Side by side
Thermalright Phantom Spirit vs Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
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.
Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
179 positive (81%) · 28 mixed (13%) · 14 negative (6%)
Trust + time weighted: +76%
AI summary — not a quote
The Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE is widely regarded by the Reddit community as a top-tier budget air cooler that offers thermal performance comparable to much more expensive All-In-One (AIO) liquid coolers. It is frequently recommended for high-end gaming CPUs due to its dual-tower design and exceptional price-to-performance ratio.
Pros
- Exceptional value, often cited around the $35 USD price point
- Thermal performance that rivals some liquid AIO coolers
- Capable of cooling high-end chips like the 9800X3D and 5800X3D without thermal throttling
- Reliable dual-tower design with included fans that users find sufficient
Cons
- Mounting hardware can be difficult to install, specifically getting the spring-loaded screws to thread simultaneously
- Large physical footprint may be 'overkill' for low-power CPUs
- Potential for high shipping costs in certain regions like Canada
Top excerpts
Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler
The difference is basically 32GB vs 64GB RAM and a $250 AIO vs a $35 air cooler.
What would you recommend over the Peerless Assassin? Everything Ive seen says its as good as some AIOs. I use it and it keeps my CPU temp very low.
Cooler: Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
"Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE" is a double tower cooler that gets recommended a lot.