THG's tried and true cooler testing platform, here based on an Asus P4P800 motherboard and an Intel Boxed cooler

While it may not be as flashy as electronic components like the processor or video card, the CPU cooler is one of the most important components in a PC. Without it, your fancy new processor would get super hot very quickly and crash the system. If you want to overclock your computer to get the last ounce of performance out of it, you need a CPU cooler with a high-performance fan, or even better, a water-cooling system.

On the other hand, if you're one of those users who prefers to work on an acoustically unobtrusive PC, then the noise level will be the deciding factor. Oodles of cooling solutions vie for the buying favor of potential customers. With a proven, standardized testing procedure, the Munich THG lab helps to bring light to the jungle of CPU coolers.