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ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 vs Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120: Comparison
ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 vs Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120: the airflow difference
Airflow is where these two genuinely part company, ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 72.84 CFM against Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 66.17 CFM, a 9% lead for ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280. They differ on tower layout too, Not Applicable on the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 versus Dual-Tower on the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120. Fan size is not the same on both, 140 mm on the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 versus 120 mm on the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120.
ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 vs Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120: which one fits your build
Buy the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 for value-focused 280mm-radiator builds and motherboards with modest VRM cooling, though it is not built for RGB showcase builds (see ARCTIC's ARGB variants instead) and cases needing thin (<30mm) radiators. The Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 suits budget builders who want dual-tower performance without RGB markup and 220W-class CPUs across a wide range of socket generations, though it is the wrong buy for builders wanting RGB lighting out of the box and very compact cases with limited dual-tower clearance. Avoid it for anyone who can get the SE variant for a similar price, which edges it out thermally. Our rating of the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 (8.5/10): outstanding thermal value at 280mm, the VRM fan is a genuinely useful extra most AIOs lack. Our rating of the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 (8.5/10): an excellent value dual-tower cooler in its own right, just slightly outclassed by Thermalright's own SE variant when both are priced closely.
Frequently asked questions
Do the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 and Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 differ on max speed?
Yes. Max Speed reads 1700 RPM on the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 versus 1550 RPM on the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120.
Is the Fan Count the same on the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 and Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120?
It is. Both are listed at 2, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- ARCTIC
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120
- Thermalright
Cooler Type
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- AIO Liquid
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120
- Air Tower
Series
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120
Model Number
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- ACFRE00066B
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120
- PA120
Socket Compatibility
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- AMD AM4/AM5, Intel LGA1851/1700/1200/115X/2066/2011-3
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120
- AMD AM5/AM4, Intel LGA1851/1700/1200/115X/2066/2011
Tower Layout
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- Not Applicable
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120
- Dual-Tower
Fan Count
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 2
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120
- 2
Fan Size
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 140 mm
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120
- 120 mm
Max Speed
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 1700 RPMBest
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120
- 1550 RPM-9%
Airflow
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 72.84 CFMBest
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120
- 66.17 CFM-9%
Bearing Type
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- Fluid Dynamic
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120
- Fluid Dynamic
PWM Control
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- Yes
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120
- Yes
Which one should you pick?
Choose ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 if you want the higher fan count (2 vs 2), the higher max speed (1700 RPM vs 1550 RPM) and the higher airflow (72.84 CFM vs 66.17 CFM).
Choose Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Price comparison
| Retailer | ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 | Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | View on Amazon |
Disclaimer: The price and specification of the given product may differ from the actual product. Please confirm on the retailer's website before buying.
Verdict
ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
8.5 / 10 Expert Rating
Outstanding thermal value at 280mm, the VRM fan is a genuinely useful extra most AIOs lack.
Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120
8.5 / 10 Expert Rating
An excellent value dual-tower cooler in its own right, just slightly outclassed by Thermalright's own SE variant when both are priced closely.