How to Check If a CPU Cooler Is Included: DIY PC Guide

A CPU cooler is an important part responsible for cooling the CPU.

Some CPUs come with a stock CPU cooler, but not all CPUs include one.

Especially for high-performance CPUs or certain models, it may be necessary to purchase a CPU cooler separately.

This article explains in detail about whether a CPU cooler is included or sold separately, and how to check if it is included.

It also explains how to choose a CPU cooler from the perspective of types, performance, and compatibility.

≫ Related article: How to Choose a CPU Cooler for a Custom PC [Performance / Features / Compatibility]

あわせて読みたい

PC Parts Estimation & Compatibility Check Tool

Automatically checks each component you need when selecting parts for a custom-built PC—perfect for beginners.

About Included and Separately Sold CPU Coolers

Some CPUs come with a stock CPU cooler, while others require a separate purchase.

Some CPUs Come with a Stock CPU Cooler

Stock CPU Cooler (Retail Cooler)

Some CPUs include a stock CPU cooler from the manufacturer.

This CPU cooler is called a “stock CPU cooler” or “retail cooler”.

This has the advantage that there is no need to purchase a CPU cooler separately when buying a CPU.

Stock coolers are designed by the manufacturer to provide optimal cooling performance for that CPU.

Therefore, they are very convenient for beginners or users who do not have specific preferences for CPU coolers.

Also, stock coolers are easy to install and are compatible with the CPU socket shape, so there is no need to worry about compatibility.

However, the cooling performance is lower compared to aftermarket CPU coolers, so if higher cooling performance or quieter operation under heavy load is desired, it is recommended to purchase a high-performance cooler separately.

Some CPUs Do Not Include a Cooler and Require Separate Purchase

Some CPUs do not come with a CPU cooler and require a separate purchase.

Various manufacturers sell air and AIO liquid CPU coolers, and these are called “aftermarket CPU coolers”.

Especially for high-performance CPUs or models designed for overclocking, the standard cooler often does not provide enough cooling, so it is common for them not to be included.

Therefore, when purchasing a CPU that does not include a cooler, be sure to choose and purchase a suitable CPU cooler in advance, considering cooling performance and compatibility.

How to Check If a CPU Cooler Is Included or Sold Separately

Some CPUs come with a CPU cooler, while others do not. When selecting parts for a custom PC, it is important to know whether a CPU cooler is included to decide the build.

Here are the ways to check if a CPU cooler is included or not.

The End of the CPU Model Number

By looking at the end of the CPU model number, it is possible to determine whether a CPU cooler is included.

CPU manufacturers like Intel and AMD use specific letters at the end of the model number to indicate the presence or absence of a cooler.

For Intel CPUs

For Intel Core i series, if the model number ends with “K”, “KF”, “KS”, “XE”, or “X”, a CPU cooler is not included.

Basically, “K” and “X” indicate high-performance CPUs that can be overclocked, so they are intended to be used with a high-performance CPU cooler purchased separately.

Therefore, it is necessary to purchase an aftermarket CPU cooler separately.

For AMD CPUs

For AMD Ryzen series, if the model number ends with “X”, a CPU cooler is not included, so a CPU cooler must be purchased separately.

However, especially with recent CPUs, this is not always the case, and there are exceptions where a cooler is included even if the model number ends with “X”. So, be careful.

If a CPU that includes a cooler is mistaken for one that does not, a separate CPU cooler may be purchased, but the PC can still be assembled without extra cost or parts.

However, it may lead to thoughts like, “If it was included, I didn’t need to buy a CPU cooler…” or “I wanted to use the money spent on the cooler for something else…” so be sure to check carefully.

In this way, the presence or absence of a CPU cooler can be determined from the end of the model number, but for AMD, there are sometimes exceptions to this rule.

It would be better for users if it was more clear, but it is recommended to also check using online stores as described above.

Checking Product Specifications on Online Stores

Some online stores that sell PC parts list whether a CPU cooler is included.

Probably, this is the easiest and most reliable method.

A quick search shows that the following online stores list whether a CPU cooler is included:

• PC SHOP Ark
• Tsukumo
• Dospara
• PC Kobo

With these options, almost all CPUs should be covered.

Let’s check how it is actually written on these sites.

Two models were checked: the Intel Core i9 14900K, which does not include a CPU cooler, and the Intel Core i5 14400, which does. (The images are of the 14900K.)

PC SHOP Ark, Tsukumo, and Dospara clearly state whether a cooler is included.

If a cooler is included, it is stated as included; if not, it is stated as not included.

On the other hand, PC Kobo only states when a cooler is not included.

So, if a cooler is included, there is no mention of it.

Personally, it is best to check specifications on PC SHOP Ark, Tsukumo, and Dospara.

If the CPU is not available there, try searching on PC Kobo as well.

On all these pages, the information is usually listed in the product specifications or around the middle of the page, so be sure to check.

For AMD CPUs, Check the Official Product Specifications

For AMD CPUs, the product specifications state whether a CPU cooler is included.

If included, the General Specifications section will have a Thermal Solution item, and it will say Wraith Stealth.

Wraith Stealth is one of the CPU coolers provided by AMD.

However, sometimes this item is not listed at all, and “not listed” does not always mean “not included”. There are models where a cooler is included but not listed, so it is not always reliable.

By the way, for Intel CPUs, this item does not exist, so it is not possible to check the inclusion of a CPU cooler from the official specification page.

There is a “Thermal Solution Specification” in the package specifications, but this does not indicate whether a CPU cooler is included, so be careful.

The Depth of the CPU Box

The depth and size of the CPU box can generally indicate whether a CPU cooler is included.

Since the CPU itself is small, if only the CPU is included, the box will be thin, and if a CPU cooler is included, the box will be deeper.

Let’s compare the boxes of Intel and AMD CPUs with and without included coolers.

As shown, when a CPU cooler is included, the CPU box is deeper.

Since the cooler itself is larger than the CPU, more space is needed, making the box bigger.

On the other hand, if the CPU cooler is sold separately, only the CPU, a simple manual, and a warranty card are included, so the box is relatively thin.

In this way, by checking the depth of the CPU box, it is easy to tell whether a cooler is included.

Summary: Checking Online Stores Is the Quickest and Most Reliable

Some CPUs come with a stock CPU cooler, while others require a separate purchase.

Even if a cooler is included, it is recommended to choose an aftermarket CPU cooler with higher cooling performance or quieter operation according to the build and needs.

Here are the key points again.

The easiest and most reliable way to check if a CPU includes a cooler is to look at online stores.

It is also possible to check by the end of the model number, and this method is relatively effective.

Intel CPUs can be identified by the rules introduced, and AMD CPUs can also be identified to some extent.

However, for recent AMD CPUs, there are exceptions where a cooler is included even if the model number ends with “X”, so be careful as this rule does not always apply.

This article also explains how to choose a CPU cooler from the perspective of types, performance, and compatibility.

≫ Related article: How to Choose a CPU Cooler for a Custom PC [Performance / Features / Compatibility]

あわせて読みたい

PC Parts Estimation & Compatibility Check Tool

Automatically checks each component you need when selecting parts for a custom-built PC—perfect for beginners.