The Intel Core i7-11700K is an 8-core, 16-thread desktop processor based on the Rocket Lake architecture, released in March 2021. It has a base clock of 3.6 GHz, a maximum turbo boost of 5.0 GHz, and a 125W thermal design power (TDP). The Intel Core i7-11700K reaches 95 °C in stress tests such as Prime95, which makes cooling performance more critical than gaming benchmarks.
The processor launched at a retail price of $399 USD and is supported by Intel 500-series chipsets such as Z590, B560, and H570. According to testing by TechPowerUp in 2021, the i7-11700K reached 95 °C in Prime95. Gamers Nexus confirmed thermal spikes above 90 °C in Blender, while AnandTech measured 92–95 °C in Cinebench R23 multi-core runs.
There are 53 all-in-one (AIO) liquid coolers and 12 dual-tower air coolers available in 2023 that can handle processors with a 125W TDP. Examples include Corsair iCUE H150i Elite Capellix, NZXT Kraken X73, and Arctic Liquid Freezer II 360 as 360 mm radiator AIOs. Noctua NH-D15 and be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 a dual-tower air cooler with 140 mm fans operating at 23–24 dBA under load. Liquid coolers reduced maximum temperature by 6–8 °C, while premium air coolers produced 4–6 dBA lower sustained noise.
The best CPU coolers for the Intel Core i7-11700K are Noctua NH-D15, be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4, Corsair iCUE H150i Elite Capellix, NZXT Kraken X73, and Arctic Liquid Freezer II 360, since each maintains temperatures under 80 °C during sustained workloads. This article compares top air and liquid cooling options that meet the thermal demands of this processor.
Noctua NH-D15
Noctua is known for producing high-performance air coolers, and the NH-D15 is its dual-tower flagship model. For the Intel Core i7-11700K, the NH-D15 maintains stable thermals under load with results that rival 240 mm AIO liquid coolers.
The design of the air cooler does not include RGB lighting, and the traditional brown-and-beige color scheme can appear outdated. However, Noctua also released the Chromax.Black variant, which features a uniform black finish.
Noctua NH-D15 is a dual-tower dual-fan cooler, and the size of this air cooler is 165 mm in height, 150 mm in width, and 161 mm in depth. This means it may obstruct RAM modules taller than 32–35 mm. The cooler uses two NF-A15 PWM fans, which operate between 300 and 1500 RPM, delivering 140.2 m³/h airflow with a noise level of 24.6 dBA. The cooler comes with NT-H1 thermal paste, which has a thermal conductivity of 8.9 W/m·K and is considered one of the most effective non-metal pastes.
Overall, Noctua NH-D15 delivers lower noise and stronger thermal performance than most premium air coolers tested in third-party benchmarks, keeping the i7-11700K below 80°C even under heavy workloads.
ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
ARCTIC designs efficient cooling solutions in the market, and the Liquid Freezer II 280 is a widely recognized AIO cooler. The performance of this cooler ranks higher than many competing AIO models in thermal benchmarks, and that is why enthusiasts select it for keeping high-TDP CPUs stable.
The design of the cooler is simpler than DeepCool and CoolerMaster AIO models, yet it maintains a modern pump block without RGB lighting. It includes two ARCTIC P14 fans (140 mm, 200–1700 RPM, 0.3–0.7 Sone noise level) that provide strong static pressure performance. In addition, a 40 mm VRM fan is integrated on the pump housing, improving motherboard component cooling efficiency.
When it comes to the performance of this AIO cooler, independent tests place the Liquid Freezer II 280 among the top five coolers for overclocked CPUs, keeping the Intel Core i7-11700K below 75 °C under full load. It is also available in 360 mm and 420 mm variants, while the 280 mm model remains the most balanced choice for high-end processors.
Overall, the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 delivers strong thermal performance with low noise output, making it a reliable AIO cooler for the i7-11700K.
Be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4
Be quiet! is a German manufacturer of PC cooling, power supplies, and cases focused on low-noise design. Many users choose their products for reduced acoustic levels. Be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 has a dual-tower, dual-fan design comparable to the Noctua NH-D15, with a similar price range.
Be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 is a dual-tower dual-fan heat-sink, just like the NH-D15. The noise levels of Dark Rock Pro 4 are measured at 24.3 dB(A) under load, which is around 2–3 dB quieter than the NH-D15. This comes at the cost of slightly lower thermal performance, with CPU temperatures averaging 75°C on the Intel Core i7-11700K at 4.8 GHz. Still, the performance of Dark Rock Pro 4 surpasses several 240 mm AIO liquid coolers in independent benchmarks.
Overall, be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 offers quieter operation while maintaining a 250W TDP rating, two Silent Wings 135 mm PWM fans, and full support for Intel LGA1200 sockets. It is positioned as a reliable alternative to the Noctua NH-D15 for users prioritizing silent performance.
Noctua NH-U12S
Noctua NH-U12S is a 158 mm single-tower air cooler that has received over 150 awards from major hardware review sites for its cooling efficiency in the past decade. The design of this air cooler is slimmer than the dual-tower Noctua NH-D15, but the thermal performance difference averages only 2–3 °C under 200W loads.
Noctua NH-U12S is a single-tower cooler that uses a single Noctua NF-F12 PWM 120 mm Focused Flow fan with speeds from 300 to 1500 RPM. The heat-sink is 45 mm thin, which minimizes obstruction, and the same goes for the fan, but the performance of the air cooler remains comparable to larger premium models such as the be quiet! Dark Rock 4 and Deepcool AS500. The small footprint of this air cooler results in 100% RAM clearance, as the cooler stays beyond the area of DIMM slots with up to 45 mm module height supported, including Corsair Vengeance RGB and G.Skill Trident Z modules.
Overall, Noctua NH-U12S is a compact high-performance air cooler for Intel Core i7-11700K users who need reliable cooling and guaranteed RAM compatibility without the bulk of dual-tower coolers.
Scythe Mugen 5
Scythe Mugen 5 is an affordable single-tower air cooler in the market that delivers performance close to the Noctua NH-U12S. The footprint of this air cooler is 130 × 110 × 154.5 mm, which makes it larger than the NH-U12S (158 mm height clearance) but still smaller than dual-tower coolers such as the NH-D15 (165 mm) and be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 (163 mm).
The Scythe Mugen 5 is a single-tower air cooler that utilizes a 120 mm Kaze Flex PWM fan, producing a noise output of 24.9 dBA. The neutral black-and-grey design of this air cooler is simpler compared to Noctua’s brown-beige theme, although it does not include RGB lighting. The noise levels are low, as the fan runs up to 1200 RPM. The high performance of this air cooler is mainly due to the thick 6-heatpipe aluminum heatsink design, which improves heat dissipation.
Conclusively, Scythe Mugen 5 is an air cooler that is priced around $50 and maintains average temperatures of 72 °C on the Intel Core i7-11700K under full load, according to third-party benchmarks. This makes it one of the most cost-effective cooling options for users who want strong thermal performance without exceeding a mid-range budget.
