Best CPU Cooler for i7 8700k To Buy In 2020

Blair Lee October 1, 2020

0 87 8 minutes read

The Intel i7 8700k is a modern high-end processor. This is one of the best processors in the world even though this might not be the latest one. The processor is ideal for very high gaming uses as well as most professional or editing work you can throw at it. The i7 8700k has a knack of generating a bit of heat if the workload is heavy. If you are looking to only do minimal work and no hardcore gaming on an i7 8700k, a stock cooler may be enough.

In most cases, the people who will buy this processor will want to use this processor to its max, whether in gaming or in programming and editing work. Under this type of usage, investing in an aftermarket cooler is necessary to keep your setup at a favorable temperature.

Many people compare the i7 9700k with the i7 8700k, as they offer similar specs and similar performances. The i7 9700k was released after the i7 8700k and as such, it is slightly better than the 8700k. The difference between these processors, however, is quite negligible. The 8700k is a rather power-hungry processor. It will heat up if you do not pair it up with a suitable cooler. This list is made up of the best of both, air and all in one liquid cooler you can pair with the i7 8700k.

1. Noctua NH-D15

Best Air Cooler

Excellent cooling
Noiseless
Affordable
Six-year warranty

Not an eye catcher

Last Update on 2022-11-08 using Amazon Product Advertising API

Check Price

For people who have an interest in the CPU cooler department, Noctua is a very well-known name. Noctua skyrocketed to the top of the CPU cooler list with their game-changing product, the NH-D14. Over time, other companies learned from this product and made their own top-level CPU coolers.

The Noctua NH-D15 is the successor of the famed NH-D14. It is based on the same design and focuses on improving where the D14 came up short.

The D15 is a dual fan air cooler. The fans are both 140 mm. With the fans installed, the shape is almost like a square. The design is simple and rather plain. This is perhaps the only downside of this air cooler. It is not aesthetically outstanding or an eye-catcher. The D15 has a twin tower design. There is a systematic and comprehensive cooling system in the Noctua D15. This much is obvious from the first glance at this cooler.

The 6-heat pipe dual tower design allows for easy airflow and effective cooling. The NT-H1 thermal compound used in the D15 is a renowned product of Noctua. It is known to be excellent for cooling and reliable. Another key feature that was present in the NH-D14 and has gotten better in the NH-D15 is the quiet functioning of the cooler. There is hardly any sound at all. The fans are some of the quietest and most noiseless in the CPU cooler category. They only make a maximum noise of about 24 dB. This is an extremely low threshold of sound.

It is truly a worthy successor of the famed NH-D14 model. It provides the same excellent cooling and extremely low levels of noise to ensure you enjoy your computer experience to the max. To make it even better this is an air cooler, so it is not going to be as expensive as a liquid cooler. It is a very budget-friendly product with a six-year warranty to top it off. This is quite a long warranty time period and only solidifies your belief in the durability and reliability of this product.

2. NZXTKraken X62

Best AIO Cooler

Great cooling
Stylish design
RGB configuration
CAM software

Pricey

Last Update on 2022-11-08 using Amazon Product Advertising API

Check Price

NZXT is a popular brand of computer products. They are one of the front runners in the CPU cooler game. Although, coolers are not the only thing they manufacture. NZXT makes a lot of different computer-related products such as casings, motherboards, power supply or PSU’s, and of course coolers. CPU coolers are some of their most successful products. It is one of the best all in one liquid cooler at this point in time. Since this is an all in one liquid cooler, it is not limited to just a couple fans like an air cooler. Connected with the fans is a pump that controls the liquid flow.

As you can see from the dimensions, this is a relatively large cooler. When it comes to design, there are not many companies that can match let alone beat NZXT. The X62 is no exception to this. This is a very good looking and aesthetic AIO cooler. Design and aesthetics are something that gamers and computer enthusiasts tend to put a lot of weight these days. It is almost as important as performance. As such, the NZXT X62 will have an advantage over many other coolers due to giving users the best of both worlds.

The X62 is excellent performance-wise as well. The Aer P radiator fans are very efficient in circulating the liquid around for maximum cooling. The noise level can get a bit on the high side when under load but it is not too much of an issue. There is RGB on the pump. This RGB can be configured to how you want it in both color and lighting modes.

There is also the NZXT CAM software that the X62 is compatible with. You can use the CAM software to manage your computer as you like. Control RGB, keep track of temperature, and personalize your computer to your liking. The CAM software can be used remotely via your smartphone as well.

This is a rather big all-in-one liquid cooler so you need to make sure you have enough space to install it in your setup. Apart from that, the only real downside is that it is more expensive than an air cooler. The RGB features also put some more dollars on the price tag.

If you do not care for RGB than it is possible to find a lower-priced liquid cooler. RGB is a very coveted and sought after spec for high-end setups these days. The X62 also has a six-year warranty. Such a long warranty time is sure to put your fears more at ease about the price.

3. Corsair Hydro Series H100i Pro

Best Design Wise

Powerful fans
Easy to customize
Good cooling

Can be loud at max fan speed
RGB could be better

Last Update on 2022-11-08 using Amazon Product Advertising API

Check Price

Corsair is one of the mammoths in the computer hardware and peripheral manufacturing category. Some of the most iconic gaming mice and keyboards are products of Corsair. They also make other products such as headphones and of course CPU coolers.

In the CPU coolers, category Corsair is a name to be reckoned with. They have a lot of top-level cooling products. One such product is the Corsair Hydro Series H1001i Pro. This is an AIO liquid cooler. As such, it is expected to be a little more expensive than air coolers.

The H100i Pro is not as large as the NZXT X62. This is a relatively heavy cooler as it weights almost 2 kg. The Corsair H100i Pro is low-key on the RGB. RGB is only present in the pump and even on the pump, it is not as bold as we see in most modern-day coolers. The RGB does not sync with the RGB of other hardware such as motherboards. This is a downside as you normally want to sync your lighting to get the best look out of your setup.

Let’s take a sneak peek at the performance. The H100i Pro sports a couple of very powerful fans. That much is easy to see by the 2400 RPM they can reach. This high RPM plays a role in the high standard of cooling that this CPU cooler is able to give.

A downside of having such powerful fans that go to a high RPM is the noise. At such a high RPM, it is quite natural that the fans will no longer be as noiseless as one would want. Under heavy load, when the fans are being pushed to their limit to keep your CPU nice and cool, the H100i tends to make a decent amount of noise.

Corsair has setup this cooler with the Link software. Link software is easy to access and very user friendly. You can access it from your desktop and use it to customize the RGB, monitor system temperature, and other cooling related functions. Although this is more expensive than the best air coolers, it is quite lower priced than the Kraken X62 and even other all in one liquid cooler. As such, this is a very high-end pick when it comes to liquid coolers.

4. Be Quiet Dark Rock Pro 4

Overall Solid Pick

Inexpensive
Almost silent
Stylish without RGB

Large size
Lower DIMM slot space

Last Update on 2022-11-08 using Amazon Product Advertising API

Check Price

Be Quiet is generally a not so famous company as the other’s we have mentioned in this list. Be Quiet makes products such as computer casings and power supplies, but it is easy to say that CPU coolers are their best products.

Be Quiet has been one of the companies that have challenged Noctua’s excellence in recent years with their previous cooler models. Although they never quite got the better of Noctua, that might change with the Dark Rock Pro 4. The Dark Rock Pro 4 gives Noctua’s NH-D15 a very close competition as far as the spot for the best air cooler goes.

The Dark Rock Pro 4 is slightly smaller in size than the D15 and also a bit lighter. An interesting thing to notice about the Dark Rock 4 is the fan sizes. The two fans are of different sizes. Most of the time we see fans of the same size being employed in a cooler.

The name ‘Dark Rock’ is very well suited to the design of this cooler. It is a squarish in shape and all black in color. It literally looks like a dark rock. The build quality is very good and solid. Be Quiet has one-upped Noctua as far as design is concerned with this product. This is a very good looking and aesthetic product without any RGB.

For a long time, Noctua has excelled at being the best air cooler in both cooling and noise levels. The Dark Rock Pro 4 has definitely matched Noctua’s noiseless capability. At low load, it is even quieter than the D15 and at high loads, both are at an identical noise level. Cooling wise there is also an improvement from recent Dark Rock models.

This cooler is able to handle an overclocking PC and keep it from overheating effectively. Even though it is a bit smaller than the D15, the Dark Rock Pro 4 is a formidable piece of hardware. It takes up a good amount of space and that results in a lower space for the DIMM slots.

Be Quiet has also made an improvement in the installation and mounting of the Dark Rock as compared to previous models. Price-wise the Dark Rock Pro 4 is quite close to the D15. The warranty period is of three years which is on the lower side of things when it comes to coolers.

All in all, the Dark Rock Pro 4 gives a very close competition to the D15. The NH-D15 is widely considered to be the best air cooler in the market. People may have to change their views on the matter after they see the Pro 4.

5. Cooler Master Hyper 212 RGB Black Edition

Best Budget Pick

Affordable
Aesthetic
Compact

Low warranty period
Underperforms under load

Last Update on 2022-11-08 using Amazon Product Advertising API

Check Price

Cooler Master as the name suggests is a master in the cooling game of the computer industry. There have been many an outstanding CPU cooler associated with the Cooler Master brand name. The Cooler Master Hyper 212 is an old-time favorite of all computer enthusiasts. The original Hyper 212 was the ultimate low-budget and high-performance CPU cooler of its time. Now, we see an update in the old version as we look into new and improved Cooler Master Hyper 212 RGB Black Edition.

First and foremost, this is not a large cooler by any means. It is rather fit and compact. Its low space requiring size makes it an easy fit into any PC casing or setup. You will not face any issues such as low DIMM slot space etc. that a large cooler can cause. It is also quite light in terms of weight. When it is not turned on, it seems like a bland design. When you turn it on, however, you see the beauty of it with the RGB fan.

The Hyper 212 RGB Black Edition is an adequate CPU cooler. It will do the job without any hassle and without making much noise. Although, if you are looking to constantly overclock and push your PC to the limit on a regular basis, there are other CPU coolers that will give better results. There are products of Cooler Master which outshine the Hyper 212 in terms of performance as well. That is to be expected as it is a very low-priced item.

It has a two-year warranty period. This is quite a low warranty period when you see the other companies offering warranties up to six years. Those products are significantly higher priced than the Hyper 212 as well though.

To round it off, the Hyper 212 Black Edition is a welcome upgrade on the legendary Hyper 212. It is a good upgrade too as the performance is decent and the aesthetics have been definitely improved on. This old age favorite product by Cooler Master is still going strong; it gets the job done well enough at a very good price in most setups with standard demands.