Thinking of the Noctua NH-U12S. Opinions?

[Abudis]

Hello guys. 

I have an i5 3570k at stock frequency and I'm planning to get a little bit into overclocking.

The cooler I have, is the Arctic Cooling Freezer i30. As I have planned to change all my system fans (stock Obsidian 550D fans) I'm thinking to change the i30 for something not only quieter, but I'd say better performing as well.

I don't want to get into watercooling yet because my budget is up to H100i and personally I feel that it won't be as quiet as a high-end air cooler and there are some variables that should they go wrong, not only will I have a bigger service cost, but no cooling for some days as well. So I'm saving the watercooling experience for a future build.

One obvious solution is the Noctua NH-D14. I've read the best about this cooler, for its overall performance as well as its very quiet operation. The thing is though, the NH-D14, covers a RAM slot (I hope not more) just like my current cooler does and that disables an easy RAM upgrade.

So,i focused on the U12S solution. What's your opinion? Does the NH-D14 worth the few extra money as well as the RAM slot incapitation?


Thank you in advance, and sorry for any mistakes

 

[rhyseyness]

I mean it really depends. Do you change your ram so often that it matters?

For me it wouldn't be an issue as I don't often change my ram, and I can't see a situation (apart from on a test bench) where you would need to keep changing it.

The NH-D14 will perform fantastically and is probably worth the extra money IMHO 

[KamiKatze]

 

 

 

snip

 

What board and what RAM do you have? TheU12P costs the same and weighs more so i guess it has more surface area.

[Abudis]

 

 

What board and what RAM do you have? TheU12P costs the same and weighs more so i guess it has more surface area.

 

I have the Gigabyte Z77X-D3H motherboard and  2x4GB Corsair Vengeance CL9 RAM

 

I mean it really depends. Do you change your ram so often that it matters?

For me it wouldn't be an issue as I don't often change my ram, and I can't see a situation (apart from on a test bench) where you would need to keep changing it.

The NH-D14 will perform fantastically and is probably worth the extra money IMHO 

No I certianly don't change it a lot. But I'm thinking, that should I want to upgrade to 16GB of RAM, it's as easy as getting another kit of the same RAM. But if it is blocked by the cooler, I have to go with a 2-module solution. I know, that in terms of performance and silence, it is worth the extra money for sure, but I wanted an opinion. Am I making a bigger deal out of it than it is, regarding that one blocked RAM slot?

I took a look at the U14S, but I found out that if it could fit in my case/motherboard, it would be just barely without touching the graphics card.

[rhyseyness]

Yea I'd just go for the NH-D14. I don't think the RAM changing will be that much of an issue

Hope I've been somewhat helpful

[KamiKatze]

I have the Gigabyte Z77X-D3H motherboard and  2x4GB Corsair Vengeance CL9 RAM

 

No I certianly don't change it a lot. But I'm thinking, that should I want to upgrade to 16GB of RAM, it's as easy as getting another kit of the same RAM. But if it is blocked by the cooler, I have to go with a 2-module solution. I know, that in terms of performance and silence, it is worth the extra money for sure, but I wanted an opinion. Am I making a bigger deal out of it than it is, regarding that one blocked RAM slot?

I took a look at the U14S, but I found out that if it could fit in my case/motherboard, it would be just barely without touching the graphics card.

 

 

There is actually a compatability tester on Noctua's website. It's linked for every induvidual cooler. You can then choose your motherboard and read some stuff and get compatability spreadsheets.

 

For the NH D14 there's a disclaimer that only RAM with a max height of 44mm will fit. otherwise it will cover the first two ram slots. Corsair vengeance RAM is 52.5mm high. So it wouldn't even fit with 2 ram modules because you have 1212 instead of 1122 slot config.

 

For the other Noctua coolers consult their website/compatability tester.

 

Edit: for the smaller coolers you can also look up google images and see if only the fan or the whole heatsink blocks it. If only the fan does, just reatach it slightly higher.

[LogicalDrm]

I got U14S and G.Skill RipjawX ram with it. No contact. If you are afraid over gpu, then just put it from bottom to top like mine is. My temps are 35C idle, 67C max with 4770K stock. 

[Abudis]

There is actually a compatability tester on Noctua's website. It's linked for every induvidual cooler. You can then choose your motherboard and read some stuff and get compatability spreadsheets.

 

For the NH D14 there's a disclaimer that only RAM with a max height of 44mm will fit. otherwise it will cover the first two ram slots. Corsair vengeance RAM is 52.5mm high. So it wouldn't even fit with 2 ram modules because you have 1212 instead of 1122 slot config.

 

For the other Noctua coolers consult their website/compatability tester.

 

Edit: for the smaller coolers you can also look up google images and see if only the fan or the whole heatsink blocks it. If only the fan does, just reatach it slightly higher.

This link proves your statement. I either have to get low profile RAM or don't get the NH-D14. And with the current RAM prices, I think I should go with the second one. So it's either the U14 or the U12. 

I've seen some tests where, because of its NF-F12 compared to the NF-A15 , the U12S has better temps. Could this be true?

 

I got U14S and G.Skill RipjawX ram with it. No contact. If you are afraid over gpu, then just put it from bottom to top like mine is. My temps are 35C idle, 67C max with 4770K stock. 

http://www.noctua.at/main.php?show=compatibility_gen&products_id=64&lng=en#LGA1155_Gigabyte

Here, it shows that for my motherboard, the U14S is fully compatible, as it has just a green "tick", instead of any further information like the Z77M-D3H where it mentions "In vertical orientation, the cooler is extending over the first PCI-E x16 slot, so please use the other available PCI-E slot(s) for your video card(s) or turn the cooler by 90°."

 

So the U14S seems like a good choice. (and by running some measurements, I think it will just "touch" the first RAM module. I've seen it in videos as well.)

 

[KamiKatze]

This link proves your statement. I either have to get low profile RAM or don't get the NH-D14. And with the current RAM prices, I think I should go with the second one. So it's either the U14 or the U12. 

I've seen some tests where, because of its NF-F12 compared to the NF-A15 , the U12S has better temps. Could this be true?

 

http://www.noctua.at/main.php?show=compatibility_gen&products_id=64&lng=en#LGA1155_Gigabyte

Here, it shows that for my motherboard, the U14S is fully compatible, as it has just a green "tick", instead of any further information like the Z77M-D3H where it mentions "In vertical orientation, the cooler is extending over the first PCI-E x16 slot, so please use the other available PCI-E slot(s) for your video card(s) or turn the cooler by 90°."

 

So the U14S seems like a good choice. (and by running some measurements, I think it will just "touch" the first RAM module. I've seen it in videos as well.)

 

 

Yepp, i double checked. The U12S fits and the U14S should too, reatach the front fan if it doesn't. Should be decent cooling!

[Abudis]

Yepp, i double checked. The U12S fits and the U14S should too, reatach the front fan if it doesn't. Should be decent cooling!

I'm a little baffled with these coolers. I've done some reading and the U12 stands just a little lower in terms of performance at load and overclocked situtations (the 2 fan U12 though, performs better than the 2-fan U14!). But only just a little. And i don't know if I should take the risk of choosing the U14 and then finding out that it blocks my graphics card and if I turn it the other way it'll surely block 2 RAM slots. I mean, it probably is a better cooler but how much better and more important, how much of that added performance will I use/need?

You guys, know what you do and have the experience to say "Well, that's two degrees lower at 1.3 volts. I'm getting the 14", or "Well, it's only two degrees, no big deal. I'll get the 12". But for a starter like myself it's all a little hazy. 

[KamiKatze]

I'm a little baffled with these coolers. I've done some reading and the U12 stands just a little lower in terms of performance at load and overclocked situtations (the 2 fan U12 though, performs better than the 2-fan U14!). But only just a little. And i don't know if I should take the risk of choosing the U14 and then finding out that it blocks my graphics card and if I turn it the other way it'll surely block 2 RAM slots. I mean, it probably is a better cooler but how much better and more important, how much of that added performance will I use/need?

You guys, know what you do and have the experience to say "Well, that's two degrees lower at 1.3 volts. I'm getting the 14", or "Well, it's only two degrees, no big deal. I'll get the 12". But for a starter like myself it's all a little hazy. 

 

I actually don't have that much experience in building PCs i just read and watch a lot of stuff and I have built my own rig.

 

For performance I'd go for more surface area = more cooling. and generally the heavier the heatsink is the more surface area it has. Plus larger fans are usually more silent. And if one cooler marginally perfoms better than the other one just get the one you like best.

 

How much performance do you need? I'd say for an i5 a decent air cooler is enough to OC and be silent at the same time. I haven't OCed mine yet but the Dark Rock 2 is doing a pretty good job while spinning in lowest revs.

 

And about covering the graphics card slot: I haven't seen any air cooler that reaches over the very first PCI-e 1x slot AND the 16X slot below.

[Abudis]

I actually don't have that much experience in building PCs i just read and watch a lot of stuff and I have built my own rig.

 

For performance I'd go for more surface area = more cooling. and generally the heavier the heatsink is the more surface area it has. Plus larger fans are usually more silent. And if one cooler marginally perfoms better than the other one just get the one you like best.

 

How much performance do you need? I'd say for an i5 a decent air cooler is enough to OC and be silent at the same time. I haven't OCed mine yet but the Dark Rock 2 is doing a pretty good job while spinning in lowest revs.

 

And about covering the graphics card slot: I haven't seen any air cooler that reaches over the very first PCI-e 1x slot AND the 16X slot below.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Noctua/NH-U14S/5.html

This link is a review that has some images of a system with a U14S mounted (I think on LGA 2011 platform)

 

[KamiKatze]

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Noctua/NH-U14S/5.html

This link is a review that has some images of a system with a U14S mounted (I think on LGA 2011 platform)

 

 

Yeah, okay. So look at the 2nd pic middle row. You can see that the heatsink is reaching out to the first PCIe slot. But your motherboard has a PCIe X1 as first slot and the mobo in the picture has a X16 Slot first. So basically you have one PCIe slot more space. It will fit no problem. Nice cooler btw. it will be great.

[Abudis]

Yeah, okay. So look at the 2nd pic middle row. You can see that the heatsink is reaching out to the first PCIe slot. But your motherboard has a PCIe X1 as first slot and the mobo in the picture has a X16 Slot first. So basically you have one PCIe slot more space. It will fit no problem. Nice cooler btw. it will be great.

Yeah, you're right. I didn't think of that. Thanks for the help. I'll try to send an e-mail nevertheless to be sure. Thanks again

I will post an update soon -I hope.

 

[nightlitezzz]

The NH-U12S is indeed a very good choice for a CPU cooler. The NH-U14S would be the next step up which performs almost as well and in some cases even better than the NH-D14. If you don't like the looks then I would look into the Thermalright Archon SB-E X2 which is arguably the best single tower cooler.

[Shindo]

Do some measurements in your case and see if it'll be a problem,

[Shindo]

but in general noctuna fans are all good

[Abudis]

The NH-U12S is indeed a very good choice for a CPU cooler. The NH-U14S would be the next step up which performs almost as well and in some cases even better than the NH-D14. If you don't like the looks then I would look into the Thermalright Archon SB-E X2 which is arguably the best single tower cooler.

 

 

Do some measurements in your case and see if it'll be a problem,

I'm all ok with the looks. I'll admit, Noctuas have kind of strange looks, but I personally think it's their "trademark".

I've run measurements, even contacted Noctua. They replied that "The NH-U14S won't intefere with the PCIe x16 slot but it limits the possible length of cards in the first PCI x1 slot.

Regarding the memory modules, as far as I can tell the distance between the socket and the first memory slot should just be enough not to interfere with the memory module."

So I'm going for the NH-U14S!

Thank you for the interest

[nightlitezzz]

I'm all ok with the looks. I'll admit, Noctuas have kind of strange looks, but I personally think it's their "trademark".

I've run measurements, even contacted Noctua. They replied that "The NH-U14S won't intefere with the PCIe x16 slot but it limits the possible length of cards in the first PCI x1 slot.

Regarding the memory modules, as far as I can tell the distance between the socket and the first memory slot should just be enough not to interfere with the memory module."

So I'm going for the NH-U14S!

Thank you for the interest

http://www.noctua.at/main.php?show=compatibility_gen&products_id=64&lng=en#LGA1155_Gigabyte

According to that it will work fine.

[Mooshi]

I wouldn't fault Noctua for RAM makers making obscene heatsinks.