Side by side
Thermalright Phantom Spirit vs Honeywell PTM7950
Thermalright Phantom Spirit
245 positive (94%) · 10 mixed (4%) · 6 negative (2%)
Trust + time weighted: +93%
AI summary — not a quote
The Thermalright Phantom Spirit is widely regarded on Reddit as a top-tier value air cooler, frequently recommended for its ability to handle high-performance CPUs like the Ryzen 7 9800X3D at a fraction of the cost of premium competitors. While it is praised for its 7-heatpipe dual-tower design and quiet operation, some users note it may struggle with the most heat-intensive Intel processors or in cases specifically optimized for liquid cooling.
Pros
- Exceptional price-to-performance ratio, often cited as being available for $20 to $40.
- Effective cooling for high-end gaming CPUs, including the Ryzen 7 9800X3D and Intel i5-14600K.
- Features a 7-heatpipe dual-tower design that competes with much more expensive coolers like the Noctua D15.
- Quiet operation at idle and under load.
Cons
- Can reach high temperatures (90-95°C) with extremely power-hungry CPUs under heavy load.
- Large physical footprint can interfere with RAM clearance or fitment in certain cases.
- Performance gains over the older Peerless Assassin are marginal, often only a few degrees.
Top excerpts
but if you want similar performance for much, much cheaper, go with phantom spirit or peerless assassin
Sorry I forgot that. I have a Thermalright Phantom Spirit. I updated the post.
you can get something relatively inexpensive like a thermalright phantom spirit.
I've been running a phantom spirit cooler with a 9800x3d with no issues and it's 20 bucks. Can't beat that for the money.
A cheap phantom spirit cools my 9800x3d just fine.
Honeywell PTM7950
59 positive (89%) · 3 mixed (5%) · 4 negative (6%)
Trust + time weighted: +83%
AI summary — not a quote
Honeywell PTM7950 is a phase-change thermal interface material (PCM) that has gained a strong reputation on Reddit for significantly outperforming traditional thermal pastes in longevity and temperature management. Users frequently report substantial drops in both idle and load temperatures, particularly for high-heat components like laptop CPUs and GPUs. Unlike standard pastes, it does not dry out or suffer from "pump-out" effects, making it a preferred "set-and-forget" solution for long-term system stability.
Pros
- Significantly reduces GPU hotspot deltas (often by 10-15°C).
- Exceptional longevity; does not dry out or require frequent repasting.
- Ideal for direct-die applications such as laptops and GPUs.
- Easier to apply than liquid metal while providing competitive performance.
Cons
- Higher cost compared to traditional high-end thermal pastes.
- Significant risk of purchasing counterfeit versions from non-reputable sellers.
- Can be difficult to handle at room temperature (very thin and fragile).
Top excerpts
Try ptm,7950. Thermal grizzly makes an affordable kit with it, or you can get from LTT , or honeywell themselves ( though I think it's in larger quantities) Comes in sheets , easy to apply ( freeze it , after cut and appoly )
Didn't have any more ptm7950 ,so didn't want to chance messing with it .
Even with normal thermal paste you can easily go years. I use PTM7950 so it's basically the service life of that system.
For direct die contact chips like GPUs and laptop CPUs, the PTM7950 is godsend. It lowered 10C to my laptop's CPU. I can't recommend it enough...
For the PTM7950 I found it on aliexpress and it costs me around 20-25$ with shipping and tax so I don't see myself buying it tbh. I already paid a lot for the putty and the mx-6 I'm tired of paying for this card.