Our CPU cooler tests are performed with Intel’s formidable Core i9-12900K which also gives us the opportunity to try the tricker of the two mounting processes. The AM4/AM5 style will be trivial by comparison.



Installation of the Freezer 36 begins in untypical fashion: removal and replacement of the Intel CPU retention mechanism using the supplied T20 driver. It’s recommended that you have the CPU in place when removing the retention hardware to better protect the socket’s fragile array of pins.

Arctic’s contact frame is placed over the CPU and aligned with four holes in the motherboard PCB; the rim around the CPU heatspreader is the primary load-bearing zone. Four screws are placed and gently tightened evenly to maintain even pressure over the CPU (and thus the pins underneath).

Once installed, the contact frame exposes just the surface of the CPU’s heatspreader to mate with the heatsink’s lower section. We liberally applied TIM over this surface to ensure full coverage.



The two screws on the heatsink’s cross-brace are spring-loaded to ensure optimal pressure on the CPU surface. A long-shafted screwdriver is ideal for tightening these screws in particular, especially if the motherboard is already installed into a case.



Four short screws are already in place on each of the two 120mm fans, and all that needs to be done is to clip them in place into the recessed holes.



The final look is exceptionally clean. Installation was very easy overall and shouldn’t be a problem so long as the user takes their time and follows the instructions provided. Further directions can be found on the official Arctic Youtube Channel which includes an installation guide.