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Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE CPU Air Cooler,6 Heat Pipes Aluminium Heatsink Cover, for Intel 1700/115X/1200, AMD AM4/AM5
- Dual Tower CPU Cooling The twin-tower heatsink and 6×6mm heat pipes help move heat away from the CPU during gaming, office work and daily multitasking
- Dual 120mm PWM Fans Two TL-C12C 120mm PWM fans run up to 1550RPM with 66.17CFM airflow, giving the cooler steady airflow for everyday PC use
- Built for Mainstream Sockets Supports AMD AM4/AM5 and Intel LGA1700/1851, with mounting hardware included for supported desktop platforms
- 157mm Cooler Height The 125×135×157mm size fits many standard mid-tower cases, but please check CPU cooler clearance and memory height before ordering
- Clean Non-RGB Build No LED lighting makes this cooler suitable for simple desktop builds where users want practical cooling without extra lighting
- Note: Installation of AM4/MA5 motherboard, you need to use the motherboard original backplane installation
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Overview
Specs
Reviews (19)
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Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE CPU Air Cooler, 6 Heat Pipes Aluminium Heatsink Cover, for Intel 1700/115X/1200, AMD AM4/AM5
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Warranty, Returns, And Additional Information
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- Return for refund within: 30 days
- Return for replacement within: non-replaceable
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The Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE is a dual-tower CPU air cooler with six 6 mm copper heat pipes, a copper base, aluminum fins, and a 120 mm PWM fan. It suits desktop users seeking strong air cooling for compatible Intel LGA 115X/1200/1700/17XX and AMD AM4/AM5 processors.
Recommended For
- Budget-focused gaming PC builders who want strong CPU cooling for mainstream and high-performance processors without adding an AIO liquid cooler. Reviews consistently place the Peerless Assassin 120 SE among the strongest-value dual-tower air coolers.
- Desktop users who regularly game, compile code, render, or run sustained CPU workloads and prefer a conventional air cooler with no pump, radiator, or liquid tubing. Testing shows it can handle high heat loads while remaining competitive with more expensive air coolers.
- PC builders assembling or upgrading standard ATX or mATX systems who can verify case height and motherboard clearances before installation. Community reports commonly describe successful use in mid-tower cases, especially with standard-height memory modules.
- Users who want a straightforward, non-RGB cooling setup and would rather spend the budget on the CPU, graphics card, storage, or power supply. The cooler is positioned around thermal performance and value rather than lighting or visual customization.
Real-World Use Scenarios
- A gaming PC builder uses the Peerless Assassin 120 SE with a mainstream or upper-midrange Ryzen or Intel processor to replace a stock cooler. During extended gaming, the CPU generally remains within normal operating temperatures without requiring liquid cooling, although fan noise can become noticeable during demanding games or shader compilation.
- Someone building a budget workstation uses the cooler for compiling software, running Cinebench, or performing other sustained multicore workloads. It provides strong air-cooling performance for many 6- to 12-core CPUs, but the fans may run at clearly audible speeds during unrestricted all-core loads.
- A user wants a cooler for everyday browsing, office work, video streaming, and light gaming. The cooler can remain relatively unobtrusive at low CPU loads, but the default motherboard fan curve may react to short temperature spikes; a quieter or custom fan curve usually provides a smoother desktop experience.
- A PC builder upgrading from a stock or small single-tower cooler uses the Peerless Assassin 120 SE to gain more thermal headroom for higher sustained CPU boost clocks or moderate power tuning. The main benefit is steadier cooling under load rather than a guaranteed increase in performance, and results still depend on case airflow and CPU power limits.
- A first-time builder selects the cooler for an AM4, AM5, LGA1200, or LGA1700 system and wants a low-cost air-cooling solution with broad platform support. Installation is practical for standard ATX and microATX builds, but the 157 mm height and front-fan position require checking case clearance and tall memory-module compatibility before purchase.
Spec Summary
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Best For | Desktop CPU builds that need an air-cooled heatsink-and-fan solution |
| Cooling Design | Air cooling with a CPU air cooler and heatsink assembly |
| Fan Performance | Fan operation is rated at 1600–1999 RPM with up to 66.17 CFM airflow and 25.6 dB noise |
| Materials | Aluminum and copper heatsink construction |
| Power And Connector | 12V operation with a 3/4-pin fan power connector |
| Model Identifiers | Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE CPU air cooler |
Reference Q&A
Q: Should I buy the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE or the Phantom Spirit 120 SE?
A: Choose the Peerless Assassin 120 SE when it is less expensive or easier to find. Choose the Phantom Spirit 120 SE when the price is close and you want the newer heat-pipe configuration, which commonly provides a small performance advantage in testing. Both are large dual-tower coolers with two 120 mm fans, so the difference is usually modest for mainstream gaming CPUs.
Q: Is the Peerless Assassin 120 SE better than the DeepCool AK620?
A: The Peerless Assassin 120 SE is the better value when both coolers provide similar temperatures and the Thermalright costs less. Professional testing places the Peerless Assassin and AK620 close together under high CPU loads, while direct comparison testing shows that differences depend on fan speed, noise limits, CPU, and case airflow. Choose the AK620 if its design, availability, or acoustics better match your build.
Q: Is the Peerless Assassin 120 SE worth upgrading to from a stock CPU cooler?
A: Yes, when lower temperatures, reduced fan noise, or sustained heavy-load performance matter. The Peerless Assassin 120 SE uses a dual-tower heatsink, six heat pipes, and two 120 mm PWM fans, while Intel’s Laminar RM1 is a compact cooler specified for CPUs up to 65 W. On AMD, the decision depends on the bundled cooler and processor; a stock cooler can remain adequate for a 65 W chip, but the Peerless Assassin provides more thermal capacity for extended workloads or higher-power operation.
Q: Is the Peerless Assassin 120 SE suitable for a compact or portable PC build?
A: It is suitable for many mid-tower ATX and larger mATX cases, but it is not a low-profile cooler for ultra-compact systems. Its height is listed around 155 to 157 mm depending on the product revision or listing, and the front fan may need to be raised for tall memory modules. For an SFF or portability-focused build, a 37 mm low-profile cooler such as the Noctua NH-L9 series is easier to fit; for a performance-first build with sufficient case clearance, the Peerless Assassin offers substantially more heatsink capacity.
Q: Is this CPU cooler compatible with my processor and motherboard socket?
A: It supports Intel LGA 115X, LGA 1200, and LGA 1700/17XX sockets, plus AMD AM4 and AM5. Confirm that the processor uses one of these sockets before buying.
Q: Will this cooler fit in my PC case?
A: The cooler is 157 mm tall, 135 mm wide, and 125 mm long. Check your case specifications for a CPU-cooler height limit of at least 157 mm, with additional clearance recommended for installation and airflow.
Q: Will it interfere with my RAM or motherboard components?
A: The provided specifications do not state a precise RAM-clearance limit. Because this is a 157 mm-tall tower cooler measuring 135 mm wide, users with tall memory heat spreaders or large motherboard heatsinks should verify the motherboard layout and cooler-clearance requirements before installation.
Q: Is this CPU cooler quiet enough for everyday use and gaming?
A: Its listed maximum noise level is 25.6 dB(A), and the 120 mm fan uses a 4-pin PWM connector for automatic speed control. Actual noise depends on fan speed, CPU load, case airflow, and the rest of the system.
Q: Who is this CPU air cooler best suited for?
A: It is best suited for desktop users who want a conventional tower air cooler for Intel or AMD systems, including gaming, productivity, and other sustained CPU workloads. Its 157 mm height makes it less suitable for compact or small-form-factor cases unless the case explicitly supports that cooler height.
Q: Is the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE worth buying for a gaming or productivity PC?
A: It is a suitable choice when you want a large dual-tower air cooler for mainstream gaming, programming, rendering, or other sustained CPU workloads. Its six heat pipes, two 120 mm PWM fans, and support for Intel LGA 115X/1200/1700 and AMD AM4/AM5 provide broad platform compatibility. The main trade-offs are its large size and possible RAM-clearance adjustments.
Q: Will the Peerless Assassin 120 SE fit with tall or RGB RAM?
A: Usually, but tall RAM may require moving the front fan upward on the heatsink. Community discussions commonly report that standard-height modules fit more easily, while RAM around the low-to-mid-40 mm range can require fan repositioning. Raising the fan also increases the cooler's effective height, so check both RAM clearance and the case's CPU-cooler height limit.
Q: Will the Peerless Assassin 120 SE fit in my PC case?
A: The heatsink is listed at 157 mm tall, so the case should provide at least that much CPU-cooler clearance. If the front fan must be raised to clear tall RAM, additional height may be needed. Verify the case specification rather than relying only on motherboard or socket compatibility.
Q: Is the Peerless Assassin 120 SE quiet enough for everyday use?
A: Its listed fan noise is 25.6 dB(A), but actual noise depends on the CPU, case airflow, motherboard fan curve, and fan speed. Reddit discussions report that aggressive fan curves can cause noticeable ramping or high-speed noise during sustained workloads. Adjusting the curve can reduce noise, but users seeking very low noise may prefer different fans or a larger premium cooler.
Q: Should I choose the Peerless Assassin 120 SE instead of an AIO liquid cooler?
A: Choose the Peerless Assassin 120 SE when you prefer a simpler air-cooling design without a pump and want broad Intel and AMD compatibility. An AIO may be preferable for a cleaner appearance, specific case-layout needs, or some higher-heat CPUs, but it adds a radiator, pump, and more installation components. The Peerless Assassin's trade-off is its bulky dual-tower form and possible RAM or case-clearance adjustments.