Tech & Gadgets · Head-to-head
Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE vs Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
Which should you buy? Here's the honest call, pulled from our full The Best CPU Coolers: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The Peerless Assassin 120 SE is the cooler most people should buy: it delivers near-flagship cooling and quiet operation for a budget price, and fits the widest range of builds. If you're running a genuine flagship CPU or want maximum headroom, the Liquid Freezer III 360 is the AIO to get.
Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
Buy itA dual-tower air cooler that cools like units costing several times more, for pocket change.
- Six-heatpipe dual-tower design cools mainstream and most high-end chips with ease
- Two 120mm fans stay quiet, rated around 25.6 dBA at full speed
- Compact 155mm height clears the lid of most mid-tower cases
- Broad socket support: Intel 115X/1200/1700/1851 and AMD AM4/AM5
- No RGB and a plain look if aesthetics matter to you
- Front fan can overhang the first RAM slot with very tall memory
Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
Buy itThe 360mm AIO that keeps beating pricier rivals, with a VRM fan and a long warranty thrown in.
- Independent testing consistently ranks it among the best-cooling 360mm AIOs available
- Integrated VRM fan on the pump helps cool the surrounding motherboard area
- Three 120mm PWM fans stay near-silent at idle and low load
- Ships ready for Intel LGA1700/1851 and AMD AM5/AM4, with a long manufacturer warranty
- Needs a case with 360mm radiator support — not a drop-in for compact builds
- All three fans plus pump become audible when a flagship CPU is pushed to full tilt
Side by side
| Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE | Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Anyone building a mainstream or high-end gaming/productivity PC who wants near-flagship cooling for the lowest sensible spend. | High-end i9 / Ryzen 9 builds, or anyone who wants maximum sustained cooling headroom and a clean pump-and-radiator look. |
| Price tier | $ · budget | $$$ · premium |
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE - A dual-tower air cooler that cools like units costing several times more, for pocket change. Choose the Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 instead if high-end i9 / Ryzen 9 builds, or anyone who wants maximum sustained cooling headroom and a clean pump-and-radiator look.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best CPU Coolers: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).