Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE CPU Cooler, 6 Heat Pipes AGHP Technology, Dual 120mm PWM Fans, 1550RPM Speed, for AMD:AM4…
Thermalright
Best for
Best Thermalright budget air
Amazon rating
Amazon aggregate, one input among many in the Verdict Score
Based on 1 trusted source
Current price
$34.90
Updated May 18, 2026 · 1 min read
Sources behind this verdict
10 reviewers weighted by source trust
The consensus
What reviewers found
Synthesized across the trust-weighted source mix below.
Across the reviewers we read, the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE is the most agreed-upon budget recommendation in cooling. tomshardware.com's verified review called it "shockingly cool and quiet, less than $40," and r/hardware and r/buildapc threads in our data repeatedly cite it as the price-to-performance benchmark every other budget air cooler is measured against. overclock.net testing corroborated the value story.
What reviewers liked
- tomshardware.com verified review highlights sub-$40 price with near-flagship thermal performance
- r/hardware and r/buildapc consistently cite it as the budget benchmark
- Amazon 4.7 across 3,074 reviews corroborates expert verdict
- Six heatpipes and dual 120mm fans in a footprint that fits most cases
Where it falls short
- Bundled fans are good but not class-leading
- Mounting hardware feels less refined than Noctua or be quiet! per community discussion
- Thinner long-term brand support and warranty experience than premium competitors
- SE variant lacks heatpipe end-caps versus the standard model, a finish detail community threads call out
Across the reviewers we read, the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE is the most agreed-upon budget recommendation in cooling. tomshardware.com's verified review called it "shockingly cool and quiet, less than $40," and r/hardware and r/buildapc threads in our data repeatedly cite it as the price-to-performance benchmark every other budget air cooler is measured against. overclock.net testing corroborated the value story.
The honest caveats from the reviewers we read: the included fans are good but not the class-leading NF-A12x25 caliber, the mounting hardware is functional rather than refined, and Thermalright's long-term support is thinner than Noctua's or be quiet!'s. r/buildapc commenters also note the SE variant lacks heatpipe-tip caps and is slightly less premium than the standard Peerless Assassin 120. Even with those caveats, at roughly a third the price of an NH-D15 it delivers a startling amount of the performance, which is why verified-purchase reviewers on Amazon (4.7 across 3,074 ratings) and specialist communities both keep recommending it.
- Brand Overview
- Thermalright is a Taiwan brand with more than 20 years of development. It has a certain popularity in the domestic and foreign markets and has a pivotal influence in the player market. We have been focusing on the research and development of computer accessories. R & D product lines include: CPU air-cooled radiator, case fan, thermal silicone pad, thermal silicone grease, CPU fan controller, anti falling off mounting bracket, support mounting bracket and other commodities
- Product specification
- Thermalright PA120 SE; CPU Cooler dimensions: 125(L)x135(W)x155(H)mm (4.92x5.31x6.1 inch); heat sink material: aluminum, CPU cooler is equipped with metal fasteners of Intel & AMD platform to achieve better installation, double tower cooling is stronger（(Note:Please check your case and motherboard for compatibility with this size cooler.）
- 【2 PWM Fans】TL-C12C; Standard size PWM fan
- 120x120x25mm (4.72x4.72x0.98 inches); fan speed (RPM):1550rpm±10%; power port: 4pin; Voltage:12V; Air flow:66.17CFM(MAX); Noise Level≤25.6dB(A), leave room for memory-chip(RAM), so that installation of ice cooler cpu is unrestricted
- 【AGHP technique】6×6mm heat pipes apply AGHP technique, Solve the Inverse gravity effect caused by vertical / horizontal orientation, 6 pure copper sintered heat pipes & PWM fan & Pure copper base&Full electroplating reflow welding process, When CPU cooler works, match with pwm fans, aim to extreme CPU cooling performance
- 【Compatibility】The CPU cooler Socket supports
- Intel:115X/1200/1700/17XX AMD:AM4;AM5; For different CPU socket platforms, corresponding mounting plate or fastener parts are provided（Note: Toinstall the AMD platform, you need to use the original motherboard's built-in backplanefor installation, which is not included with this product)
My personal opinion is that the Hyper 212 was never a "good" cooler. It got popular because back in the Sandy Bridge days it was nice and cheap ...
At full load stress tests, it doesn't exceed 78C. You find multiple posts of 13600k reaching 100C on high-end cooling setups. So, I can attest ...
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“$41 Thermalright Peerless Assassin CPU Cooler Review ...” · YouTube
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