AIO cooling solutions are always a viable option for optimum cooling performance.
Their superb efficiency attracts most gamers to add them to a gaming rig.
120mm AIO coolers are famous for their inexpensive, compact, aesthetic, enough cooling solution for mid-range processors.
But which 120mm AIO will serve the best to your gaming needs?
But you’re free to also check out our other best recommendations depending on your requirement.
Other than a few ultraslim builds, they fit mostlow-profile PC cases.
Now, not every 120mm AIOs will be the right choice.
You need a cooling solution that appropriately manages heat, bringing better aesthetics and value to the table.
With fastening some screws, it’s possible for you to quickly plug and play this AIO.
By providing a tube ofthermal paste for CPU, CM makes the installation process easier for the users.
We tested the MasterGel Pro, and it is one of the best thermal pastes of CM out there.
Besides aesthetics, it competes with larger coolers and provides enviable performance with having only a 120mm radiator.
But to maintain that performance, the fan gets noisy for the high RPM to achieve efficiency.
The overclocking performance is better than what we expected for this reason.
If the 2-year warranty doesnt bother you, you should definitely get this beast for your mid-tier CPU.
We loved it cause now its more compact between the frame and the fins.
We also liked the SickleFlow 120 RGB fan, which is capable of putting a higher air pressure.
Not to say this is crucial for a radiator.
Despite having a short warranty period, good performance and compatibility with most modern chips overcome this.
Almost all gaming enthusiasts trust their Kraken series of coolers.
This cooler does justice to the series it belongs to.
It has an impressive design, which will attract most gamers to buy it.
The CPU block is stunning in terms of looks and offers a fully-customizable RGB logo atop.
Another main element of this design is theinfinity mirror-typelook on the pump head.
When the RGB LEDs light up the pump, youll be left stunned by the vividness of the lighting.
In addition, you’re free to mount this AIO on the latest LGA 1700andAM5sockets.
So you wont have to deprive of this beauty for CPU socket compatibility issues.
The fan that comes with this AIO isAer P 120mmwhich has a maxRPM of 2000andairflow of 73.11 CFM.
We tested 5800X in gaming, and the temp didnt go over 55C.
Impressive stats for dissipating heat away, but it comes at the cost of36 dBAnoise.
This is the reason we rate this AIO as the runner-up.
NZXT is well known for other PC parts too.
The 3-year warranty can assure you keep relaxed.
If you are satisfied with the non-RGB fan, this is absolutely a pick for you.
We used NZXT CAM, which is easy to navigate and helped personalize the look.
The fan noise is a bit loud, which could be improved in our opinion.
Besides, the lack of RGB in the fan can be bothersome to some users.
The look of the Infinity RGB with a 3-year warranty can make it a worthy investment.
Its modern outlook and excellent cooling potential easily make it one of the top picks.
And being a ROG product line, this AIO comes as expensive.
Hence, we put this in the best premium category.
But it is worth every penny, given its performance and RGB inclusion.
We can easily give a high score to this AIO for the looks.
The customizable RGB lights on the pump head are stylish and modern.
The other components are coated in glossy black, though.
So quality-wise, there is no compromise.
Like, the AIOs mentioned above, this one supports almost all CPU sockets, including the latest one.
Along with looks and build quality, this AIO also beats other 120mm All-in-One coolers in performance.
Installing this AIO is relatively easy.
It took around 10/12 minutes for us to load the AIO in our rig.
Another thing we loved is the 380mm long sleeved-rubber tubing.
It stretches the aesthetic look.
2500RPM fan speed with 38dBa is pretty loud and quite noticeable during our testing.
Though withFanXpertyou can control the fan speed to reduce noise, performance may get a hit in extreme cases.
Besides, even though it is a premium product, it is expensive for a 120mm AIO.
Overall, I am quite sure that youll like this cooler for its top-end performance and vibrant lighting profiles.
But they didnt bind themselves with only air coolers and offered us in-house designed LS series AIOs.
The installation part was easy as it had pre-applied thermal paste.
The providedFC120fan has stronger airflow and static pressure of85.85 CFMand3.27 mmAqrespectively.
The fan has amax 2250 RPMspeed, which is sufficient for the radiator to cool the CPU.
That being said, it can produce a max of32.9 dBa.
Now, we picked LS320 for its vivid RGB lights.
The fan isARGB which is an advanced form of RGBlighting offering unique customizability and aesthetics with lighting sync software.
The new infinity mirror pump face design offers a user-customizable face plate.
Not only the aesthetic but the performance talks itself to pick this affordable AIO.
The center logo plate is removable and rotatable.
We liked the feature because we wont have to worry about the logo being sideways or upside down.
This is very exclusive.
In fact, I would say its lighter than many top-end air cooling options available in the market.
And not only that, we chose this snow edition to perfectly match a white build.
Colored with clean white, the Thermaltake TH120 A-RGB snow edition is sufficient, on par with higher-end coolers.
With this performance, it produces only28.2 dBAnoise, which is reasonably quiet.
The thickness of theradiator is 27mm,and RAM and PC casing clearance are quite impressive.
The slim profile is ideal for a smaller casing.
Despite being slim, the performance didnt get any hits in the stress test and at idle.
The water block has apre-attached thermal pad.
We wanted to change it toArctic silverthermal paste, but the provided pad was quite well.
With an overclocked i7, the temp was ~27 degrees Celsius at idle and ~58 under load.
Aside from performance, this 120mm water cooler possesses some freakish RGB elements.
We were impressed with the vivid lighting performance when we tested this cooler in our build.
Also, you dont need to worry about installation.
It would be an overly simple task.
RGB lighting and a quieter operation is absolutely worth the pick.
The coolers slimmer build with a stunning white finish is absolutely eye-catchy.
We also loved the quieter operation, as we lean to AIO for a noise-free operation.
Overall, this AIO is an excellent pick if you intend to build a white rig.
Along with aesthetic looks, the performance is also great.
Cooling solutions from EVGA are often the most affordable ones.
This EVGA CLC 120 AIO is one such of them.
Its highly competent as a cooling solution for a budget build.
The design is quite minimalistic, like most other budget coolers.
Its not flashy like some of the more RGB-accompanying coolers.
Also, the cooler doesnt sport any RGB elements, nor in the fans or pump.
Its just a simple AIO, but for that, the quality wont disappoint you.
Coming to the fan, it is actually of good quality.
Especially the top-notch bearings that make it long-lasting.
The fans bearings are also made ofTeflon, making them highly resilient.
However, the fan isnt also devoid of issues.
When we pushed the fan to 1800 RPM, it got loud.
The AIO has an elegant wiring system that helps us the cable management to keep the build tidy.
It lacks RGB, so dont expect vivid lighting from this AIO.
But many users dont like RGB, and this is a perfect deal for them.
The 5-year warranty improves the coolers total value, and the simplicity of its design wont disappoint you.
This 120mm AIO is the cheapest yet well-performing cooling solution in terms of pricing.
We also loved the hefty amount of airflow.
EVGAs 5-year warranty is another great deal, which is exceptional for such a low-priced AIO.
We are disappointed with the noise issue.
Its a bit loud with max speeds, and throttling down the fan speed cost cooling performance.
There was also no pre-installed thermal paste.
But with such a low price, we have to go along with it.
Besides that, it lacks RGB and most importantly, only supports Intel sockets.
So for AMD processors, check the aforementioned AIOs.
FAQs
Should I go for 120mm AIOs?
Should I go for an air-cooling solution or AIO?
Air coolers for your CPU need RAM and casing clearance.
Though they are noisy, they require very minimal maintenance.
On the other hand, AIOs provide enhanced performance with plentiful clearance.
It is also a better pick if you intend to overclock and in that case 240mm AIO is preferred.
Is a Push-Pull Radiator worth it?
The push-Pull system provides a slightly better cooling performance and can reduce noise.
However, it can cost extra and require more space to install.
The casing should have the space to support the push-pull radiator.
