Thoughts on whether air coolers can keep up with the latest high-performance CPUs, or if we're entering an era where liquid cooling is a must-have? With modern tower coolers getting more capable and AIOs becoming more affordable, where do you draw the line? I'm personally rocking an air cooler for my main rig but I'm starting to wonder if I'm falling behind. What's your take?
Is air cooling still viable in 2024, or should we all switch to liquid cooling?
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Yeah, I was dealing with the same issue recently. I have a 13600K, and while the Thermaltake Peerless Assassin 120 does the job decently, it gets a bit noisy when it hits 140W under load. Just like you, I was thinking, "Should I just get an AIO?" but after checking some recent tests...
For example, the Noctua NH-D15 shouldn’t be underestimated—it keeps things stable up to 200W. Plus, you shouldn’t fall for the overhyped ads about AIOs being silent; after 2-3 years, you start hearing pump noise too.
My take? If you’re not planning to overclock at all and stay within the 125W range, air cooling is still a solid choice. Some people, like me, are happy with the stock cooler too. But if you’re pushing 170W+ or more, then an AIO seems unavoidable—otherwise, you’ll hit thermal throttling. Where’s your system sitting power-wise?