9 Quietest CPU Coolers for a Super Silent PC [in 2023]

Are you looking for the quietest CPU cooler? Then you are certainly at the right place.

As a PC enthusiast and gamer, I spend most of my time on my PC.

In a hurry? Check out my #1 quiet cpu cooler.

I find the constant whirring sound from the CPU cooler distracting me from my work/play.

That’s why when building a PC; I always make sure to put a quiet cooler on the system so the user can concentrate on work or games.

If you are in a similar position, I’ve got your back.

In this post, I have gathered some of the quietest CPU coolers in the market for you.

These CPU coolers provide a near-silent PC experience while making sure the CPU gets proper cooling.

So keep reading the post to know about the quietest CPU cooler for you.

Top 9 Quietest CPU Coolers Overview

Not all CPU coolers work the same way. Some CPU coolers have optimized heatsink and fan blades that help to reduce vibration and noise.

The fans also have optimized fan bearings and anti-vibration technologies that allow for less noise output and more performance.

So, here are the top 9 quietest CPU coolers:

1. Scythe Ninja 5

The Scythe Ninja 5 is the best quiet CPU cooler for overclocked CPUs.

Top highlights of the Scythe Ninja 5:

Check Today's Price of Scythe Ninja 5 ➜➜

At first glance, you might think that the Scythe Ninja 5 is a dual tower design. But actually, it’s a single tower heatsink. The heatsink is massive and provides a vast surface area for heat dissipation.

The tower needs two fans to provide enough airflow. It has two Kaze Flex 120mm fans to do that job. The fans are in a push-pull configuration, and they can rev up to 800 RPM. They also have anti-vibration pads going in.

And I must say,

These are some of the quietest CPU cooler fans I’ve come across. They top out at only 14.5 dB(A), even under heavy loads. With Sealed Precision Fluid Dynamic Bearings, they are astonishingly silent.

Also, don’t forget to check out our best fanless CPU cooler for silently operating your PC.

The heatsink has recessed fins so that you can install up to 55mm tall RAM modules, so there’s enough clearance. The CPU cooler height is 155mm, which should fit in most regular-sized PC cases.

With the massive heatsink, its large surface area, and the quiet fans, this cooler is very efficient. It is guaranteed to work with the latest and greatest processors.

You can even cool overclocked CPUs with the Scythe Ninja 5, which is insane. It performs toe to toe with some of the better AIOs in the market.

I just wish the fans had more RPM, but even without so, for the price, the Scythe Ninja 5 is an efficient, quiet, heavy performing CPU cooler that is an easy recommendation.

Have some time to spare? Quickly check out our epic guide on how to fix CPU fan not detected in BIOS.

2. Scythe Mugen 5 Rev.B

The Scythe Mugen 5 Rev.B is a near-silent CPU cooler that provides the best price to performance ratio.

Notable features of the Scythe Mugen 5 Rev.B:

Check Today's Price of Scythe Mugen 5 Rev.B ➜➜

It is hard to say enough good things about the Scythe Mugen 5 Rev.B. You would struggle to find a CPU cooler at such an affordable price that performs as decent as it, let alone a quiet one.

The Scythe Mugen 5 Rev.B hovers around 4 to 24.9 dB(A), so it’s almost silent. And the best part is, you won’t even hit the peak noise level so often as it’s highly efficient.

The single tower heatsink is a quality one. With durable aluminum construction, it feels and performs superbly. The six heat pipes conduct heat very fast, while the Kaze Flex 120mm PWM fan blows a high amount of air to dissipate the heat quickly.

Also, check out the best NZXT AIO coolers that you can buy.

Being PWM,

It automatically adjusts speed based on the heat output, and hence it produces significantly less noise when you’re not running heavy tasks. The fan is near silent with its Sealed Precision Fluid Dynamic Bearing and anti-vibration rubbers.

The CPU cooler has an asymmetrical design, and the fins are recessed on the lower side. So the RAM slots have clearance of up to 55mm, and the VRMs and the PCIe slot are also not covered or blocked.

If you are not into overclocking, you can safely get the Scythe Mugen 5 Rev.B at an affordable price that performs as good as coolers twice its worth but at a much less noise output.

When building a silent PC, you should check the fan RPM values. If you are unsure, check our separate guide and eliminate any fan noise present.

3. Noctua NH-L9i chromax.Black

The Noctua NH-L9i chromax.Black will be the best choice for anyone looking for the quietest low-profile CPU cooler for Intel CPUs.

Top highlights of the Noctua NH-L9i chromax.Black:

Check Today's Price of Noctua NH-L9i chromax.Black ➜➜

Noctua designed this CPU cooler for Intel users with an all-black color scheme. The CPU cooler guarantees to work smoothly with any Intel CPU at stock frequencies.

Despite this, it can be used with AMD AM4 socket CPUs using the Noctua NM-AM4-L9aL9i adapter that you can order free of charge. Keep in mind that the AM4 bracket installation is not as easy as an Intel one.

The air cooler is one of the shortest in height, measuring only 37mm. It makes the Noctua NH-L9i chromax.Black the best option for Intel-based HTPC or ITX builds.

Due to its ultimate compact design, it’s not suitable for any overclocked CPU or CPU with over 65W TDP, so if you are planning on overclocking, there are other CPU coolers on this list.

What’s more?

The 95mm x 95mm footprint means that it is compatible with all sorts of RAM, SSD, and heatsink and will not cause trouble while mounting.

The Noctua NH-L9i chromax.Black comes with the NF-A9x14 slim 92mm fan that is super quiet and impressively efficient in cooling CPUs. It’s a PWM fan with a low noise adaptor, so you get both the silence and efficiency here.

Unlike most compact CPU cooler fans, it maxes out at only 23.6 dB(A). What’s even more exciting is that it doesn’t even reach that noise level most of the time.

Therefore it’s safe to say that,

For anyone owning a small ITX PC case with an Intel CPU running at stock frequencies, the Noctua NH-L9i chromax.Black is a no-brainer as it offers the best value, best fit, and best performance with near-silent operation.

That’s not all. We have covered the best Noctua coolers in a separate article after hours of testing. Do check it out.

4. Scythe Fuma 2

The Scythe Fuma 2 is an improved version of the highly praised Scythe Fuma.

Key highlights of the Scythe Fuma 2:

Check Today's Price of Scythe Fuma 2 ➜➜

Scythe took the already good Scythe Fuma and added some improvements on top of it to produce the Scythe Fuma 2. It boasts a 15% cooling performance increase over its predecessor. And it shows.

Scythe also made sure not to ruin the good things about the previous generation, so they stay here too. The Scythe Fuma 2 has a dual tower design with a black top cover. There are two Kaze Flex 120mm fans included. One fan goes at the front while the other goes in between the heatsinks.

And interestingly,

They rotate in opposite directions. It creates a high static pressure that helps to dissipate heat more efficiently from the two heatsinks.

You also get an option to install a third fan for maximum performance, so that’s a bonus. But even without it, the two fans provide enough cooling performance for most use cases. Unless you’re overclocking, it should get the job done efficiently.

The benefit of staying with two fans is that it will be relatively quiet than other dual tower CPU coolers. The noise level goes as low as 2.7 dB(A) and maxes out at just 23.9 dB(A), which is impressive for a dual tower cooler with two fans. You will barely hear the fans during your regular PC use.

The asymmetrical design and the recessed fins help for maximum compatibility for a CPU cooler of this size. The HPMS III mounting system also allows you to install the CPU cooler without any hassle easily.

All in all, the Scythe Fuma 2 is an excellent CPU cooler that’s astoundingly quiet for its cooling performance and provides enough thermal capacity for most CPUs. Just make sure it fits into your PC case, and you’re good to go.

Are you looking for the best coolers for AMD Threadripper? Look no further and check our guide for the best TR4 coolers.

5. be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4

The be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 is one of the most silent CPU air coolers with 250W TDP support.

Key highlights of the be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4:

Check Today's Price of Dark Rock Pro 4 ➜➜

The main selling point of this air cooler is its low noise output with high-TDP support. Even under full load, the be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 produces only 24.3dB of sound. It is incredible to consider that it cools down powerful workstation CPUs with up to 250W TDP and has two fans running.

The air cooler is massive. Despite this, it has recessed fins and a small front fan size of 120mm. It gives enough room to fit slightly taller than average-sized RAM modules. The CPU cooler measures 146mm in length, 136mm in width, and 163mm in height. Make sure you have enough room inside the PC case to fit this beast.

The be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 has two Silent Wings fans. There is a 135mm PWM fan between the two heatsinks and a second 120mm Silent Wings 3 PWM fan sitting at the front.

Here’s the great thing about this air cooler:

The front fan produces a high static pressure for optimized cooling with the help of the funnel-shaped air inlet. Both the fans have fluid dynamic bearings and airflow optimized fan blades for silent cooling operation.

The dual heatsinks are optimized, too, with wave-contoured aluminum fins and a unique black ceramic coating. All of it contributes to high efficiency and low noise cooling performance.

All in all, the be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 is a great air cooler that boasts ultimate cooling for high-end workstation CPUs at an unrivaled low noise.

Be Quiet Dark Rock 4 has a great dual-fan design. But if you are looking for other alternatives, check our list of competitors for Dark Rock 4.

6. upHere N1055 ARGB

If you’re into RGB, the upHere N1055 ARGB might be your favorite quiet CPU cooler.

Prime features of the upHere N1055 ARGB:

Check Today's Price of upHere N1055 ➜➜

The upHere N1055 ARGB supports ARGB on its fan. It includes a 120mm PWM ARGB fan that can go up to 1800 RPM. It produces very low noise for such high RPM.

The noise level hovers around 15 – 25 dB(A), making it one of the quietest ARGB CPU air coolers. The cooling performance is also decent, with five heat pipes and an aluminum fin heat sink.

Amazingly, it supports CPUs with up to 180W TDP. That being said, don’t expect the upHere N1055 ARGB to cool overclocked CPUs.

Also, check out our expert’s recommended best cooler master cpu coolers.

As for the ARGB,

It looks gorgeous. The top cover also has ARGB strips that sync with the fan lighting. You can control the RGB lighting via the 5V 3-pin ARGB header on the motherboard.

The installation process is pretty straightforward and shouldn’t come as an obstacle for most people.

Overall, if you want a quiet and good-looking CPU air cooler, the upHere N1055 ARGB is a good deal.

7. Cryorig C7G

The Cryorig C7G is a low-profile top-flow design CPU cooler that aims to be as quiet as possible.

Notable features of the Cryorig C7G:

Check Today's Price of Cryorig C7G ➜➜

The central aspect of the Cryorig C7G is the form factor. It is one of the quietest low-profile CPU cooler with a height of just 47mm, which can easily fit in most compact cases. The footprint measures 97×97 mm, making it suitable for ITX motherboards.

It doesn’t hinder the RAM slots or the PCIe slot, so this is a decent choice if you want easy access to those.

Here’s the unique part:

The Cryorig C7G has a Graphene coating on its heatsink fins. Graphene is an expensive material that has a thermal conductivity almost 10x more than aluminum or copper. Hence it manages to cool CPUs up to 125W relatively quickly, despite the compact size.

The top flow design and four 6mm heat pipes also help in the process. The Cryorig C7G is one of the best coolers for compact PC cases or ITX builds in performance.

It is accompanied by a 97mm PWM fan that rotates at a maximum speed of 2500 RPM. That is enough airflow for such a compact, low-profile cooler, and you will get excellent thermal performance out of it.

Now let’s talk about the noise. Though it’s certainly not the quietest in this list, it manages to stay below 30 dB(A) most of the time, so that’s a low-enough output.

However, if you prefer even less sound, swapping the fan for a Noctua low-profile fan would be a great alternative. Besides this, the Cryorig C7G sums up to be a pretty decent low profile cooler with high thermal capacity.

The Alder lake i9 12900K is still a great CPU for gaming. Pair with it a fantastic cooler by looking at our recommendation for the best CPU cooler for the i9 12900K.

8. ID-COOLING SE-224-XT ARGB V2

The ID-COOLING SE-224-XT ARGB V2 is an affordable ARGB-supported CPU cooler that runs quietly.

Key features of the ID-COOLING SE-224-XT ARGB V2:

Check Today's Price of ID-COOLING SE-224-XT ➜➜

It is surprising to find a top-performing CPU cooler at such an affordable price with ARGB. So the ID-COOLING SE-224-XT ARGB V2 has a lot going for it.

For starters, the cooling performance is excellent. It is not as massive a CPU cooler as some others in this list, but it performs reasonably well. You will see a considerable temperature drop by replacing the stock cooler with it.

The top cover and the included fan have ARGB lighting. You can either control them via the 5V 3-pin ARGB header on the motherboard or via the included wired controller if your motherboard lacks the header.

Don’t forget to check out the list of the best cpu coolers for LGA 1200 socket compatibility.

The RGB lighting is nicely done, and it looks pretty decent. The fan itself is a 120mm PWM fan with a maximum speed of 2000 RPM.

The fan aces at noise levels too. Most of the time, you will not hear the fans as they produce very low noise between 16.2 and 31.5 dB(A). You would only be able to listen to them at their 100%, but since it’s PWM, it won’t bother you for long, if any.

So there you have the ID-COOLING SE-224-XT ARGB V2, an ARGB-enabled air cooler with outstanding performance, excellent clearance, and low noise. That’s an impelling package, especially when you consider the price.

9. Noctua NH-L9i

The Noctua NH-L9i is one of the quietest compact CPU coolers out there.

Top features of the Noctua NH-L9i:

Check Today's Price of Noctua NH-L9i ➜➜

The CPU cooler is very compact. Its height is only 37mm, while the length and width are both 95mm. It makes the Noctua NH-L9i the best option for HTPC or ITX builds. It provides enough clearance for all sorts of RAM, SSD, and heatsink and will not cause trouble while mounting.

Due to its super compact design, it’s not suitable for any CPU with over 65W TDP. Another fact is that the CPU cooler is designed for Intel LGA 115X based CPUs. You can also use it on an AMD AM4 CPU by using a bracket available from Noctua.

Now let’s talk about the fan.

The Noctua NH-L9i comes with the NF-A9x14 slim 92mm fan that is super quiet and impressively efficient in cooling CPUs. It’s a PWM fan with a low noise adaptor, so you get both the silence and efficiency here. The fan maxes out at only 23.6 dB(A), and it doesn’t even reach that noise level most of the time.

If you have a specific color scheme or RGB in your PC, the brown and beige color scheme might not suit the setup. Otherwise, the build quality of the CPU cooler is very premium and rigid.

Therefore,

For anyone owning a compact ITX Intel PC, the Noctua NH-L9i is an excellent choice for offering the best fit, best performance with a quiet operation. What it loses in its aesthetics, it gains back that in its thermal and acoustic performance.

You may be skeptical about the safety of using an AIO cooler in your build. Well, we have answered the exact question in a separate article. Do check it out.

Final Thoughts

So which CPU cooler do you think fits your criteria? I find the Scythe Mugen 5 Rev.B an excellent choice for its top-notch cooling at a reasonable price. I also like the Noctua NH-L9i chromax.Black due to its high thermal capacity at such a compact form factor.