The various hardware inside your computer generate heat especially when there is extensive processing of programs such as gaming and other multi-media applications. It is important for the heat to be fanned out to maintain an acceptable level of temperature that will not cause overheating of your components. Your central processing unit (CPU) or processor, which is a workhorse, is one of the hardware that should be properly protected from overheating that is why it is important to choose the right cooling device when buying a CPU cooler.

In the past, computers had only an aluminum heat sink to absorb the heat from your processor and a single fan was attached to bring the heat away from the hardware and out of the casing. Nowadays, as many as two or more cooling fans are used to maintain the desired temperature for your CPU especially that there is even a greater need to do multitasking using the computer and letting it run close to 24 hours everyday. More so with the development of multiprocessors in a single chip, proper cooling of CPU's has never been critical. That is why it is of utmost importance to consider these developments if you are buying a CPU cooler.

Outside of the normal processing activities that your CPU does which generates heat, other external factors may cause your hardware to overheat and one of the most common causes is dust which accumulates to your fan and to the heat sink. Always make sure to clean your computer regularly to lengthen the lifespan of its components. Poor airflow is another factor that can cause overheating. Ideally there should be a balanced flow of air where ambient cool air seeping through equals the hot air that is blown out. That is why cooling fans are important to draw in the cool air from outside and bear down the heat produced by the components especially from your CPU.

Buying a CPU cooler will need you to consider the following:

1. Heat absorption - CPU coolers normally consist of the heat sink and the cooling fan. The metals used may be made of aluminum or copper. Copper absorbs heat better than aluminum but aluminum is much lighter and does not tarnish. Either way, whether it is made of copper or aluminum, it is important to check on the performance of a cooling system from reviews.

2. Noise - there are several models that are good cooling devices for CPU's but are relatively noisy. If you are buying a CPU cooler, you can choose the model that makes the least noise but has good cooling capacity.

3. Good airflow - airflow is measured in cubic feet per minute (CFM) and it follows that the higher the CFM the better result in air circulation.

4. tatic pressure - a higher static pressure is means that the fan is more capable of forcing air out through gaps between the heat sink. Static pressure is measured in mm Hg or mm H2O.

Brands of CPU cooler that have good reviews are:

Zalman CNPS9900LED - this cooling system has already been tested with AMD Phenom running at 3.8GHz and an Intel Quadcore and both processors maintained good temperatures despite optimal use.

Thermaltake Frio - this can support the super processors such as Intel i7 and the AMD Phenom II.

Noctua 6 Dual Heatpipe - also supports the Intel i7 and AMD Phenom II with very good results.

There are other highly recommended brands, but you can check out with your trusted dealer when buying a CPU cooler which one is best suited for your hardware.

source http://witechreview.net/2011/04/24/router-cooler-reviews-the-first-router-cooler-in-the-world.html