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ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 vs Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120: Comparison
ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 vs Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120: the fan count difference
Start with fan count, because it is the widest measured gap between them: ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 2 against Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 1, 50% in favour of ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280. Max speed runs the same way, 1700 RPM on the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 versus 1500 RPM on the Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120, another win for ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280. They differ on fan size too, 140 mm on the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 versus 120 mm on the Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120.
Who each one is for
Buy the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 for value-focused 280mm-radiator builds and motherboards with modest VRM cooling, though it is the wrong buy for RGB showcase builds (see ARCTIC's ARGB variants instead) and cases needing thin (<30mm) radiators. Take the Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 for extreme budget buyers who want dual-tower thermal capacity for the price of a single-tower cooler. It is equally the pick for buyers willing to add a second fan later for even better cooling. It is the wrong buy for buyers who want two fans pre-installed out of the box, where the Peerless Assassin 140, covered elsewhere on this site, ships complete. 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 Phantom Spirit 120 (8.4/10): one of the best-known budget dual-tower coolers, precisely because it strips down to essentials without cutting the heatsink itself.
Frequently asked questions
Do the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 and Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 differ on airflow?
Yes. Airflow reads 72.84 CFM on the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 versus 66.17 CFM on the Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120.
Is the RGB Lighting the same on the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 and Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120?
It is. Both are listed at No, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- ARCTIC
- Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120
- Thermalright
Cooler Type
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- AIO Liquid
- Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120
- Air, Dual-Tower
Series
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120
- Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120
Model Number
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- ACFRE00066B
- Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120
- Phantom Spirit 120
Socket Compatibility
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- AMD AM4/AM5, Intel LGA1851/1700/1200/115X/2066/2011-3
- Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120
- AMD AM5/AM4, Intel LGA1851/1700/1200/115X/2066/2011
Fan Count
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 2Best
- Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120
- 1-50%
RGB Lighting
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- No
- Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120
- No
Cooler Weight
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 1572 g
- Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120
- 810 gBest
Fan Size
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 140 mm
- Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120
- 120 mm
Max Speed
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 1700 RPMBest
- Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120
- 1500 RPM-12%
Airflow
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 72.84 CFMBest
- Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120
- 66.17 CFM-9%
Bearing Type
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- Fluid Dynamic
- Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120
- Fluid Dynamic
PWM Control
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- Yes
- Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120
- Yes
Which one should you pick?
Choose ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 if you want the higher fan count (2 vs 1), the higher max speed (1700 RPM vs 1500 RPM) and the higher airflow (72.84 CFM vs 66.17 CFM).
Choose Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
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 Phantom Spirit 120
8.4 / 10 Expert Rating
One of the best-known budget dual-tower coolers, precisely because it strips down to essentials without cutting the heatsink itself.