# NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB (2024) vs Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE: specs and price compared

A sourced, side-by-side comparison of the NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB (2024) (NZXT) and Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE (Thermalright) among cpu coolers. Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE is the cheaper of the two at $34.9.

## Side by side

| Spec | NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB (2024) | Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE |
| --- | --- | --- |
| US price | $279.99 | $34.9 |
| Brand | NZXT | Thermalright |
| Released | 2024 | 2022 |
| Type | aio_liquid | air |
| Radiator or height (mm) | 360 mm | 155 mm |
| Fan count | 3 | 2 |
| Socket support | Intel LGA1851, LGA1700, LGA1200/115x; AMD AM5, AM4 | Intel LGA1851, LGA1700, LGA1200, LGA1151, LGA1155, LGA1156; AMD AM5, AM4 |
| Tdp rating (W) | — | — |
| Rgb | Yes | No |
| Noise dba max | 30 | 25.6 |

## Key differences

- Type: NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB (2024) aio_liquid vs Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE air
- Radiator or height (mm): NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB (2024) 360 mm vs Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE 155 mm
- Fan count: NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB (2024) 3 vs Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE 2
- Socket support: NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB (2024) Intel LGA1851, LGA1700, LGA1200/115x; AMD AM5, AM4 vs Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE Intel LGA1851, LGA1700, LGA1200, LGA1151, LGA1155, LGA1156; AMD AM5, AM4
- Rgb: NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB (2024) Yes vs Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE No
- Noise dba max: NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB (2024) 30 vs Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE 25.6

## What reviewers say

**Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE** — Only one whitelisted tester, Tom's Hardware, ran a hands-on lab review of this exact model. That single review is overwhelmingly positive: the best-performing air cooler it had tested, whisper-quiet, at roughly $36. It averaged 61 degrees C over ambient in a 200W Cinebench load and 64 degrees C over ambient in a 200W OCCT load, beating pricier coolers. No meaningful downsides beyond air-cooling's inherent power ceiling. (1 sourced review.)

## Sources

- NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB (2024): https://nzxt.com/products/kraken-360-elite-rgb-1 (nzxt.com, verified 2026-06-15)
- Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE: https://www.thermalright.com/product/peerless-assassin-120-se/ (thermalright.com, verified 2026-06-15)

Canonical: https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/cpu-coolers/nzxt-kraken-elite-360-rgb-2024-vs-thermalright-peerless-assassin-120-se/
Cite: Per The Front Desk Review, NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB (2024) ($279.99) vs Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE ($34.9) — sourced spec-by-spec comparison at https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/cpu-coolers/nzxt-kraken-elite-360-rgb-2024-vs-thermalright-peerless-assassin-120-se/
License: CC BY 4.0.