There is no denying that the Intel Core i7 8700K is one of the best processors available in the market. Whether you are looking for something that is centered around gaming, or you want something that is good at handling productivity tasks like rendering, and editing, the processor is good for handling all the tasks that are thrown at it.
However, the thing about this processor is that it runs a lot hotter than some of the older Intel processors, meaning that if you are looking to overclock it, or even run it at stock clocks, you are going to need a good cooler that can keep the CPU cool, and working with proper efficiency.
Now when it comes to cooling the Intel Core i7 8700K, you really do not have to take extreme measures as long as you are staying in the territory of stock clocks. However, when it comes to overclocking, you are going to need to invest in something more powerful, because otherwise, you can run into issues with overheating as well as throttling.
With that out of the way, the purpose of this roundup is to look at the best CPU coolers for the Intel Core i7 8700K.
Top 8 Best CPU Cooler For i7 8700k
1. Be Quiet! Dark Rock 4 – View on Amazon
The first CPU cooler that we are looking at for the Intel Core i7 8700K is the Be Quiet! Dark Rock 4, I know that it is an air cooler, but the good thing about air coolers is that the chances of failure are a lot less, plus, they require a lot less maintenance as well.
Needless to say, you are definitely getting something good from this cooler. But is it enough to cool the mighty processor? That is exactly what we are looking at.
Moving onto the good things, there are a lot; for starters, the air cooling performance is one of the best; whether you are running on stock, or overclocked, you are going to get some great performance regardless. The build quality is among the finest you can find in a CPU cooler, and additionally, the design of this cooler is also great, so if you are focusing on performance as well as aesthetics, you are going to get that.
Now we all know that the air coolers are notorious with loud operations, but the Dark Rock 4 is one of the quietest air coolers you can buy. Last but not the least, it also has support for almost all the CPU sockets.
Honestly, the only downside that this CPU cooler costs almost as much as an entry level liquid cooler, so that is certainly something that you should keep in mind.
Overall, the Be Quiet! Dark Rock 4 is a great investment for those who are looking to cool the Intel Core i7 8700K.
Pros
- Powerful.
- Supports nearly every socket.
- Quiet.
- Great design.
- Amazing build quality.
Cons
- A bit expensive.
2. COOLER MASTER MASTERAIR MA410M – View on Amazon
Cooler Master’s comeback in the market was met by a lot of positive response. The company started releasing some amazing air and liquid coolers, along with other products in the market. Needless to say, they finally revived themselves, and put themselves back on the radar.
The cooler that we are reviewing today is the COOLER MASTER MASTERAIR MA410M, a budget friendly air cooler that comes with all the good things including RGB. But is it worth the price that you are paying? Let’s check out.
The cooling performance is among the best that you can find in a CPU cooler of this budget, it is relatively small, so if you are worried about clearance issues with taller RAMs, you do not have to worry about it.
Another great thing about this cooler is that it comes with a thermal probe; this probe gives you temperature information through the RGB lighting, which can help you have a proper reading, which also happens to be pretty accurate.
There are no downsides that are going to create an issue for you, however, the one thing that you must know here is that the fans can get a bit louder than usual when the load increases.
In conclusion, the COOLER MASTER MASTERAIR MA410M is a great CPU cooler for nearly every CPU that you use it with. You will not be running into any issues either because everything you need from a good CPU cooler is already present. The only downside is the fans becoming louder in some instances, but it is nothing that can break the deal.
Pros
- Great value for money.
- RGB lighting.
- Thermal probe.
Cons
- Loud fans.
3. REEVEN RC-1001 BRONTES – View on Amazon
Reeven is a company that is not that well known in the market, however, over the past couple of years, they have created some pretty impressive CPU coolers that can deliver fantastic cooling performance at lower prices as well.
Today, we are reviewing the low profile REEVEN RC-1001 BRONTES; possibly one of the smallest coolers available in the market, but is it any good? That is what we are going to find out.
For starters, the cooler is rather cheap. Perhaps the cheapest option available in the market. Now the good thing is that you really do not need to spend a lot of money for good performance. Speaking of performance, it easily manages to outperform most of the higher end coolers in the market, and it is quiet as well.
The fact that the cooler is low profile, it means that you can actually fir the cooler in low profile cases, and without any issues with the clearance. For anyone who has a 95W CPU, the good news is that you will easily be able to get a decent performance, as well as decent clock speeds.
As far as the downsides are concerned, there are not a lot of issues with the cooler, the REEVEN RC-1001 BRONTES does what it is supposed to do. However, I would advise that you keep this cooler limited to the 95W coolers, and do not go for the higher end, 130W CPUs, because in that situation, the cooler would not be adequate.
Pros
- Low profile.
- Surprisingly great performance.
- Quiet.
- No clearance issues.
Cons
- No support for 130W coolers.
4. NOCTUA NH-U14S – View on Amazon
When it comes to high end coolers, there is no denying that Noctua has created some of the greatest coolers available in the market. Sure, they make air coolers, but the good thing is that these coolers are great when you are looking for high end performance.
Today, we look at the NOCTUA NH-U14S, one of the highest end Noctua coolers that you can buy in the market. How good is it in cooling down the CPU? Let’s check.
Now for starters, the performance of this cooler is among the best that you can hope for in a good CPU cooler, if you are looking for good performance; whether you want to overclock, or you are looking to go for stock clocks, the cooler is great. Needless to say, regardless of the CPU that you use with this cooler, you will not have any issues.
Additionally, the noise levels of this cooler are also great, and they can even be made better if you actually use quieter fans. The installation method is also extremely simple, and most importantly, a lot more secure than you might think.
There are a few downsides, for starters; the cooler is rather tall in terms of the height, so clearance issues might be a problem for a lot of people. Before buying it, I would suggest you take that into concern.
Pros
- Great cooling performance overclocking or stock clocks.
- Low noise levels thanks to great fans.
- Installation is simple and secure.
Cons
- The cooler is on the taller side, so clearance issue with the case, as well as with the RAM.
5. NZXT KRAKEN M22 – View on Amazon
We are now moving to the closed loop liquid coolers, and there are some great options available on the list. We are going to be looking at some affordable coolers, as well as some high-end options that you can. Starting the list of AIO coolers, we are going to be looking at the NZXT KRAKEN M22 as the first liquid cooler in the list. How good is it when it comes to cooling down the Core i7 8700K.
Now the biggest concern was that the cooler might not be able to deliver mainly because it is a 120mm cooler. However, the good thing is that the cooler is good with cooling despite the smaller radiator size.
I am talking about the cooling performance with respect to the 8700K. Additionally, the design of the cooler also looks great, and sleek. The NZXT CAM software is intuitive, and it actually looks great too.
On the flipside, there are a few things that can be a bother about this cooler. For starters, the CAM software sends your data to the cloud server, and if you are not okay with it, you can opt out of the service, but by default, it is always active.
Overall, the NZXT KRAKEN M22 is a great cooler that offers great cooling performance as well. The best part is that with this cooler, you can even overclock your processor and get decent speeds as well as pretty good temperatures.
Pros
- Great cooling for a small AIO.
- The design looks great.
- The RGB lighting is tastefully done.
- The CAM software is good for monitoring and adjustments.
Cons
- The CAM software sends information to NZXT servers.
6. CORSAIR H100i PRO – View on Amazon
Corsair has been creating some amazing coolers in the market, the good thing is that the company is dedicated towards providing excellent components. Today, we are reviewing the CORSAIR H100i PRO.
A great 240mm liquid cooler for those who are looking for a higher performance, at a great price as well. If you are looking to cool your 8700K, this cooler is great for that.
Now as far as the performance is concerned, you really do not have to worry about it; the cooler offers great performance through and through. The new iCue is great because it gives you complete, granular control over the cooler and all of its aspects.
Additionally, the fans provided with this cooler are also great and offer a higher performance than some of the other coolers available in the market.There are a few downsides that you might want to know about; for starters, the cooler does not have the best RGB available in the cooler. Additionally, the noise level of the fans can become a lot when the CPU is under full load.
Overall, the CORSAIR H100i PRO, is actually one of the best coolers that you can buy in the market. There are a few downsides, but the good thing about this cooler is that none of these coolers are going to make your experience bad as the cooler more than makes up for its shortcomings by providing some great performance.
Pros
- Great performance.
- The water block looks excellent.
- The ML fans are great and has a lot of RPM.
- The iCUE software is great for monitoring and control.
Cons
- Noise level can be high.
7. EVGA CLC 280 – View on Amazon
For the longest time, EVGA has been giving us some great components. Their motherboards, as well as their graphic cards are great as they do give you amazing performance.
However, today, we are looking at something different. Ever since EVGA brought in some coolers in the market, they have been on our radar, today, we look at the EVGA CLC 280. Let’s see how well it fairs.
Now starting from the good things, there are a lot of them; the CPU cooling performance is excellent, and you can cool pretty much any CPU without any issues. Additionally, the voltage regulator cooling is even better when you mount the cooler on top.
The cooler comes with PWM fans, and you can easily control them through your motherboard or the onboard controller as well, which adds great value.
On the downside, the fans can be a bit noisy due to how they are designed, and the onboard controller makes this cooler a bit more expensive.
In conclusion, the EVGA CLC 280 is a great cooler that you should definitely look into buying if you are looking to have a good experience. The performance is exceptional, and the best part is that the cooler has neutral looks, so you really should not have any issues as far as the looks are concerned.
Pros
- Excellent performance.
- The VRM cooling is great when you mount the cooler on top.
- The cooler comes with PWM cans that you can control using the on-board controller, or through the motherboard.
Cons
- The cooler can be noisy at times.
- The onboard controller makes the cooler more expensive.
8. Corsair H150i Pro – View on Amazon
For the longest time, Corsair did not release a 360mm cooler into their lineup. So, when the H150i Pro was announced, a lot of people were happy with it because fans were now going to get more performance, and most importantly, the same great quality Corsair is known for. Needless to say, the cooler is more than capable of cooling the 8700K, let’s find out why it happens to be a great cooler.
Now, the good things; the water block is one of the best looking blocks you can get on a liquid cooler; Corsair also makes everything better by giving you ML fans with the cooler, so as far as the performance and noise levels are concerned, your experience is going to be great regardless.
Additionally, the radiator is rather slim, so you really will not have any issues with the clearance even on the smaller chassis. The cooler performs quietly, and does the job really well.
As far as the downsides are concerned, there is nothing wrong with the cooler at all. It is quiet, it is slim, it delivers excellent performance, and thanks to this cooler, there is a substantial overclocking headroom available as well. So, the good news is that if you are concerned about the performance about this cooler, you do not have to do that at all.
Pros
- Excellent cooling performance.
- Great looks.
- Amazing fans.
- Quiet operations.
- iCUE serves as an excellent monitoring and control software.
Cons
- None
Conclusion
There is no denying that the Intel Core i7 8700K is an excellent process, however, the important thing that you must know here is that the processor runs a lot hotter than some of the other options in the market, which can be problem for entry level coolers, or the stock cooler for that matters.
With the list, we are exploring the best CPU coolers that are available in the market. These are not just good for the 8700K, but aside from that, it is great for anyone who is looking for a good CPU cooler. With these coolers on our list, the performance will not be an issue at all.
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