Best air cooler for i9 9900k

[webguy]

Hi.  I am building a gaming pc and would like some recommendations on a really good air cooler for it.  I will be playing mainly competitive fps games like apex legends and pubg and will likely be streaming from the same pc I game on.  I am planning to get a large case to have plenty of room for parts as I have the space I need for a big tower.  My gaming sessions may be 12+ hours at a time so I want a really good cooling system in place.  I am planning to get the i9 9900k and a 3 fan asus rog strix 2080 gpu.  I will likely be playing at 1440p 165hz.

 

I do not want the cheapest option but instead want performance and cooling to be the priority.  I had been thinking about doing an aio but after reading about leaks I think I want to go with an air cooler.  What is the best air cooler for the i9 9900k given that it will be used for long periods of time and I do not want heat to be a problem.  I will be playing and streaming and running more tasks on the computer so it will likely be pretty heavy use.

 

Thanks!

[GoldenLag]

best aircooler you will find is the Noctua nh-d15

 

id also recommend waiting for Zen 2 to drop before spending all of your money on a 9900k CPU. its a bad time to go all out on a CPU

[LukeSavenije]

two options: nhd15, dark rock pro 4

 

no other ones needed

[Bearmann]

Agree with both of the above with the edge going to the Noctua for their customer service and 6 year warranty.

[averagebilly]

4 minutes ago, webguy said:

Hi.  I am building a gaming pc and would like some recommendations on a really good air cooler for it.  I will be playing mainly competitive fps games like apex legends and pubg and will likely be streaming from the same pc I game on.  I am planning to get a large case to have plenty of room for parts as I have the space I need for a big tower.  My gaming sessions may be 12+ hours at a time so I want a really good cooling system in place.  I am planning to get the i9 9900k and a 3 fan asus rog strix 2080 gpu.  I will likely be playing at 1440p 165hz.

 

I do not want the cheapest option but instead want performance and cooling to be the priority.  I had been thinking about doing an aio but after reading about leaks I think I want to go with an air cooler.  What is the best air cooler for the i9 9900k given that it will be used for long periods of time and I do not want heat to be a problem.  I will be playing and streaming and running more tasks on the computer so it will likely be pretty heavy use.

 

Thanks!

If you are willing to do basic modding, get a server cooler or heatsink and add fans.

[Enderman]

NH D15

[Princess Luna]

16 minutes ago, LukeSavenije said:

two options: nhd15, dark rock pro 4

 

no other ones needed

As said above, NH-D15 if you're okay with the terrible colour scheme

Dark Rock Pro 4 if you want something prettier looking

 

Both will do for the i9.

[LukeSavenije]

Just now, Princess Cadence said:

As said above, NH-D15 if you're okay with the terrible colour scheme

Dark Rock Pro 4 if you want something prettier looking

 

Both will do for the i9.

I'm saying this in name of @GoldenLag

 

it's the colour of performance

[Turtle Rig]

14 minutes ago, LukeSavenije said:

I'm saying this in name of @GoldenLag

 

it's the colour of performance

LOL yup it shure is.  lol

[geo3]

30 minutes ago, Princess Cadence said:

As said above, NH-D15 if you're okay with the terrible colour scheme

Dark Rock Pro 4 if you want something prettier looking

 

Both will do for the i9.

You got that backwards, my friend. Noctua makes the prettiest coolers.

[webguy]

Thank you everyone for the information.  It looks like I will likely try the NH-D15.  Why did they make the blades brown though?  I mean why would they think that was a good idea?

[hello_there_123]

1 hour ago, LukeSavenije said:

two options: nhd15, dark rock pro 4

 

no other ones needed

rip lgm rt lol

[Gix7Fifty]

Noctua NH-D15S checking in! Got the S model in case I change my configuration and need to utilize tall ram. Also have the black.chromax fans and heatsink covers (still have brown case fans though).

[geo3]

3 hours ago, webguy said:

Why did they make the blades brown though?  I mean why would they think that was a good idea?

 

4 hours ago, LukeSavenije said:

it's the colour of performance

 

[LukeSavenije]

7 hours ago, webguy said:

Thank you everyone for the information.  It looks like I will likely try the NH-D15.  Why did they make the blades brown though?  I mean why would they think that was a good idea?

well, is it something they can set their selves apart with?

 

there's your answer

[webguy]

9 hours ago, LukeSavenije said:

well, is it something they can set their selves apart with?

 

there's your answer

I personally care more about performance than what it looks like but it would have been a good move financially for them I think if they offered an upgrade for a few dollars more for different color fan blades.  I would pay a few dollars more for blue etc.

[LukeSavenije]

12 minutes ago, webguy said:

I personally care more about performance than what it looks like but it would have been a good move financially for them I think if they offered an upgrade for a few dollars more for different color fan blades.  I would pay a few dollars more for blue etc.

I'm afraid Chromax (noctuas black and for example blue fans) comes at a heavier cost...

 

tho the dark rock pro 4 should fit in with the colors