ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 vs Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE

Researched, not hands-on tested.How we review ›

all judged against CPU coolers at a similar price

The ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 and Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE both score 6.8/10 overall.

The ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 leads on cooling.

The Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE leads on noise, compatibility and fit and build and installation.

They score the same on value.

ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III Pro 360

6.8/10verdict: good, not the best

This is a 360 mm all-in-one cooler for people with a high-power AMD or Intel chip who want maximum cooling headroom. It suits builders who are happy to set a fan curve and fit a long radiator. It is a weaker choice for anyone who wants a quiet build with little setup.

Typically about £67.49 in the UK when we researched itSearch Amazon UK

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Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE

6.8/10verdict: good, not the best

The Phantom Spirit 120 SE is for builders who want a dual-tower air cooler for a current Intel or AMD desktop CPU on a modest budget. It suits mainstream and gaming systems, including Ryzen 7 7800X3D builds, where one owner reports around 65c under load. It is a less obvious choice for anyone who wants near-silent running under sustained heavy load.

Typically about £24.87 in the UK when we researched itSearch Amazon UK

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Scores, criterion by criterion

Criterion	Weight	ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III Pro 360	Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE
Cooling	35%	9/10	7/10
Noise	25%	4/10	6/10
Compatibility and fit	15%	6/10	7/10
Value	15%	8/10	8/10
Build and installation	10%	5/10	6/10
Overall		6.8/10	6.8/10

Specifications

Spec	ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III Pro 360	Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE
Type (tower air cooler, low-profile air, or AIO liquid with radiator size)	AIO liquid, 360 mm radiator	Tower air cooler, dual-tower
Supported sockets (e.g. AM5, AM4, LGA1851, LGA1700)	AMD AM5, AM4; Intel LGA1851, LGA1700	Intel LGA115X/1200/1700/1851; AMD AM4/AM5
Height in mm (air coolers) or radiator size in mm (AIO)	Radiator 398 (L) x 120 (W) x 38 (H) mm; tubing 450 mm; weight 2020 g	154 mm
Rated cooling capacity (W TDP)	not listed	280 W (retailer figure, not manufacturer-published)
Fans included and their size	3 x P12 Pro 120 mm, 600-3000 rpm, 77 cfm, 6.9 mmH2O; pump 800-2800 rpm; VRM fan 400-2500 rpm	2 x TL-C12B V2 PWM, 120 x 120 x 25 mm, 1500 RPM ±10%, 66.17 CFM max, 1.53 mm H2O max, S-FDB bearing, 4-pin PWM
Noise level (dBA)	0.3 Sone at maximum fan speed (third-party reported)	25.6 dBA (fan rating, manufacturer)
Warranty (years)	6 years	12 months

Strengths and weaknesses

ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III Pro 360

+ Lower temperatures than two 360/420 mm rivals in Club386's tests
+ MX-6 paste is pre-applied and the warranty runs six years
+ Separate VRM fan covers the socket area
− TechPowerUp calls the fans excessively loud above 50% PWM
− Intel mounting is a hassle and no manual was included
− An owner returned one over pump noise

Skip it if:

Buyers who want a quiet system and will not tune fan speeds
Intel builders who want a simple, well-documented mounting process
Anyone whose case cannot take a 398 mm-long 360 mm radiator

Read the full ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III Pro 360 review ›

Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE

+ Supports LGA1851, LGA1700, AM5 and AM4
+ Owners praise its value for money
+ One owner reports around 65c on a 7800X3D
− Owners report loud fans under load
− Owners say it is hard to clean
− Owners report a fan speed floor near 360 rpm

Skip it if:

Buyers who want near-silent running under sustained heavy load
Builders who want fans that idle well below 360 rpm
Anyone who dislikes cleaning a dual-tower cooler

Read the full Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE review ›

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