A good horse must be equipped with a good saddle: Understand how to choose a CPU cooler in one article

From the most basic boxed CPU with its own original cooler to the "liquid metal" cooler that costs thousands of yuan, the core function of the cooler is to ensure the stable operation of the CPU. Coolers with cool appearance often sell at higher prices, but generally speaking, the price of the cooler is mainly linked to its heat dissipation performance, and other personalized elements can be used as bonus items. Consumers choose coolers, and the basic requirement is to meet the heat dissipation performance of their own platforms.

Radiator type

First, let's take a look at the types of radiators. According to different heat dissipation methods, they can be mainly divided into two types: air cooling and Water Cooling. Air cooling radiators can be divided into two types: tower type and down pressure type. Water cooling radiators can be divided into two types: integrated type and split type. There are also relatively small integrated radiators that combine air cooling and water cooling.

Air cooling is the most common type of radiator, which is generally assembled with a cooling fan, a cooling base and a heat conduction device. The principle is that the CPU radiator base is in direct contact with the CPU, the CPU conducts heat to the radiator base through silicone grease, and then the base is transferred to the cooling fins through the heat conduction device. The heat on the cooling fins is blown away by the fan. Some entry-level air-cooled radiators may choose to install the cooling fan directly on the heat sink. The main factors affecting the performance of mainstream air-cooled radiators are the quality of the three major components of heat pipes, bases and cooling fins. Stronger fans and better air duct designs can bring better heat dissipation performance.

The fan form of the tower air cooling radiator is more diverse, and the wind direction can be selected according to the actual situation. Generally, the wind direction is selected according to the air duct design of the chassis. Due to its larger fins and fans, it generally has better cooling performance than the downward pressure radiator at the same price. It is also the most mainstream type of radiator at present, but due to its large size, the tower radiator generally has certain requirements for the chassis size, and it also cannot provide auxiliary cooling for the CPU power supply module and memory. When the platform heats up too much, a chassis radiator needs to be installed for assistance.

Water cooling is a type of radiator that has been rapidly popularized among mass consumers in recent years. Its basic principle is to use liquid to force circulation driven by a pump to take away the heat from the heat sink. Compared with air cooling, water cooling radiators have the advantages of less noise, stable cooling, and less dependence on the environment. The upper limit of heat dissipation performance is higher than that of air cooling, but the biggest disadvantage of many things is that they are expensive.

Water cooling is mainly divided into two types: integrated and split. Except for some high-end products, mainstream products are generally integrated water cooling. Integrated water cooling is a water cooling system that combines a pump and a heat absorber. The main indicator for judging the heat dissipation capacity of integrated water cooling is the radiator specification, which is generally divided according to the diameter of the radiator cooling fan. The small size is 120mm radiator, followed by the medium size 240mm radiator, and the largest size is 360mm radiator. The mainstream market generally uses small and medium radiators, and they are also the main force that has helped water cooling radiators to quickly become popular in recent years.

In addition to the two main types of air cooling and water cooling, there is also a relatively niche radiator form of integrated air and water cooling. This radiator directly installs the radiator and the cold head together, and it was mainly used in a few high-end graphics cards. Some manufacturers use this form of radiator in CPU radiators. The biggest advantage is that the air cooling installation method is used to achieve the cooling effect of water cooling, and there is no need to choose a chassis that specifically supports water cooling installation. However, there are fewer products to choose from. Only a few manufacturers have tried to launch a small number of models. Its heat dissipation performance is stronger than that of general air cooling, but the overall cost performance is low. The comprehensive performance cannot match the air cooling and water cooling products of the same price. To become a mainstream product, it needs to continue to improve its product form.

Comprehensive analysis

From the upper limit of the heat dissipation capacity of mainstream types of radiators, split water cooling has the strongest heat dissipation capacity, followed by integrated water cooling, and then tower air cooling radiators and down-pressure air cooling radiators. However, with the development of the radiator market in recent years, "water cooling is better than air cooling" is no longer a golden rule. In most cases of the same price, the heat dissipation performance of various types of radiators is generally not much different. Entry-level water cooling is even far inferior to air cooling radiators of the same price. Water cooling is no longer an expensive accessory. Entry-level products equipped with small radiators have been continuously lowering the price of water cooling radiators in recent years, while also greatly promoting the popularity of water cooling.