Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE $35.90

Just recently got one and installed it. Good luck if you have a GPU with a hefty back plate, literally jammed up against the fan retention brackets scratching the backplate. I suggest only getting if your primary GPU slot is under a 1x pcie slot and not at the very top of the mobo like this one.
 

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pendragon1 said:
thats not the heatsinks fault...
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It's the motherboard's fault? lol

didn't remember reading that this cooler wasn't meant for hi-tier GPUs in the first slot.

regardless, saving other people the trouble if they have a similar setup, rather not jack up my $800 GPU because of a $40 cooler.

It would work on my other system as the first slot is a PCIE x1, then the PCIE x16 4.0 slot.
 
_cp said:
I bought the non-SE version recently. I think you have yours mounted the same as mine. I mounted it that way so the lettering would match the orientation of the lettering on my ram, but my top slot is a 1x. I think you would have more clearance if you rotated the heat sink 180 degrees as the fin stacks are not centered on the mounting plate.
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I will try it it for top exhaust I guess. Never ran across a cooler that didn't fit like this. I've only built maybe 100 systems though...

If it wasn't for that retention clip it would be perfect.
 
How does this compare to the wraith prism cooler with a Ryzen 9 5900X? My CPU gets around 91°C sometimes under load conditions I'm hoping this is going to be better then that with a 105W TDP chip?
 
gawkgawk said:
I will try it it for top exhaust I guess. Never ran across a cooler that didn't fit like this. I've only built maybe 100 systems though...

If it wasn't for that retention clip it would be perfect.
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Not sure on your case, (lian li L10-11?) but I'm guessing the front and side are all intake. So top exhuast wouldn't change the air flow balance.
 
Does this support AM5? Says it does in the title but there are so many sub variations I am wondering which one actually comes with the mounting hardware for AM5. PA120 SE is good to go for both AM4 and AM5?

Are these comparable to Noctua products?
 
Flogger23m said:
Does this support AM5? Says it does in the title but there are so many sub variations I am wondering which one actually comes with the mounting hardware for AM5. PA120 SE is good to go for both AM4 and AM5?

Are these comparable to Noctua products?
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Yep, it'll work with am5 and quality and performance are top notch. I swapped out my nh u12a chromax to specifically test the pa120se and haven't reinstalled the u12a since. Gained 4-6c over 6 cores on a i7 8086k @5.0 with the same prolimatech pk3 tim, everything else being equal. I doubt I'll put the u12a back in despite having spent twice as much for it.
The only thing that isn't as nice as the u12a, is the mounting system. It's a notch below noctuas secufirm but pretty much everything is imo.
Another great thermalright hs to check out is the Frost Commander 140. It's been on sale recently on Amazon for $55 and is their top end model.
 
hititnquitit said:
Yep, it'll work with am5 and quality and performance are top notch. I swapped out my nh u12a chromax to specifically test the pa120se and haven't reinstalled the u12a since. Gained 4-6c over 6 cores on a i7 8086k @5.0 with the same prolimatech pk3 tim, everything else being equal. I doubt I'll put the u12a back in despite having spent twice as much for it.
The only thing that isn't as nice as the u12a, is the mounting system. It's a notch below noctuas secufirm but pretty much everything is imo.
Another great thermalright hs to check out is the Frost Commander 140. It's been on sale recently on Amazon for $55 and is their top end model.
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Is this a pain to install? Ideally I want something easy to work with because CPU coolers tend to be the hardest part of the install.

I know this is 120mm, but I am going to look at my motherboard and and any future motherboards to ensure I can remove my NVMe SSDs without worrying about having to remove a cooler first. Some of these things are wide.

Though for a budget cooler, this looks like an amazing value for what you get.
 
Flogger23m said:
Is this a pain to install? Ideally I want something easy to work with because CPU coolers tend to be the hardest part of the install.

I know this is 120mm, but I am going to look at my motherboard and and any future motherboards to ensure I can remove my NVMe SSDs without worrying about having to remove a cooler first. Some of these things are wide.

Though for a budget cooler, this looks like an amazing value for what you get.
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No, its easy to install. You just need a long phillips head screwdriver.
 
pendragon1 said:
yeah its quiet easy to install and shouldnt mess with any nvme slots
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Actually for what he was asking, it could block the removal of an m2 located above a pci x16 slot like on the x570 gigabyte elite at least. If youre into swapping m2s a lot it may be an issue if you find it cumbersome to remove the cooler for everytime you need to access the top m2 slot. Thats if it's above the pci x16 for your main video card.
Screenshot_20221026-114754_Chrome.jpg
 
You would have the same issue with any of the other huge.
randomdean100 said:
Actually for what he was asking, it could block the removal of an m2 located above a pci x16 slot like on the x570 gigabyte elite at least. If youre into swapping m2s a lot it may be an issue if you find it cumbersome to remove the cooler for everytime you need to access the top m2 slot. Thats if it's above the pci x16 for your main video card.View attachment 521495
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Not really an issue. How offen do you have to access the top slot? It really isn't that much effort to remove the HSF to do it if you must. It is a opportunity to put fresh paste on the CPU. Hell I have the x570 Master of that board and my water block even interferes with the top m.2.
 
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If you like to swap out components, then just use an AIO. Much more room to maneuver, and you don't have to attempt to screw down the heatsink or mess with fan clips in tight spaces. I've never had a problem accessing m.2, RAM, or GPU with my EK AIO.

Don't get me wrong, this is a fantastic cooler for the price.
 
vegeta535 said:
You would have the same issue with any of the other huge.

Not really an issue. How offen do you have to access the top slot? It really isn't that much effort to remove the HSF to do it if you must. It is a opportunity to put fresh paste on the CPU. Hell I have the x570 Master of that board and my water block even interferes with the top m.2.
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No, I wasnt saying it was at issue. Just that the specified poster was specifically requiring non interference with m2, which I was pointing out that my and many others have m2s from the cpu which is usually better bandwidth at that top location. I have an nhd15 mounted the widest possible over the m2 almost touching my 3060ti backplate. I personally don't find it an issue, unless youre worried about removing the cpu with the cooler I don't see much issue unless it's like a test bench where m2s are swapped periodically.
 
pendragon1 said:
View attachment 521664
have you installed one? i have, on the same layout, you can still access the nvme slot as the heatsink is high enough to get the stick in/out. especially when its installed in the correct orientation.
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Actually yes, depending on if you use a stock heating its still quite difficult. Plus I wouldn't call being able to shimmy in a stick as adequately user friendly. But we were also talking about vertical blockage I assume.
 
randomdean100 said:
Actually yes, depending on if you use a stock heating its still quite difficult. Plus I wouldn't call being able to shimmy in a stick as adequately user friendly. But we were also talking about vertical blockage I assume.
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riiiight....
its not a shimmy, there like 2" of vertical clearance below the heatsink, not that it would overlap his m2 anyways. look at the diagram fritzz posted and compare it to the mobo, it clears. unless you have that exact combo and can give me a pic showing otherwise...
 
PA120 up to $41.30. Only a few dollars more, but at $36 I was probably going to just buy it. I'm assuming this should be fine a Ryzen 7700X.

27mm wider than my current cooler, but seems like that would be easy enough to remove M.2 SSDs without needing to remove the cooler. I assume most motherboard put an M.2 above the PCI-E for the GPU, otherwise I can see it being a tight fit.
 
Flogger23m said:
PA120 up to $41.30. Only a few dollars more, but at $36 I was probably going to just buy it. I'm assuming this should be fine a Ryzen 7700X.

27mm wider than my current cooler, but seems like that would be easy enough to remove M.2 SSDs without needing to remove the cooler. I assume most motherboard put an M.2 above the PCI-E for the GPU, otherwise I can see it being a tight fit.
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There's a coupon on the page that drops it to $38.30.
 
I don't suppose anyone has any full stress test temp numbers for Peerless Assasin 120 SE and a 5800X3D? I've got one coming in a several days, yet was curious.
 
Format _C: said:
How does this compare to the wraith prism cooler with a Ryzen 9 5900X? My CPU gets around 91°C sometimes under load conditions I'm hoping this is going to be better then that with a 105W TDP chip?
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Cooler kicks ass on my 5900x. Just remember to put enough paste on the CPU. And set fan curve to somewhat aggressive. I'm running 50% for idle temps, around 85-90 on regular load.

Idles are - 32 to 35 for me
Game temps - 55 to 62
Cinebench 23 - 65 to 70
 
Flogger23m said:
Does this support AM5? Says it does in the title but there are so many sub variations I am wondering which one actually comes with the mounting hardware for AM5. PA120 SE is good to go for both AM4 and AM5?

Are these comparable to Noctua products?
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Yes I have mine on my asus gene board and it works fine. The FC140 does not fit though on that motherboard.
 
I am sorry that I didn't post any pictures of my case with cooler, but darn it's mATX case and I had no issues in the Cooler Masterbox nr 400, board is MSI B550m Mortar, I don't run an M2 drive but, I still see no issues because that would already been install way before this cooler, it's tight as Hell as to use a long paint brush handle for gpu chip as to push it down to remove the video card when needed.

I would say his issues is that Nvidia broke spec going higher with their backplate on his video card, I have the new Sapphire Pulse RX 6700 10Gb card under mine and they don't touch, also it has a back plate on video card and my case is tighter then his, I chose the 120 SE because it's 2mm shorter then the others but it fit and does not hit my glass side panel and could of used one 2mm taller.

I don't have hosting for pictures unless I use google drive or a short youtube video of what the case fit looks like if that is something that could help others making the choice to buy it or not, because I only removed the video card to install this cooler and I just build my own stuff, ram was aleady in place with the board stiil in the case and I have kind of big hands being 6 foot tall.
 
crazycrave said:
I don't have hosting for pictures unless I use google drive or a short youtube video of what the case fit looks like if that is something that could help others making the choice to buy it or not, because I only removed the video card to install this cooler and I just build my own stuff, ram was aleady in place with the board stiil in the case and I have kind of big hands being 6 foot tall.
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You can drag and drop photos into the reply section and it will host them. Nothing outside needed.

crazycrave said:
I would say his issues is that Nvidia broke spec going higher with their backplate on his video card, I have the new Sapphire Pulse RX 6700 10Gb card under mine and they don't touch, also it has a back plate on video card and my case is tighter then his, I chose the 120 SE because it's 2mm shorter then the others but it fit and does not hit my glass side panel and could of used one 2mm taller.
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I would venture to guess that your writing starts at the bottom and goes up and your logo is on the left side of the heat pipe terminations, which is why we suggested the turning of his cooler 180* because the CPU heatplate is not directly in the center, giving more clearance between cooler and GPU.
 
randomdean100 said:
Actually for what he was asking, it could block the removal of an m2 located above a pci x16 slot like on the x570 gigabyte elite at least. If youre into swapping m2s a lot it may be an issue if you find it cumbersome to remove the cooler for everytime you need to access the top m2 slot. Thats if it's above the pci x16 for your main video card.View attachment 521495
Click to expand...

It definitely blocks an M.2 slot of mine on my X570plus. But then again, I'm not one to needing to swap my 1tb in use any time soon.
 
Forgive me for the way I talk, it was out on loan for over 1 year and they got something on the front panel that I have not been able to get off yet like drink or something. I use another system with 5700x / RTX 3070 and not this one.

Edit, you only need to remove the video card as to gain access to the front cpu clips and remove that fan, switch ram out and replace the fan and video card, M2 screw is the issues, but I have seen a screw drive that short before if you could find one.

 
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If we're talking about the first m.2 slot its a moot point isn't it? Most GPUs either completely or partially cover it on pretty much everything that I can think of. So easy swaps aren't happening. GPU removal is a pita thanks to the +-&#_**& slot tabs.
I use the 2nd or 3rd slot if I know I'm going to be pulling drives for that reason.
Honestly, I don't even use the other m.2 slots in 90% of my builds because of the heatsink covers on most boards and the aggravating little screws, hate em. Yes, I'm incredibly lazy. I just mount an ssd on the back side of the case.
 
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