Best 120mm AIO Cooler for Mini-ITX SFF Case & HTPC Build in 2024

If you are building a small form factor PC for gaming or work or an HTPC, then selecting a good cooler for your SFF case is a huge challenge. It is because in most cases, the mainstream CPU coolers won’t be able to fit and low-profile CPU Cooler won’t provide that much cooling performance, especially when you have a powerful processor. So, the best option here is to go with a good 120mm AIO cooler that will provide sufficient cooling and will be relatively silent too. These small all-in-one liquid CPU coolers are the most preferred choice for use in smaller PC cases, especially the mini-ITX ones. 

A 120mm AIO is a perfect solution to cool down your processor in a small form factor PC or HTPC. It can fit in any small form factor or mini-ITX case, excluding ultra-slim cases where only a low-profile CPU cooler can be accommodated. The cooling performance of a good 120mm AIO can be compared with a decent mainstream CPU Air Cooler with four heatpipes. They can be used with some high-end CPUs on stock speed, and overclocking is not recommended at all on such small AIOs. Many companies offer 120mm AIO CPU Coolers, but not all of them are good, and some of them have a bigger pump and thicker radiator that may cause clearance issues in SFF cases. So, here I am going to list the best 120mm AIO Liquid CPU Coolers that you can use in small form factor cases for cooling down your AMD or Intel processor.

Best 120mm AIO Liquid CPU Coolers

Here are the best 120mm AIO CPU Coolers that you can use with a small form factor or mini-ITX case.

Corsair Hydro Series H60 (2018)

[Great Performance for a Compact AIO]

Corsair Hydro Series H60 (2018) is the newer and second version of the popular Corsair Hydro Series H60 AIO Liquid CPU Cooler. It comes with a low profile and slim 120mm aluminum radiator that is 27mm in width and a 120mm Corsair SP Series PWM fan that generates a good amount of airflow and static pressure. The fan has a maximum speed of 1700 RPM and has a noise level rating of 28.3 dBA. The fan is very quiet on the idle but can become slightly noisy when it runs at full speed during high load. However, it remains on the quieter side most of the time and makes this AIO a silent performer.

The AIO comes with a copper baseplate that makes direct contact with the CPU IHS for better heat transfer. When it comes to performance, then it does very well and has performance close to that of Noctua NH-D15, which is one of the best CPU air coolers around. This 120 AIO can easily candle the latest Ryzen 7 and the latest Core i7 series processors at stock speeds.  The water block is quite sleek and has white LED lighting around it. The installation of this CPU cooler is very easy and is compatible with popular Intel and AMD CPU Sockets. Overall, a great compact 120mm AIO for smaller builds or cases.

Buy Corsair Hydro Series H60 (2018)

NZXT Kraken M22 AIO Liquid Cooler

[Great Looks, RGB Lighting]

NZXT Kraken M22 is one of the best 120mm AIO Liquid Coolers that you can get right now. It is also a great looking 120mm AIO and comes with fancy RGB LED lighting on the CPU waterblock. It comes with an Aluminum radiator that is 32mm in width and an Aer P120 fan, which is a high static pressure fan. The fan has a maximum speed of 2000 RPM and is on the louder side at full load. The tubes of this 120mm AIO are sleeved, which gives it extra protection against cuts and accidental damage.

The performance of this CPU Cooler can be compared with the be quiet! Dark Rock 4, which is one of the best high-end CPU Air Coolers having a twin tower design. You can easily run Ryzen 5, 7, and Core i5 and i7 processors on this CPU cooler at stock speeds. The RGB lighting, monitoring, and other important aspects of this compact AIO can be controlled using the NZXT CAM software. The CPU Cooler supports popular Intel and AMD Sockets, including the AM4. The installation of this AIO is a little bit on the complicated side, but not that tough. Overall, one of the best-looking compact AIOs on the market that packs quality and performance too.

Buy NZXT Kraken M22 AIO Liquid Cooler

EVGA CLC 120 CL11 Liquid CPU Cooler

[Budget Compact AIO for Intel Sockets Only]

A budget 120mm AIO CPU Liquid CPU Cooler that only supports Intel CPU Sockets. It comes with a pretty slim 120mm radiator having a width of 28mm and a 120mm fan that spins at a constant speed of 1800mm. It is not a PWM fan, comes with sleeve bearing, and generates a good amount of airflow and static pressure. Also, it is not a silent operator and is rather on the louder side. The water block of this AIO comes with a copper base that makes direct contact with the CPU IHS for better heat transfer.

EVGA CLC 120 CL11 performs way better than your stock Intel CPU Cooler, and you can easily run a Core i5 to Core i7 processor comfortably on stock speeds. The installation is quite simple and easy. This sleek and compact AIO is great for a budget mini-ITX or small form factor build. So, if you are on a budget and want a cheap and good-performance 120mm AIO for your Intel CPU, then you won’t find anything better than this.

Buy EVGA CLC 120 CL11 Liquid CPU Cooler

Enermax AQUAFUSION 120 ARGB AIO CPU Cooler

Enermax AQUAFUSION 120 is one of the best-looking compact AIOs that you can get your hands on. It comes with Addressable RGB LEDs on both the Waterblock and the Fan, and the RGB lighting looks super amazing when lit up. The AIO comes with a pretty slim 120mm radiator having a width of only 26mm. The radiator is cooled by an ARGB 120mm PWM fan that spins at a speed of 500 – 2000 RPM. The waterblock has a copper base for the CPU and helps in better transfer of heat. The liquid CPU cooler has sleeved tubes for extra protection against any damage.

The performance of this 120mm AIO is pretty good, and it can handle Core i5 and Ryzen 5 processors at stock speeds easily. The installation is pretty straightforward, and it supports a majority of the Intel and AMD sockets that also include an AM4 socket. The ARGB lighting on this AIO can be controlled and synced by popular RGB software that include MSI Mystic Light Sync, Gigabyte RGB Fusion, Asus Aura Sync, and ASRock Polychrome. Overall, a nice-looking and fancy 120mm AIO that also offers good performance.

Buy Enermax AQUAFUSION 120 ARGB AIO

Others [Budget 120mm AIO coolers]

• Cooler Master MasterLiquid LC120E AIO CPU Liquid Cooler
• Enermax Liqmax III 120 All-in-One CPU Liquid Cooler

See also:

• Best 360mm AIO CPU Coolers for High-end Processors
• Best 280mm AIO CPU Coolers for Work & Gaming PC
• Best AIO Liquid CPU Coolers for Gaming & Overclocking

Final Words

Well, 120mm AIOs can be a lifesaver for compact systems, but on full-sized tower systems, you should be better off with a 240mm AIO. These 120mm AIO Liquid CPU Coolers can easily handle most of the processors on stock speeds very well and can be very silent too at low system load. Some of them even come with fancy RGB lighting that can spice up the look of your compact mini system. There are some cheaper options available, too, if you are on a tight budget. If you still can’t decide which 120mm AIO to choose or have any doubts, then you can ask your queries in the comment section below.