Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
360 mm AIO · VRM fan · silent
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 360 lands at 93 and Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE at 94. That puts Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE ahead by 1 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 if…
- ✓Class-leading value
- ✓Integrated VRM fan
- ✓Excellent sustained load thermals
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
Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360Compared on the thermals sub-score
Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 leads on thermals (96 vs 92).
Noise
Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360Compared on the noise sub-score
Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 leads on noise (90 vs 88).
Install
Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SECompared on the install sub-score
Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE leads on install (90 vs 88).
Value for money
Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SESpecdex score per dollar at MSRP
Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE more score per dollar ($39 vs $109).
Score breakdown
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 | Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE |
|---|---|---|
| Type | 360 mm AIO | Dual-tower air |
| Fans | 3× P12 PWM | 2× TL-C12C PWM |
| Radiator thickness | 38 mm | — |
| TDP rating | — | ~250W |
| Height | — | 154 mm |
Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360
- +Class-leading value
- +Integrated VRM fan
- +Excellent sustained load thermals
- −Utilitarian looks
- −Thick rad needs case clearance
- −No RGB standard model
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 360 vs Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE
Which is better, Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 or Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE? +
Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE scores 94 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 1. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 worth the price? +
At $109, Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 delivers a Specdex score of 93 — strongest in value.
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 360 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 360 or Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE? +
Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 — leads on thermals (96 vs 92). Compared on the thermals sub-score.
Which is better for noise, Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 or Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE? +
Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 — leads on noise (90 vs 88). Compared on the noise sub-score.