Arctic Freezer A35 A-RGB CPU Cooler Review

Rating: 9.0.

Arctic’s Freezer series of CPU coolers have been synonymous with budget cooling aficionados for a long time. In this review, we are examining the Arctic Freezer A35 series of CPU coolers to see if these well-priced, 120mm-class options can prove their worth. The specs are promising, the warranties are outstanding, and Arctic even deploys an aesthetically-pleasing blacked-out and A-RGB version.

Video Timestamps

We have three Arctic Freezer A35 versions on display here; these use the same core heatsink but differ by their fan designs. The individual versions are the baseline A35 which is a 37 Euro offering with a Fluid Dynamic Bearing 1800 RPM fan.

There is the A35 CO – Continuous Operation – which has an 1800 RPM double ball bearing fan designed for more reliable 24/7 operation and is 35 Euros MSRP or £31 at Overclockers UK. And the Freezer A35 A-RGB version which adds aesthetic flair via a blacked-out design and a 1700 RPM Fluid Dynamic Bearing ARGB fan, which is 43 Euros nominally or £35-37 online in the UK

We will focus on the A-RGB version as it seems like the most interesting option, especially at only a £4-6 premium for the more appealing design. Plus, the performance difference between the different fan options proved negligible in our quick testing.

Arctic opts for a reasonably sized 120mm-class heatsink for the Freezer A35. The black-coated fin array utilises 54 0.4mm-thick aluminium fins and four 6mm copper heatpipes in a U-shaped orientation. The standard and CO versions stick with bare aluminium-coloured fins and copper-coloured heatpipes.

The 734g heatsink is asymmetric in design, with the front side being a flat shape for the 120mm fan to force air through. A large cut-out on the rear side looks primarily designed for screwdriver access to the mounting screw.

Despite the A35 being the AMD-specific version of Arctic’s coolers, the heatpipe direct touch base is very modestly sized. In fact, the overall coverage area is smaller than a Ryzen CPU heatspreader. So, we will have to see if that design point works for Arctic.

Arctic uses shrouded fans for all the Freezer A35 models. This aids the visual appearance and tightness of fitting – which can be beneficial for air pressure. But it also reduces the requirement for sometimes ugly or awkward metal fan clips. Plus, the general slenderness of the overall cooler should present RAM interference as a non-issue.

The 120mm fan is pressure optimised and shares advantages of the P-series fans, according to Arctic. The A-RGB version features 12 LEDs that are controlled via motherboard vendor software and its fan operates at 200-1700 RPM via a 4-pin PWM connector.

One difference with the standard A35 and the A35 CO is that they ditch the LEDs and opt for slightly higher speed – 1800 RPM – PWM fans, as previously mentioned. But their fans operate in a semi-passive mode, so they are actually 0-1800 RPM speed ranges.

Warranty for the Freezer A35 A-RGB is a strong six years. The non-RGB versions increase this coverage to an outstanding 10 years. Those timeframes are awesome for sub-£40 CPU coolers, so credit to Arctic there!

AM4 installation uses the default AMD backplate once the standard AM4 plastic fittings are removed. Arctic’s two metal retention brackets then screw into the backplate at 4 points.

After applying the bundled Arctic MX-5 thermal paste, the CPU cooler heatsink can be screwed down using the two positions on its crossbar. Finally, there is the straightforward process of re-attaching the shrouded fan and then connecting cables.

The overall process is very straightforward, it is quick, and it results in a solid mount.

Test System:

• Processor: AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
• Overclocked Settings: 4.45GHz all-core @ 1.312V (UEFI), Medium LLC – around 1.3V delivered
• Motherboard: Gigabyte B550 Aorus Master
• Memory: 32GB (2x16GB) Corsair Vengeance LPX 3600MHz 16-18-18-36 DDR4 @ 1.35V
• Graphics Card: Gigabyte RTX 2060 Super 0dB Mode
• Chassis: Fractal Design Meshify 2
• Chassis Fans: 2x140mm 1000 RPM Fractal Front Intake, 1x140mm 1000 RPM Fractal Rear Exhaust, 1x140mm 1000 RPM be quiet! Pure Wings 2 Roof Exhaust (for air cooler testing)
• Power Supply: Seasonic Prime TX-1000
• Operating System: Windows 10 Pro 64-bit

Testing Methodology:

• For testing, we use a 30-minute looped run of Cinebench R23 and record the steady-state CPU temperature at the end of the test. This ensures that the CPU has had ample time to warm up and reach steady state under all of the coolers.
• Ambient is maintained around 22-24 degrees Celsius. Where there is variation beyond this temperature range, we add in extra repeated tests to ensure consistency.
• We also test each cooler with at least two fresh installs (typically three) to mitigate the likelihood of a dodgy mount spoiling results.

Test Results:

Acoustics

Let’s start off with noise performance at 100% fan speed. This is important for getting an indication of where our performance expectations should lie based on noise output.

With a single 120mm, 1700 RPM fan utilising the benefits of Arctic’s excellent P-series design, it comes as no surprise to see good numbers here.

Arctic’s Freezer A35 is up there with the quietest coolers that we have tested. Plus, there’s an excellent speed control curve if you want lower levels.

As for 40 dBA noise data, well Arctic is already below that level even at full fan speed. In this instance, good company is kept with the likes of be quiet! and SilentiumPC coolers being the only others on the chart to also run sub-40 dBA at full fan speed.

Thermal Performance

Arctic’s Freezer A35 A-RGB offers stellar cooling performance in our overclocked test situation. That’s even when pitted against a bunch of expensive or high-end liquid coolers as reference points.

Around 90C running temperature for an overclocked 5950X with sensible ambients is good. And that is particularly true from a single-fan RGB cooler that costs less than £40 and has few interference downsides.

The SilentiumPC Fortis 5 is a logical competitor, but Arctic beats that unit relatively comfortably.

There is no change in the Freezer A35 A-RGB’s cooling performance when locked at 40 dBA as it was already below that noise level at full fan speed. But with many of the comparison coolers having reduced fan speeds, the gap to higher-end units is reduced significantly.

Arctic still holds a lead over SilentiumPC, but there really isn’t much of a performance degradation on the Freezer A35 A-RGB versus some 40 dBA-locked mid-range AIO or air coolers.

As always, it is critical to note that small difference in the displayed delta temperatures are not as important for our PBO testing because the clock speed and cooling power achieved are more important metrics.

PBO numbers are also promising for the A35 A-RGB. Here we see a good net core frequency for the locked 90C temperature limit under PBO.

And managing to handle 220W of package power is also very positive for a cooler that costs a little over £35 in the UK. Arctic’s unit continues to punch above its weight class.

VRM temperatures are utterly uninspiring though. This is likely related to the focussed airflow via the shroud resulting in minimal incidental flow hitting our VRM heatsink.

Of course, this situation could be different with a different motherboard VRM cooling design. But for our test system, Arctic’s MOSFET cooling capabilities are weak, though certainly not worrying.

Arctic’s Freezer 30-series approach is tried-and-tested and has proven to be a success; we think the Freezer A35 series does a great job at building on that prior success.

The price versus performance offered by the Freezer A35 A-RGB is superb. Arctic’s cooler is punching above its price point when it comes to thermal performance and noise output. And the standard A35 or A35 CO versions are even cheaper than the blinged out model.

Speaking of the bling model, though, Arctic does a good job at keeping the A-RGB version simple and with minimal compromise. A black heatsink looks good, a few LEDs on the fan is ample, and the 3-pin A-RGB connection approach without any additional software is incredibly straightforward.

Downsides are extremely minor. The VRM cooling performance was underwhelming for our test system’s build, but that could be different for somebody with a different motherboard and chassis.

The fan shroud is functionally and aesthetically positive, but it could have a slight detrimental effect on nearby component clearance. However, that certainly wasn’t an issue for our system’s RAM or VRM. And I guess the continued segregation between Intel and AMD mounting support is a downside for somebody switching platform regularly.

Overall though, £35 for a competent, good-looking, A-RGB cooler with strong noise-balanced performance and an excellent warranty. That’s impressive – I like the Arctic Freezer A35 A-RGB. And by extension, I also really like the even cheaper, better warrantied Freezer A35 or A35 CO.

The Arctic Freezer A35 A-RGB and Freezer A35 CO sell for £36.95 and £30.95, respectively at Overclockers UK.

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Pros:

• Very good thermal and noise-balanced performance.
• Preferential fan speed curve.
• Exceptional warranties.
• Very affordable.
• Quick and easy installation.
• Minimal interference headaches.

Cons:

• Intel/AMD mount is segregated.
• Fan shroud may be slightly limiting to some users.

KitGuru says: Well-balanced cooling, a smart design, and a very competitive price – there is plenty to like about Arctic's Freezer A35 series of coolers.

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