Arctic Freezer 36 (Black) CPU Cooler Review

Epilogue

The Arctic Freezer 36 comes at a very competitive price of $44, including a contact frame for Intel’s newer generation sockets. In my opinion, since the majority of users prefer AMD processors, Arctic could lower the price of this product even further if it didn’t provide the Intel contact frame and offered it as an optional feature for users who would need it.

There are several Freezer 36 models to choose from, which offer similar performance but have mostly aesthetic differences. It is up to you whether you need an ARGB and/or white version of this cooler. I should point out that the Freezer 36 CO comes with different fans, which utilize dual ball bearings instead of rifle bearings, for increased tolerance to harsh operating conditions. DBB bearings are generally noisier.

In the Freezer 36 models that come with the rifle beating fans, since the heatsink doesn’t feature dense fins, noise output is kept low even with the fans at full speed. This is also shown in the “Noise Level @ Fan Speed” charts, where the Freezer 36 achieves high places in the noise-normalized levels.

25 dBA – Performance	Prices in the US market as of 26 July 2025

At a 25 dBA normalized noise output, a level that won’t bother most users while still allowing for good performance, the Freezer 36 offers decent performance, which is on par with some dual-tower design coolers, e.g., the Enermax ETS-TD60 and the FSP MP7 ARGB. The primary issue with dual-tower design coolers is their limited compatibility with RAM. If you can spend $20 more, consider the Cooler Master Hyper 612 Apex, which is slightly larger but offers notably better performance in AMD systems that I’ve tested. In Intel systems, the provided contact frame in the Arctic cooler might level the field with the Hyper 612 Apex.

• Cybenetics Cooling Performance Database

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