Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 EVO Review: This isn’t a competition. This is a massacre.

Thermal results without power limits

Without power limits enforced on Intel’s i7-13700K, the CPU will hit its peak temperature and thermally throttle with even the strongest air coolers. When the CPU reaches its peak temperature, I’ve measured the CPU package power to determine the maximum wattage cooled to best compare their performance. The results below do not include the best liquid coolers on the market, which are able to keep the CPU under TJ Max (100C).

With 238W cooled during testing, the upgraded Phantom Spirit 120 EVO outperforms the original model and delivered the second-best thermal result we’ve seen from any air cooler – beaten only by the tied results from ID-Cooling’s A770 and Thermalright’s own Frost Commander 140.

To sustain its chart-topping cooling performance, the Phantom Spirit 120 EVO runs at a maximum output of 45.6 dBA – which is significantly louder than the 41.9 dBA that its predecessor ran. This is a step backwards and, in my opinion, Thermalright should have reduced the peak speed of these fans to 2000RPM. Because as you’ll see in the next set of benchmarks, there’s very little point to running the fan at full speed.

Thermal results with noise normalized to 38.2 dBA

Finding the right balance between fan noise levels and cooling performance is important. While running fans at full speed can improve cooling capacity to some extent, the benefits are limited and many users prefer a quiet system. With this noise-normalized test, I’ve set noise levels to 38.2 dba. This level of noise is a low volume level, but slightly audible to most people.

I pulled a double take when I saw these results because I couldn’t believe my eyes. Cooling 232W during testing, the upgraded Phantom Spirit 120 EVO outperformed every single air cooler I’ve ever tested when the fans are set to run quietly. These are exceptional results, which will please those who prefer tuned, quietly running systems.

175W Cinebench results

Most coolers on the market can keep Intel’s i7-13700K under its peak temperature if the power consumption is limited, so for this test, we’ll be looking at the CPU’s actual temperature.

With a steady 175W load run on the CPU, the temperature averaged 54 degrees Celsius over the ambient room temperature of 23 C. This is another extremely impressive result, tied for the second-best result from any air cooler I’ve tested, and an improvement of 2 degrees C compared to its predecessor.

The Phantom Spirit 120 EVO doesn’t just run cooler than its predecessor in this scenario. It also runs quieter than its predecessor in this test by 2.3 dBA, and only reaches a maximum volume level of 39.6 dBA. This is a rather impressive noise reduction in comparison to the original model.

125W Cinebench results

The lowest power limit I test with Raptor Lake CPUs is 125W. This is a high enough limit to allow the CPU to maintain its base clock speeds even in the most intensive tests, and most coolers should be capable of keeping the CPU below TJ Max (the max temperature before throttling) – even low-end coolers.

Really, thermals do not matter in this scenario. Even Intel’s stock cooler can handle a load like this with ease. Noise levels, rather than CPU temperature, are the most important factor here. These were ideal, never overpowering the ambient system noise of 37.3 dBA. What this means is that the cooler ran quieter than my system fans.  

While the actual CPU temperature doesn’t matter much in this scenario, the upgraded Phantom Spirit 120 EVO outperformed its predecessor by a significant margin for this benchmark, with CPU temperatures recorded 3 degrees C colder, at 41 C compared to the 44 C result from the original Phantom Spirit 120.

Conclusion

If you’re in the market for an air cooler, this is probably the one you should buy – so long as it will fit in your build. I find it difficult to recommend purchasing any other air cooler currently available on the market when you consider the price, performance, and overall noise levels provided by Thermalright’s Phantom Spirit 120 EVO. This isn’t hype or lip service. Our testing shows it really is that good.