All-in-one liquid coolers are the best they’ve ever been in 2023, and these three models stand out for their excellent performance in three different sizes.
Water cooling is a status symbol in PC gaming, but going through the trouble of building a custom setup is usually reserved for the most extreme enthusiasts. All-in-one options have rapidly evolved to compete with the very best custom builds. If you’re looking to upgrade your CPU cooler in 2023, these are the absolute best liquid options on the market.
As always, be sure to double-check that the cooler you’re buying is compatible with the CPU socket you plan to use. Most coolers are compatible with both AMD and Intel chips, so be sure to scope out the generation before committing to a new cooler.
The Kraken Z73 is the ultimate water cooler for gaming
If you’re looking for the ultimate gaming water cooler to power your rig in 2023, the Kraken Z73 is the best all-in-one that money can buy. The 360-millimeter beast of a radiator hooks up to a rotating infinity mirror connector plate designed to support any AMD or Intel socket on the market. NZXT’s CAM software allows the user to adjust performance to fit any situation, and the chambered intake and fluid dynamic bearing keep everything quiet no matter how fast the fans spin.
In addition to boasting insane performance in every compatible rig, the Z73 is also one of the best-looking liquid coolers in the gaming market. The Infinity mirror can be customized and rotated to match any orientation. The three massive fans also feature full RGB customization with several prebuilt patterns and ample customization. Of course, all these features come in at the hefty price of $185, but if you’re packing a top-tier gaming CPU, it’s worth the extra investment to keep it running smoothly.
Liquid Freezer II ranks among 2023’s best two-slot liquid coolers
If you don’t have three 140-millimeter fan slots to spare for the Z73, German component company ARCTIC has you covered. The plainly-named Liquid Freezer II is a utilitarian cooler that promises ultra-low temperatures without consuming a ton of power. The manufacturer claims up to 80% less power consumption than other brands, which frees up precious watts for CPU overclocks, extra cards, or just a lower energy bill.
The aesthetics of the Liquid Freezer II are a little plainer than most, but the solid steel connector player gives a very clean look that pairs well with any color. The two fans have individually controllable lighting and come with an external controller that functions even without a motherboard RGB header. $146 is a reasonable price for one of the best liquid coolers of 2023 with two fan slots.
No slots? No problem for the MasterLiquid ML120L
If you want to dedicate your scarce fan slots to cooling down your flashy budget GPU, MasterCooler has the perfect cooling solution for you. The MasterLiquid ML120L is the veteran company’s offering for mini and micro ATX builds that still demand water-based cooling. The ML120L is also relatively cheap compared to its competitors at just $90 all-in. Of course, be sure to leave room in the budget for some thermal paste.
The SickleFlow Refreshed fan and chambers provide quiet cooling at all speeds while the simple but understated plate leaves as much case space empty as possible. The blank CoolerMaster logo and fan lights are completely customizable using the proprietary software. It may not be as flashy as the multi-fan coolers listed above, but for a living room build or portable battle station, the ML120L is too perfect to ignore.
And if you’re looking to fully build your PC, make sure to check our article on the best gaming CPUs to buy in 2023 and the rest of our review series.
