With AMD launching the new Ryzen 5000 series last week, we came to the realization that AMD is not going to include stock coolers with most of their new CPUs. This is a shame since almost all of the Ryzen 3000 CPUs came with a suitable included cooler that could be used daily at specification clocks and could be kept as a backup in case you upgraded to a much better CPU cooler. The included cooler was a guarantee that you could get your system up and running at once without the need to factor in the price of a third party cooler.
The whole Ryzen 5000 series with the exception of the 6 core Ryzen 5 5600X which still has an included cooler, now needs an aftermarket cooling option. Today we will be focusing on the 8 core Ryzen 7 5800X CPU with a TDP of 105W; our cooler choices also won’t be limited to just the 5800X because of the similar TDPs of Ryzen 5900X and 5950X. So if you find a CPU cooler that is in your budget and that you really like then chances are big that you’ll be able to get it for other CPUs such as the Ryzen 9 5900X or 5950X thanks to the similar TDP of these processors.
How do we choose a suitable CPU cooler?
We first start by looking at the necessary TDP rating in order to cool that chip and follow it up with socket, motherboard and RAM clearance compatibility. We will be recommending the best-priced CPU coolers in a few price ranges in order for you to safely run and even overclock the 5800X to the desired performance levels. Warranty length and silent utilization are top concerns for us but we’ll also keep a sharp eye on quality and value. How do we choose a suitable CPU cooler for the Zen 3, Ryzen 7 5800X processor?
Best Coolers for Ryzen 7 5800X (& 9 5900X / 5950X) – Our Recommendations
Best Overall Air Coolers for Ryzen 7 5800X
1. Noctua NH-U12A
This air cooler, the NH-U12A, is one of Noctua’s latest products and it’s a single tower configuration that looks almost identical to their popular NH-U12S model but with few. Noctua’s reputation is based on amazing performance, exceptional quality and very silent utilization, as they stand out as one of the premium PC cooling manufacturers. They are great at revising and evolving every one of their cooling solutions and in this case, the U12A is an evolution of the U12S that brings a pair of the newly designed NF-A12x25 fans that support a fan speed range of 450 – 2000 RPM and a max airflow of 60 CFM.
The advantage of the NH-U12A over the flagship NH-D15 is the size difference. While the NH-D15 is a much larger tower cooler which should provide a decent performance gap between the two with its 2 x 140mm, the Noctua NH-U12A is equal in performance and noise levels in a broad range of performance testing, including overclocking. Their newest NF-A12x25 fans are most likely responsible for this great result.
If you’re interested in getting one of the most powerful air coolers on the market that provide silent utilization, astonishing quality and 100% compatibility with the rest of the build components, there’s almost no competitor to the NH-U12A if you can afford the $100 price tag. It’s common for people who once buy a Noctua cooler to never switch to a different brand.
Here’s a list of specs if you’re interested in buying the NH-U12A for your next CPU cooling solution for the Ryzen 7 5800X.
- Dimensions: 128 x 125 x 112
- 120 mm fans | 450 – 2000 RPM (PWM)
- 60 CFM max airflow
- 22.6 dbA operating noise
- Premium NT-H1 thermal paste included
- 6 years warranty
- Launch Price: $99.90
2. beQuiet! Dark Rock Pro 4
The Dark Rock Pro 4 is one of many products from beQuiet! that is engineered and built using their solid “no compromise silence and performance” mantra. They are widely considered on par with Noctua, the other German giant, in regards to quality, attention to detail and performance evolution. The Dark Rock Pro 4 is one of their flagship cooling devices, and it’s not that hard to realize how impressive the cooling experience is going to be.
Here’s a list of specs if you’re interested in buying the beQuiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 for your next CPU cooling solution.
The DRP 4 sports a huge dual fan, dual-tower design with seven 6 mm (diameter) heat pipes and a combination of 2 SilentWings fans; one 135mm and one 120mm. The DRP4 is an exceptional offering thanks to the good combination of quality, performance, value and attention to detail they bring to the market. In testing, the DRP4 has situated itself among the top-performing air coolers in both noise and thermal challenging situations. The only slight downside that we can see with this dual tower design is the space needed inside your case. You should check your case dimensions and RAM clearance before getting the Dark Rock Pro 4.
Here’s a list of specs if you’re interested in buying the beQuiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 for your next CPU cooling solution with the Ryzen 7 5800X.
- Dimensions: 162.8 x 136 x 145.7
- 120 mm fans & 135 mm fans | 600 – 1500 RPM (PWM)
- 22.1 – 24.3 dbA operating noise
- Included thermal compound (paste)
- Black aesthethic coating
- 250W TDP rating
- 3 years warranty
- Launch Price: $89.90
Best AIO Cooler for Ryzen 7 5800X
ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
With one of the best values on the market, this AIO (all in one) cooler is outperforming or matching other liquid coolers that are up to double its price. While other AIOs are focusing on flashier features and software, the Arctic LF II 280 has more of an industrial feel to it; it’s well-engineered and delivers silent cooling performance without a lot of the bells and whistles you will be forced to pay into with other products. This cooler is certainly aimed at people who value performance and acceptable noise levels higher than they value RGB, flashy screens or other aesthetics. The thicker housing dimensions at 317 x 138 x 38 allow it to use lower RPM in order to maintain the same CFM at lower fan speeds and thus, improved noise levels. Its fully sleeved tubes contain all the cables and wiring thus giving you a cleaner and less cluttered look.
The Liquid Freezer II 280 may be the only CPU cooler that you need for a long time. It outperforms coolers such as the Corsair H115i Platinum and the NZXT Kraken X62 in load and overclocked load environments while staying silent as a premium air cooler at around 27 dB; that is virtually inaudible. With a simple installation thanks to the wiring being hidden inside the tube sleeve, a slight drawback is that you can’t monitor the exact RPM of the fans because the pump and VRM fan are linked together. That is really not a deal-breaker when considering how many things this AIO does right and that is why it earns a high recommendation from us.
Lets take a look at some of the most important specs:
- Pump dimensions: 98 x 78 x 53
- Radiator dimensions: 317 x 138 x 38
- 2 x 140 mm fans | 200 – 1700 RPM (PWM)
- 450 mm tubing length
- 72.8 CFM max airflow
- Included thermal compound
- 2 years warranty
- Launch price: $89.99
Best Budget Cooler for Ryzen 7 5800X
Cooler Master Hyper 212 Black Edition
With the slight price hike of the new Ryzen 5000 series and the lack of stock cooler inclusion, some consumers will just want a trusty air cooler that can handle the Ryzen 7 5800X at stock and also allow for some overclocking headroom; basically a stock cooler replacement without breaking the bank. It would be very hard to argue with the great value the Hyper 212 BE keeps bringing at its $29.99 price point. Thanks to it being an old model that has been refined over and over again, it is the undisputed king of budget cooling. Don’t be fooled by the ‘budget’ label that we put on it because this cooler is more than able to cool the Ryzen 7 5800X with very acceptable temps and still allows for overclocking. In fact, the Hyper 212 BE has been proven better time and time again than any stock cooler AMD used to include with their CPUs, including the Wraith Prism.
Performance is not something to wonder about but the Hyper 212 will have the ability to tame the Ryzen 7 5800X with no problems, even during 100% load. The Black Edition’s philosophy is to get the most quality cooling possible in a small and simple package; its what it does best, sometimes managing to outperform even some higher-priced liquid coolers during overclocked load. The dark coating is a welcome change from the original 212 since it makes it look more premium and cleaner. The price point of this air cooler is reasonable enough to just get and forget about it and this is why it earns its place in our recommended budget cooler category.
Here are some of the important specifications the you need to know:
- Dimensions: 158.8 x 125.5 x 50.8 (79.5 w/fan)
- 120 mm fan | 650 – 2000 RPM (PWM)
- 42 CFM max airflow
- Dark coating
- Included thermal paste
- 2 years warranty
- Launch/Retail price: $29.90
Best Low Profile Coolers for Ryzen 7 5800X SFF Builds
Noctua NH-L9a-AM4
The last cooler for the 5800X that we’re going to showcase is a great fit for the consumers that are looking for a smaller footprint build. Being size limited by the compactness of the case, CPU coolers need to do the most with the smallest area possible and this is where the Noctua NH-L9a excels. Its targeted towards people that want to build a HTPC or a Mini ITX portable build to take it everywhere with them; a small footprint is key for these builds. It packs 64 aluminum fins forming a dense heat sink with two 6mm copper heat pipes in nickel coating. Like you’ve probably known already, Noctua has become synonymous with impeccable quality, excellent customer service and class leading quiet cooling performance, traits that are most important in a small form factor build.
Don’t even think for a second that a cooler with such a small footprint would not be adequate for the cooling requirements as this cooler performs very well from noise to performance perspective. The recommended TDP for this cooler is 95W but it can easily be extended to the 105W TDP of the Ryzen 7 5800X if your small case has adequate cooling. If you’re someone that’s excited to build in such a small factor we can assure you that cooling solutions exist for you, starting with this Noctua CPU cooler that is incredibly potent for how small and silent it is. It earns our recommendation for use in cases such as the popular In Win Chopin.
Here are the specs of this little SFF CPU cooler:
- Dimensions: 114 x 92 x 23 (37 w/fan)
- 92 mm fan | 600 – 2500 RPM (PWM)
- 33.84 CFM max airflow
- 23.6 dbA operating noise
- Included premium NT-H1 thermal compound
- Retail price: $39.90
Closing thoughts
The Ryzen 5000 series has recently hit the market and will hit shelves on November 5th. The list of cooling devices that have been previously working well with the Ryzen series hasn’t changed a lot thanks to the impressive efficiency and performance of these chips. Performance numbers and thermals haven’t yet been disclosed by AMD but with the same TDP as many of the Ryzen 3000 series processors, we could formulate the recommendations for CPU coolers of different types, sizes and price points.
The AMD Wraith stock cooler can only be found on the Ryzen 5 5600X CPU while the Ryzen 7 5800X will need a third party heat sink in order for you to get it up and running. Regardless of which level of cooling performance you may need, there CPU coolers above are great options to choose from and will be compatible out of the box as we have pointed out. The Hyper 212 BE is the perfect stock cooler replacement, while the more expensive Noctua and beQuiet! devices will be able to unleash the full power of this new high performance chip. If you’re willing to try water cooling, there’s probably no better first AIO than the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 with its industrial feel and high efficiency in both performance and noise levels.