5900X needs, making it a strong choice for those who prioritize both performance and looks in their builds.
- Quiet Running Volume – This system should rarely break 36dBA.
- RGBs – bright and punchy, these RGBs will breathe new life into your case.
- Pump Design – A split-flow copper cold plate and a ton of micro-skived fins enable you to push your CPU to the limit.
- Price – You may have to liquidate your assets to afford this liquid asset.
- Installation – The fans can be difficult to screw into place.
Noctua NH-D15
Noctua NH-D15
Type
Air
Max RPM
1500 RPM
Max Noise
24.6 dB
Dimensions
(H)165 x (W)150 x (D)150 mm
The Noctua NH-D15 is considered the best budget cooler for the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X, and for good reason. It stands tough against its competition, and this air cooler even gives liquid coolers a run for their money. While the design of the NH-D15 may be to a specific taste (with its signature brown color scheme), it’s the cooling potential that matters most when opting for a CPU cooler.
One of the potential downsides of the NH-D15 is its size. The cooler features two giant heatsinks and accompanying 140mm fans, which may require extra clearance in a smaller form factor case. However, Noctua does offer an ‘S’ variant of the NH-D15, which is significantly downscaled for those who lack the space for the larger model.
Overall, if you can fit the NH-D15 into your PC, it’s one of the best air-based coolers on the market to date. It offers high performance with low noise levels, with a max noise level of 24.6dB and a max RPM of 1500. This makes it a great choice for those who are looking for a budget-friendly cooler that doesn’t sacrifice performance.
- Solid thermal performance
- Excellent acoustic performance
- User-friendly mounting system
- Outstanding build quality
- Comes with (2) 140mm fans
- Relatively expensive
- Hefty size
Best Ryzen 9 5900X cooler – Things to consider
There are a few things to consider when opting for a brand-new CPU cooler such as air vs liquid, socket, TDP, and more. We will run through everything you need to know before picking the cooler that’s right for you and your 5900X.
TDP
Earlier we mentioned TDP. TDP is the very thing we’re hoping to negate when installing a CPU cooler, TDP stands for thermal dynamic power and is the maximum amount of heat a component can output at maximum load. A more powerful CPU will contain more cores clocked at a higher speed, for example, the addition of these faster cores increases power consumption, much like a fast car eats fuel.
When any electrical component operates, it wastes some of its energy as heat. This is a natural almost unstoppable occurrence, all we can do is integrate IHS onto the CPU die to allow a more efficient transfer of heat between the CPU and cooler. Make sure the TDP dissipation statistic on the CPU cooler you’re planning on getting exceeds the TDP of your CPU, especially if you plan on overclocking.
Best CPU cooler for 5900X – Air vs liquid cooling
The age-old question is, what’s better? Air or liquid cooling? The answer might surprise you as both options are incredibly viable, even in 2024.
Air cooling
Air cooling has been around since the dawn of computers, and even the most advanced water-cooled systems still use forms of air cooling to dissipate heat away from radiators.
There’s not too much to say about air coolers as they’re pretty simple. Air cooling tends to be much less expensive than most of the liquid cooling options out there and tends to be much easier to clean and maintain. However, air cooling tends to be less efficient and can cause inefficiencies if improperly configured.
Dust build-up is a big problem air-cooled systems face, dust greatly reduces efficient heat transference due to its insulating properties. But as we mentioned earlier, air-cooled systems are much easier to maintain when it comes time to give your PC a good clean.
Liquid cooling
Liquid cooling systems have also been around for a long time, you can find all sorts of janky custom water loops in the archives of google images. Nowadays, we have components like AIO (all in one) CPU coolers that make water cooling a breeze. We still have the good old custom loops, but these are still a challenge to even the most skilled PC builders.
Maintenance is a little trickier in general because you will need to remove multiple fans and possibly a radiator to sufficiently clean. This is also a best-case scenario as we’ll see soon when we get into custom loops.
AIO liquid coolers
AIO liquid coolers are all the goodness of liquid cooling, and the convenience of a simple fan cooler rolled into one component. These components consist of a CPU water block, flexible tubing, and a radiator. The process of cooling is much of the same, conduction and then convection there’s just liquid involved in moving the heat from the CPU to the radiator.
AIOs tend to be a lot more expensive than air coolers (of course depending on the size and type you buy) but do perform significantly better in almost all cases. A lot of AIO CPU coolers now have some quality-of-life improvements like LCD screens built into their CPU block, but this of course raises the cost of the AIO significantly.
Custom loops
Custom loops are the most expensive way to cool your PC, costing anywhere from $150 to around $1000 for a decent half or full custom loop. The Physics and objectives are the same as AIO coolers, to use water to draw heat from the CPU to a radiator. The trick is that custom loops do it a lot more efficiently.
Custom loops can use any size reservoir with a pump capable of moving large volumes of water rapidly. This combination of advantages means custom loops can cool a lot more efficiently than AIOs as they aren’t restricted to a specific size. Maintenance is a lot harder on a custom loop, however. Custom loop maintenance involves draining the system of all water and then attempting cleaning or repairs. Not to mention the twice-yearly water replacement you should perform as standard.
Besides the points we mentioned, a custom loop isn’t too much different than an AIO in an operational sense.
Socket
Nothing to worry about with most coolers as they’re all pretty universal, but it’s important to check that the CPU cooler you want fits the socket of the CPU you have. Our 5900X fits into the AM4 socket, that socket has been around for over five years, so you can make a safe bet that most cooler manufacturers integrate support for it into their products.
Spacial requirements
Ensure your PC case supports the CPU cooler you’re planning on getting, this may be radiator dimensions or height requirements for air coolers. Having a CPU cooler that does not fit into your case is less than ideal, and could force you to take some non-traditional measures when getting it to fit.
FAQs
Why are CPU coolers important for CPU health?
CPU coolers help regulate the temperature of the CPU. CPUs generate a significant amount of heat during operation, and if the temperature exceeds a certain threshold, it can cause permanent damage to the CPU or shorten its lifespan.
A CPU cooler helps dissipate this heat, keeping the temperature within safe limits, and thus maintaining the health and longevity of the CPU. Additionally, an efficient CPU cooler can also improve the performance of the CPU by allowing it to run at higher clock speeds without thermal throttling, which is the reduction of clock speed to prevent overheating.
What’s better for the Ryzen 9 5900X, Air or liquid cooling?
Generally speaking, Liquid cooling (AIO and custom loops) perform much better, but are more expensive and much harder to install. AIO’s are pretty simple but they are still far more complex than an air cooler.
Air cooling on the other hand does an okay job at cooling the CPU, but it can be very cheap and easy to install.
Unless you’re overclocking the 5900X to the max, you don’t explicitly need an AIO or water-cooling system to cool the 5900X, but you’re always better off with one.
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Final word
Selecting the right CPU cooler is a critical decision, particularly when it comes to cooling a high-performance processor like the Ryzen 9 5900X. The ASUS ROG Ryujin III emerges as the top choice due to its superior design and exceptional cooling capability. Its impressive aesthetics and efficient cooling system make it an ideal companion for the Ryzen 9 5900X.
However, the Corsair H150i iCUE Elite Capellix and the Noctua NH-D15 are also highly viable options. Both coolers offer excellent performance and cooling efficiency, making them suitable choices for the 5900X. Whether you prioritize aesthetics, performance, or budget, all three coolers provide reliable cooling solutions for the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X, ensuring that your processor operates at it’s best.
