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Probably the best CPU Air Cooler money can buy.
Retails for $200-$220
Noctua NH-D15 Chromax Black 140mm 1500RPM CPU Cooler $169.91 + Delivery ($0 with Prime) @ Amazon US via AU
1100
Lbigpp on 16/08/2020 - 23:16 amazon.com.au (2193 clicks)
Last edited 19/08/2020 - 13:22 by 1 other user
Last edited 19/08/2020 - 13:22 by 1 other user
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Yeah, does pretty much the same job.
Noctua has double the warranty length, better fan bearings and roughly double the MTTF, so they're not exactly the same product.
However, I think the best purchase option would be to get the Dark Rock Pro 4, ideally <$99 on sale, then when the fans die replace them with Noctua as the NH-D15 seems to be charging a huge premium for the heat sink.
Yeah when finding DRP4s for $139 and this is $170, if I could afford the difference I'd step up to this, if the DRP4s were on sale for $120 or less, I'd go for them, it's fine line
I don’t see why you wouldn’t just pick up a D14 for $110 then
Noctua fans have better Static Pressure and higher air flow while about the same noise level.
Agree, same thing in the real world and it's better because it's $139 :D.
They look awesome in the case as well and very quiet.
Don't forget, if you get a new motherboard / CPU which has a new socket, you may be able to get a new mounting bracket from Noctua for that socket free of charge. I've been able to move my nh-u9b, which I bought in 2014/15 for an LGA1150 motherboard, to an AM4 motherboard now:
I can vouch for the Dark Rock Pro 4. Got a 100% overclock on my 9600K and it keeps her cool with plenty of room to go if I could be bothered.
100% overclock? So your 9600k runs at 7.4 GHz?
Plus plenty of room to go
The NH-D15 is going to outperform a 240mm AIO whilst being quieter and having a much longer lifespan.
No the Freezer II is like god tier AIO. Look at this comparison, it's for the 280mm but it's winning by a big enough amount for me to say the 240mm will also beat the NH-D15.
It'll win on thermal performace, but I highly doubt it would be quieter
How do you find the Pump Noise with an AIO? I've only ever been a Noctura fanboy and reluctant to go AIO
I'm a bit upset that this doesn't fit well with the CM NR200. I had this on my wishlist for some time only to find out yesterday that the tubes are too thicc.
@monchee: Im waiting till someone actually physically confirmed, From what I remember everyone was theorizing (and probably are correct) that it doesnt fit.
@Jofzar: https://imgur.com/gallery/zWE6XfC
Enjoy, it fits in the NR200P JUST. IMO dont buy it but found it funny.
@Jofzar: Why wouldn't it fit? I thought the NR200/NR200P would be fit AIO up to 240mm?
If not the artic freeze, what AIO would you recommend for the NR200P?
@[Deactivated]: It should fit a 280mm in the side mounted bracket. The issue according to reddit is that the tubes are thicc and although you can try to bend it, I probably don't want to.
@[Deactivated]: As Monchee said,
Tubes and Fittings are thicc so its just a bending nightmare,
Its a "this is too premium" problem which sucks but its life.
@monchee: I was just about to ask that :( What do you mean doesn't fit "well" though? Does it still fit with some minor modding?
If not, have you found any other alternatives for the NR200?edit: read the other replies and yeah it probably isn't worth screwing around with an AIO. the 240mm is still pretty good though
@caffeine69: https://www.reddit.com/r/sffpc/comments/ibwzn8/nr200p_arctic…
Turns out we are wrong and it fits theres even a guy with a 280
@Jofzar: God damn it really is possible. That's a really tight fit though, and the tubes appear slightly bent. Personally I'm super paranoid of that sort of thing when surrounded with thousand+ dollars of hardware so I'd probably go with thr 240mm, likely a difference of like 4c. Or just go with a U12A/ Fuma 2
@rookie317: Damn… Think I'll go for the be quiet dark rock pro 4. Give space to WC the GPU. Noise levels are good with the DRP4.
I'm thinking of getting the 280mm, just a few dollars more and a bit longer wait. I don't understand the 240/280mm terminology… All I know is that 280 will likely cool better + sound quieter.
How does 240/280mm compare with the standard 120/140mm fans? Is 280mm = 2x140mm fans? Is that all it's about?
Wondering about it as I will need to fit it into my Fractal Design Meshify C case, which is a small case. I can put the fans at the top right? It can support 140mm fans, will that be enough?
@eternalcakes: 240mm is two 120mm fans, 280mm is two 140mm fans and the heatsink on the later is obviously larger.
I can put the fans at the top right? It can support 140mm fans, will that be enough?
No, chances are you'll need enough motherboard clearance. There's actually very few cases that can fit a 280mm AIO on top because the motherboard heatsinks will most likely be in the way. Generally it's better to put radiators on the front of the case anyway.
Also, it's worth getting the 280mm over the 240mm, but chances are you don't need either. If you've got something like a 3600, this is just a complete waste of money.
@iseeyou1312: Yeah? When I play MHW on max (2080s gpu) my cpu goes up to like 80-90deg… And in a cold room too! No additional heating.
I wouldn't mind putting the radiator at the front and moving the other fans to the top (or not using them at all) etc.
Would that work? Any recommendations for me? Fairly new to the cooling stuff
@eternalcakes: I wouldn't move it to the front. Your CPU will cause excess heat and your GPU will throttle. GPU throttling down 100MHz matters more to me than running my CPU at high temps which it'll likely do even if you put it in front.
@eternalcakes: That would, but I think a better question is what CPU, CPU cooler, case and case fans are you currently using? How many in-take and out-take fans do you have?
@iseeyou1312: I've got Ryzen 3500x, stock CPU cooler, Case: Fractal Design Meshify C (small-ish case). 2 in front, 1 out back. 2080 Super, 2 fan version.
After doing a bit more research I finally understand that I can fit a 240mm radiator+fans… IF my ram is 40mm or less. Unfortunately I just installed a set of 43mm ram.
So I bought a Noctua NH-D15S, relatively cheap. Ram clearance 60mm or something like that!
That's the 280mm version being tested with 2x 140mm fans, not the 240mm version with 2x120mm fans which was linked in the OP.
Edit: Apparently the 240mm AIO is still better, although it only comes with a 2 year warranty compared to the 6 from Noctua. I guess the spiral shaped fan design is superior.
@iseeyou1312: I said given the lead the 280mm has the 240mm will still win, and rookie317 commented a comparison with the Freezer II 240mm winning:
Yep the 240 wins out as well
@Void: Yeah, I edited my comment after reading down the thread. It seems that the spiral shaped Arctic fans are able to push more air through a radiator. I guess Noctua still has longevity in their favour, but loses out in terms of performance and aesthetics.
@iseeyou1312: I doubt it's just the fan, it's probably purely the fact that the rad is fairly thick at 38mm, for comparison, that's 11m thicker than something like the H100i (27mm). Assuming equal fin density, width and length, the surface area is 40% bigger than the H100i, that's really huge all things considered.
The AC Freezer II 240mm version also performs quite well with very low thermals relative to its 280mm brother for those who can't fit 280mm rads. The radiator is quite thick at 38mm or so (Corsair ones are 27mm for reference) and the fans are actually decent so the noise is actually quite good compared to something like the EVGA 280/Corsair 240 offerings even with ML fans
You can see D15/Corsair H100i RGB Platinum/Dark Rock Pro 4/TT Floe 360 against it here:
https://www.kitguru.net/components/cooling/james-dawson/arct…
These are great, but just make sure you check for case compatibility on Noctua's website. The cooler is enormous and the listing photos don't really do justice to the actual size.
Google it with your specific case, then with your specific motherboard as well.
I have the poo brown version, I don't understand why they call this chromax, there's more chrome on mine.
It comes from "chroma" and "max" I think. The product line is about swapping accents.
what ram are you using for your build? low profile or normal sized?
It comes from 'chroma' which in colour theory refers to the intensity of a hue. Nothing to do with 'chrome' :)
There is also the NH-D15S which generally has better compatibility than the non S model (RAM location and heights, and top PCIe slot compatibility).
More info here, https://noctua.at/en/nh-d15s
ive gone off AIO's now, the noctua NH's are keeping my setup 20c cooler than what i was experiencing before. And this is a cheap price, i love the brown color btw..
Good deal and excellent cooler, but wouldn't it be better to spend +$170 on an even better CPU (albeit with a stock cooler)?
Depending on your use case
If gaming at high resolution, no.
Noise is a big thing too.
When you consider that you can buy an Arctic Freezer 34 for ~$60 or a Scythe Fuma 2 for ~$100, I would say yes.
This is a Noctua though, people who buy this know what they want, and there's nothing wrong with that.
This doesnt surprise me.
It surprised me.
Jesus what are you running?
Penitum III (Coppermine T)
Aren't you a loveable troll.:)
I cannot fathom what it would be like to use that in today's lightest workloads.
I've bought two DH-15 over the years and I've never paid more than $120.. though not the chromax verison… I last bought one in April 2020 for $108 from Newegg..
This seems pretty expensive.
Sidenote, amazing CPU cooler, but absolutely behemoth and massive. make sure your case fits, plus expect fans to hover on top of 2 of the RAM slots. If you have RGB ram, it will block the RGB aesthetics.
U12A is the newest smaller brother with the same or similar performance, but man is that expensive (about $170 when I bought it local stock, but looks like its around $209 now). I bought one - 8700k CPU at sustained 100% doesn't exceed 65C.
Regarding the price, basically all computer parts are a bit more expensive than they were pre-lockdown
Regular D15 is $170 at most local places right now (although $155 at three listed on SI) http://staticice.com.au/cgi-bin/search.cgi?q=Noctua+NH-D15+p…
Chromax is more like $200-220 at most local places right now (~$190 at three places listed on SI) http://staticice.com.au/cgi-bin/search.cgi?q=Noctua+NH-D15+c…
There's a couple of expired Amazon deals on OzB to get a price reference though: https://www.ozbargain.com.au/product/noctua-nh-d15
These were $160 a few weeks ago though?
Yes, as linked in the OzBargain search link. +133 votes at -$10 is about right. Doesn't make this current price a bad deal, just not-as-good.
@MHLoppy: I wanted to get that deal, but had trouble finding a smaller form factor which would fit it + have space for the RAM slots.
If it's $170 at most places, by definition it isn't a deal?
Definitely recognise components prices have gone up significantly last few months but don't feel like this price qualifies it as a deal.
This is the chromax black version not the regular
Oh nice, not poop colour :D
If they can make a tower with the same poop I don't mind colour matching :D
I personally went with the U12S black from NewEgg as that Fit my Lian LI Tu150 case better. $116.80 delivered. Came really quickly from Taiwan via DHL too.
https://www.newegg.com/global/au-en/noctua-nh-u12s-chromax-b…
I have a 3700x on its way for a build and considering ditching the stock cooler - noisy and not very good from what I read. Probably go a Fuma2 or U12S Black for around $100.
Most likely be running a undervolt. Priority is noise - I can wait a few seconds for cinebench to finish or adjust games settings to medium shadows.
3900x user here with this Cooler . Fantastic match up . Undervolting to 1.2 or 1.3 is a must if you after quiet operation. With 1.4 default voltage fans will be running almost at 90% . Also adjust fan curve as well .
Funa2 comes out on top and is $100 as well.
I don't want AIO even though some of the new ones with Alu block look pretty cool. Cannot be bothered with a custom loop - too much stuffing around for my laziness.
@bad hombre: Where is everyone finding fuma 2 at $100? I am guessing amazon us with prime. I cannot find a single Aus retailer selling them.
@haemogoblin2: Yeah Amazon Prime from the US. Got my 3700x coming from there as well. Have to wait a while but at $440, I think it is worth the wait.
Thank you sir. Was about to buy from PCCG and there was no stock in yet also. Finally going to get away from troubled AIO's
No worries! I was going to get it from ple as well but they were out of stock, and also $150. I got the u12s in under a week from Taiwan.
Work ok with my RPi 4?
Why would people downvote this? LOL
If not working, you can call it RiP…
Probably, just strap it on with rubber bands.
I've never really understood the Chromax version. D15 is a great cooler but Chromax or not it's not pretty to look at and as mentioned in a comment above it's so large it pretty much ruins any other aesthetics and RGB in your case. If I was going to pay the premium of a D15 and cooling and silence was ultimate priority then would go the whole hog and get a noise dampening case without a window, at which point the cheaper beige D15 makes more sense.
Noise dampening cases are not quieter when not idle.
Absolutely the best air coolers out there. I got the standard one for about $80 from newegg in 2018, and had to contact them for the AMD bracket, which comes with the newer packaging now.
Is this too overkill for R5 3600? Lol
I'd say so, unless you're overclocking the crap out of it.
I mean when your cpu cooler is 2/3rds the price of the cpu itself..
sometimes I need to flex, you know, bigger is better. lols
Yep. Check the Noctua compatibility list for cheaper alternatives: https://noctua.at/en/cpu/AMD_Ryzen_5_3600
Yes.
There's not a whole lot of overhead in a 3600. Pretty much enable PBO and call it a day. If you wanted something cooler and quieter than the Wraith Stealth then you could look at the Hyper 212 variants, Arctic Freezer 34, BeQuiet PureRock 2, Cryorig H7 etc. There's probably a bunch of others at the $55 - $65 range that are competent coolers as well. Plus there's a growing list of cheap Chinese coolers that people on YouTube have reviewed.
Thanks! Yes I might go with the Hyper 212, maybe use Noctua fans for a tad better airflow and noise.
May as well get the NH-U12 then after buying fans for it
@Lolitsjoel: But I want it blackkkk. Actually I won’t get the noctua fan, just going for the RBG (extra performance) and call it a day. Lols
White covers for ppl like me with a white build:
https://www.amazon.com.au/Noctua-NA-HC4-chromax-white-heatsi…
It adds up to a small fortune..
$51.13?!
It's certainly not a value for money but if you are an enthusiast, why not?
It does look good when making black/white non-RGB build.
That does looks awesome…
If only someone had a 3D model of this to 3D print…
Why would you want to restrict airflow. S:
does it really restrict airflow? hm don't think so.
Sort of annoying how Noctua charges quite a premium for just a colour difference… great cooler but i'm not going to continue and support a greedy company.
They could just make the chromax design the standard and no doubt it would be cheaper to manufacture. But ofc why do that when they can keep their shitty colours and charge a premium.
No doubt most ppl would prefer chromax over standard colour.
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Is the Dark Rock Pro 4 a better value?