The SilverStone Hydrogon D120 ARGB is a cooler that performs well enough, but doesn't truly beat out its competitors. Essentially, it falls into the middle of the pack in the $45–55 segment. Still, cooling performance is solid in both maximum RPM and noise-normalized tests. However, better value options steal the Hydrogon D120 ARGB's thunder. It is a dilemma that comes from being smack dab in the middle in our test results. Other options also go further in terms of looks to give you a more aesthetically appealing cooler. In this case, the ARGB lighting on the Hydrogon D120 ARGB is good, but the aluminium fins are fingerprint magnets, and with no top-plate or other visual enhancements, the cooler doesn't quite stand out if you are into that.

Still, from a fundamental design aspect, SilverStone nails it. The mounting hardware for AMD platforms is excellent and easy to work with. Add the good build quality and generic ARGB connection and you don't have to worry about quality control issues on the heatsink or proprietary controllers handling the ARGB lighting on the fans. What you get is a simple, compact, dual-tower cooler that offers perfect memory and graphics card clearance. Sure, these aren't the things that will "wow" you like best in class performance or being the quietest cooler on the block. But overall, SilverStone's Hydrogon D120 ARGB feels like a jack of all trades and a master of none. Sometimes, it's more beneficial to look at the minor details than absolute performance values. If a cooler is the best in its class by only a few degrees, but has a terrible mounting setup that is frustrating to work with, I would personally rather give up 2 °C, for example, and have an easier installation experience; it would make basic maintenance and cleaning easier as well, especially on a first-time build.

In summation, the SilverStone Hydrogon D120 ARGB is a solid offering that falls into the middle of the pack. While it may not "wow" you by being the best performer or best value, it fits neatly in the middle, making it a decent air cooler for lower TDP processors and those wanting a simple installation process. The latter is enough to garner a recommendation for those wanting a no-fuss solution for an AMD build.