Air
Air cooling — single tower
The best ratio of price to peace of mind
Air
- Heat handled
- 95–180 W
- Noise under load
- 24–34 dBA
- Typical price
- PLN 120 – PLN 320
A single fin stack with heat pipes and one 120 or 140 mm fan. This is the most common and most sensible choice for the large majority of builds.
There is no pump and no liquid, so there is no component that can wear out or leak. A good tower will run for a decade, and the only maintenance it needs is dusting the fins.
Strengths
- No pump — nothing to leak or seize
- Lifespan measured in years, essentially maintenance-free
- The lowest cost for genuinely good performance
- Quiet under typical load
Trade-offs
- Takes up a lot of room around the CPU socket
- Can clash with tall memory heat spreaders
- Requires checking the maximum cooler height your case allows