Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 · White
240 AIO
Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE
Dual-tower air · $39 · Ridiculous value
Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 · White lands at 87 and Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE at 94. That puts Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE ahead by 7 points — a decisive margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 · White if…
- ✓Multi-socket bracket support
- ✓Quiet fans at idle
- ✓Strong TDP rating
Pick Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE if…
- ✓Matches $100 coolers at $39
- ✓7 copper heat-pipes
- ✓Universal socket support
Winner by scenario
Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate testThermals
Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SECompared on the thermals sub-score
Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE leads on thermals (92 vs 87).
Install
Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SECompared on the install sub-score
Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE leads on install (90 vs 88).
Noise
Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SECompared on the noise sub-score
Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE leads on noise (88 vs 83).
Value for money
Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SESpecdex score per dollar at MSRP
Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE more score per dollar ($39 vs $89).
Score breakdown
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 · White | Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE |
|---|---|---|
| Type | 240 AIO | Dual-tower air |
| Fans | — | 2× TL-C12C PWM |
| TDP rating | — | ~250W |
| Height | — | 154 mm |
Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 · White
- +Multi-socket bracket support
- +Quiet fans at idle
- +Strong TDP rating
- −Height may conflict with RAM heatspreaders
- −AIO pump noise varies
- −Installation requires motherboard-off
Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE
- +Matches $100 coolers at $39
- +7 copper heat-pipes
- +Universal socket support
- −Fan noise average
- −Styling utilitarian
- −Included paste so-so
FAQ: Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 · White vs Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE
Which is better, Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 · White or Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE? +
Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE scores 94 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 7. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 · White worth the price? +
At $89, Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 · White delivers a Specdex score of 87 — strongest in install.
Is Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE worth the price? +
At $39, Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE delivers a Specdex score of 94 — strongest in value.
Does Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 · White or Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.
Which is better for thermals, Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 · White or Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE? +
Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE — leads on thermals (92 vs 87). Compared on the thermals sub-score.
Which is better for install, Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 · White or Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE? +
Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE — leads on install (90 vs 88). Compared on the install sub-score.