Best CPU Coolers · head-to-head

Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 vs Noctua NH-D15 G2

A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 is cheaper at $130. Every spec and price links to its source.

Which is better: the Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 or Noctua NH-D15 G2?

On the specs we track, they're closely matched. The Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 is the cheaper at $130.

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Full spec sheet

marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.

Spec Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 Noctua NH-D15 G2
US price $130 $149.95
BrandArcticNoctua
Released2023-102024-07
Type aio_liquid air
Radiator or height (mm) 360 mm 168 mm
Fan count 3 2
Socket support Intel LGA1700, LGA1851, AMD AM4, AM5 (LGA1200/115x via optional kit) Intel LGA1851, LGA1700, LGA1200, LGA115x; AMD AM5, AM4
Tdp rating (W)
Rgb No No
Noise dba max 40 24.8
Release 2023-10 2024-07

Sources — Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360: arctic.de (verified 2026-06-15). Noctua NH-D15 G2: noctua.at (verified 2026-06-15).

What's the difference between the Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 and Noctua NH-D15 G2?

Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (5 of 7). Matching specs are omitted.

  • Type: Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 aio_liquid vs Noctua NH-D15 G2 air
  • Radiator or height (mm): Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 360 mm vs Noctua NH-D15 G2 168 mm
  • Fan count: Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 3 vs Noctua NH-D15 G2 2
  • Socket support: Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 Intel LGA1700, LGA1851, AMD AM4, AM5 (LGA1200/115x via optional kit) vs Noctua NH-D15 G2 Intel LGA1851, LGA1700, LGA1200, LGA115x; AMD AM5, AM4
  • Noise dba max: Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 40 vs Noctua NH-D15 G2 24.8

What reviewers say

Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.

Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360

Only Tom's Hardware gave hands-on prose for this exact non-Pro model — two articles by the same reviewer. The verdict: quiet and a good value for gaming and GPU-heavy loads, but it fails maximum-strength CPU-only stress tests (minor thermal throttling), only matching good air coolers, and forces a warranty-voiding LGA1700 contact frame with limited socket support. (2 sourced reviews, 2 lab-tested.)

Praised: Low noise levels for an AIO — among the quietest in the charts; Good value for gaming and GPU-intensive workloads (gaming-load re-test); Low introductory price.

Flagged: Fails maximum-strength CPU-only stress tests; minor thermal throttling; Mediocre noise-normalized performance — only comparable to good air coolers; Forced use of a warranty-voiding LGA1700 contact frame.

Noctua NH-D15 G2

Two whitelisted hands-on testers reviewed the NH-D15 G2. TechPowerUp names it the best-performing air cooler; Tom's Hardware confirms it improves on the original NH-D15. Both judge its ~$150 price hard to justify against sub-$50 rivals delivering near-identical cooling, and both praise Noctua's warranty and support. (2 sourced reviews, 2 lab-tested.)

Praised: Best-performing air cooler / holds the air-cooler crown; Improved thermal performance over the original NH-D15; Industry-leading warranty and top-tier customer support.

Flagged: Overpriced / poor value at ~$150 vs sub-$50 rivals offering near-identical cooling; Torx T20 screws add friction with no consumer benefit (driver is included); Fan noise inconsistency / 'Rattlegate' suggesting a possible fan defect.

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