Looking for the best CPU cooler for your new 13th gen i7?
Updated: Oct 25, 2022 1:59 pm
Intel’s 13th Gen Raptor Lake lineup of CPUs has hit the market shelves around the world, which means that it is time for an upgrade. However, you may also need a beefy new cooler to keep up with these new CPUs, as Intel has increased the power budgets across the board. We hope you enjoy our best CPU Cooler i7-13700K article.
Now read: best motherboard for i7-13700K
As expected, the Core i7-13700K is the second most powerful CPU in Intel’s Raptor Lake lineup, and so it demands a hefty aftermarket cooling solution as well. These new CPUs can boost up quite aggressively thanks to their new expanded power budgets, but they also put out a lot more heat as a result.
A competent aftermarket CPU cooler is absolutely necessary for this CPU. Here are some of our picks for the best CPU cooler for i7-13700K.
Best CPU Cooler for i7-13700K – First Look
01
High-End CPU Cooler for i7 13700K
NZXT Kraken Z73 360mm
NZXT Kraken Z73 RGB AIO CPU Cooler
02
Mid-Range CPU Cooler for i7 13700K
Cooler Master ML360R RGB
Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML360R
03
Budget CPU Cooler for i7 13700K
Arctic Liquid Freezer II 280mm
ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
Things to consider when picking the best CPU cooler for i7 13700K
As with any purchase, several factors should be considered while purchasing a CPU cooler for the Core i7 13700K. Keeping these points in mind will help you pick the most optimal cooling solution for your CPU.
Liquid Cooling vs. Air Cooling
The first thing you have to decide when purchasing an aftermarket cooler for the 13700K is whether you want to go with liquid cooling or air cooling. This decision is really important as it can dictate other factors of your new build as well, such as case selection.
All-in-one liquid coolers (or AiOs) have an inherent advantage over air coolers when it comes to thermal performance. The very best liquid coolers out there are generally much better than the best air coolers out there, and this trend travels throughout the various price brackets.
Liquid coolers are, however, much more expensive than comparable air coolers and offer a worse value for money.
Air cooling is a much more convenient form of cooling that is also cheaper in most cases. Air coolers do have the advantage of value proposition, but their overall performance does not have as high of a ceiling as water cooling. Moreover, they can have worse acoustic performance as well and generally have poor aesthetics.
For the Core i7 13700K, we recommend liquid coolers over air coolers since this CPU has the potential to output a lot of heat due to its high power budget.
Acoustics
The acoustic performance of a particular cooler holds almost the same importance as its thermal performance, be it an air cooler or a liquid cooler. There is no point in installing an aftermarket cooler that will make your PC sound like a jet engine under load. Thus, acoustic performance should be considered in the purchasing decision as well.
Generally, the acoustics of a cooler is tied to the thermals of the CPU itself. Premium CPU coolers nowadays put a lot of focus on the silent operation by installing special high-end fans and tuning the performance of the pump.
Splurging for a high-end CPU cooler that will perform better in terms of thermals as well as acoustics may be a worthwhile strategy.
Best CPU Cooler for i7 13700K
Here we will explore our CPU cooler choices in a bit more detail and explain why these coolers are a perfect fit for the Core i7 13700K.
NZXT Kraken Z73 360mm
NZXT Kraken Z73 RGB AIO CPU Cooler
Compatible Devices
Desktop
Package Dimensions
18.43 x 7.09 x 5.91 inches
The Kraken series from NZXT is incredibly popular among enthusiasts, and for good reason. We recommend the Kraken Z73 360mm AiO if you are looking for a premium cooling solution for the i7 13700K.
The Z73 has extraordinary cooling performance as well as a unique design that is sure to elevate your build to the next level. NZXT includes three Aer P 120mm high static pressure fans with this cooler that are specifically designed to move a large volume of air through radiator fins. The Z73 uses the 7th Gen Asatek pump with custom pump housing and a slightly tweaked design.
With this AiO, you can expect to run the Core i7 13700K without any limitations to its boosting behavior whatsoever. You can even overclock the CPU to extract even more performance out of it, should you see fit. The fan curve may have to be adjusted to compensate in that case.
Speaking of the fans, the NZXT’s Aer P fans are also incredibly quiet in addition to being excellent static pressure fans. They operate silently through most of the temperature range, and are only barely audible when operating at their maximum speed of 2000 RPM.
One downside of the NZXT Kraken Z73 is that the fans do not have any sort of RGB lighting built into them. This can be a bit of a letdown for some consumers who want to synchronize their coolers with the rest of the peripherals.
There is an RGB version of this cooler on the market, but that may not be worth the price premium.
Speaking of design, however, the Kraken Z73 AiO pump has a really iconic design that is very popular among enthusiasts. The housing of the pump has a supremely customizable LCD screen with various unique features. You can use the screen to display unique GIFs, or just the regular CPU/GPU temperature readings.
All things considered, the NZXT Kraken Z73 360mm cooler should be on the top of your list if you want to buy a premium CPU cooler for the i7 13700K. Despite its hefty price tag, the combination of impressive thermal performance and unique design makes it a worthwhile purchase.
Cooler Master ML360R RGB
Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML360R
Max RPM
2000 RPM (+/- 10%)
Dimensions (with fan/height x width x depth)
394 x 119 x 27.2mm (radiator)
Pros
- Great cooling ability
- Slightly cheaper than most 360mm AIOs
- Aesthetically pleasing
- Good clearance around the CPU socket
- Great build quality
- RGB is controlled via software and hub
- Supports PWM
Cons
- Appearance takes over performance
- Cooling performance could be better
- Slightly loud when at max RPM
- The controller/cable management could be better
For a more mid-range budget, we recommend the Cooler Master ML360R RGB liquid cooler. This AiO features a very elegant design with solid cooling performance, as well as decent acoustics.
Cooler Master claims that the rated TDP for the ML360R is 220W, but that means little in the real world. In effect, the Cooler Master ML360R provides excellent thermal performance and will allow you to use the i7 13700K without any limitations to its boosting behavior. You can even try some light overclocking with this liquid cooler.
We do find that the included Cooler Master MF120R fans get a bit loud when under high load. The radiator of the ML360R is a bit thinner than competitors, so the fans have to compensate by increasing their speed with a more aggressive fan curve. Still, the noise is completely bearable if the cooler is installed in a closed case.
One big downside of the ML360R is that its installation process is a bit complicated. Specifically, the cable management for the RGB fans is a bit of a mess and should definitely be simplified by Cooler Master in upcoming iterations. You can connect the AiO cooler to your motherboard through a USB header, which is a nice touch.
The aesthetics of the ML360R are quite impressive, especially when you look at the customized AiO pump block. However, the RGB lighting in the included fans could have been better. There is a lack of diffusion in the LED lights within the fans, and you can see the hotspots which is never a good sign. The pump block, on the other hand, is very attractive and has smoothly diffused lighting.
Certainly, the Cooler Master ML360R is one to consider if you are looking for a great bang-for-the-buck option.
Arctic Liquid Freezer II 280mm
ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
Product dimensions
13.39 x 7.09 x 6.3 inches
Pros
- Good mid range cooler
- Clean aesthetic
- large range of compatibility
The Liquid Freezer II from Arctic Cooling is a great choice for those who are looking for a competent cooler in a limited budget. This cooler may not have all the bells and whistles or fancy RGB, but it delivers great cooling performance at a reasonable price.
We selected the 280mm variant for this recommendation since it provides a balance between the more affordable 240mm variant and the more expensive 360mm radiators.
The thermal performance of the Liquid Freezer II is good enough for stock operation of the i7 13700K, but you cannot expect a lot of overclocking headroom with this cooler.
A unique feature of the Arctic Liquid Freezer II is that the pump has been custom designed by Arctic, and they have installed a tiny fan on the pump itself. This fan can help circulate the air over the CPU block and it may even keep VRM temperatures down.
The fans are also reasonably quiet and they are rated up to 1700 RPM in terms of speed. We would have liked to see a splash of RGB lighting on the fans or on the pump block, but it is understandable why Arctic has omitted that from a value-oriented cooler.
In essence, the Arctic Liquid Freezer II 280mm AiO provides enticing value for money and should definitely be on your list if you are working with a relatively limited budget.
Final Word
No matter what CPU cooler you choose on this list, we assure you that you’re in good hands. All of the CPU coolers on this list are capable of keeping your i7-13700K cool and functioning correctly. We’d recommend staying away from high overclocks on the air coolers.
That’s something that should be done with ample cooling, not something that JUST scrapes over the CPU’s TDP We hope you enjoyed our best CPU Cooler for i7-13700K article.
