Which CPU cooler ?

[jc.sn]

Here are the choices :

 

noctua nh-d14/nh-d15 vs

 

nzxt kraken x61 vs

 

corsair h100i vs

 

cooler master hyper 212 evo

 

I am using fractal design refine r5 and thinking of mounting the cooler at the top as exhaust because mounting it at the front would mean that the heat from the rad will affect the GPU (GIGABYTE gtx 970 g1 gaming FYI)

 

I am more concerned about performance over noise (hence why I will sacrifice the noise dampening at the top of the case for the cooler) BUT I still want a cooler that is quiet in general. I don't mind sacrificing a bit of noise for performance, and I'm willing to chip out the $ for an AIO over a custom one BUT if the AIO such as the kraken x61 isn't that high end, I wouldn't pay that much more for one because if it was the CORSAIR H100 I would go with the noctua nh-d15 because ive heard that custom coolers such as the d15 can keep up with an AIO like the h100.

 

SO WHICH ONE SHOULD I CHOOSE ? IS AIO worth it over custom (If so, is the kraken x61 worth it in terms of performance : noise ratio) OR YOU GUYS CAN SUGGEST ANOTHER AIO for me)

 

Thanks !!

[wyattzx]

The NZXT Kraken X61 is going to do the best job at cooling, but it does come at a premium price. The h100i is an all-around great cooler, but the Kraken does beat it out by a bit. From a purely performance standpoint, the Kraken X61 is your best bet! However, I don't think it's worth the $50 more than the h100i, as any AiO is going to give you great cooling performance. Even a single 140mm rad. 

[Alibaladin]

nzxt kraken x61

[jc.sn]

The NZXT Kraken X61 is going to do the best job at cooling, but it does come at a premium price. The h100i is an all-around great cooler, but the Kraken does beat it out by a bit. From a purely performance standpoint, the Kraken X61 is your best bet! However, I don't think it's worth the $50 more than the h100i, as any AiO is going to give you great cooling performance. Even a single 140mm rad. 

well I have heard that if I go with an AIO (which is more expensive than a custom), h100i would be considered low end (because ive heard that even the noctua nh-d15 can keep up with the h100i) so I may as well get the d15 in that case. Either that or I chip out a little more and get the NZXT kraken x61.

[Shaqo_Wyn]

The R5 has no fan filters in the top, in the front you have all the heat from the rad going towards your open air GPU..

 

It really comes down to noise or performance. 

 

The Define R5 works best by taking the noise signatures of quiet components and dampening them further.

 

If you want to maximize the noise dampening, go with the NH-D15 and keep all the moduvents closed.

 

If you want the best cooling, put the X61 in the top. Although the NH-D15 isn't far behind in the cooling department.

[wyattzx]

well I have heard that if I go with an AIO (which is more expensive than a custom), h100i would be considered low end (because ive heard that even the noctua nh-d15 can keep up with the h100i) so I may as well get the d15 in that case. Either that or I chip out a little more and get the NZXT kraken x61.

What exactly do you mean custom? As in a custom water cooling loop? That's going to run you into the hundreds. For AiO coolers, the NZXT Kraken x61 really is top-tier for its performance. The h100i is great, but the Noctua is also really good for its performance. So if you want best of the best before you go custom loop, the x61 is it.