Budget cooler for i5-2500K?

[KevinMalone]

Throwing together a build out of my old parts to donate. CPU is an i5-2500K that is missing a cooler. Back in the day, it happily ran a 4.6ghz overclock with a Hyper 212 but I digress. It seems that Thermalright coolers are the best bang for the buck now? I'm having a difficult time going through their many coolers though as they are all very similar and in the same price range. I was thinking Thermalright Assassin Spirit 120 V2 but honestly have no idea.

No plans to overclock - just need something cheap that fits and is quiet.

 

[2009Caraman]

Any $15 tower cooler will do.

 

[Nessism1]

I have a CM Hyper 212, that was previously run on my kids i5-2500k, that you can have for shipping cost.

 

[KrisZ]

Any tower cooler for LGA 1155 will do, no need to overthink this
Here is one for $17.


https://a.co/d/5yX3ocN

 

[Nessism1]

Based on the non-response to my offer of the free cooler, I just threw it in the trash. Sounded like a match made in heaven, but apparently not. And it's not worth the hassle to sell...

 

[KevinMalone]

Any tower cooler for LGA 1155 will do, no need to overthink this
Here is one for $17.


https://a.co/d/5yX3ocN

That is very impressive, thanks for sharing. Unfortunately not available in my region

Based on the non-response to my offer of the free cooler, I just threw it in the trash. Sounded like a match made in heaven, but apparently not. And it's not worth the hassle to sell...

Thanks for the offer but the cost of shipping would probably exceed the price of new one from Amazon!

Anyway, I decided to go in another direction. The Thermalright Phantom Spirit SE is an incredible cooler for $35 - it trades blows with the Noctua NH-D15! I'm going to replace the Hyper 212 on my server with this, and install the Hyper 212 on the i5-2500K.



There is an "Evo" version with better fans but weirdly the performance isn't that much better, if at all, than the SE version:



Incredible what Thermalright can achieve at this price point.

 

[dogememe]

I was gonna say a stock cooler off eBay for $10 but seems you got it sorted

I still have a soft spot for hyper 212 series. Built so many computers with that cooler haha.

 

[KrisZ]

Can’t go wrong with Hyper 212.

 

[Rand]

The OG hyper 212 models was good
then they went to the "direct contact heatpipe"
construction where there is no plate under the heatpipes they are part of the bottom of the heatsink.
and they were oddly unlevel. I had to resort to sanding and making them smooth and level..
that is when I quit using them IIRC I had one on my i5-2500k in 2011/2012.. or so.