12700k Noctua NH-D15 vs Arctic Liquid Freezer II 360 RGB

[Danijongo]

The total price difference between the two cooling options has been narrowed to about $22 for me if we count mounting kits and all that.

I'm building a new system with the following (GREEN = Already Bought): 

• MSI GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 12 GB VENTUS 3X OC Video Card
• Intel Core i7-12700K 3.6 GHz 12-Core Processor
• Asus PRIME Z690-A ATX LGA1700 Motherboard

• Corsair HX Platinum 750 W 80+ Platinum

And either memory:

Kingston FURY Beast 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-5200 CL40 Memory  ADATA XPG LANCER RGB 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-5200 CL38 Memory

Now the last part I need is either:

Noctua NH-D15 chromax.black 82.52 CFM ($115 + $14 for LGA1700 kit) ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 360 RGB 48.8 CFM ($150)

 

One un-obvious thing that the ARCTIC has an advantage for me for is I can get it's 1700 conversion kit for totally free much faster, perhaps before the cooler itself. (I go buy either cooler on the 12/12).

I can get the Noctua's one as well for free too but that process requires buying the cooler beforehand for proof of purchase aswell (while Arctic only require proof of CPU which I already bought) so the whole process is delayed from the get-go, although a local bought kit will set me back $14 which I included in the price difference at the top if I wanna skip the wait.

 

Another fluff detail is that ARCTIC has a slight compatibility issue with my MOBO as shown here although as I understand it serves no danger or impact of performance and I just have to remove part of the cover.

While Noctua says my MOBO is fully in the clear as shown here.

[Tan3l6]

I went with Liquid Freezer II 360 non-RGB and am quite pleased with it. I think it is a bit more efficient than NH-D15

2 minutes ago, Danijongo said:

Another fluff detail is that ARCTIC has a slight compatibility issue with my MOBO as shown here although as I understand it serves no danger or impact of performance and I just have to remove part of the cover.

Yeah, that is inconvenience, but not really too difficult to sort out.

[Danijongo]

6 minutes ago, Tan3l6 said:

I went with Liquid Freezer II 360 non-RGB and am quite pleased with it. I think it is a bit more efficient than NH-D15

Yeah, that is inconvenience, but not really too difficult to sort out.

Well if it's actually zero impact as it stands I barely care for that minimal aesthetic, as my case is on the floor and to my left lol (can't see case windows usually).

When they later send me replacement cover as they offer I guess I'll fill in.

 

Actually there is a 420 one for identical price of a 360RGB, will it push my "measly" 750W PSU? Or they're identical, kinda weird pcapartpicker say's they're both 10W-15W.

[Tan3l6]

6 minutes ago, Danijongo said:

Actually there is a 420 one for identical price of a 360RGB, will it push my "measly" 750W PSU? Or they're identical, kinda weird pcapartpicker say's they're both 10W-15W.

AIO to burden PSU? Not likely at all.

[Stahlmann]

I'd just go for the D15. The AiO is a slightly better cooler, but the D15 is still more than enough while being more reliable in the long term. Don't get me wrong, the Arctic cooler is very good and afaik also reliable, but ultimately it's still an AiO which inherently has a limited life time. If a fan on the D15 dies you can just buy another one.

[iMxmo]

Instead of creating multiple posts on different areas of the build, I suggest making one post in New Builds and Planning with all your concerns.

[Danijongo]

7 minutes ago, iCypticx said:

Instead of creating multiple posts on different areas of the build, I suggest making one post in New Builds and Planning with all your concerns.

New to the forums but actually true fair enough lol, I started with just a PSU post originally but I kinda keep overanalyzing as this goes on and I face new options.

 

[jones177]

About 5c.

 

I have not tested the Arctic Liquid Freezer but I have the EK that does about the same and it is about 5c cooler.

There are 360mm AIOs the are about the same as the NH-D15 like the EVGA 360mm and that is why channels like LTT say they are about the same.

 

AIOs are noisy so if you doesn't use headphones gaming or you are doing mainly productivity get the air cooler. 

To give you an example, my i9 9900k computer that is on the table 3 feet(1m) away I can't hear at all with a NH-D15 but the 5900x rig the is 10 feet(3m) away with a 360mm AIO is too loud even at idle.

 

I mainly use Silverstone with my i9 10900k/f rigs since they are less noisy and only down 1 or 2 c. 

 

If you had a i9 12900k I would say get the AIO but with an i7 either one will do.

 

The down side to the NH-D15 is height.

In 2017 and 18 when I bought the NH-D15s the cases I used allowed me to use 2 fans but my modern cases only 1. 

 

 

 

[Tan3l6]

Just now, jones177 said:

AIOs are noisy so if you doesn't use headphones gaming or you are doing mainly productivity get the air cooler. 

I would disagree. At least from CNPS20X (one of the lowest noise dual-towers) to Liquid Freezer II - the Liquid Freezer is certainly not louder. Though my measurements are not by scientific measurements, just personal experience. If the fan's get loud you can always lower fan speeds. 

But NH-D15 is more of a favorite if planning to use the same system 5+ years.

 

My CNPS20X cooled intel CPU under 150W as loudly as Liquid Freezer II cools at 190W. Have not taken any measurements, it "just seems so".

[Danijongo]

9 minutes ago, jones177 said:

AIOs are noisy so if you doesn't use headphones gaming or you are doing mainly productivity get the air cooler. 

To give you an example, my i9 9900k computer that is on the table 3 feet(1m) away I can't hear at all with a NH-D15 but the 5900x rig the is 10 feet(3m) away with a 360mm AIO is too loud even at idle.

 

The down side to the NH-D15 is height.

In 2017 and 18 when I bought the NH-D15s the cases I used allowed me to use 2 fans but my modern cases only 1. 

 

Isn't part of the noise is about how you install the AIO as well (like radiator above pump etc etc)? Because watching benchmarks at Gamers Nexus's channel where they don't only compare thermals but noise they seem at worst (100% power) barely over 1dBA difference and that's if I go with a 420mm.

and virtually identical if not half a dBA quieter apparently on the 360mm Arctic vs Noctua's.

[GuiltySpark_]

6 minutes ago, jones177 said:

AIOs are noisy so if you doesn't use headphones gaming or you are doing mainly productivity get the air cooler. 

Heavily disagree here. 

[jones177]

15 minutes ago, rickeo said:

Heavily disagree here. 

I have both side by side so it is easy for me to compare.

 

I also have tested 3 makes of 360mm AIOs on my 5800x. The EVGA was so loud that I replaced the fans with Corsairs to make it livable. The EK was the best match for the CPU.

The 5800x now been replaced with a 5900x that makes less noise but if I put it in a room where sound is recorded it would put a NH-D15 on it.  

[Tan3l6]

5 minutes ago, jones177 said:

I have both side by side so it is easy for me to compare.

Hmm, you're saying that LF II is certainly louder than NH-D15?

Then NH-D15 should be absolutely non-audible. CNPX20 should be in the similar class, yet it's far louder than LF II.

Easiest would be to compare results of  multiple online reviews...

[jones177]

26 minutes ago, Danijongo said:

Isn't part of the noise is about how you install the AIO as well (like radiator above pump etc etc)? Because watching benchmarks at Gamers Nexus's channel where they don't only compare thermals but noise they seem at worst (100% power) barely over 1dBA difference and that's if I go with a 420mm.

and virtually identical if not half a dBA quieter apparently on the 360mm Arctic vs Noctua's.

All my AIOs are on top. 

I only go by idle since they all get noisy at 100%. 

 

It also depends on the CPU. 

The 5900x idles at a lower temperature than the 5800x did with the same EK 360mm AIO.  It is a much more livable CPU. When the computer goes full productivity it will get a NH-D15 or a be quite DRP4. 

The i9 10900k/fs are cooler at idle than the 5900x and never boost on their own so they make less noise.

[jones177]

21 minutes ago, Tan3l6 said:

Hmm, you're saying that LF II is certainly louder than NH-D15?

Then NH-D15 should be absolutely non-audible. CNPX20 should be in the similar class, yet it's far louder than LF II.

Easiest would be to compare results of  multiple online reviews...

The NH-D15 in not comparable to any 360mm AIO on modern Intel and AMD CPUs

Right now I can hear my refrigerator running about 30 feet away in another room but I can't hear the NH-D15 sitting on the same table 3 feet away. 

I just turned on my 5900x rig and it is loud. The fans on the FTW3 3080 ti don't come on until it hits 60c so it is all case fans and the AIO. 

 

1 hour ago, Tan3l6 said:

I would disagree. At least from CNPS20X (one of the lowest noise dual-towers) to Liquid Freezer II - the Liquid Freezer is certainly not louder. Though my measurements are not by scientific measurements, just personal experience. If the fan's get loud you can always lower fan speeds. 

But NH-D15 is more of a favorite if planning to use the same system 5+ years.

 

My CNPS20X cooled intel CPU under 150W as loudly as Liquid Freezer II cools at 190W. Have not taken any measurements, it "just seems so".

My measurements are not scientific either. I just use my ears.

I will try a LF II next since I am probably doing an i9 12900k built first quarter of next year and all my 360mm AIOs are in use.

 

I only started using AIOs this time last year when I did my i9 10900k build. The goal was to have it run cool enough to use TVB (thermal velocity boost) and that means below 70c.  

I have both a NH-D15 and be quite DRP 4 for testing but they both failed. A Silverstone 360mm AIO did keep the temps below 70c while gaming so it was a success. 

 

Sound was not an issue with the i9 10900k/360mm AIO setup since it is only loud when rendering.

With AMD the CPUs like to boost on their own so problematic in room where sound is recorded. 

 

It may be that 140mm fans make less noise than 120mm fans because they can move the same amount of air at a lower RPM. 

My productivity builds usually use cases with 200mm fans and 140mm cooler fans. My gaming builds use all 120mm fans. So it may not just be the AIO when it comes to my builds.

 

It may also be the way I set up the AIOs.

The ones I use now for productivity are set up the react to water temperature so they make less noise. The ones that I use for gaming are set up to use the CPU temperature so they make more noise. 

[WoodenMarker]

9 hours ago, Danijongo said:

watching benchmarks at Gamers Nexus's channel where they don't only compare thermals but noise they seem at worst (100% power) barely over 1dBA difference and that's if I go with a 420mm.

and virtually identical if not half a dBA quieter apparently on the 360mm Arctic vs Noctua's.

These are results with 100% fan speed. 45dBA is loud and perceived as 2x louder than the target 35dBA GamersNexus uses for noise-normalized comparisons and ~4x louder than their noise floor of 26dBA.

What are your priorities?

[NorKris]

16 hours ago, jones177 said:

 

AIOs are noisy so if you doesn't use headphones gaming or you are doing mainly productivity get the air cooler. 

 

 

I Agree

 

ohh wait

[jones177]

5 hours ago, NorKris said:

I Agree

 

ohh wait

I go by sitting in my living room and listening to my computers.

 

I support Gamers Nexus but I view their content with lots for grains of salt just like I do with this one.

 

[SolarNova]

Both are capable.

 

If u want the best cooling performance get the AIO

If u want quiet, get the D15.

 

Dba readings only tell one part of the noise story, the other is pitch/tone of the sound, Noctuas fans are very quiet with no distracting tone. However AOI pumps, and other brand fans can have low Dba while producing a noticeable and annoying tone.

[Dogzilla07]

Both can be set up to not be annoying to a person specific noise sensitivity, with some of the better custom AIO pumps which aren't asetek like EKWB EK-AIO and Arctic Liquid Freezer II, u don't really need to worry about the pump, it's almost certainly the fans that are gonna be the problem (It's quite possible for a certain amount of people to tolerate even the newer asetek designs, as long they're running slow and are drowned with fans).

 

And generally either Be Quiet! Silent Wings 3, Phanteks MP series, Noctua A14 or some of the new LCP fans like Phanteks T30-120, Noctua A12x25, MSI SIlent Gale P12 (maybe) should do the trick. Unfortunately every person does need to test which one of these is the most pleasant (Over the years I've read dozens of people reporting they can only stomach Noctua A14/A15, and dozens that can only use SW3, a huge chunk only MP series, and so on.

 

After that just run the fans sufficiently faster than then pump, or vice versa (pump sufficiently slower then the fans), so that the noise of the fan pushing the air hides any pump noise and voila. If you're lucky and tolerate the pump might not even need this.

 

Though if you can't even stomach pure air woosh-ing noise, and your case is not sufficient enough to block the pump noise, then yes, the only way is to never use a pump, and run fans at ~700 RPM or less (depending on the fans). Though at this point you're likely in dire straits, as without slight air passing noise, you're forced to artificially limit your choice of GPUs and you're likely in the process of changing dozens up dozens of PSU and GPU combination to minimize coil whine.

 

In general it's much more viable to test the 10 or so fans and find ones u can ramp up, as that will save significant time pruning coil whine (Though the most imperative thing is of course to never buy high TDP GPUs, and very-high TDP CPUs).