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Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE — Air tower
Thermalright

Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE

Air tower

92
/ 100
From $35
VS
Noctua NH-D15 G2 wins by 3
Noctua NH-D15 G2 — Twin-tower air · NF-A14x25r G2 · LGA1851/AM5
Noctua

Noctua NH-D15 G2

Twin-tower air · NF-A14x25r G2 · LGA1851/AM5

95
/ 100
From $149
Specdex verdict

Noctua NH-D15 G2 takes it — here’s why.

In our weighted Specdex score, Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE lands at 92 and Noctua NH-D15 G2 at 95. That puts Noctua NH-D15 G2 ahead by 3 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.

Pick Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE if…

  • ✓Multi-socket bracket support
  • ✓Quiet fans at idle
  • ✓Strong TDP rating

Pick Noctua NH-D15 G2 if…

  • ✓Air-cooling king
  • ✓Whisper-quiet fans
  • ✓Rock-solid mounting
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Winner by scenario

Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate test

Thermals

Noctua NH-D15 G2

Compared on the thermals sub-score

Noctua NH-D15 G2 leads on thermals (96 vs 92).

Noise

Noctua NH-D15 G2

Compared on the noise sub-score

Noctua NH-D15 G2 leads on noise (98 vs 88).

Install

Noctua NH-D15 G2

Compared on the install sub-score

Noctua NH-D15 G2 leads on install (92 vs 88).

Value for money

Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE

Specdex score per dollar at MSRP

Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE more score per dollar ($35 vs $149).

Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE 92
vs
95 Noctua NH-D15 G2

Score breakdown

Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
92
thermals 92
noise 88
install 88
value 86
Noctua NH-D15 G2
95
thermals 96
noise 98
install 92
value 90

Specs side-by-side

Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE versus Noctua NH-D15 G2 — full spec comparison
Spec Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE Noctua NH-D15 G2
Type
Air tower
Twin-tower air
Fans
—
2× NF-A14x25r G2
TDP rating
—
~280W
Height
—
168 mm

Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE

Pros
  • +Multi-socket bracket support
  • +Quiet fans at idle
  • +Strong TDP rating
Cons
  • −Height may conflict with RAM heatspreaders
  • −AIO pump noise varies
  • −Installation requires motherboard-off

Noctua NH-D15 G2

Pros
  • +Air-cooling king
  • +Whisper-quiet fans
  • +Rock-solid mounting
Cons
  • −Large in case
  • −Three SKUs (tall/offset/low-profile)
  • −Brown isn’t for everyone

FAQ: Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE vs Noctua NH-D15 G2

Which is better, Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE or Noctua NH-D15 G2? +

Noctua NH-D15 G2 scores 95 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 3. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.

Is Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE worth the price? +

At $35, Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE delivers a Specdex score of 92 — strongest in thermals.

Is Noctua NH-D15 G2 worth the price? +

At $149, Noctua NH-D15 G2 delivers a Specdex score of 95 — strongest in noise.

Does Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE or Noctua NH-D15 G2 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, Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE or Noctua NH-D15 G2? +

Noctua NH-D15 G2 — leads on thermals (96 vs 92). Compared on the thermals sub-score.

Which is better for noise, Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE or Noctua NH-D15 G2? +

Noctua NH-D15 G2 — leads on noise (98 vs 88). Compared on the noise sub-score.