Intel's Core Ultra 200S desktop chips (Arrow Lake-S) landed in October 2024 and introduced a new socket: LGA 1851. If you are upgrading, there is a nice perk here. LGA 1851 keeps the same cooler hole spacing and mounting geometry as LGA 1700, so virtually any cooler that supports LGA 1700 will install on LGA 1851 with the same brackets and backplate.
Check out my Recommended LGA 1851 Coolers
below.
for a specific LGA 1851 CPU:
Considerations When Choosing a CPU Cooler
Thermal Dissipation
A CPU cooler's TDP (Thermal Design Power) rating indicates how much heat it can dissipate in watts. If the cooler can't keep your CPU cool enough, your CPU may throttle (slow down), and your cooler will constantly run at full speed.
Intel CPU specifications indicate this power dissipation number as "Processor Base Power" and "Maximum Turbo Power."
For example, the Core i9-12900K has a TDP of 125–241 watts, depending on the workload.
A CPU cooler can still work with a lower TDP rating than the TDP of a CPU. However, the CPU will eventually throttle itself to a lower frequency to allow itself to cool.
The CPU may not achieve or maintain maximum turbo speeds without adequate cooling.
Types of Coolers
Air coolers use a combination of heatsinks and fans. They are the cheapest, but also the loudest.
A Closed-Loop Cooler (CLC), also called an All-in-One (AIO) cooler, is a type of liquid cooler. All-in-one liquid coolers provide a more straightforward setup in a single pre-built package.
Liquid cooling can provide even better TDP performance at lower noise levels but are more expensive and take up more room. The noise level and ability to cool your CPU will depend on the liquid cooling solution's radiator size and the number and size of the fans.
Open-Loop Coolers are also a type of liquid cooler, except you construct them yourself. They allow for more flexibility in building your perfect cooling solution but can also be more complicated to set up. Open-loop systems give you the flexibility to cool additional devices, such as your graphics card's GPU.
Noise
More fans typically mean better cooling. However, they also mean more noise.
Larger fans are typically quieter than smaller fans, as they can move the same amount of air at lower speeds.
If a cooler is struggling to cool a CPU, it will run at its maximum speed, which will be louder.
Fan noise levels are measured a dB. Lower dB values are quieter.
You can often configure your motherboard's BIOS to use specific fan speeds at particular temperatures. This configurable fan speed allows you to have a near-silent computer while your computer is idle.
Mounting Brackets
CPU coolers can have various mounting brackets to work with different socket sizes. Make sure that your cooler comes with a compatible mounting bracket.
The easiest way to find a CPU cooler that will work for your computer is to search by socket type. For example, Intel's 12th generation Core i9 12900K uses an LGA 1700 socket, so you would search for an LGA 1700 CPU cooler. In some cases, such as when a new socket size is released, there may not be many compatible coolers. In these cases, you can often purchase a separate mounting/
Size
Before buying the biggest cooler possible, ensure that your case and motherboard configuration have room.
Also, ensure that other components on your motherboard won't interfere due to size constraints. For example, do your memory modules (DIMMs) have tall heat spreaders?
Dual-fan coolers often take up quite a bit of room. Liquid cooling solutions typically position fans at the top or bottom of the case.
Lighting
Some CPU cooler fans come with LED lighting. Similarly, liquid cooling pump heads can also come with LEDs or even LCDs!
If you want to turn off the lights when they get annoying, make sure your CPU cooler has that option.
Price
In general, air-based coolers will be lower cost than liquid cooling systems.
CPU coolers that support a higher TDP are also typically correlated with a higher price.
The more advanced lighting features tend to also come at an extra cost. You can decide between a practical, low-cost solution and a dazzling light show.
Recommended LGA 1851 Coolers
Locked Intel CPUs are typically bundled with a stock CPU cooler and are identifiable by the absence of the "K" in their model name. While these coolers are adequate for preventing the CPU from overheating, they may limit the processor's performance during demanding tasks such as gaming. Additionally, stock coolers may produce noticeable noise when running at maximum speed.
A higher TDP cooler is recommended to sustain the peak speeds for extended periods to ensure optimal performance.
A CPU cooler compatible with the LGA 1851 socket will be required. Fortunately, existing CPU coolers designed for LGA 1700 remain compatible with LGA 1851, thanks to the identical mounting hole configuration.
Best LGA 1851 AIO Liquid Coolers
CORSAIR Nautilus 360 RS ARGB
CORSAIR Nautilus 360 RS ARGB Supports LGA 1851: YES Max TDP: 260 watt Type: Liquid Cooler Check the latest price of the CORSAIR Nautilus 360 RS ARGB on Amazon
Designed for Intel LGA 1851, 1700 and AMD AM5, AM4 sockets
Three RS120 ARGB fans with Magnetic Dome bearings (544.6 gal/min airflow, 4.15mmH2O static pressure @ 1700 RPM)
Direct 4-pin PWM motherboard connection with daisy-chaining support
We estimate that this supports roughly a 260-watt TDP (Thermal Design Power).
Ultra-quiet 20 dBA pump noise with Zero RPM fan mode
360mm aluminum radiator with 450mm flexible tubing
Copper cold plate with pre-applied thermal compound
Addressable RGB lighting on pump and fans (motherboard sync)
Includes universal mounting hardware and 5-year warranty
Best LGA 1851 Dual-Fan Air CPU Coolers
Noctua NH-D15
Noctua NH-D15 Supports LGA 1851: YES Max TDP: 220 watt Type: Heatsink & Fans I found the dual 140 mm fans to be incredibly powerful, providing an impressive 220-watt TDP (183 NSPR) of cooling capability.
With support for such a diverse range of CPU sockets, I found the Noctua NH-D15 to be a very flexible and adaptable cooling solution. Its supported socket types include Intel LGA 1851, 1700, 1200, 1156, 1155, 1151, 1150, 2011, 2066 and AMD AM4, AM3, AM3+, AM2, AM2+, FM2, FM2+.
In my experience, the Noctua NH-D15 operates very quietly, with a noise level of just 24.6 dBA.
I am extremely satisfied with the Noctua NH-D15 cooler and would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a high-performance and versatile cooling solution.
Thermaltake TOUGHAIR 510
Thermaltake TOUGHAIR 510 Supports LGA 1851: YES Max TDP: 180 watt Type: Heatsink & Fans As someone who isn't a big fan of flashy LED lights, I appreciated the simplicity of the Thermaltake TOUGHAIR 510, which doesn't have any fancy lights but still looks great in my system.
I found that the dual 120 mm fans on the TOUGHAIR 510 did an excellent job of keeping an LGA 1851 CPU cool, even under heavy workloads.
If you're worried about the TOUGHAIR 510 taking up too much space in your system, Thermaltake offers a few single-fan variants that use different orientations, so you can choose the one that works best for your setup.
With a max speed of 2000 RPM, the TOUGHAIR 510 provides optimal cooling performance when you need it most.
With a 180-watt TDP (Thermal Design Power), the TOUGHAIR 510 offers solid cooling performance and is a great choice for anyone looking for a reliable and efficient cooling solution for their CPU.