Computers are some of the most flexible, powerful devices in the world, but that power can come at a cost. Running the most powerful components (or overclocking those parts) can cause them to run hot, which can lead to hardware throttling and even failure. While PC fans have been a go-to for a long time, water coolers (and other liquid coolers) are vastly more efficient.

Thankfully, you don't have to be a professional to get a cool (pun intended) rig these days, thanks to the availability of all-in-one (AIO) liquid coolers. These cooling units are self-contained, meaning you don’t have to worry about spilling water on your expensive gaming PC components, and they are incredibly easy to install. As an added bonus, they are usually far quieter and take up less room than air cooling components (making them perfect for mini ITX cases). Read on to find our list of the best liquid CPU coolers.

This 240mm cooler comes with socket support for the latest AMD and Intel processors, including AMD’s Threadripper processors. Pulling heat away from your CPU with a copper cold plate, it pumps liquid into a 240mm radiator fitted with two Corsair ML Series 120mm fans. It runs quietly and efficiently when your CPU is running cool, and it tops out at 37dBA when running at maximum (75CFM).

Managing the AIO cooler is also simple. You can control fan and pump speeds from within Corsair’s iCUE software right on your PC, and monitor CPU temperature to make sure your settings are giving you optimal performance. If visual flair is also your thing, the pump has 16 RGB LEDs on the head, and you can manage each light with the iCUE software, too. Corsair is a well-known and respected brand, and there is a reason for that. This is a high-quality liquid cooler, which is why it gets our top spot.

This AIO cooler has a sizable 240mm radiator and dual 120mm fans. The fans and water pump housing also feature RGB lighting, and the kit includes thermal paste, meaning you’ll have everything you need to get up and running.

The Lian Li Galahad’s fans can generate 2.79mmH2O of air pressure and 72CFM of airflow. The fans are rated to run for 40,000 hours, while the pump is rated for 70,000 hours, meaning tons of value for your dollar.

Looking for an all-in-one liquid cooler with a 240mm radiator, wide compatibility, RGB options, and a low price? This is the one for you. This Deepcool cooler has a big radiator with two fans and adjustable RGB lighting on those fans, the water pump, and more. Motherboard connectivity allows you to link and sync with your existing RGB setup, with direct control available via “on cable” controls.

The Deepcool Captain 240 Pro V2 is the complete package, and you can set it up with a wide variety of builds thanks to extensive socket compatibility (including AMD's AM4 and TR4 sockets and Intel's LGA20XX and LGA1200 sockets).

The NZXT Kraken X53 is the successor to our longtime favorite NZXT Kraken X52 that features some major improvements to look better and cool more efficiently. (We've seen this cooler easily keep an Intel Core i7-9700K running at full tilt, well under 50-degrees Celsius.) It’s available in 120mm, 240mm, and 360mm.

If you love flair, it also features a unique-looking “infinity mirror” lighting setup, creating seemingly endless rings of RGB light.

EVGA is a big name in PC components, and this new 280 CLC is one of the best values available in closed-loop cooling space, and the pump is built with Asetek’s Gen5 tech, which is known for reliability & efficiency. It uses a 280mm radiator with twin whisper-quiet fans and has beautifully designed LED integration on the water block.

The included EVGA Flow Control software allows you to control the fan and pump speed (RPM), as well as the RGB lighting on the block.

If you need the biggest, most powerful liquid cooling unit, look no further. The Corsair iCUE H150i Elite LCD has a large, 360mm radiator to handle the hottest CPUs and the highest overclock speeds. The Corsair ML RGB Elite fans can adjust to higher or lower levels, according to the moment’s cooling needs.

As far as lighting, the fans’ RGB lighting can also be adjusted with Corsair’s iCUE software, but the unit really raises the bar with the pump’s 2.1-inch IPS LCD display. It has 8-bit color depth for millions of color options. The display can show visual effects, and even GIFs or memes, all at 30fps (and, of course, it can display handy system performance data, like your CPU temperature).

When it comes to liquid CPU coolers, there’s a good reason the Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML240 Illusion stands out. It pairs RGB lights with translucent material for maximum visual impact. Imagine a glow stick dancing in the middle of your PC while it’s running, and you’ll have a good idea.

Cooler Master pairs the dual-chamber radiator with two MasterFan MF120 Halo fans (also translucent), which have a total of 24 ARGB LEDs each, and you can customize your look from the included ARGB controller, so you don’t need to have motherboard RGB controls to make use of it.

The radiator has wide water channels to increase surface area (and, by extension, cooling potential) and the fans offer up 47.2 CFM of airflow and 1.6mmH2O of static pressure, meaning this beast has cooling power (and cool looks) in spades.

The Alphacool Eisbaer Aurora offers just about everything you could want in an AIO water cooler. Its 240mm radiator provides powerful cooling, and the two 120mm Aurora Lux Pro fans are capable of 2.0 mmH2O of static pressure and 61.5 CFM of airflow. The biggest way this cooler sets itself apart is that you can open the fluid chamber and refill it, meaning it can have a longer life as part of your rig.

There’s a good amount of RGB lighting on display here as well, although it’s not as flexible as other options on this list. Both fans sport RGB light rings and the pump includes a transparent window with RGB lighting inside.

Several cooler manufacturers have displays, but NZXT’s Kraken Z63 truly stands above the rest. The display contains important information like the CPU and GPU temperatures, but you can also have it display animated GIFs and other things, letting you truly personalize your setup.

The Kraken Z63 isn’t lacking in power, either, as it comes with a powerful pair of 140mm fans and an advanced Asetek water pump. If you like the idea of having a display, but don’t need tons of RGB light flooding your system, this is the one.

The EKWaterBlocks EK-AIO 240 D-RGB cooler is primed and ready to keep the hottest, high-end gaming rig cool. It's compatible with Intel and AMD setups, and is easy and quick to set up. The Vardar S 120mm fans on this beast can produce 2.89 mmH2O of static pressure and 66 CFM airflow to enable the 240mm radiator to handle whatever your CPU can throw at it.

Both the included fans and the water block sport RGB, and the whole kit is compatible with a wide range of motherboard RGB controls. So your rig will stay cool and look cool. As an added bonus for those interested in “cable management,” the hoses are very flexible , so you can bend them easily to fit even in smaller cases. These hoses are also wrapped in nylon to make them more resilient than your average rubber tube.

Brian Barnett writes reviews, wiki guides, deals posts, features, and more for IGN. You can get your fix of his antics on Twitter (@Ribnax) or check out his show on Twitch (The Platformers).