Core i5 8600K is one of the best gaming CPUs from Intel. For gaming, it is apparent that you have to overclock this processor for better performance. And at higher clock speeds i5 8600K generates more heat, so you might need the best CPU cooler to take care of that extra heat.
To find the right air or liquid cooler for your i5 8600K, you have to go through many products in the market. Well, it is a headache to review each and every one of them. We have made things easier for you by researching highly recommended CPU coolers to pair with Core i5 8600K.
These CPU coolers work perfectly fine under heavy loads whether you are overclocking, editing videos, or playing games.
Best CPU Coolers for i5 8600K
Let’s dig in and review some of the top-rated air & liquid CPU coolers available in the market. As our list includes both the air and liquid cooling solution for 8600K, you can choose the one that fits your budget.
1. Cooler Master Hyper 212 | Overall Best Budget i5 8600K Cooler
Key Specs
- 4 Heat Pipes Direct Contact
- Customizeable RGB Lights
- Smart Fan Sensor
- Easy to Mount
Cooler Master is always crowned for making top notch CPU coolers for Intel processors. Just like that, the Hyper 212 has been one of the most sold CPU coolers in the last year due to its affordable price and powerful performance.
This Air CPU Cooler is truly made for LGA 1151 socket CPUs like the Core i5 8600K. There are many reasons that make this heatsink right choice for high end CPUs.
The first one is that this CPU cooler comes with 4 direct contact heat pipes to suck enormous heat from your CPU. The second one is the affordable price tag which is quite strange when compared with other high-end air coolers. Even under $50 dollars, the performance of this CPU cooler is promising.
The Cooler Master Hyper 212 can easily maintain the temperature of your i5 8600K under peak loads. We highly recommend this cooler for overclocking geeks. You can test the limits of your i5 processor by mounting this air cooler on top of it.
This bang for your buck CPU cooler lies on a sweet spot between price and performance. Despite its cheap material quality, this CPU cooler stands out on our list.
2. Cryorig H7 Tower Cooler | Most Reliable Air CPU Cooler for Core i5 8600K
Key Specs
- 3 Copper Heat Pipes
- 120mm PWM Fan
- Excellent Air Flow System
- Quad Air Inlet
Cryorig H7 comes with 120mm PWM fan for excellent thermal management on higher clock speeds. This CPU cooler is meant for overclocking your Core i5 to maximum clock frequency for playing games, editing videos, multitasking and much more.
Although the Crorig H7 is an expensive CPU cooler to pair with your 8600K, it reflects the price you for it. It comes with Quad Air Inlets for better flow of air to keep your CPU cooler. For better heat dissipation, the H7 makes use of 120mm PWM fan.
With this CPU cooler on top, you can easily overclock your i5 8600K to 4.6 GHz without any issue. We tested this CPU cooler with some of the highly recommended motherboards with LGA 1151 socket. Surprisingly, the temperature didn’t jump over 80 degrees under peak load.
On idle CPU speed, it is really hard to hear the fan noise on this CPU cooler. But as you throttle to higher clock speeds, you might hear a little bit fan noise. But it hardly noticeable, so it doesn’t makes any sense pointing it out.
This air cooler tops in every department, but it is quite difficult to mount for the first time. It would have been better if Cryorig has included a manual installation guide with this cooler. Other than that, the H7 is a real performer when it comes to heat dissipation at higher clock speeds.
3. Noctua NH-D14 | Most Efficient Air CPU Cooler for Core i5’s
Key Specs
- Dual PWM Fans [Total 150mm]
- 6 Heat Pipes
- Easy to Install
Noctua is known for providing the best cooling solutions in the PC industry. The company is also known for producing low profile CPU coolers for SFF or mini-ITX PC cases.
Noctua NH-D14 is the true CPU coolers that knock out the many famous brands when it comes to performance. Under a $100 price tag, you get an air CPU cooler with two fans and six heat pipes. We really appreciate the effort that Noctua has put in designing this CPU cooler.
No doubt, it is an ideal CPU cooler to pair with Intel i5 8600K processor for stable temperature on higher clock frequency. If you are not a fan of RGB lights and just need performance, then this CPU cooler might be your final bet at this point.
With six direct contact heat pipes, this air cooler ensures better heat distribution than any other air cooler on our list. Despite its bulkier look, It’s asymmetrical design gives you more freedom to install other peripherals like ram, PSUs, etc.
Both the PWM fans on this CPU cooler can be adjusted the way you want them. You can remove one fan from the side and hop it on the top of the heatsink for better performance. This CPU cooler is a universal fit, this means you can also mount this on AMD compatible motherboards as well.
As far as the cons are concerned, we wish if Noctua has shipped this CPU cooler with multiple color schemes. Like with the current color scheme, it might not match your entire custom build rig if you are an RGB lights fan. If that doesn’t bother you, this CPU cooler is our most favorite to go for.
Under a 100 dollars tag, you get a CPU cooler with more than one fan. What else could be better than this! With two fans, there will be more cooling on the hand. Lastly, it is very easy to install without any technical assistance, making it an ideal choice for beginners.
Recommended Liquid CPU Coolers for i5 8600K
There is no substitute for liquid cooling. Even the high-end air CPU coolers are no match to a cheap budget liquid cooler. Water is the best coolant when it comes to cool down power-hungry CPU cores. Water liquid cooling is the most efficient way of cooling down CPUs with more than 4 cores.
However, liquid CPU cooling is more expensive than traditional air cooling. Well, have to get out of your budget if you want a good quality liquid cooler for your Core i5 CPU. But there are some CPU cooling brands in the market that do care for your budget.
1. Corsair Hydro Series H100i | Powerful Liquid CPU Cooler under $150
Key Specs
- Low Noise 120mm Dual Fans
- Fan Speed Control Software
- RGB Lights
- CPU Temperature Monitor
- Water Cooling
Corsair is one of our favourite brands when it comes to finding a liquid cooling solution for gaming CPUs. Corsair Hydro Series H100i is a versatile liquid CPU cooler that easily fits on AM4 and LGA 1151 sockets without any problem.
The reason we highly recommend going for this CPU cooler is due to the span of control that comes with it. You can control the fans speed, monitor the temperature, adjust the RGB lights with the built-in CORSAIR iCue software.
Two 120mm PWM fans on the top deliver noise-free and powerful performance to cool down your i5 8600K. Magnetically levitated fans ensure maximum airflow and static pressure on peak loads.
With such powerful specs, the temperature of your i5 8600K will remain frosty even under maximum clock speed. Although you have to throw more cash on the table, you won’t regret buying this liquid CPU cooler.
2. Thermaltake Water 3.0 ARGB | Wallet-Friendly Liquid Cooler for i5 8600K
Key Specs
- Dual PWM Fans 240mm
- Sync RGB LED
- High Efficiency Radiator
- Water Block
- No Refill Needed
If you are looking for a low budget liquid CPU cooler for your i5 8600K, then Thermaltake Water 3.0 ARGB is the one that packs powerful performance at affordable prices. We recommend this closed loop liquid CPU cooler to beginners who haven’t tried liquid cooling in their entire life.
This water CPU cooler from Thermaltake comes with large enough fans to dissipate enormous heat coming up from the water block. This high-performance liquid cooler is budget-friendly and durable enough to last for years.
From limiting the fan speed to customizing RGB lights, Thermaltake Water 3.0 ARGB can be your last stop in high-end CPUs like i5 8600K.
Our Recommendation
Choosing the best CPU cooler for your i5 8600K isn’t a hard task when you have the most recommended option available. Definitely, it depends upon your budget whether to choose an air or liquid CPU cooler.
Well, if you are on a budget, we recommend you to go with Cooler Master Hyper 212 due to its low price and promising performance. Furthermore, you can also opt for Noctua NH-D14 if your pocket allows you to spend a few more bucks. No matter, there is no parallel to this CPU cooler in terms of price and performance at this point.
Lastly, if you are a die-hard fan of liquid cooling, then our suggestion is to go for Corsair H100i to cool down your Core i5 8600K.
