6 Of The Best CPU Coolers With An LCD Screen

Heat is the enemy of all computer components, but it can take a particular toll on the CPU. Central processing units can generate better clock speeds when they're able to tolerate higher voltages, but the very electricity that allows them to run also generates a tremendous amount of heat, which can damage the components of the chipset if left unchecked. Most modern CPUs will actually throttle their own performance in order to keep this from happening. That's why having a quality CPU cooler is so important. By keeping your CPU cool, you are allowing it to operate at the peak of its capabilities without wearing out too quickly.

A lot of modern CPU coolers come with LCD screens attached. These can be used to monitor temperatures and ensure that the CPU is operating correctly but many of them also add some aesthetic value, allowing you to showcase a logo or play tiny animations. These are available on both air and water-cooled units. It probably isn't a good idea to sacrifice cooling performance for the sake of a screen, but there are plenty of coolers out there that offer excellent cooling capabilities and the added versatility that comes with having an LCD screen attached. One of the best ways to find the highest quality coolers available is to compare the specs from the models offered by top brands and check what reviewers have to say about real-world performance.

NZXT was founded as a relatively small company back in 2004, but it has made quite a name for itself in the PC community over the last couple of decades. The manufacturer's PC cases are particularly well regarded, but its line of Kraken liquid CPU coolers are also among the best in the industry. They are well known for their exemplary cooling potential.

The Kraken Z73 RGB is one of NZXT's better models that also happens to feature an LCD display. It comes with sockets for Intel LGA 1700, 1200, 115X, and AMD AM5, AM4, sTRX4, and TR4–though it does not come with a bracket for Threadripper CPUs. The cooler is available in white or black and includes a 360mm radiator with three 120mm Aer RGB 2 fans (with fluid dynamic bearings to help keep them quiet,) and a customizable 2.36" LCD screen that can display 24-bit color. This display is controlled via the NZXT CAM software, which allows you to set what appears on the display and monitor sensor reports.

Garett Carver of Tom's Hardware gave the cooler an overall score of 4.5 out of 5 stars in his review. "Dressed to impress in glitzy formal wear," he said. "The NZXT Kraken Z73 brings real-time system control, UI integration, and hardcore CPU liquid cooling to those with deep pockets and high expectations."

It's also worth noting that NZXT has similar models with smaller radiators if you like the Kraken, but don't have space for a three-fan radiator. The Kraken Z53 RGB has a 240mm radiator and the Kraken Z63 RGB has a 280mm one.

There are few names in the PC building space that command as much respect as Corsair. The company makes everything from headsets and keyboards to RAM and storage. It makes nearly everything you need to get a computer up and running other than the CPU itself, including some really great AIO liquid CPU coolers.

The iCue Link Titan comes in black and white and is offered in three different radiator sizes: 240mm, 280 and 360mm. Both sizes come with a complete set of RX120 full RGB fans. One of the cooler's more impressive features is its FlowDrive cooling engine which has a three-phase motor for maximizing efficiency while minimizing sound. It also has a fully customizable LCD screen that is able to show system temps, images, and animated GIFs which you can control using the company's iCue software. It has connections that support Ryzen AM4 and AM5 CPUs as well as Intel LGA 1851 and 1700.

ExtremeHW ran a thorough suite of tests on the Link Titan and showcased some impressive results in terms of both cooling power and lighting. "The Titan is Corsair's best CPU cooler to date," they stated. "Whereas most AIO makers are eschewing pump design innovation, instead focusing on thicker radiators and fans to cool modern CPUs, Corsair proved you can cool these CPUs at 320W without throwing PC case compatibility out the window." The only caveat being the cooler's high price: $199.99 for the 240mm and $219.99 for the 360mm.

ASUS is another major name in the PC space and the company has some really nice CPU coolers in its product line. Those who are looking for a cooler with an LCD screen will probably want to check out the ROG Ryujin III 360. This is an ASUS flagship AIO cooler and is designed to deliver some really impressive performance.

The cooler comes with a 360mm radiator cooled by three 120mm Noctua Industrial PPC-2000 PWM fans. The pump also has a small internal fan embedded above the connector. It has a square 3.5" LCD, making it the largest on an AIO liquid cooler in the industry. This display panel can showcase a suite of system monitoring tools, customizable animations, and has AIDA64 Extreme built-in. This last feature gives it access to diagnostics, benchmarking, stress testing, and several other tools. The pump is powered by an 8th gen Asetek motor and supports Intel LGA 1851, 1700, 1200, and 115X, as well as AMD's AM4 and AM5 sockets.

Marke Campbell of OC3D reviewed the cooler. He was impressed by the units cooling performance and feature set, but was less satisfied by its price and the noise produced by the fan in the pump. "ASUS' ROG Ryujin III is the best performing CPU cooler that we have ever tested," he state, "but it is let down by its eye-watering price and the unit's loud pump."  Even so, there's still enough power and design here for it to merit a look from ASUS fans.

EVGA is widely known as a PSU and aftermarket GPU manufacturer, but its cooling technology extends to other computer hardware as well–including CPU coolers. The EVGA CLCx is a great example of this. This cooler comes in three radiator sizes: 240mm, 280mm, and 360mm. Each of them are cooled by PWM ARGB fans with hydro-dynamic bearings. The cooler comes with a 7th gen Asetek Pump which is fitted with a 2.1" 480x480 LCD display. This can monitor system information, showcase images, or play animations. The fan speed, pump speed, and display are all controllable via the EVGA CLCx Software. The pump fits Intel LGA1700, 1200, 115X sockets and AMD AM5, AM4, and TR4 sockets.

Nikk Teck reviewed the cooler and performed extensive temperature and noise testing. "Performance-wise the CLCx 360 is among the 4 highest cooling efficiency AIO models in my charts (out of 85) so no complaints from me here (noise levels are somewhat higher than expected however)," they said. They also claimed that the LCD screen and its associated software were handy and extremely user-friendly. "Not only is it easy to use but it offers a plethora of settings for the end user." This makes it a great option for anyone who wants a lot of control over an effective cooler with an LCD screen but doesn't want to have to worry about complex setup or maintenance. Like most of the AIO coolers on this list, the primary concern was the price.

Next up is the Lian Li Galahad II LCD. This one is available in black and white and comes in two radiator sizes: 280mm and 360mm. The smaller size comes with standard high-performance, daisy-chained ARGB fans, while the larger size offers the option to upgrade to UNI FAN SL-INF fans. This pump is powered by an 8th gen Asetek three-phase motor that can go up to 3600 RPM. It has a 2.88" 480x480 IPS LCD screen with 500 nits brightness and 24-bit color. The screen is controlled by the L-Connect 3 software and can display CPU temps, CPU load, GPU temps, GPU load, coolant temp, customizable text, and the time. All of this can be set up on a customizable dashboard that layers watermarks, hardware info, motion graphics, and images or videos into a single frame. There are also several built-in visual theme effects that you can add to your display and a capture system baked into the software that allows you to grab screenshots, edit them, and import them to the screen all in one place.

Albert Thomas of Tom's Hardware reviewed the Lian Li Galahad II LCD and gave it a weighted score of 4 out of 5 stars. He remarked "You'll find a wide variety of customization options for the LCD display offered within the software. You can choose from a variety of effects, and even upload a video up to 3 minutes long." Thomas tested both noise levels and thermals as well and found that "its performance is amongst the best we've seen from any AIO."

Most of the coolers out there that come with LCD screens are liquid-cooled, but some PC builders might prefer an air cooler. These can take up a bit more space in your PC case, but a good air cooler can be nearly as effective as a mid-sized AIO liquid cooler and it doesn't have any of the leakage-related danger associated with putting a liquid-filled object in your computer.

The DeepCool AK620 Digital Pro is one of the only air coolers made by a prominent manufacturer to feature an LCD display. It's also one of the most striking. The entire face of the massive 129mm x 138mm cooler is a glass-covered magnetic top panel with RGB around the edges and a screen that displays CPU temperature, percent usage, wattage, and frequency. It also has a color-coded temperature alert system that flashes red to catch your attention when the unit goes over 90°C. This unit also uses two FT12 SE fluid dynamic-bearing PMW fans. It's compatible with Intel LGA2066, 2011-v3, 2011, 1851, 1700, 1200, 1151, 1150, and 1155 as well as AMD's AM4 and AM5 platforms.

Albert Thomas of Tom's Hardware stated, "DeepCool's AK620 Digital is among the strongest air coolers on the market, and it packs an unexpected innovation with its LCD display status screen that lets you monitor CPU stats." He found that the performance and LCD were major selling points, though he did note that the review unit he tested had some vibration issues.

In making this list, we started by taking a look at the pool of CPU coolers that are available and searching for the ones with the most impressive specs and features. Once we had narrowed this list down, we looked up professional reviews for each product, specifically searching for those that described cooling performance, noise, and the versatility of the LCD screen. While nearly all coolers with LCD screens are more expensive than their screenless counterparts, we aimed to list products at a wide range of price points. We also aimed to suggest products that were available in different form factors and with various radiator sizes.