Comparison of AIO: which watercooling to choose for your PC in 2026?

An AIO watercooling (All-In-One) is a ready-to-use CPU watercooling system. Unlike custom watercooling, everything is already assembled, filled, and sealed. An aio water cooler includes:

• a waterblock + pump on the processor
• a radiator (120 / 240 / 280 / 360 mm)
• fans
• a closed circuit, maintenance-free

👉 It is today the most popular solution for the processor cooling on PC gaming.

Not all AIOs are equal. Two 360mm models can have a temperature difference of 10 to 15°C depending on:

• the quality of the pump
• the thickness of the radiator
• the fans
• the noise to load
• compatibility with your case

A good watercooling comparison avoids:

• ❌ a noisy AIO
• ❌ an overpriced model for nothing
• ❌ a radiator incompatible with your case
• ❌ an undersized watercooling for your CPU

Before even talking about the best AIO, you need to understand the sizes.

• 1 fan
• Limited performances
• Not very interesting compared to a good CPU cooler

👉 To avoid for serious gaming

• 2 fans
• Very good compromise
• Sufficient for Ryzen 5 / i5

👉 Best 240mm water cooling for mid-range budgets

• 140 mm fans
• Very quiet
• Excellent thermal performance

👉 Often underestimated

• 3 fans
• The high-end standard
• Ideal for Ryzen 7/9 and i7/i9

👉 Best 360 mm watercooling for gaming + streaming

ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III 360

• Major strength: "noise-normalized" performance (super effective at equal noise)
• Thick radiator ~38 mm (better thermal inertia, but pay attention to case compatibility)
• Manufacturer's warranty 6 years
• Little known at Arctic: VRM fan to help cool around the socket

If you want to explore all reviews on watercooling, you can have everything directly on our site with the comparison of all the sites in your country to make sure you get the best deal!

An AIO can be very quiet, but only if:

• the fans are of quality
• the pump is well regulated
• the radiator is quite large

A 360 mm will always turn more slowly (thus quieter) than a 240 mm for the same CPU load.

⚠️ Low-end AIOs are often more noisy that a good CPU cooler.

Ryzen 5 / i5

• AIO 240 mm or 280 mm
• No need for 360 mm

Our recommendation is to go for a CPU cooler!

Ryzen 7 / i7

• AIO 280 mm minimum
• 360 mm recommended for silence

Ryzen 9 / i9

• 360mm AIO mandatory otherwise throttling guaranteed

👉 The watercooling processor must be consistent with the power of the CPU.

When you consult a test watercooling or a test water cooling on YouTube or in an article, you have to sort through. Many contents highlight aesthetics or marketing features, whereas these are not the decisive criteria for choosing a AIO watercooling efficient.

• RGB graphs or the quality of lighting effects
• The ultra-slick marketing photos (they say nothing about performance)
• Tests done only in idle (PC at rest)
• Comparisons on different or incorrectly configured CPUs

These elements are often there to sell, not to help you choose. best processor cooling .

A good test watercooling CPU must be based on objective and reproducible criteria:

• Temperatures under prolonged load : stress test CPU of several minutes (even tens of minutes), not just a spike
• Sound level in decibels (dB) : measured at a constant distance, with equivalent load
• Pump stability : absence of parasitic noises, no strange variation in speed
• Actual case compatibility especially for 360 mm AIOs (radiator thickness, tube length)
• Manufacturer's warranty : an excellent indicator of trust (5-6 years = very good sign)

One good watercooling test always compare the AIO at the same load , on the same processor, with the same ventilation curve. Everything else is just noise.

The debate AIO watercooling vs air cooler comes back all the time, and the truth is, there is no absolute winner. It all depends on your CPU, your budget, and what you expect from your PC.

Here is a clear and honest comparison.

This AIO comparison shows one thing quite clearly: there is not a single best universal watercooling, but the right AIO always depends on your processor , of your case and your usage.

One AIO watercooling 360 mm will be ideal for high-end CPUs and demanding gaming setups, while a 240 mm remains an excellent choice for the majority of PC gamers.

If you are looking for the best processor cooling , silent and long-lasting, a well-dimensioned good AIO clearly makes a difference compared to classic aircooling. Conversely, for a simpler PC or a controlled budget, the ventirad remains a reliable and effective alternative.

The advantage with DropReference, is that you can compare all watercoolings in stock in real time , filter by size, by price or by reviews, and choose your aio pc without relying on obsolete tests or outdated prices.