A heatsink is part of your CPU cooler. The heatsink pulls the heat from your CPU, and the fan portion of the CPU cooler cools the sink to allow for more heat to be dissipated. There are 'passive coolers' that are just one big heatsink with no fans, but they obviously won't cool as quickly or aggressively Answer from forthelol on reddit.com
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A heatsink is part of your CPU cooler. The heatsink pulls the heat from your CPU, and the fan portion of the CPU cooler cools the sink to allow for more heat to be dissipated. There are 'passive coolers' that are just one big heatsink with no fans, but they obviously won't cool as quickly or aggressively
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You just need the cpu cooler.
Newbie here, what's the difference between using heatsinks (looks like a radiator), a fan type cooling thing and liquid cooling? Jan 21, 2026
r/pcmasterrace 6mo ago
Can my laptop function with it's heat sink and cooling fan removed if I instead cool down the laptop using my giant fan instead? Feb 17, 2025
r/computers last yr.
Newegg
newegg.com › home › components & storage › fans & pc cooling › cpu air coolers
CPU Fans and Heatsinks | Newegg.com
(7)Noctua NH-D15 G2, Dual Tower CPU Cooler, Standard All-round Version Recommended for AMD AM5 and Intel LGA1851 / LGA1700 (Brown) ... (4)MSI MAG COREFROZR AA13 - ARGB CPU Air Cooler - LGA 1700/1851 / AM5/AM4 Compatible - 120mm ARGB PWM Fan - Direct Touch Heat-Pipes - Pre-Applied Thermal Paste - Black ... (58)JONSBO CR1400 COLOR CPU Cooler H126mm,Air Cooling Tower Radiator, Desktop PC AM4/AM5 heatsink, 4 Copper Heatpipes for AMD /Intel LGA1700/1200/115X , 92mm RGB Fan, Auto Rainbow Lighting on Top, Black
Do you actually need a fan on a CPU when you cooling the whole box?
Why put a fan, (let alone two!) on a CPU heat sink? You already have airflow enough to cool disks, it’s enough for a cpu. On the contrary, these fans will only disrupt the airflow, reducing the quality of the cooling and adding noise. More on forum.storj.io
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August 16, 2024What is the difference between heat sink and cpu cooler.
Basically, what is the difference between the heatsink and the cpu cooler, or are they the same thing? They are arguably the same, just depends on whom you ask. A heatsink is a component in CPU cooling. The heatsink is the aluminum piece that sits beneath the CPU fan. More on forums.tomshardware.com
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August 7, 2015Are cpu fans and heatsinks the same thing? Cause when i look them both up, i get the same results.
Yes they are the same thing More on reddit.com
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July 2, 2023How important are heat sinks?
A CPU always needs a heatsink of some kind. Whether it be air cooler or a liquid cooler, they're both a form of heatsink. You cant just have a fan on your CPU, as the system simply wouldnt work. The CPU would overheat and shut down well before you could do anything with the PC. There needs to be something to take the heat away from the CPU and spread it over a wider surface area, in which a fan can then push air over it to transfer that heat somewhere else More on reddit.com
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April 16, 202304:33
CPU Heatsink Fan Orientation and How to Assemble Fan - YouTube
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how to install a new CPU heatsink and fan - YouTube
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This single tower CPU cooler will make you forget about dual towers...
08:17
The MASSIVE Cooling Upgrade Small PCs Needed - YouTube
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The Best NEW CPU Air Coolers - YouTube
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The Best Ultra Low Profile Coolers Right Now (2026 Edition) - YouTube
Best Buy
bestbuy.com › best buy › computers & tablets › computer cards & components › fans, heatsinks & cooling › cpu fans & heatsinks
CPU Fans & Heatsinks: Cooling Fans, Computer Parts - Best Buy
June 22, 2026 - Shop for CPU fans and heatsinks at Best Buy. Choose from a great selection of fans and heatsinks to add to your computer to keep your CPU cool.
Amazon
amazon.com › heatsink-cooling-fan › s
Amazon.com: Heatsink Cooling Fan
Discover compact and high-performance heatsink fans. Find options for laptops, desktops, routers, and specialized cooling applications.
Amazon
amazon.com › pc-heatsink › s
Amazon.com: Pc Heatsink
Thermalright Assassin X120 Refined SE CPU Air Cooler, 4 Heat Pipes, TL-C12C PWM Fan, Aluminium Heatsink Cover, AGHP Technology, for AMD AM4/AM5/Intel LGA 1150/1151/1155/1200/1700/1851(AX120 R SE) · M.2 Heatsink Cooler 2280 SSD Double-Sided Heat Sink with Thermal Silicone pad for PS5/PC PCIE ...
Storj
forum.storj.io › node operators
Do you actually need a fan on a CPU when you cooling the whole box? - Node Operators - Storj Community Forum (official)
August 16, 2024 - Why put a fan, (let alone two!) on a CPU heat sink? You already have airflow enough to cool disks, it’s enough for a cpu. On the contrary, these fans will only disrupt the airflow, reducing the quality of the cooling …
Trenton Systems
trentonsystems.com › en-us › resource-hub › blog › what-is-a-heat-sink
What is a Heat Sink, and How Does it Work?
February 6, 2024 - By themselves, heat sinks are passive, meaning they have no moving parts. In most cases, however, the heatsink is combined with a fan that blows the hot air away or a liquid cooling solution that carries the heat halfway through the pipes.
Tom's Hardware Forum
forums.tomshardware.com › home › motherboards
What is the difference between heat sink and cpu cooler. | Tom's Hardware Forum
August 7, 2015 - A heatsink can be on a cpu, a northbridge or southbrige chip on a motherboard, the video card, or any other microchip that needs cooling. The metal surrounding a gaming stick of memory is even called a heatsink A CPU cooler is a heat sink with 1-2 fans on it specifically for a CPU.
Corsair
corsair.com › explorer › diy builder › cpu coolers › what is a heatsink?
What is a heatsink? | CORSAIR
January 21, 2025 - It’s made up of a flat base that sits on the processor, plus fins or metal pieces that increase the surface area for heat to escape. Often, a fan is attached to help speed up the cooling process.
Northern Micro
northernmicro.com › spirit-manuals › spirit-x399-as-user-manual › Installing_CPU_Heatsink_&_Fan.htm
Installing CPU Heatsink & Fan
The TR4 processor socket has four threaded holes for mounting a processor fan heat sink.
Amazon
amazon.com › Computer-CPU-Cooling-Fans › b
Amazon.com: Computer CPU Cooling Fans - Computer CPU Cooling Fans / Internal Fans & Cooling ...: Electronics
Shop a wide selection of CPU Cooling Fans at Amazon.com. Free shipping and free returns on eligible items.
Intel
intel.com › gaming › how to build a gaming pc › cpu cooler: liquid cooling vs air cooling
CPU Cooler: Liquid Cooling Vs. Air Cooling - Intel
June 22, 2026 - These rely on a specially designed heatsink to absorb and redistribute heat without the use of a fan. These can be useful in builds where lower acoustics are a priority, but most gaming computers use an air or liquid cooler. The effectiveness of an air cooler can vary, depending on factors such as the materials used in construction (copper is more conductive than aluminum, for example, though aluminum is cheaper) and the size and quantity of fans attached to the CPU ...
Thermaltake
thermaltakeusa.com › collections › air-cooling
Air Cooling – Thermaltake USA
June 22, 2026 - Thermaltake is a Taiwanese manufacturer of PC case designs, power supplies, cooling devices and peripherals
Micro Center
microcenter.com › home › air and water cooling - current
CPU Coolers: Air and Water Cooling Kits | Micro Center
That's why CPU coolers are key for preventing thermal throttling and keeping your PC running at peak performance. These systems draw in excess heat from the CPU's heat spreader and dissipate it through heat pipes, radiators, cooling fans, and ...
Published July 25, 2024
Micro Center
microcenter.com › home › cpu/gpu, chipset heatsinks
CPU/GPU, Chipset Heatsinks : Micro Center
Fins: Metal fins increase the heatsink's surface area and allow it to disperse heat much more efficiently. CPU Cooling Fan: A fan attached to the cooler blows air across the fins and heat pipes, significantly improving heat dissipation.
Tom's Hardware
tomshardware.com › pc components › cooling
Best CPU Coolers 2026: AIO and Air Coolers | Tom's Hardware
June 22, 2026 - We also have a visits scheduled ... eye out here for updates! While AIOs and air coolers come with their own fans, case fans are also critical in keeping temperatures down. The cooler the air hitting AIO or heatsink, the cooler your CPU temperatures will be....
Amazon
amazon.com › heatsink-644724-001-724801-001-644725-001-Compatible › dp › B0BPT8TFY3
Amazon.com: CPU heatsink Fan for HP 644724-001 724801-001 644725-001 Compatible with HP Pro 3000 3010 3400 3405 3500 3515, A6000P7 H8 P7-1010 Envy 700-216 750-114 400G1 Intel 1150 1155 1156 1151 Series : Electronics
Industrial & Scientific Janitorial ... Educational Supplies Sealants and Lubricants Additive Manufacturing Laboratory Supplies FSA Eligible Items Deals Amazon Business ... Compatible with 644724-001 724801-001 644725-001 CPU Heatsink Fan Pro 3000 3010 3400 3405 3500 3515 3380 ...
Noctua
noctua.at › en › products › browse › coolers
CPU coolers for desktop & workstation processors
An all-black, asymmetrical single-fan version of the NH-D15 with better RAM and PCle compatibility. ... Our most powerful single-tower cooler: slim design for full RAM-compatibility. ... Outstanding performance, running smoothness and compatibility for LGA4710 & LGA4710-based Xeon-workstations. ... Low-height dual-tower heatsink with excellent case compatibility, fits most 4U rackmount server cases.
Quora
quora.com › What-is-the-difference-between-a-CPU-fan-and-a-heatsink
What is the difference between a CPU fan and a heatsink? - Quora
Answer (1 of 3): The heatsink is a thermal mass that absorbs heat from the CPU, usually it’s a chunk of metal with fins but it can also be liquid and a radiator in a liquid cooling loop. The CPU fan is what actually dissipates heat from the heatsink so that it can actually keep the CPU cool.