There are all sorts of options for keeping your processor chilled, but air coolers remain the cheapest and easiest and most versatile option.

You can spend between £10 and £100 on an air cooler, and choose huge heatsinks with multiple fans or fan-free models for pure silence. Vast units are ideal for overclocking, and smaller cooler slot inside small-form-factor systems.

Our guide explains how these important components function – and gives you an overview of the entire market. We've also picked out some of our favourite coolers.