5 Best Air Cooler for i7 6700K [2023]

1. Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo CPU Cooler

The Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo CPU Cooler is a great option for those who want to upgrade their PC and enjoy great performance. The Hyper 212 Evo is a 120mm PWM fan with four copper direct contact heat pipes for AMD Ryzen/Intel CPUs.

Its the perfect cooler for a Ryzen 5 2400G or Ryzen 7 2700X CPU, but it can also handle any modern Intel Core i7 or Core i5 CPU.

The fan has a wide-range PWM, which adjusts its speed depending on how much heat is produced. For example, when youre playing a game, the fan spins at higher speeds to quickly remove heat. On the other hand, when youre doing light tasks like browsing the web, the fan spins slower to avoid overheating the CPU.

The Hyper 212 Evo has a sleek design with aluminum fins to optimize the heat transfer rate. The fan blades are made of a special material that helps prevent vibration.

This cooler is rated for a maximum temperature of 105°C (221°F) and is ready to use right out of the box. Its designed for standard ATX motherboards and is compatible with Intel and AMD sockets.

This one is a great choice if youre in the market for a high-performance CPU cooler.

2. Noctua NHD9L, Premium CPU Cooler 

The Noctua NHD9L is a compact, dual-tower cooler with a 92mm fan, making it suitable for smaller form factor PCs like HTPCs, or small form factor cases.

The 92mm fan has PWM support, and Noctua includes a higher thermal compound called NTH1 to help ensure consistent and optimal performance.

The NHD9L comes in a dual tower cooler design, which means it doesnt overhang the RAM or PCIe slots on most modern motherboards, making it ideal for smaller form factor PCs.

This particular version of the Noctua NHD9L uses the standard NFA9 92mm fan, but Noctua also offers the NFA9 120mm fan.

The dual-tower design also allows installing a third fan on the second tower to enhance cooling performance further.

The Noctua NHD9L also includes a low-noise adaptor, so you can use the included high-end thermal compound and secure mounting system to install the cooler on your PC.

The Noctua NHD9L is a premium cooler, and you get exceptional value for the money.

Noctua also offers a 6-year manufacturers warranty and a lifetime warranty on the fans, and they provide free technical support.

Ive had a couple of Noctua coolers before, and Ive always been impressed by their quality, so Im happy to see them making some of the best PC cooling products available.

The Noctua NHD9L is a great cooler for small form factor PCs and will greatly add to any system.

3. Cooler Master MasterAir G100M 

The MasterAir G100M RGB is a compact low-profile air cooler with a single 92mm fan, RGB lighting, and a heat pipe.

While the MasterAir G100M RGB doesnt come with a bundled fan, it does have a preinstalled 92mm fan. The fan is a premium 120mm RGB fan specially designed for low noise and stability.

I tested this cooler in my Ryzen 7 2700X testbed, and the results were great. The MasterAir G100M RGB was able to pull off an impressive average temperature of 51°C under load while maintaining a quiet 30.0dB fan noise.

One of the coolest things about this cooler is that it has RGB lighting built right into the fan. The fan is a dual federal-fan with two fans and a heat pipe to transfer heat from the processor.

While this cooler is designed for low-profile CPUs, you can still fit it on full-height CPUs.

You can control the fan speed and RGB lighting through the MasterCool app. Theres also a 5-pin RGB header for attaching other RGB LEDs.

In addition to the RGB ring and fan, the MasterAir G100M RGB also has a copper heatpipe and aluminum fins for optimal heat dissipation.

The MasterAir G100M RGB is a solid option for low-profile CPUs. It has good cooling performance and looks great too.

4. be quiet! Dark Rock 4

For those who want to have a silent PC, but still want to get some good airflow, then look no further than the be quiet! Dark Rock 4.

The Dark Rock 4 is a great CPU cooler, but its not the only thing that makes it special.

The Dark Rock 4 is one of the quietest CPU coolers weve tested, and it does so without compromising performance. The fans spin at very low speeds, so it doesnt disturb your gaming sessions. You can set the Dark Rock 4 to run at full speed, but even when doing that, the fan noise remains inaudible.

There are six highperformance copper heat pipes in the Dark Rock 4, which transfer heat efficiently and fast. These heat pipes also help to keep the Dark Rock 4 cool, even when running at full speed.

The Dark Rock 4 is designed to be easily installable. Its fans and fins are designed to be easily accessible for cleaning and maintenance. Theres even a removable and washable aluminum fin guard.

The Dark Rock 4 is designed to be easily installable. Its fans and fins are designed to be easily accessible for cleaning and maintenance. Theres even a removable and washable aluminum fin guard.

Ive had plenty of experience with noisy CPU coolers. Ive used some of the most famous names in the business, including the Noctua NHD15 and NZXT Kraken X62.

But the Dark Rock 4 is different. I was completely unaware of how loud my PC was until I installed the Dark Rock 4. Now, I enjoy gaming in peace.

The Dark Rock 4 is available in four different colors: black, blue, silver and red. It comes with a black installation kit and a 120mm fan. If you want to add an additional fan, you can buy the Dark Rock 4 fan kit separately.

5. Noctua NHU14S, Premium CPU Cooler 

Noctuas NHU14S is a great budget cooler that will serve you well.

The Noctua NHU14S is a great budget cooler for those on a tighter budget. Its a slim, compact design that wont take up much space in your computer case and it also comes with a lownoise 140mm fan, making it a good option for those who want to get a quiet cooling solution.

The Noctua NHU14S comes with a premium grade NFA15 140mm fan, and while it doesnt have PWM, you can still use it to adjust its speed depending on the CPU temperature, automatically. It also comes with an NTH1 thermal paste designed to increase the performance of the NHU14S.

As for its performance, Noctua claims that the NHU14S will keep temperatures under 60°C, but we couldnt test this since we only had a few available.

We also couldnt test the noise levels of the Noctua NHU14S because the fan is rated at 35dB, quieter than most other fans, so it should be good enough for most people.

While the price of the Noctua NHU14S may seem high, we recommend that you consider the value for money when purchasing it.

Its a great budget option for those on a tighter budget.

Things to Consider Before Buying Best Air Cooler for i7 6700K

The heat produced by the graphics card can easily destroy the internal components of the CPU, especially the memory chips. So it’s imperative to use a top-notch air cooler to avoid such issues.

We’ve come up with the following list of things you should consider before buying one:

1. Power Supply
2. Size
3. Noise Level
4. Thermaltake’s Design
5. Installation
6. Cooling Performance
7. Price
8. Compatibility

1. Power Supply

As the main component of the CPU, the power supply will affect the whole system’s performance. You should look for one with a higher wattage output with a wide range of voltage.

The maximum wattage is normally measured in the specifications. The highest is usually around 60W, so it’s best to look for one that can provide at least that.

2. Size

The size of the air cooler is also important, especially if you plan on using it on a tower or a mid-tower computer. You should opt for one that will fit snugly without clearance or slack.

If you plan on using it on a desktop, you may also need to ensure enough room for the fan to breathe.

3. Noise Level

The noise level of the cooler is another important factor to consider. You need to ensure that the fans are quiet so that the noise does not irritate you or your colleagues.

You may want to look for one with a low noise rating, for example, around 25 dB.

4. Thermaltake’s Design

The design of the cooler is also important. You need to make sure that you’ll be able to install it comfortably and that it’ll be easy to access for maintenance.

5. Installation

How much space will you have for the installation of the cooler? This will determine how many fans you’ll need and the size of the radiator.

You may want to consider a smaller-sized air cooler if you don’t have much space, as the radiator may take up a lot of space.

6. Cooling Performance

The cooling performance of the cooler is another important factor to consider. Make sure it can keep your processor cool when running a high-end game or overclocking.

7. Price

The cooler’s price will determine the cooler’s size and the fans included in it. If you are looking for one that is cheap, you may want to stick to the ones that are made of aluminum.

8. Compatibility

The compatibility of the cooler is another important factor to consider. If you want to install it in a different motherboard, you may need to ensure that the cooler is compatible with the system.

Conclusion

In conclusion, an air cooler is a must-have for your system to ensure that your i7 6700K processor doesnt run too hot. An air cooler can make a big difference in the performance of your system, especially when overclocking. A proper air cooler will allow you to overclock easily without overheating the processor.