Thermalright Assassin X120 Refined SE (single tower, 4 heat pipes)

Our analysis

Cooler clearance is where this one and the ARCTIC Freezer 36 A-RGB part ways: 148 mm tall here against 159 mm, so a case whose limit falls in between takes only this one. The ARCTIC answers with a second 120 mm fan in push-pull and A-RGB lighting; this is one fan and no lights.

What stands out

• Four heat pipes, one 120 mm fan. The layout of a mainstream single tower, without the bulk of a dual tower.
• 25.6 dB rating. The noise figure Thermalright gives its fan, the same it gives the dual-tower Peerless Assassin 120 SE.
• 148 mm tall. Seven millimeters under the Peerless Assassin's 155 mm.
• Wide socket support. AM4, AM5, LGA1700, LGA1851 and LGA115x/1200, so it can move with you to another platform.

Where it falls short

• One tower and one fan: for processors rated well above 65 W, our cooler guide moves up to a dual tower or a 240 mm liquid cooler.
• No lighting at all, if you want the cooler to glow.

Look elsewhere if

You run an X3D or a K-series processor: step up to the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE: a dual tower with six heat pipes and two fans. If your case has a low roof or a tall tower would crowd your RAM, the Frozen Notte 240 ARGB V2 moves the heat to a 240 mm radiator instead.

We explain which cooler each TDP needs in which CPU cooler do you need, and what temperatures are normal in safe CPU and GPU temps in 2026.