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NH-D15 versus 240mm AIO

Rybo
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For the curious, the parts arrived (2x 140mm fans and some low profile RAM).  I got everything installed -- now I've got 4x 140mm fans blowing air onto the air cooler, and the Noctua is now in a push configuration.  Temps *finally* seem comparable to the AIO given a similar workload.  I haven't run my most stressful stress test yet since I'm in the BOINC pentathlon, but temps under BOINC are comparable between the AIO and the Noctua.  We'll see if that holds true once I switch back over to F@H in a few weeks.

I'm having some perplexing problems with the NH-D15.  All sources I can find have declared that this air cooler performs as good or better than pretty much any AIO on the market -- even the ones that outperform it do so by small margins.  

 

I'm having the opposite experience.  Compared to an inexpensive Cooler Master 240mm AIO, the air cooler is consistently 5-10 degrees warmer regardless of configuration.  This isn't necessarily a problem (the air cooler typically runs between 70-75 versus the AIO rarely getting above 70), but given the fairly consistent conclusions across sources that the NH-D15 is indistinguishable from AIO's for performance, I can only conclude that I'm doing something wrong.  

I'm using:

Fractal Design Meshify C

Ryzen 7 3700X

GeForce RTX 2080 Ti

2x 140mm fans

 

All fans are on their stock curves in all cases.  I've made it more aggressive and it helped a bit -- by lowering the temps of both coolers by similar amounts.  And making things loud.  So I undid it.

 

For the NH-D15 tests, I've put those 140mm fans everywhere the case will fit them -- front intake, top exhaust, top intake -- and 70-75c is the best it can do.  I don't use a rear fan since the NH-D15 has to be placed so close to the rear of the case that I suspect they'd just be interfering with each other (there are RAM clearance issues on the other side).  I even have the side of the case open with a box fan blowing room temp air into it and it isn't making a difference in temps (okay, maybe 1 degree or so).  But my suspicion that the GPU is raising ambient temps in the case is bunk -- the box fan would have improved things if that was the case, I'd think.  

On the other hand, I can do whatever dopey configuration I want with the AIO and it outperforms the air cooler every time, and by notable margins in the best configurations.  I've even carelessly handled it so much that a lot of the fins are bent.  Still works better.

 

Are these results to be expected?  I'd like my system to run in the 60's under load if possible, but that AIO makes Frightening Water Noises™ and I don't want to put it in my new system.  Plus, there's the principle of the thing: I'm getting markedly different results from pretty much everybody on YouTube and I must know why.  

 

Thanks in advance for any thoughts you may have!

#Muricaparrotgang

 

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Aio takes a longer time to heat up or soak up that heat which makes it appear cooler than the air cooler which in this case, the d15. Make the stress test atleast about 30 minutes and you will see the actual difference 

Im with the mentaility of "IF IM NOT SURE IF ITS ENOUGH COOLING, GO OVERKILL"

 

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AIO's take time to normalize, they will outperform air initially then loose some performance after about 20-30 minutes of heat soaking.

 

'some' but most certainly not all, 240mm AIO's can outperform a D15 slightly.

 

AIO noise could be due to rad placement. You want the tubs at the bottom if mounted vertically. Any noise beyond that could be caused by micro bubbles which should eventually sort itself out. However AIOs do have that added noise of the pump to contend with.

 

In the end the D15 should be the better of the 2. SO if ur seeing that much of a disparity, something is off.

I'd initially think the mount is bad, or perhaps the fans are not running at their best speed.

CPU: Intel i7 3930k w/OC & EK Supremacy EVO Block | Motherboard: Asus P9x79 Pro  | RAM: G.Skill 4x4 1866 CL9 | PSU: Seasonic Platinum 1000w Corsair RM 750w Gold (2021)|

VDU: Panasonic 42" Plasma | GPU: Gigabyte 1080ti Gaming OC & Barrow Block (RIP)...GTX 980ti | Sound: Asus Xonar D2X - Z5500 -FiiO X3K DAP/DAC - ATH-M50S | Case: Phantek Enthoo Primo White |

Storage: Samsung 850 Pro 1TB SSD + WD Blue 1TB SSD | Cooling: XSPC D5 Photon 270 Res & Pump | 2x XSPC AX240 White Rads | NexXxos Monsta 80x240 Rad P/P | NF-A12x25 fans |

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11 minutes ago, Rybo said:

the air cooler typically runs between 70-75

you're probably mounting it wrong. i have a more power hungry cpu (2600x) with a less impressive cooler (gelid phantom) and i get 66c max under load.

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1 minute ago, boggy77 said:

you're probably mounting it wrong. i have a more power hungry cpu (2600x) with a less impressive cooler (gelid phantom) and i get 66c max under load.

 

5 minutes ago, MartinKweh said:

Aio takes a longer time to heat up or soak up that heat which makes it appear cooler than the air cooler which in this case, the d15. Make the stress test atleast about 30 minutes and you will see the actual difference 

@MartinKweh The stress test I'm using is folding@home, and I'm running it 24/7.  I check temps regularly throughout the day (quarantine FTW!), so I'm confident I'm reading stabilized AIO temps. I've switched between configurations and coolers several times, so that does limit (albeit not eliminate) the possibility that I just got some unlucky work units with the air cooler as well.  

@boggy77 I'm open to that possibility.  I've switched coolers between systems several times (unfortunately I haven't been checking temps as consistently in the other system, but from what I've observed they both run at aroudn 45c under load).  As far as I can tell, I'm following the instructions (and temps are consistent between mountings): use dark grey standoffs, tension one side 3 turns then tension the other side, continue until you hit a spongy wall (that is, tightening is fairly easy until it hits a spot where it suddenly refuses to tighten much further).  Fans are configured to pull through the fins toward the rear of the case.  

 

I'll update the question to mention that fans are on their stock curve in all cases.  I've made it more aggressive and it helped a bit -- by lowering the temps of both coolers by similar amounts.  And making things loud.  

#Muricaparrotgang

 

Folding@Home Stats | Current PC Loadout:

Small                        Bigger				Biggerer				Biggest
Fractal Design Focus G       NZXT H1				Lian LI O11 Dynamic XL			Fractal Design Meshify C
FX-8320                      Ryzen 3 3200G			Ryzen 5 3600				Ryzen 7 3700X
120mm AIO                    120mm AIO				Custom 280mm loop			Noctua NH-D15
A motherboard                ASRock B450 mobo			MSI x570 mobo				MSI x570 mobo
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a melange of HDDs/SSDs       WD 1tb m.2				WD 500gb m.2				WD 1tb m.2/2tb HDD
PNY GTX 1070 x2              GTX 1070				GTX 1070 FE				MSI RTX 2080 TI
some 650w PSU                650W SFX-L 80+ Gold		MSI RTX 2080 Super			EVGA SuperNova 750w 80+ GOLD 
								Corsair RM850x 80+ GOLD

 

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16 minutes ago, SolarNova said:

AIO's take time to normalize, they will outperform air initially then loose some performance after about 20-30 minutes of heat soaking.

 

'some' but most certainly not all, 240mm AIO's can outperform a D15 slightly.

 

AIO noise could be due to rad placement. You want the tubs at the bottom if mounted vertically. Any noise beyond that could be caused by micro bubbles which should eventually sort itself out. However AIOs do have that added noise of the pump to contend with.

 

In the end the D15 should be the better of the 2. SO if ur seeing that much of a disparity, something is off.

I'd initially think the mount is bad, or perhaps the fans are not running at their best speed.

That's good info on the AIO -- I had never heard that before.  Fortunately the AIO kinda forces me into that configuration.  The noise I hear is intermittent -- like the sound of water being squeezed through a hole.  Very brief (half a second or so), and only once or twice a day.  I assume it's the pump ramping up or down, but I honestly dunno.  

#Muricaparrotgang

 

Folding@Home Stats | Current PC Loadout:

Small                        Bigger				Biggerer				Biggest
Fractal Design Focus G       NZXT H1				Lian LI O11 Dynamic XL			Fractal Design Meshify C
FX-8320                      Ryzen 3 3200G			Ryzen 5 3600				Ryzen 7 3700X
120mm AIO                    120mm AIO				Custom 280mm loop			Noctua NH-D15
A motherboard                ASRock B450 mobo			MSI x570 mobo				MSI x570 mobo
16gb DDR3                    16gb DDR4 @ 3200			16gb DDR4 @ 3200			16gb DDR4 @ 3600
a melange of HDDs/SSDs       WD 1tb m.2				WD 500gb m.2				WD 1tb m.2/2tb HDD
PNY GTX 1070 x2              GTX 1070				GTX 1070 FE				MSI RTX 2080 TI
some 650w PSU                650W SFX-L 80+ Gold		MSI RTX 2080 Super			EVGA SuperNova 750w 80+ GOLD 
								Corsair RM850x 80+ GOLD

 

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Just now, Rybo said:

That's good info on the AIO -- I had never heard that before.  Fortunately the AIO kinda forces me into that configuration.  The noise I hear is intermittent -- like the sound of water being squeezed through a hole.  Very brief (half a second or so), and only once or twice a day.  I assume it's the pump ramping up or down, but I honestly dunno.  

AIO's have air in them, cant be avoided. Every now and then ull likely get a bubble go through the pump, and it does sound horrible, almost grinding like. Same thing happens with custom loop when u 1st fill them, only difference is a custom loop u can bleed the air out, an AIO u cant so it will continue to happen every now and then unless it finally settles the air pocket somewhere where it wont get sucked into the pump.

CPU: Intel i7 3930k w/OC & EK Supremacy EVO Block | Motherboard: Asus P9x79 Pro  | RAM: G.Skill 4x4 1866 CL9 | PSU: Seasonic Platinum 1000w Corsair RM 750w Gold (2021)|

VDU: Panasonic 42" Plasma | GPU: Gigabyte 1080ti Gaming OC & Barrow Block (RIP)...GTX 980ti | Sound: Asus Xonar D2X - Z5500 -FiiO X3K DAP/DAC - ATH-M50S | Case: Phantek Enthoo Primo White |

Storage: Samsung 850 Pro 1TB SSD + WD Blue 1TB SSD | Cooling: XSPC D5 Photon 270 Res & Pump | 2x XSPC AX240 White Rads | NexXxos Monsta 80x240 Rad P/P | NF-A12x25 fans |

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Are clocks and voltages all the same? Are you running PBO or similar or OCing yourself? Ryzen will boost higher depending on cooling so you might be getting slightly better performance with the D15, or you could at least be pumping more voltage and slightly higher clocks.

 

I get about 3C difference between all fans at 60% vs all at 100% so if your case airflow is decent you shouldn't be having an issue.

 

For me F@H is the most CPU intensive thing I do, I usually sit right at about 65C with 4.3ghz all core @ 1.275V max. That's with a roughly 21C room. If I use PBO I get lower clocks and more heat, about 68C, because voltage goes near 1.4.

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5 hours ago, boggy77 said:

you're probably mounting it wrong. i have a more power hungry cpu (2600x) with a less impressive cooler (gelid phantom) and i get 66c max under load.

The 2600x is easier to cool since it's not as thermally dense and doesn't boost as aggressively. 

5 hours ago, Rybo said:

I'm having some perplexing problems with the NH-D15.  All sources I can find have declared that this air cooler performs as good or better than pretty much any AIO on the market -- even the ones that outperform it do so by small margins.  

 

I'm having the opposite experience.  Compared to an inexpensive Cooler Master 240mm AIO, the air cooler is consistently 5-10 degrees warmer regardless of configuration

I don't use a rear fan since the NH-D15 has to be placed so close to the rear of the case that I suspect they'd just be interfering with each other (there are RAM clearance issues on the other side)

AIO's can definitely outperform the NH-D15 by more than a small margin. A few examples here: 

https://www.kitguru.net/components/cooling/james-dawson/arctic-liquid-freezer-ii-all-in-one-cpu-cooler-review/5/

https://www.relaxedtech.com/reviews/noctua/nh-d15-versus-closed-loop-liquid-coolers/1

https://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/corsair_h115i_rgb_pro_xt_liquid_cooler_review,12.html

https://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/cases_cooling/coolermaster_masterliquid_ml240l_rgb_review/1

https://tech4gamers.com/cooler-master-masterliquid-lite-ml240l-rgb-cpu-cooler-review/#Testing

There are plenty more examples online that show the NH-D15 trading blows with 240mm's.

 

Which AIO are you using?

The lack of a rear exhaust fan might be holding back performance. What ram are you using? 

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1 hour ago, WoodenMarker said:

The 2600x is easier to cool since it's not as thermally dense and doesn't boost as aggressively. 

AIO's can definitely outperform the NH-D15 by more than a small margin. A few examples here: 

https://www.kitguru.net/components/cooling/james-dawson/arctic-liquid-freezer-ii-all-in-one-cpu-cooler-review/5/

https://www.relaxedtech.com/reviews/noctua/nh-d15-versus-closed-loop-liquid-coolers/1

https://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/corsair_h115i_rgb_pro_xt_liquid_cooler_review,12.html

https://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/cases_cooling/coolermaster_masterliquid_ml240l_rgb_review/1

https://tech4gamers.com/cooler-master-masterliquid-lite-ml240l-rgb-cpu-cooler-review/#Testing

There are plenty more examples online that show the NH-D15 trading blows with 240mm's.

 

Which AIO are you using?

The lack of a rear exhaust fan might be holding back performance. What ram are you using? 

I have the Cooler Master MasterLiquid 240L RGB, which, per the review you posted, should be performing identically to the D15 :( 

I originally did have a rear exhaust fan in there, but I was seeing these same high temps, though, so I removed it on the off chance that I'd see better results w/o it.  Here's a pic of the current clearance -- I'll defer to brighter minds as to whether a fan will cause interference.  (if the perspective is too weird, there is probably ~50mm of space for the rear fan.  Also, sorry for the minor reflections.  Didn't feel like removing the side panel :( )

Spoiler

noctua.thumb.jpg.f4a6ef48d06403aa35e1f32c1561ae9a.jpg

 

For RAM, I'm using G.SKILL Ripjaw V Series, which does have a large heat sink on it.  Still not used to shopping for low profile ram.  This is the second time it's bitten me in the butt:

https://www.newegg.com/g-skill-16gb-288-pin-ddr4-sdram/p/N82E16820232882?Item=N82E16820232882

#Muricaparrotgang

 

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Small                        Bigger				Biggerer				Biggest
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FX-8320                      Ryzen 3 3200G			Ryzen 5 3600				Ryzen 7 3700X
120mm AIO                    120mm AIO				Custom 280mm loop			Noctua NH-D15
A motherboard                ASRock B450 mobo			MSI x570 mobo				MSI x570 mobo
16gb DDR3                    16gb DDR4 @ 3200			16gb DDR4 @ 3200			16gb DDR4 @ 3600
a melange of HDDs/SSDs       WD 1tb m.2				WD 500gb m.2				WD 1tb m.2/2tb HDD
PNY GTX 1070 x2              GTX 1070				GTX 1070 FE				MSI RTX 2080 TI
some 650w PSU                650W SFX-L 80+ Gold		MSI RTX 2080 Super			EVGA SuperNova 750w 80+ GOLD 
								Corsair RM850x 80+ GOLD

 

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3 hours ago, Demonic Donut said:

Are clocks and voltages all the same? Are you running PBO or similar or OCing yourself? Ryzen will boost higher depending on cooling so you might be getting slightly better performance with the D15, or you could at least be pumping more voltage and slightly higher clocks.

 

I get about 3C difference between all fans at 60% vs all at 100% so if your case airflow is decent you shouldn't be having an issue.

 

For me F@H is the most CPU intensive thing I do, I usually sit right at about 65C with 4.3ghz all core @ 1.275V max. That's with a roughly 21C room. If I use PBO I get lower clocks and more heat, about 68C, because voltage goes near 1.4.

I have everything at stock levels.  I did consider that I might be maintaining a higher clockspeed with the air cooler, but haven't paid close enough attention to see if there's a difference.  As far as you know, do systems even begin to throttle at the temps I'm seeing?  (65 with an AIO, 75 with an air cooler) I'd think they'd behave identically until we hit the CPU's configured thermal throttle limit, but my overclocking chops are non-existent, so I could easily be wrong on that count.  

#Muricaparrotgang

 

Folding@Home Stats | Current PC Loadout:

Small                        Bigger				Biggerer				Biggest
Fractal Design Focus G       NZXT H1				Lian LI O11 Dynamic XL			Fractal Design Meshify C
FX-8320                      Ryzen 3 3200G			Ryzen 5 3600				Ryzen 7 3700X
120mm AIO                    120mm AIO				Custom 280mm loop			Noctua NH-D15
A motherboard                ASRock B450 mobo			MSI x570 mobo				MSI x570 mobo
16gb DDR3                    16gb DDR4 @ 3200			16gb DDR4 @ 3200			16gb DDR4 @ 3600
a melange of HDDs/SSDs       WD 1tb m.2				WD 500gb m.2				WD 1tb m.2/2tb HDD
PNY GTX 1070 x2              GTX 1070				GTX 1070 FE				MSI RTX 2080 TI
some 650w PSU                650W SFX-L 80+ Gold		MSI RTX 2080 Super			EVGA SuperNova 750w 80+ GOLD 
								Corsair RM850x 80+ GOLD

 

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@RyboII wouldn't think it would be such a drastic change in temps, I'm mainly curious. If something is changing.

 

As far as OC skills, just give ryzen master a shot. Its easy. You could probably try all core 4.4ghz at 1.3V or less and see if it's stable. Then cut back voltages farther with testing. At stock clocks I can lock 1.2V max. You can always try 4.4 @ 1.2 and see if it crashes. You won't hurt the chip.

 

Btw I'm running a 3600, so your temps are bound to be a little warmer than mine.

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9 hours ago, WoodenMarker said:

The 2600x is easier to cool since it's not as thermally dense and doesn't boost as aggressively. 

mine is drawing 120w with pbo enabled under load. I doubt the 3700x draws that much, especially at stock settings as OP is mentioning

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If it were me, I would probably go D15. Maybe Ill try an AIO again, but I will avoid them for as long as possible. I wouldn't buy a D15 though because I have comparable coolers already..

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10 hours ago, Demonic Donut said:

@RyboII wouldn't think it would be such a drastic change in temps, I'm mainly curious. If something is changing.

 

As far as OC skills, just give ryzen master a shot. Its easy. You could probably try all core 4.4ghz at 1.3V or less and see if it's stable. Then cut back voltages farther with testing. At stock clocks I can lock 1.2V max. You can always try 4.4 @ 1.2 and see if it crashes. You won't hurt the chip.

 

Btw I'm running a 3600, so your temps are bound to be a little warmer than mine.

After several hours of crashing, I've landed on 4.15ghz @ 1.25 volts.  If I go any higher, temps just get too high (I was able to get a stable config at around 4.35ghz @ 1.4v)...80+ degree temps).  As it is now, temps roughly match default settings -- just with lower voltage and higher clock speeds (stock was obviously variable, but it seems to hover around 3.9ghz at ~1.3v) 

 

I also learned something else: f@h needs to create a stress testing distribution.  It doesn't like crashing, so I switched to Prime95 to induce a synthetic load on the CPU.  Configs that were stable in Prime95 caused a crash when I got f@h running. 

 

Now that the cores are locked, I'm assuming my next step will be to try it with the AIO to see what my temps are doing?  

#Muricaparrotgang

 

Folding@Home Stats | Current PC Loadout:

Small                        Bigger				Biggerer				Biggest
Fractal Design Focus G       NZXT H1				Lian LI O11 Dynamic XL			Fractal Design Meshify C
FX-8320                      Ryzen 3 3200G			Ryzen 5 3600				Ryzen 7 3700X
120mm AIO                    120mm AIO				Custom 280mm loop			Noctua NH-D15
A motherboard                ASRock B450 mobo			MSI x570 mobo				MSI x570 mobo
16gb DDR3                    16gb DDR4 @ 3200			16gb DDR4 @ 3200			16gb DDR4 @ 3600
a melange of HDDs/SSDs       WD 1tb m.2				WD 500gb m.2				WD 1tb m.2/2tb HDD
PNY GTX 1070 x2              GTX 1070				GTX 1070 FE				MSI RTX 2080 TI
some 650w PSU                650W SFX-L 80+ Gold		MSI RTX 2080 Super			EVGA SuperNova 750w 80+ GOLD 
								Corsair RM850x 80+ GOLD

 

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1 minute ago, Rybo said:

After several hours of crashing, I've landed on 4.15ghz @ 1.25 volts.  If I go any higher, temps just get too high (I was able to get a stable config at around 4.35ghz @ 1.4v)...80+ degree temps).  As it is now, temps roughly match default settings -- just with lower voltage and higher clock speeds (stock was obviously variable, but it seems to hover around 3.9ghz at ~1.3v) 

 

I also learned something else: f@h needs to create a stress testing distribution.  It doesn't like crashing, so I switched to Prime95 to induce a synthetic load on the CPU.  Configs that were stable in Prime95 caused a crash when I got f@h running. 

 

Now that the cores are locked, I'm assuming my next step will be to try it with the AIO to see what my temps are doing?  

Thats the OC game. You have to test with as many programs as you can and find what's stable. I just tested 1.25V last night, today is 1.625 since I got a crash last night.

 

I agree it's time to switch coolers and see what happens. I'm curious to know what happens for you.

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2 minutes ago, Demonic Donut said:

Thats the OC game. You have to test with as many programs as you can and find what's stable. I just tested 1.25V last night, today is 1.625 since I got a crash last night.

 

I agree it's time to switch coolers and see what happens. I'm curious to know what happens for you.

Might be a day or two.  Switching these coolers is like pulling teeth (I keep cable managing for some reason, even though I know I'm going to be fiddling with them more).  I need some time without being elbow deep in the innards of my systems :)  

Also, incidentally, I ran out of the compound I've been using: 
Arctic Silver CMQ2-2.7G Céramique 2 Tri-Linear Ceramic Thermal Compound.  I'm going to have to switch to the tube Noctua provided.  I can't imagine the two are that different, but I'll have to swap back to the D15 after testing the AIO to ensure consistency 😪

#Muricaparrotgang

 

Folding@Home Stats | Current PC Loadout:

Small                        Bigger				Biggerer				Biggest
Fractal Design Focus G       NZXT H1				Lian LI O11 Dynamic XL			Fractal Design Meshify C
FX-8320                      Ryzen 3 3200G			Ryzen 5 3600				Ryzen 7 3700X
120mm AIO                    120mm AIO				Custom 280mm loop			Noctua NH-D15
A motherboard                ASRock B450 mobo			MSI x570 mobo				MSI x570 mobo
16gb DDR3                    16gb DDR4 @ 3200			16gb DDR4 @ 3200			16gb DDR4 @ 3600
a melange of HDDs/SSDs       WD 1tb m.2				WD 500gb m.2				WD 1tb m.2/2tb HDD
PNY GTX 1070 x2              GTX 1070				GTX 1070 FE				MSI RTX 2080 TI
some 650w PSU                650W SFX-L 80+ Gold		MSI RTX 2080 Super			EVGA SuperNova 750w 80+ GOLD 
								Corsair RM850x 80+ GOLD

 

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1 minute ago, Rybo said:

Might be a day or two.  Switching these coolers is like pulling teeth (I keep cable managing for some reason, even though I know I'm going to be fiddling with them more).  I need some time without being elbow deep in the innards of my systems :)  

Also, incidentally, I ran out of the compound I've been using: 
Arctic Silver CMQ2-2.7G Céramique 2 Tri-Linear Ceramic Thermal Compound.  I'm going to have to switch to the tube Noctua provided.  I can't imagine the two are that different, but I'll have to swap back to the D15 after testing the AIO to ensure consistency 😪

My cable management is... Utilitarian.

 

I've been using Noctua paste, H1 and now H2, for years on both my and my wife's PC with good luck.

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9 hours ago, Demonic Donut said:

My cable management is... Utilitarian.

 

I've been using Noctua paste, H1 and now H2, for years on both my and my wife's PC with good luck.

I lied about the time it would take.  Got bored (yay quarantine!) and swapped out the units.  As per usual, the AIO is 5-10 degrees better.  The CPU is still locked at 4.15ghz.  I am thoroughly flummoxed.  I bought some new 140mm fans.  Once they arrive, I'm going to point them straight at the D15 so the air cooler will have as many fans as the AIO.  Also got some lower profile RAM so I can put the D15 into its optimal configuration.  I'll update the thread when this happens (probably Tuesday evening, if Newegg shipping estimator is accurate).

 

Thanks for staying with me on this journey!  If nothing else comes of it, I'll have gotten a few hundred extra mhz out of my CPU thanks to you ;) 

#Muricaparrotgang

 

Folding@Home Stats | Current PC Loadout:

Small                        Bigger				Biggerer				Biggest
Fractal Design Focus G       NZXT H1				Lian LI O11 Dynamic XL			Fractal Design Meshify C
FX-8320                      Ryzen 3 3200G			Ryzen 5 3600				Ryzen 7 3700X
120mm AIO                    120mm AIO				Custom 280mm loop			Noctua NH-D15
A motherboard                ASRock B450 mobo			MSI x570 mobo				MSI x570 mobo
16gb DDR3                    16gb DDR4 @ 3200			16gb DDR4 @ 3200			16gb DDR4 @ 3600
a melange of HDDs/SSDs       WD 1tb m.2				WD 500gb m.2				WD 1tb m.2/2tb HDD
PNY GTX 1070 x2              GTX 1070				GTX 1070 FE				MSI RTX 2080 TI
some 650w PSU                650W SFX-L 80+ Gold		MSI RTX 2080 Super			EVGA SuperNova 750w 80+ GOLD 
								Corsair RM850x 80+ GOLD

 

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On 4/29/2020 at 5:25 PM, Rybo said:

I have the Cooler Master MasterLiquid 240L RGB, which, per the review you posted, should be performing identically to the D15 :( 
I originally did have a rear exhaust fan in there, but I was seeing these same high temps, though, so I removed it on the off chance that I'd see better results w/o it.  Here's a pic of the current clearance -- I'll defer to brighter minds as to whether a fan will cause interference.  (if the perspective is too weird, there is probably ~50mm of space for the rear fan.  Also, sorry for the minor reflections.  Didn't feel like removing the side panel :( )

The two can trade blows depending on system airflow, the cpu being cooled, manufacturing variance, etc. Trading blows doesn't mean that they perform the same. It means that sometimes, one will perform better than the other.

What case fans are you using with either cooler? If you can mount an exhaust case fan with the NH-D15, that should still help a bit. The included NF-A15's are also better optimized for push and you could try just using the center fan mounted on the other tower. The second fan can be used as intake at the front of the case or at the top as intake right before the cooler. 

You can try removing the side panel to see if temps drop dramatically. If they do, it could mean that you're being limited by system airflow. 

If you ever need help with a build, read the following before posting: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/3061-build-plan-thread-recommendations-please-read-before-posting/
Also, make sure to quote a post or tag a member when replying or else they won't get a notification that you replied to them.

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3 hours ago, Rybo said:

I lied about the time it would take.  Got bored (yay quarantine!) and swapped out the units.  As per usual, the AIO is 5-10 degrees better.  The CPU is still locked at 4.15ghz.  I am thoroughly flummoxed.  I bought some new 140mm fans.  Once they arrive, I'm going to point them straight at the D15 so the air cooler will have as many fans as the AIO.  Also got some lower profile RAM so I can put the D15 into its optimal configuration.  I'll update the thread when this happens (probably Tuesday evening, if Newegg shipping estimator is accurate).

 

Thanks for staying with me on this journey!  If nothing else comes of it, I'll have gotten a few hundred extra mhz out of my CPU thanks to you ;) 

Well, not sure then to be honest. It's rather strange, maybe your D15 is slightly defective? The only way to know for sure is to try another D15 though. Or your AIO is great? 5 degrees I could see, but 10 is a lot.

 

I use a 140 and 120 on my D15 to clear RAM. My fans make a buzzing in pull that drives me bananas. And I also have a 140mm exhaust right behind it. Along with 2 side intakes, 2 top exhaust and another 2 front intakes... I like fans.

 

The dark rock is supposed to be an excellent air cooler of you want to try another tower cooler.

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11 hours ago, WoodenMarker said:

The two can trade blows depending on system airflow, the cpu being cooled, manufacturing variance, etc. Trading blows doesn't mean that they perform the same. It means that sometimes, one will perform better than the other.

What case fans are you using with either cooler? If you can mount an exhaust case fan with the NH-D15, that should still help a bit. The included NF-A15's are also better optimized for push and you could try just using the center fan mounted on the other tower. The second fan can be used as intake at the front of the case or at the top as intake right before the cooler. 

You can try removing the side panel to see if temps drop dramatically. If they do, it could mean that you're being limited by system airflow. 

I have had the case open with a box fan blowing air into it.  It helped a bit -- especially after I locked the clock speed and voltage, which stabilized temps in the 75 range.  Then I swapped in the AIO.  68 degrees, with spikes in the low 70's (after going all night in F@H).  With stock voltages/clock speeds, it didn't help at all.  It kept itself slow enough for my current airflow to get rid of everything.  

So airflow is definitely a factor, but it's not *the* factor.  If you've been following the thread, I've mentioned that I'm going to fill this case to brimming with fans and reconfigure the RAM to support a push config on the D15 and we'll see what happens (I've got my fingers crossed that the big factor will be switching to the push configuration).  

BTW, I'm using these as front intakes: 
https://www.newegg.com/fractal-design-fd-fan-vent-hf14-bk-case-fan/p/N82E16835352023?Item=N82E16835352023

 

The other set I bought is the same brand, just static pressure optimized (and with PWM).

#Muricaparrotgang

 

Folding@Home Stats | Current PC Loadout:

Small                        Bigger				Biggerer				Biggest
Fractal Design Focus G       NZXT H1				Lian LI O11 Dynamic XL			Fractal Design Meshify C
FX-8320                      Ryzen 3 3200G			Ryzen 5 3600				Ryzen 7 3700X
120mm AIO                    120mm AIO				Custom 280mm loop			Noctua NH-D15
A motherboard                ASRock B450 mobo			MSI x570 mobo				MSI x570 mobo
16gb DDR3                    16gb DDR4 @ 3200			16gb DDR4 @ 3200			16gb DDR4 @ 3600
a melange of HDDs/SSDs       WD 1tb m.2				WD 500gb m.2				WD 1tb m.2/2tb HDD
PNY GTX 1070 x2              GTX 1070				GTX 1070 FE				MSI RTX 2080 TI
some 650w PSU                650W SFX-L 80+ Gold		MSI RTX 2080 Super			EVGA SuperNova 750w 80+ GOLD 
								Corsair RM850x 80+ GOLD

 

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For the curious, the parts arrived (2x 140mm fans and some low profile RAM).  I got everything installed -- now I've got 4x 140mm fans blowing air onto the air cooler, and the Noctua is now in a push configuration.  Temps *finally* seem comparable to the AIO given a similar workload.  I haven't run my most stressful stress test yet since I'm in the BOINC pentathlon, but temps under BOINC are comparable between the AIO and the Noctua.  We'll see if that holds true once I switch back over to F@H in a few weeks.

#Muricaparrotgang

 

Folding@Home Stats | Current PC Loadout:

Small                        Bigger				Biggerer				Biggest
Fractal Design Focus G       NZXT H1				Lian LI O11 Dynamic XL			Fractal Design Meshify C
FX-8320                      Ryzen 3 3200G			Ryzen 5 3600				Ryzen 7 3700X
120mm AIO                    120mm AIO				Custom 280mm loop			Noctua NH-D15
A motherboard                ASRock B450 mobo			MSI x570 mobo				MSI x570 mobo
16gb DDR3                    16gb DDR4 @ 3200			16gb DDR4 @ 3200			16gb DDR4 @ 3600
a melange of HDDs/SSDs       WD 1tb m.2				WD 500gb m.2				WD 1tb m.2/2tb HDD
PNY GTX 1070 x2              GTX 1070				GTX 1070 FE				MSI RTX 2080 TI
some 650w PSU                650W SFX-L 80+ Gold		MSI RTX 2080 Super			EVGA SuperNova 750w 80+ GOLD 
								Corsair RM850x 80+ GOLD

 

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