Rank #7 in Best CPU Air Cooler 2026: 10 Ranked, One Sold Twice at Two Prices
Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE 1550RPM
Price and rating as shown on Amazon when we collected them. Both change.
The Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE is a dual-tower air cooler: six 6mm heat pipes, two TL-C12C 120mm PWM fans running up to 1550RPM and moving 66.17CFM, and no RGB lighting. It sits at number 7 in our best CPU air coolers guide, listed at £35.90 with 4.5 out of 5 from 307 ratings.
It is also the more expensive half of a pair. The guide carries a second entry under exactly the same name at £29.99 with 3,133 ratings, so the same cooler appears twice with £5.91 between the two, and nothing on either listing explains the gap. This page's own spec table does not settle it either: it records 5 Volts and 3 watts next to a 4-pin power connector and two PWM fans rated at 1550RPM and 66.17CFM, which are not the figures of a 3-watt, 5-volt part. The dimensions field says 12L x 2.5W x 12H centimetres while the bullet says 125×135×157mm — at 2.5cm wide the cooler could not hold two 120mm fans, and 12cm is not 157mm. The 1.43kg weight and the buyer reports of fitting ATX cases sit closer to the taller figure. Everything on this page comes from the Amazon listing, not from testing by us.
How those 307 ratings break down
An average hides its own shape. This is the spread behind the 4.5 stars.
Specification
Exactly as published on the Amazon listing, field for field.
| Price | £35.90 |
|---|---|
| Rating | 4.5 out of 5 from 307 ratings |
| Power Connector Type | 4-Pin (as listed) |
| Voltage and Wattage (as listed) | 5 Volts and 3 watts |
| Fans | Two 120mm PWM TL-C12C, up to 1550RPM, 66.17CFM airflow |
| Item Dimensions (as listed) | 12L x 2.5W x 12H centimetres |
| Height in the bullet | 157mm (cooler listed as 125×135×157mm) |
| Item Weight | 1.43 kg |
What buyers actually say
Quoted from customer reviews on Amazon
Verified purchase“Has kept all of my graphically intensive games running nice and cool at 58.CI often forget it is there with how quiet and low noise it isSize wise It is advised to at least have a Mid to Full ATX size to fit this as i have a Fractal Design Meshify 2 ATX Case and from the top of the Twin Tower radiators i have a good 1 or so inch gap to the Glass PanelBest fan/Tower cooling setup money can buy if you are on a bit of a budgetGreat value for money”
Verified purchase“Easy to set up and has nice quiet fans. It's currently cooling a 7600x in my PC so it never has to ramp up, I imagine it would do a good job with higher end CPUs that draw a lot of power.”
What it is up against
The rivals it was ranked against in Best CPU Air Cooler 2026: 10 Ranked, One Sold Twice at Two Prices.
Questions people ask
Why does the guide list this cooler at two prices?
This Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE is listed at £35.90 with 307 ratings. The guide's other entry for the same model name is £29.99 with 3,133 ratings. Neither listing explains the £5.91 difference.
How many fans does the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE have?
Two 120mm PWM TL-C12C fans, running up to 1550RPM with 66.17CFM airflow, according to the listing.
Which sockets does the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE support?
AMD AM4/AM5 and Intel LGA1700/1851, with mounting hardware included for supported desktop platforms.
How tall is the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE?
The listing gives two answers. The bullet says 157mm and quotes a 125×135×157mm cooler; the dimensions field says 12H centimetres. Check your case clearance before ordering.
Does the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE have lighting?
No. The listing describes it as a clean non-RGB build with no LED lighting.
What does the listing say the cooler draws?
The spec field gives 5 Volts and 3 watts, while the power connector type is 4-Pin and the fans are PWM units rated at 1550RPM and 66.17CFM. Those two sets of numbers do not line up.
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