Which Noctua CPU cooler to buy?

[Tmh85]

I am wondering which one to buy I am looking for one with only one set of fins there are a lot of different versions someone know which one is the best?

[CwGoh]

Noctua NH-U14S

[whatthe_fuzz]

Budget? 

 

the best is the NH-D14

[Wauthar]

I have the NH-U12P SE2 and it is pretty good. There is also a 140mm version, I think. Not sure about the name.

 

EDIT: It is the NH-U14S, as said by @CwGoh

Edited December 21, 2013 by Wauthar

[Hans Christian | Teri]

I absolutely loved my NH-D14, it is very big though. For a single tower it would indeed be the NH-U14S.

[MrSuperb]

I absolutely loved my NH-D14, it is very big though. For a single tower it would indeed be the NH-U14S.

 

the U14S also comes with a PWM fan, the D14 does not ...

[wng_kingsley7]

Do you have a motherboard we could use as an example? Helps to re-imagine and visualize which one can fit.

Most of the heatsinks that are 120mm fan compatible will fit most motherboards.

[Bronese]

Would the d14 work on a maximus vi formula?

[N3D9ed]

Would the d14 work on a maximus vi formula?

Yes, it will.

[MikkoP]

Hey, to borrow your thread, does NH-D14 fit in BitFenix Shinobi?

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811345012&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=6154216&SID=gqsompgpm2cm

[zxcvbnmmssdh]

Hey, to borrow your thread, does NH-D14 fit in BitFenix Shinobi?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811345012&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=6154216&SID=gqsompgpm2cm

It fits in a prodigy m, it should be able to fit

[WoodenMarker]

the U14S also comes with a PWM fan, the D14 does not ...

The u14s is also 165mm tall while the D14 is 160mm which fits in more cases. 

Hey, to borrow your thread, does NH-D14 fit in BitFenix Shinobi?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811345012&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=6154216&SID=gqsompgpm2cm

Yes.

[deathjester]

The only Noctua worth buying is the DH-14. Everything else is overpriced and an evo is just as good. The DH-14? Is fantastic. It will beat all water coolers until dual rad.

[WoodenMarker]

The only Noctua worth buying is the DH-14. Everything else is overpriced and an evo is just as good. The DH-14? Is fantastic. It will beat all water coolers until dual rad.

Not every system can accommodate for the NH-D14. 

Also, in terms of looks, the u12s or u14s may be greatly preferred.

[deathjester]

Not every system can accommodate for the NH-D14. 

Also, in terms of looks, the u12s or u14s may be greatly preferred.

 

If he can't fit a d-14 then get a evo with a second pwm coolermaster or cheaper fan. The noise difference will be slim to none. What matters is there is 2 fans clearing heat instead of one, so they run at a lower rpm. 

 

A 60 dollar or up one fan single tower cooler is silly. You might as well go with a h80i or something, which he can prob fit in his case. The one fan on the noctua spinning at high rpm is gonna be louder then 2 cheap fans on the evo. 

 

What would it cost with 2 noctua fans on a single tower noctua? 80-90 dollars? A second pwm fan cost you 15 max?  Hell you can get the exact same one from coolermaster oem for 6.99, and shipping is what makes it like 16 bucks. 

 

Noctua is completely overrated until you get to a dual tower. It is a PLASTIC FAN. There is nothing magical about it. There are several companies who make stuff as good for cheaper. The NH D-14 as a package? Is good. Their other coolers? Overpriced and nothing special.

[WoodenMarker]

If he can't fit a d-14 then get a evo with a second pwm coolermaster or cheaper fan. The noise difference will be slim to none. What matters is there is 2 fans clearing heat instead of one, so they run at a lower rpm. 

A 60 dollar or up one fan single tower cooler is silly. You might as well go with a h80i or something, which he can prob fit in his case. The one fan on the noctua spinning at high rpm is gonna be louder then 2 cheap fans on the evo. 

What would it cost with 2 noctua fans on a single tower noctua? 80-90 dollars? A second pwm fan cost you 15 max?  Hell you can get the exact same one from coolermaster oem for 6.99, and shipping is what makes it like 16 bucks. 

Noctua is completely overrated until you get to a dual tower. It is a PLASTIC FAN. There is nothing magical about it. There are several companies who make stuff as good for cheaper. The NH D-14 as a package? Is good. Their other coolers? Overpriced and nothing special.

The Evo isn't that much better than the NH-D14 in terms of compatibility. The u14s isn't that much worse and performs great. Look at the benchmarks. 

Noctua coolers are great mostly due to the fans, their mounting for the fans and the heatsink itself, and overall quality.

 

I've worked with Noctua fans myself have a NH-D14 running in my system. There is little reason to run the fan at a high rpm at all. 

[deathjester]

The Evo isn't that much better than the NH-D14 in terms of compatibility. The u14s isn't that much worse and performs great. Look at the benchmarks. 

Noctua coolers are great mostly due to the fans, their mounting for the fans and the heatsink itself, and overall quality.

 

I've worked with Noctua fans myself have a NH-D14 running in my system. There is little reason to run the fan at a high rpm at all. 

 

LOL at some of these benchmarks. I had one where someone showed me a single fan single tower is as good as a d-14. I saw another where it said a evo was better then a dh-14. Both were equally laughable. 

 

Tek syndicate says the 8350 is = to an I5 in all the games (try Guild Wars 2 Tek Syndicate). 

 

Hey you know what? Windows 8 is faster in games to. Oh wait, there are a ton of benchmarks that slow it is 1 fps slower in everything except Bf4 which will be mantle soon. 

 

A single tower is a single tower and a plastic fan is a plastic fan. As long as you aren't getting dirt cheap fans from some company no one has heard of? They aren't all that far apart. The evo fan pushes more air then the Noctua and is a lil louder. With 2 fans? It won't be hitting full rpm.

 

You people act as if cm makes junk or something. The evo fan is FINE. It is better then a bladesmaster and that fan isn't bad. The evo fan is louder at load then a noctua because IT SPINS FASTER AND PUSHES MORE AIR. With two fans a magical thing happens. It doesn't have to SPIN FAST.

 

AMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAZING.

[WoodenMarker]

Hey you know what? Windows 8 is faster in games to. Oh wait, there are a ton of benchmarks that slow it is 1 fps slower in everything except Bf4 which will be mantle soon. 

A single tower is a single tower and a plastic fan is a plastic fan. As long as you aren't getting dirt cheap fans from some company no one has heard of? They aren't all that far apart. The evo fan pushes more air then the Noctua and is a lil louder. With 2 fans? It won't be hitting full rpm.

You people act as if cm makes junk or something. The evo fan is FINE. It is better then a bladesmaster and that fan isn't bad. The evo fan is louder at load then a noctua because IT SPINS FASTER AND PUSHES MORE AIR. With two fans a magical thing happens. It doesn't have to SPIN FAST.

Have you actually worked with Noctuas before? They're made to have lower pitched sounds that blend into the background more than CM's fans. 

They sound a lot more quieter than something like a dBA scale shows.

Not all towers are designed the same and not all fans are either. Noctuas are great because of their noise levels. In terms of performance, they're not that special. 

 

CM fans are great but not nearly as quiet as Noctuas.

[deathjester]

Have you actually worked with Noctuas before? They're made to have lower pitched sounds that blend into the background more than CM's fans. 

They sound a lot more quieter than something like a dBA scale shows.

Not all towers are designed the same and not all fans are either. Noctuas are great because of their noise levels. In terms of performance, they're not that special. 

 

CM fans are great but not nearly as quiet as Noctuas.

 

Yes, unlike you who thinks that 72.5 C is a good light load or IDLE temp on a Haswell (I am convinced you are trolling me at this point), I have actually worked with the product. They are good. They are not 30 dollars good in this case. You just don't seem to get it. In games with a second fan on a evo as long as you aren't pushing past 1.25v  or are close to that voltage (which you shouldn't be on a single tower anyways) you are going to have silent fans on an evo, because the temp will never get high enough where full speed on the fans are needed. On a single fan, yes a 2000 rpm fan is loud. Why? Cus it pushes a ton of air. You don't buy a non pwm fan for a second fan on a evo. You get a pwm fan that will spin slow. Two fans need to do half the work that one fan does and the evo fan is damn near silent at half speed as is any 10-15 dollar pwn fan that is decent.

 

The only way I would spend money on noctua fans for my entire case is if I had a recording studio. I have said repeatedly that the dual tower NH -D14 is great. Top end fans, top end thermal paste, top end dual tower cooler. Their cooling solutions below that? Are average and simply not worth the price premium. If anyone is showing the 120mm single fan, single tower Noctua beating the evo 212 in a temp benchmark by more then a small variance (which could swing either way) they should be highly suspect. The evo performs about as well as you can on a single tower cooler with a 120 mm fan. 

 

The only way two evo fans would be loud in any game is if you are using stupidly high voltages which will make any fan spin at full speed and it will be LOUD. Look no farther then this FORUM to see that the Noctua's get LOUD under load as well. Were these people all liars?

 

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/22428-anyone-else-disappointed-in-the-noctua-nf-f12s/

 

Am I saying they are junk. Nope they are good. They are NOT worth putting on a evo though. You would be better off buying them and using them as case fans.

[WoodenMarker]

Yes, unlike you who thinks that 72.5 C is a good light load or IDLE temp on a Haswell (I am convinced you are trolling me at this point), I have actually worked with the product. They are good. They are not 30 dollars good in this case. You just don't seem to get it. In games with a second fan on a evo as long as you aren't pushing past 1.25v  or are close to that voltage (which you shouldn't be on a single tower anyways) you are going to have silent fans on an evo, because the temp will never get high enough where full speed on the fans are needed. On a single fan, yes a 2000 rpm fan is loud. Why? Cus it pushes a ton of air. You don't buy a non pwm fan for a second fan on a evo. You get a pwm fan that will spin slow. Two fans need to do half the work that one fan does and the evo fan is damn near silent at half speed as is any 10-15 dollar pwn fan that is decent.

 

The only way I would spend money on noctua fans for my entire case is if I had a recording studio. I have said repeatedly that the dual tower NH -D14 is great. Top end fans, top end thermal paste, top end dual tower cooler. Their cooling solutions below that? Are average and simply not worth the price premium. If anyone is showing the 120mm single fan, single tower Noctua beating the evo 212 in a temp benchmark by more then a small variance (which could swing either way) they should be highly suspect. The evo performs about as well as you can on a single tower cooler with a 120 mm fan. 

 

The only way two evo fans would be loud in any game is if you are using stupidly high voltages which will make any fan spin at full speed and it will be LOUD. Look no farther then this FORUM to see that the Noctua's get LOUD under load as well. Were these people all liars?

 

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/22428-anyone-else-disappointed-in-the-noctua-nf-f12s/

 

Am I saying they are junk. Nope they are good. They are NOT worth putting on a evo though. You would be better off buying them and using them as case fans.

I never said it was 72.5c is a good temp for a light load. I was explaining what the Tcase spec was for. That's what the spec means. I didn't put it there.

 

I never said the Noctuas fans were worth it for the Evo or anything like that. All I've said it that they're quieter. 

CM fans are not silent and neither are Noctuas. What is loud depends on the person I've said is that Noctuas are quieter. If you want to say CM fans are silent at low rpm's, you would be wrong. Very quiet and silent are not the same thing. 

[deathjester]

I never said it was 72.5c is a good temp for a light load. I was explaining what the Tcase spec was for. That's what the spec means. I didn't put it there.

 

I never said the Noctuas fans were worth it for the Evo or anything like that. All I've said it that they're quieter. 

CM fans are not silent and neither are Noctuas. What is loud depends on the person I've said is that Noctuas are quieter. If you want to say CM fans are silent at low rpm's, you would be wrong. Very quiet and silent are not the same thing. 

 

How much commission do you get from Noctua? 

 

I am rereading your wise words on Haswell temps. "The 72.5c Tcase is the temp you don't want to go over when in light loads such as watch video and editing documents, not when rendering or putting your cpu at load.

For load and render temps, 80-90c is perfectly fine". 

 

Currently watching a video with a browser open and my temps are around 30 C on my Haswell. They do this neat thing and use less voltage then needed. Have you ever actually used a Haswell? Can you tell me how to get 72.5 C on a light load. I must be doing something wrong. 

 

Oh yeah I have my cores unparked as well and am on an I7 which adds to temps, and I am using "crappy coolermaster fans" and a Evo 212. I can't hear my fans at all, but I sure can hear my HD.  Thing is chugging like crazy with this video playing. 

 

If you are at 72.5 C watching a video on your Haswell? I really hope you don't play games or render. Because as soon as you do? Your chip will throttle. Have fun with your next PC build! Least you got noctua fans ready! Maybe those fans aren't doing their job cooling if you are at 72.5? Are they plugged in? Maybe that is why they are so silent?

 

Edit. I can provide screen shots of multiple Tali Zora's if you need proof. I might be able to push 40 c with like 10 open.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBe3V4XLae8

[WoodenMarker]

I am rereading your wise words on Haswell temps. "The 72.5c Tcase is the temp you don't want to go over when in light loads such as watch video and editing documents, not when rendering or putting your cpu at load.

For load and render temps, 80-90c is perfectly fine". 

Currently watching a video with a browser open and my temps are around 30 C on my Haswell. They do this neat thing and use less voltage then needed. Have you ever actually used a Haswell? Can you tell me how to get 72.5 C on a light load. I must be doing something wrong. 

Oh yeah I have my cores unparked as well and am on an I7 which adds to temps, and I am using "crappy coolermaster fans" and a Evo 212. I can't hear my fans at all, but I sure can hear my HD.  Thing is chugging like crazy with this video playing. 

If you are at 72.5 C watching a video on your Haswell? I really hope you don't play games or render. Because as soon as you do? Your chip will throttle. Have fun with your next PC build! Least you got noctua fans ready! Maybe those fans aren't doing their job cooling if you are at 72.5? Are they plugged in? Maybe that is why they are so silent?

Edit. I can provide screen shots of multiple Tali Zora's if you need proof. I might be able to push 40 c with like 10 open.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBe3V4XLae8

That's the point. You're not supposed to go over 72.5c at a light load. It's not an optimal temp but one that you should stay away from. It looks like you assumed incorrectly about what the 72.5c on the spec sheet meant and are just sticking to your guns anyway. 

[deathjester]

That's the point. You're not supposed to go over 72.5c at a light load. It's not an optimal temp but one that you should stay away from. It looks like you assumed incorrectly about what the 72.5c on the spec sheet meant and are just sticking to your guns anyway. 

 

Why do you want to dig yourself deeper lol. If you were light load at 70C? You would be screwed on haswell. At 65C. At 60C. You would be just as screwed. If you are on air with those temps (air idles lower then water) you are super screwed. You obviously don't have a Haswell and have no idea how they handle light loads. Go back to selling Noctua fans. You were better at that. You can even point them to Linus videos showing how awesome they are. Hell, half the people on this forum probably have a noctua fan and will support you in that.

 

Anyone who has a Haswell and sees your post is like...uh what? Just tell people you got Fahrenheit and Celsius screwed up. That is about the only place you h ave left to go with this insane idea about 72.5C and low workload on a Haswell. Latop I7's run in the 80's and 90's. Guess what. They don't last if people game on them. They break. They render in the high 90's. If you render on a i7 laptop? Welp, it ain't lasting long.

 

You want to advise people that even close to 70C is fine on low load temps on Haswell? Sorry, I am going to be there to tell them you are simply insane.  Haswell light load and load temps are like 45 C apart on air which would put you at throttling even at 60C which is 12 degrees lower then what you think 72.5C means. On water idle and load temps are closer, because water idle temps aren't great. Might surprise you but I would be most of the people here? Are on air.

[WoodenMarker]

@DavePC @Samdb @TheProfosist  @Blade of Grass @Hazy125 @Analog

I could use some input here. I'm having trouble explaining the Tcase spec to @deathjester or I might be having some misunderstandings myself.

[LogicalDrm]

U14S is worth it. It looks rather small, its quiet and performs just fine for me. Highest I've got with it is 73C (ambient 23C). I have 4770K 4GHz. D14 might be best but its also huge. So if you are looking for slim nice cooler, U series might be better solution.