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ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 vs Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE: Comparison
What is the difference between ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 and Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE?
On airflow the spread is 9%, ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 72.84 CFM against Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE 66.17 CFM, so ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 takes it. 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 SE.
Who each one is for
The ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 is the one to take 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. Take the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE for budget and mid-range builds up to about 200W sustained. Nothing else at $32 gets close. It also earns its place with first-time builders. The mounting hardware is genuinely simple and the bundled screwdriver reaches everything. Avoid it for mATX or SFF cases. 155mm of height rules out most of them. 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 SE (9/10): the best cooling-per-dollar in air cooling right now. Buy it, but check which variant you are actually adding to the cart.
Where the two are identical
Everything else lines up. Fan count, bearing type, pwm control and lighting read the same on both, so those are not worth weighing.
Frequently asked questions
Do the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 and Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE 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 SE.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- ARCTIC
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
- Thermalright
Cooler Type
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- AIO Liquid
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
- Air Tower
Series
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
- Peerless Assassin
Model Number
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- ACFRE00066B
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
- PA120 SE
Socket Compatibility
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- AMD AM4/AM5, Intel LGA1851/1700/1200/115X/2066/2011-3
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
- AMD AM5/AM4, Intel LGA1851/1700/1200/115X
Tower Layout
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- Not Applicable
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
- Dual-Tower
Fan Count
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 2
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
- 2
Fan Size
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 140 mm
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
- 120 mm
Max Speed
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 1700 RPMBest
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
- 1550 RPM-9%
Airflow
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 72.84 CFMBest
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
- 66.17 CFM-9%
Bearing Type
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- Fluid Dynamic
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
- Fluid Dynamic
PWM Control
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- Yes
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
- Yes
Lighting
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- None
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
- None
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 SE 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 SE |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $32.31 View on Amazon | |
| Newegg | View on Newegg |
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 SE
9 / 10 Expert Rating
The best cooling-per-dollar in air cooling right now.