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The Ryzen 5 5600X is, at the moment, the most affordable Zen 3 processor. The CPU features six cores and twelve threads, a max boost clock of 4.6GHz, and a 65W TDP. The 5600X does come with a box cooler, unlike the rest of the Zen 3 lineup, but if we look at the Wraith Stealth performance when combined with the Ryzen 5 3600, it’s clear that even a budget aftermarket cooler can decrease thermals and noise considerably. In other words, most custom cooling solutions can work great with the 5600X.
Since the 5600X is pretty similar to the 3600 (same TDP, same lithography, optimized power requirements but also higher boost clock), we can expect about the same Wraith Stealth thermal performance. Combine better thermal performance with the way how the max boost performance is tied to the CPU temperature on Ryzen CPUs, and you can even get a slight performance boost in case you switch to an aftermarket cooler. In other words, if you’re planning to get the 5600X and want the best performance get an aftermarket cooler. If you have trouble finding a suitable cooler for your Ryzen 5 5600X, don’t worry because we’ve gathered the best CPU coolers for Ryzen 5 5600X on the market right now.
We’ve only included air coolers since AIO liquid coolers are meant for high-end, overclocked CPUs. If you’re planning on pushing your 5600X to its limits, check out our list of the best CPU coolers for i5-10600K, it includes a solid selection of AIO solutions. Next, we have a guide for the best motherboards for Ryzen 5 5600X if you’re looking for a suitable board for this CPU. If you want more choices, here’s a list of the best B550 motherboards.
1. Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO: Best 5600X cooler for most users
The Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO isn’t the best budget CPU cooler around, but it is one of the most popular CPU coolers ever. It also offers a pretty respectful performance, and it should be more than enough for the Ryzen 5 5600X.
High popularity means wide availability and prices that are pretty similar in different markets. It also means that there are loads of used Hyper 212 Evos all over the place, so if you want to save some cash and get a Hyper 212 Evo at a discount, check out the used market.
2. DeepCool Gammaxx 400: Best value 5600X cooler
If you want the best bang-for-the-buck cooler for the R5 5600X, get the DeepCool Gammaxx 400. This cooler can lower the 3600 thermals for as much as 20 degrees Celsius when under extreme loads, which also means a bit faster performance. We’re pretty certain that the thermal performance with the 5600X will be very much the same.
The cooler looks okay, and it has blue LEDs if you’re into that. It’s not RGB, but it’s better than nothing. The best thing about the Gamaxx400 is that it’s considerably more affordable than the hyper 212 Evo, so if you can choose between the two, get the DeepCool one.
3. Scythe Fuma 2: Best quiet cooler for 5600X
The Scythe Fuma 2 offers impressive cooling performance combined with a competitive price and impressively low noise. It’s one of the quietest coolers around, and it can be used with virtually any consumer-grade CPU while costing in line with other mid-range offerings.
This makes the Scythe Fuma 2 one of the best CPU coolers on the market and the best quiet cooler for the 5600X. If you plan on buying the 5600X and want to see how high it can overclock, the Fuma 2 should be everything you need, aside from getting an AIO liquid cooler.
The good thing about it is that it isn’t very massive, so it should fit into most cases. You could get a high-end air cooler, but for about forty percent higher price, the only downside of the Fuma 2 compared to high-end air coolers is a minuscule increase in working temps.
4. DeepCool AS500: Best mid-range 5600X cooler
The DeepCool AS500 is, without a doubt, the best mid-range cooler for the Ryzen 5 5600X you can get at the moment. Its cooling proficiency is almost at the level of hulking, dual-tower beasts, while its silence is on par with the best quiet CPU coolers on the market.
A win-win situation for every 5600X buyer. Since the 5600X isn’t the hottest CPU around, you can expect very low thermals combined with virtually inaudible noise. Even when playing games, the noise should stay inaudible over the sound of the game and other fans. The only thing that could make you go for another model is the 164mm height for the cooler.
There’s the AS500 Plus version of the cooler that comes with the second 140mm fan, but, based on personal experience, the 5600X doesn’t need a dual-fan or a dual tower air cooler at all.
5. Noctua NH-D15S: Best high-end 5600X cooler
The best of the best air CPU coolers are the legendary Noctua NH-D15, the newcomer in the form of the DeepCool Assassin III, and the Be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4, which is one of the best quiet CPU coolers.
But in reality, you don’t need this much cooling potential for the Ryzen 5 5600X. The highest we’d go with an air cooler would be getting the Noctua NH-D15S, the single fan cousin of the NH-D15. This is the best high-end CPU cooler for the R5 5600X we can recommend buying.
It has almost the same thermal performance while costing less. It’s large and chunky but not an absolute beast like the NH-D15 or the Assassin III. Nevertheless, it’s quite tall and wide, so make sure it can fit inside your case before pulling the trigger.
Also, make sure to have short RAM sticks since the RAM clearance here is quite limited. If you want to make sure you have a RAM kit that can fit under the NH-D15S, read our guide for the best low profile RAM kits.
6. Noctua NH-L12S: Best low profile 5600X cooler
Finally, we have the best low-profile cooler for the 5600X for all those planning to build an SFF 5600X build. Since the CPU has TDP of only 65W, you should even be able to slightly overclock it in case you get the Noctua NH-L12S.
The Noctua NH-L12S is an excellent low-profile cooler that can cool off the 5600X without issues. This cooler can rein in much hotter CPUs meaning it’ll be not only efficient but also whisper quiet when paired with the 5600X, thanks to the CPU’s low TPD.
If you want absolute silence, the Noctua low-profile offering is the way to go. When it comes to clearance, the heat sink is quite small (70mm total height), and the cooler should fit into virtually every Mini-ITX case.
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