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Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 vs Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120: Comparison
Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 vs Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120: the fan count difference
Fan count is where these two genuinely part company, Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 3 against Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 2, a 33% lead for Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360. Add static pressure to that, 2.2 mmH2O on the Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 versus 1.53 mmH2O on the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120, and the pattern holds. Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 also leads on airflow, 56.3 CFM on the Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 versus 66.17 CFM on the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120.
Who each one is for
Take the Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 for flagship CPU builds generating 200W or more under sustained load. This is specifically the recommended tier for exactly this scenario. It is equally the pick for buyers who want genuine top-tier cooling without paying flagship AIO prices. Arctic's value positioning holds even at this performance level. It is the wrong buy for compact cases that can't fit a 360mm radiator. The Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240, covered elsewhere on this site, is the right size for that constraint. Buy the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 for budget builders who want dual-tower performance without RGB markup and 220W-class CPUs across a wide range of socket generations, though it is not built for builders wanting RGB lighting out of the box and very compact cases with limited dual-tower clearance. It is not the one for anyone who can get the SE variant for a similar price, which edges it out thermally.
Frequently asked questions
Do the Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 and Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 differ on max speed?
Yes. Max Speed reads 1800 RPM on the Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 versus 1550 RPM on the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120.
Is the Fan Size the same on the Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 and Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120?
It is. Both are listed at 120 mm, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
- Arctic
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120
- Thermalright
Cooler Type
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
- AIO Liquid
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120
- Air Tower
Series
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120
Model Number
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
- ACFRE00136A
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120
- PA120
Socket Compatibility
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
- AMD AM4/AM5, Intel LGA1851/1700
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120
- AMD AM5/AM4, Intel LGA1851/1700/1200/115X/2066/2011
Tower Layout
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
- Not Applicable
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120
- Dual-Tower
Fan Count
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
- 3Best
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120
- 2-33%
Fan Size
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
- 120 mm
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120
- 120 mm
Max Speed
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
- 1800 RPMBest
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120
- 1550 RPM-14%
Airflow
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
- 56.3 CFM-15%
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120
- 66.17 CFMBest
Static Pressure
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
- 2.2 mmH2O
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120
- 1.53 mmH2O-30%
Bearing Type
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
- Fluid Dynamic
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120
- Fluid Dynamic
PWM Control
- Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
- Yes
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120
- Yes
Which one should you pick?
Choose Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 if you want the higher fan count (3 vs 2), the higher max speed (1800 RPM vs 1550 RPM) and the higher static pressure (2.2 mmH2O vs 1.53 mmH2O).
Choose Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 if you want the higher airflow (66.17 CFM vs 56.3 CFM).
Price comparison
| Retailer | Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 | Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | View on 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
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.
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