If you just have a CPU cooler laying around, you probably just upgraded your computer or built a new one.
Now before you toss it in the trash to get rid of it you should first read this article, so that you can repurpose or reuse your old CPU cooler.
Throughout this article, we will be going through 5 different things you can do with an old CPU cooler
1. Use it as a Spare CPU Cooler
Now, this one is pretty obvious, but it is a reason for you not to just throw your old cooler out in the garbage.
You never know when something could go wrong with your other cooler and for that reason, it is always good to have a backup just in case the new one breaks, although it is very unlikely.
CPU coolers are very hard to break as it is just a hunk of metal. The lifespan of the CPU cooler should last you around 5-10 years, and the heatsink should last forever.
If your new CPU cooler fails then your whole PC won’t be able to work because the CPU will start to overheat and crash the computer.
Without a spare cooler, you would have to wait for a couple of days and spend a good amount of money to buy a new cooler.
With a spare, you will be able to get your computer up and running right away, and either keep using the spare cooler or spend some time-saving money and researching for the next best cooler of your choice.
Also, having a spare CPU cooler can serve a few more uses. If you have an air cooler you can use the cooling fans as extra fans for your computer case, or attach a second fan to your new cooler.
If one of your case fans stops working you can always take off the fan from your spare CPU cooler and use it as a fan for your computer case.
This can come in handy especially if you have a budget computer build.
Here is an article that talks more about, “The Lifespan of a Case Fan”
2. Reuse It
Reusing parts of an old PC build, for a new one, can save you a lot of money. Of course, when building a new PC you want to buy all new parts.
However, parts like a CPU cooler don’t get outdated very easily, unless you are using a really old stock cooler.
Reusing your old CPU cooler will help you save a couple of hundred dollars, which you can use on buying an even better CPU, GPU, or RAM.
Now just tell me you wouldn’t want to go from an RTX 3070 to an RTX 3080.
To get more information check out: “Can You Reuse a CPU Cooler”.
3. Turn It Into a GPU Cooler
Believe it or not, you can actually turn your old CPU cooler into a GPU cooler. In doing so, you will be able to get better performance out of your graphics card and have more overclocking potential.
You will also notice that your computer will be a lot quieter because the normal cooling system in graphics cards is not very good so the fans will be spinning very fast making it very noisy.
Using a heatsink from a CPU cooler and turning it into a GPU cooler will allow for better and more efficient heat transfer making your cooling fans work less, thus making less noise.
However, there are a few different downsides you can expect with this sort of thing.
They Tend To Take Up a Lot of Space
CPU coolers especially the good ones tend to be big very big which can be a problem if you have a small case and want to use it on your graphics card.
Before you go through the hassle of taking your GPU apart and attaching the CPU cooler to it, you should first check the dimensions of the cooler and the case to see if it will fit.
They Tend To Be Very Heavy
Another downside is that the heatsink of the cooler is a giant piece of metal. This makes it very heavy.
A graphics card is already very heavy as it is and without anything supporting the GPU with its new cooler, you are guaranteed to experience GPU sag.
You will need to find a way to support your GPU whether it’s buying new supports or finding something in your home to support the GPU.
The weight from the cooler if not supported could end up damaging the PCI-e on both the motherboard and the GPU.
Check Out: “How To Fix GPU Sag” if you want to learn more.
4. Repurpose The Cooler as Something Else.
There is not very much to explain about this as the title explains itself.
Many creative people have found many different ways that they could use their old CPU coolers. One of the most popular is turning the cooler into a desk fan.
Not only does this work great, but it can also be very aesthetic especially if you have really nice PC and gaming setup to compliment it.
5. Sell Your CPU Cooler
At The beginning of this article, you were thinking of just throwing your CPU cooler away.
Even now you might be thinking that all these ideas are great, but I just don’t want to do them.
The next best thing you can do is just to sell your CPU cooler. If you have a $200 CPU cooler sell it for half the price.
At least that’s better than just throwing it out right.
You would be surprised how fast that would sell as there are many different people looking for used computer parts to complete their builds.
