Noctua's CPU coolers have repeatedly impressed in various test reports with their excellent cooling performance. In particular, the NH-D15 has convinced both users and testers alike with its low noise levels and icy temperatures. With the D15S, Noctua introduces an asymmetrical design to enhance compatibility with tall RAM modules and large graphics cards.
Noctua's CPU coolers have repeatedly impressed in various test reports with their excellent cooling performance. In particular, the NH-D15 has convinced both users and testers alike with its low noise levels and icy temperatures. With the D15S, Noctua introduces an asymmetrical design to enhance compatibility with tall RAM modules and large graphics cards.
in 3 offers
The lowest price for Noctua NH-D15S Multi Socket CPU Cooler right now is $149.00 at Scorptec, compared across 3 retailers.
The all-time low was $79.95 on 21 Mar 2026 — today's price is 86% above the lowest ever. It has been notably cheaper before — worth setting a price alert.
Prices last updated 20 June 2026.
Noctua NH-D15S Multi Socket CPU Cooler
Noctua's CPU coolers have repeatedly impressed in various test reports with their excellent cooling performance. In particular, the NH-D15 has convinced both users and testers alike with its low noise levels and icy temperatures. With the D15S, Noctua introduces an asymmetrical design to enhance compatibility with tall RAM modules and large graphics cards.
Noctua's CPU coolers have repeatedly impressed in various test reports with their excellent cooling performance. In particular, the NH-D15 has convinced both users and testers alike with its low noise levels and icy temperatures. With the D15S, Noctua introduces an asymmetrical design to enhance compatibility with tall RAM modules and large graphics cards.
Last updated at 20/06/2026 00:22:39
Noctua NH-D15S Dual Tower CPU Cooler
Delivery $16
Noctua Nh-d15s Quiet Cpu Cooler Fan Gaming Intel 1156 1155 1151 1150
Free delivery
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
Noctua NH-D15S Multi Socket CPU Cooler
Delivery between Tue – Wed $16
originally posted on newegg.com
I've been water-cooling my i7 6950X with high-end custom loop for # of years and although I was very happy with the performance and silent's as I am silent freak, watercooling has its cons and sometimes things can be very frustrating. My goal in water-cooling was : 1. keep temperatures down 2. Keep my system as silent as possible Once I was looking at some custom air cooled PC builds and I stubble upon this Noctua NH-D15S... it got my attention right away. I really liked the beefy look and the temperature results where almost on pair with my custom loop....hmmm I though Wow! that's interesting how air cooler can keep up with water-cooling. I know it sounds crazy, but I decided to take my Caselabs STH10 and its dual loop apart and go back to air cooling...darn Noctua ... MoreI've been water-cooling my i7 6950X with high-end custom loop for # of years and although I was very happy with the performance and silent's as I am silent freak, watercooling has its cons and sometimes things can be very frustrating. My goal in water-cooling was : 1. keep temperatures down 2. Keep my system as silent as possible Once I was looking at some custom air cooled PC builds and I stubble upon this Noctua NH-D15S... it got my attention right away. I really liked the beefy look and the temperature results where almost on pair with my custom loop....hmmm I though Wow! that's interesting how air cooler can keep up with water-cooling. I know it sounds crazy, but I decided to take my Caselabs STH10 and its dual loop apart and go back to air cooling...darn Noctua I got hooked to your NH-D15S After installing it I could not believe how much quieter my system runs, this cooler runs extremely well and so quiet I love everything about it, I honestly never thought I would go back to air-cooling but this cooler made my decision so much easier. Note: I run Prime95 for about an hour on my i7 6950X at stock, which I did run at stock even on water I don't overclock and the temperatures were the same...unbelievable. Noctua did super good job with this cooler. I would recommend to anyone with enough space in their case that want superior quality, performance and silent's, if you meet this requirements don't hesitate its win-win.
originally posted on newegg.com
Wonderful cooler. However, if you decide to purchase a second identical fan (for which the mounting clips are provided), the *retail* version of the fan that is included with this cooler is *not* the same fan. I have verified this with Noctua support after noticing a difference in fan speeds. The NF-A15 PWM fan that is included with the cooler runs at a max of 1500 RPM, while the NF-A15 PWM identical colored fan that is purchased separately (called Retail by Noctua) runs at a max of 1200 RPM. Be aware of this if you are purchasing an additional fan. I have suggested to Noctua that they change to model number to reflects this because it is misleading to the consumer since the model numbers match, therefore the fans should be identical. They suggested that I buy the ... MoreWonderful cooler. However, if you decide to purchase a second identical fan (for which the mounting clips are provided), the *retail* version of the fan that is included with this cooler is *not* the same fan. I have verified this with Noctua support after noticing a difference in fan speeds. The NF-A15 PWM fan that is included with the cooler runs at a max of 1500 RPM, while the NF-A15 PWM identical colored fan that is purchased separately (called Retail by Noctua) runs at a max of 1200 RPM. Be aware of this if you are purchasing an additional fan. I have suggested to Noctua that they change to model number to reflects this because it is misleading to the consumer since the model numbers match, therefore the fans should be identical. They suggested that I buy the black "chromax.swap" version of the fan, which runs at the higher speed, but doesn't match in color, which I didn't want.
originally posted on neweggbusiness.com
For someone considering light to midweight overclocking, I'd recommend this product unless one's going beyond the extreme, after that point, my advise is to consult with someone who knows. I just wanted more out of my i7-4790K, and with this cooler on a ASUS Z97-PRO Gamer & got it, using the ASUS Optimal setting (E-Z one click Tuning). One click & was running at near 4.6GHz in Turbo Mode, running the benchmark sponsored by Intel (HWBOT), had been suffering from thermal throttling, surpassing the 100C mark, the Noctua NH-D15S dropped temps by 30C, no more throttling. I'd venture to say that had I paced just a tiny less thermal paste on the CPU, temps may had dropped further & may do so. Still, 30C is indeed a massive drop on air & can't be overlooked. This is ... MoreFor someone considering light to midweight overclocking, I'd recommend this product unless one's going beyond the extreme, after that point, my advise is to consult with someone who knows. I just wanted more out of my i7-4790K, and with this cooler on a ASUS Z97-PRO Gamer & got it, using the ASUS Optimal setting (E-Z one click Tuning). One click & was running at near 4.6GHz in Turbo Mode, running the benchmark sponsored by Intel (HWBOT), had been suffering from thermal throttling, surpassing the 100C mark, the Noctua NH-D15S dropped temps by 30C, no more throttling. I'd venture to say that had I paced just a tiny less thermal paste on the CPU, temps may had dropped further & may do so. Still, 30C is indeed a massive drop on air & can't be overlooked. This is probably the best cash that I've ever spent on CPU cooling. And though it's massive when removed from the package, once inside of the Fractal Design Define R5 case, didn't look as big after install. Was able to pull off a great wiring management job, so no clutter, one thing that I need to share before I forget, is to make sure that the case & CPU cooler cables are plugged in before easing the unit down, otherwise, expect some skinned knuckles. One thing that I didn't do was used the included thermal solution, relying on my trusted Arctic MX-4 that I've used for years. With a 8 year warranty against drying out & no issues after install, it's understandable why I chose to stick with what had worked. Prior to MX-4 was MX-2, almost as good & still pre-applied on some coolers. Plus once I have a build complete & setup where I want it, other than routine cleaning, is not moved. Fractal Design Define R5 ATX Tower ASUS Z97-PRO Gamer 1150 MB Intel i7-4790K @ 4.0 GHz (4.4GHz native Turbo, 4.6GHz ASUS/Noctua Turbo) 32GB RAM total, two 16GB (8GB x2) sets of GSkill Aegis DDR3 1600MHz RAM 1.5V EVGA Supernova G2 650W Gold edition Full Modular PSU 512GB Samsung 950 Pro M.2 NVMe SSD (installed via Addonics PCIe bracket) in x4 mode 1TB Seagate Desktop HDD ST1000DM003 64MB Cache (Bare Drive) EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 FTW 8GB GDDR5 GPU ASUS Black SATA 24X DVDRW E-Green No Logo Model DRW-24F1ST/BLK/B/GEN - OEM Optical drive Windows 10 Pro And lastly, a huge dose of patience, my first full build, took 3 years saving for all components. There's no feeling like having removed the bottlenecks of OEM (retail) PC's that cuts corners on vital components to save $5 on a $1,000 PC. Wouldn't had broke the bank of Dell to include twin 4 pin CPU power connectors for a quad core i7 that's still a Top 10 Common CPU. which left it starved for power & the screen froze in place. I figured that to get it right, had to build my own, and I have no formal IT training, just a burning desire to get the most that I can out of my hardware. The Noctua NH-D15S, is a fantastic CPU cooler with the option to add another fan if desired, clips are inside of package.
| Maximum TDP | All |
| Height (without fan) | 160 mm |
| Width (without fan) | 150 mm |
| Depth (without fan) | 135 mm |
| Height (with fan) | 165 mm |
Noctua NH-D15S Dual Tower CPU Cooler
Delivery $16
Noctua Nh-d15s Quiet Cpu Cooler Fan Gaming Intel 1156 1155 1151 1150
Free delivery
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
Noctua NH-D15S Multi Socket CPU Cooler
Delivery between Tue – Wed $16
I've been water-cooling my i7 6950X with high-end custom loop for # of years and although I was very happy with the performance and silent's as I am silent freak, watercooling has its cons and sometimes things can be very frustrating. My goal in water-cooling was : 1. keep temperatures down 2. Keep my system as silent as possible Once I was looking at some custom air cooled PC builds and I stubble upon this Noctua NH-D15S... it got my attention right away. I really liked the beefy look and the temperature results where almost on pair with my custom loop....hmmm I though Wow! that's interesting how air cooler can keep up with water-cooling. I know it sounds crazy, but I decided to take my Caselabs STH10 and its dual loop apart and go back to air cooling...darn Noctua ... MoreI've been water-cooling my i7 6950X with high-end custom loop for # of years and although I was very happy with the performance and silent's as I am silent freak, watercooling has its cons and sometimes things can be very frustrating. My goal in water-cooling was : 1. keep temperatures down 2. Keep my system as silent as possible Once I was looking at some custom air cooled PC builds and I stubble upon this Noctua NH-D15S... it got my attention right away. I really liked the beefy look and the temperature results where almost on pair with my custom loop....hmmm I though Wow! that's interesting how air cooler can keep up with water-cooling. I know it sounds crazy, but I decided to take my Caselabs STH10 and its dual loop apart and go back to air cooling...darn Noctua I got hooked to your NH-D15S After installing it I could not believe how much quieter my system runs, this cooler runs extremely well and so quiet I love everything about it, I honestly never thought I would go back to air-cooling but this cooler made my decision so much easier. Note: I run Prime95 for about an hour on my i7 6950X at stock, which I did run at stock even on water I don't overclock and the temperatures were the same...unbelievable. Noctua did super good job with this cooler. I would recommend to anyone with enough space in their case that want superior quality, performance and silent's, if you meet this requirements don't hesitate its win-win.
Wonderful cooler. However, if you decide to purchase a second identical fan (for which the mounting clips are provided), the *retail* version of the fan that is included with this cooler is *not* the same fan. I have verified this with Noctua support after noticing a difference in fan speeds. The NF-A15 PWM fan that is included with the cooler runs at a max of 1500 RPM, while the NF-A15 PWM identical colored fan that is purchased separately (called Retail by Noctua) runs at a max of 1200 RPM. Be aware of this if you are purchasing an additional fan. I have suggested to Noctua that they change to model number to reflects this because it is misleading to the consumer since the model numbers match, therefore the fans should be identical. They suggested that I buy the ... MoreWonderful cooler. However, if you decide to purchase a second identical fan (for which the mounting clips are provided), the *retail* version of the fan that is included with this cooler is *not* the same fan. I have verified this with Noctua support after noticing a difference in fan speeds. The NF-A15 PWM fan that is included with the cooler runs at a max of 1500 RPM, while the NF-A15 PWM identical colored fan that is purchased separately (called Retail by Noctua) runs at a max of 1200 RPM. Be aware of this if you are purchasing an additional fan. I have suggested to Noctua that they change to model number to reflects this because it is misleading to the consumer since the model numbers match, therefore the fans should be identical. They suggested that I buy the black "chromax.swap" version of the fan, which runs at the higher speed, but doesn't match in color, which I didn't want.
For someone considering light to midweight overclocking, I'd recommend this product unless one's going beyond the extreme, after that point, my advise is to consult with someone who knows. I just wanted more out of my i7-4790K, and with this cooler on a ASUS Z97-PRO Gamer & got it, using the ASUS Optimal setting (E-Z one click Tuning). One click & was running at near 4.6GHz in Turbo Mode, running the benchmark sponsored by Intel (HWBOT), had been suffering from thermal throttling, surpassing the 100C mark, the Noctua NH-D15S dropped temps by 30C, no more throttling. I'd venture to say that had I paced just a tiny less thermal paste on the CPU, temps may had dropped further & may do so. Still, 30C is indeed a massive drop on air & can't be overlooked. This is ... MoreFor someone considering light to midweight overclocking, I'd recommend this product unless one's going beyond the extreme, after that point, my advise is to consult with someone who knows. I just wanted more out of my i7-4790K, and with this cooler on a ASUS Z97-PRO Gamer & got it, using the ASUS Optimal setting (E-Z one click Tuning). One click & was running at near 4.6GHz in Turbo Mode, running the benchmark sponsored by Intel (HWBOT), had been suffering from thermal throttling, surpassing the 100C mark, the Noctua NH-D15S dropped temps by 30C, no more throttling. I'd venture to say that had I paced just a tiny less thermal paste on the CPU, temps may had dropped further & may do so. Still, 30C is indeed a massive drop on air & can't be overlooked. This is probably the best cash that I've ever spent on CPU cooling. And though it's massive when removed from the package, once inside of the Fractal Design Define R5 case, didn't look as big after install. Was able to pull off a great wiring management job, so no clutter, one thing that I need to share before I forget, is to make sure that the case & CPU cooler cables are plugged in before easing the unit down, otherwise, expect some skinned knuckles. One thing that I didn't do was used the included thermal solution, relying on my trusted Arctic MX-4 that I've used for years. With a 8 year warranty against drying out & no issues after install, it's understandable why I chose to stick with what had worked. Prior to MX-4 was MX-2, almost as good & still pre-applied on some coolers. Plus once I have a build complete & setup where I want it, other than routine cleaning, is not moved. Fractal Design Define R5 ATX Tower ASUS Z97-PRO Gamer 1150 MB Intel i7-4790K @ 4.0 GHz (4.4GHz native Turbo, 4.6GHz ASUS/Noctua Turbo) 32GB RAM total, two 16GB (8GB x2) sets of GSkill Aegis DDR3 1600MHz RAM 1.5V EVGA Supernova G2 650W Gold edition Full Modular PSU 512GB Samsung 950 Pro M.2 NVMe SSD (installed via Addonics PCIe bracket) in x4 mode 1TB Seagate Desktop HDD ST1000DM003 64MB Cache (Bare Drive) EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 FTW 8GB GDDR5 GPU ASUS Black SATA 24X DVDRW E-Green No Logo Model DRW-24F1ST/BLK/B/GEN - OEM Optical drive Windows 10 Pro And lastly, a huge dose of patience, my first full build, took 3 years saving for all components. There's no feeling like having removed the bottlenecks of OEM (retail) PC's that cuts corners on vital components to save $5 on a $1,000 PC. Wouldn't had broke the bank of Dell to include twin 4 pin CPU power connectors for a quad core i7 that's still a Top 10 Common CPU. which left it starved for power & the screen froze in place. I figured that to get it right, had to build my own, and I have no formal IT training, just a burning desire to get the most that I can out of my hardware. The Noctua NH-D15S, is a fantastic CPU cooler with the option to add another fan if desired, clips are inside of package.
Some quick HEAVEN 4.0 benchmarks showed the CPU 100% maxed out, and the GPU JUST getting to 100% sometimes. The CPU can’t really keep up with the new 1070ti, and benchmarks show a 50 FPS average using HEAVEN 4.0 maxed out at 2560 x1440. I use an ACER PREDATOR XB271HU 27” 2560x1440 monitor. What to do? Well, over clock the CPU. Intel i7-870 has metal heat spreader and solder interface to get heat out well, but a 95W part has a LOT of heat to get out. I did a quick test at 3.5 Gig on the CPU (160 x22) with 1.25 volt Vcore (speed boost disabled). This, of course, OC’s the memory, too. I could cut the memory ratio and keep the 1600 speed or OC the memory, too. I use GSKILL DDR3 F3-1600C9D-16GXM R. GSKILL F3-1600C9D-16GXM R memory runs at 9-9-9-24 timings @ 1.5V. On a ... MoreSome quick HEAVEN 4.0 benchmarks showed the CPU 100% maxed out, and the GPU JUST getting to 100% sometimes. The CPU can’t really keep up with the new 1070ti, and benchmarks show a 50 FPS average using HEAVEN 4.0 maxed out at 2560 x1440. I use an ACER PREDATOR XB271HU 27” 2560x1440 monitor. What to do? Well, over clock the CPU. Intel i7-870 has metal heat spreader and solder interface to get heat out well, but a 95W part has a LOT of heat to get out. I did a quick test at 3.5 Gig on the CPU (160 x22) with 1.25 volt Vcore (speed boost disabled). This, of course, OC’s the memory, too. I could cut the memory ratio and keep the 1600 speed or OC the memory, too. I use GSKILL DDR3 F3-1600C9D-16GXM R. GSKILL F3-1600C9D-16GXM R memory runs at 9-9-9-24 timings @ 1.5V. On a hunch, I looked at the specs on the next level DDR3 1866 memory, specifically the HYPER X FURY HX318C10FRK2/16. This runs at 10-11-10-30 @ 1.5 volts. I selected the memory ratio of 6 in by BIOS and manually set the timings to the typical DDR3 1866 level. Presto, it runs at 1926 MHz and passes several MDSCHED.EXE windows memory diagnostic runs. I doubt that the speed difference is worth a hoot on this Intel system truth be told. HEAVEN 4.0 tests show a score of 1572 and 62.4 FPS with the new settings and better yet, the CPU is never at 100% utilization with the GPU hitting 100%, so I get what I paid for on my current platform. It is as good as it will get, for awhile. After gaming for awhile I see 75 C CPU temps in my monitored values with the EVO 212 heat pipe cooler. The COOLER MASTER EVO-212 can JUST keep up in a 70 F room, but as the GPU puts out as much heat as a hair drier on low, and eventually the room gets to 85 F, and the CPU reaches the, to me, limit of 75 C on most cores. The HYBRID cooled GPU is at no more than 48 C and this told me that I can get cooler in an 85 F room…somehow, with the CPU. I didn’t want water cooling, as it is a NOISE and general hassle, as I’ve used it before. Worse, it is expensive ($120.00 average) and I don’t need the level of cooling the better units provide but want better than most single radiator versions. What does air cooling offer? I did the typical search for AIR coolers and the NH-D15S seems the best of the bunch…the biggest, too. The data shows a 30 C advantage to the Cooler Master EVO 212. Another viewpoint is the best value but worst cooling cooler to the worst value but best cooling hierarchy model! If you need it, I guess it is a good value as it keeps my PC going several more years. I moved the top case fan to the front of the case so I have two fans supplying cool air). I removed the radiator bracket from the top of the case then removed the weird screen on top of the case to allow better airflow. Finally I moved the GPU and USB 3.0 daughter cards to the next lower set of 16X and 1X slots to allow ample room under the cooler. I mounted the cooler so the fan faces UP towards the top of the case verses facing the radiator fan out the back. Cool air in the front with 2 x 140 mm fans and heat out the top and back with plenty of room under the GPU to feed the two fans cool air. So now I can KEEP the OC settings full time in an 85 F room and run the 1070ti to it’s fullest potential in my older set-up. This cooler is EASY to install. One hitch. The two screws to mount the cooler to the two MB braces. The first one is easy to start…just DON’T turn the threads in too much. The second screw needs more pressure to PUSH the screw into the brace socket than you might think is right. Too much thread on the first screw only makes this situation worse. I check it over several times for errors. None found. I ditched the supplied screwdriver and got a real one with a decent handle so I could GENTLY press the screw into the socket and get it threaded. Then it is a matter of a turn on one then the other evenly tightening it up till the screw stops. Slightly longer threaded screws and deeper sockets to accept the screws would mitigate this. Not a big deal, but it does make you pause. DOES IT WORK? The Cooler Master EVO 212 hit 75C on max fans in an 84-85 F room with a 3.52 Gig OC and with DDR3 1920 MHz memory OC playing Crysis 3 at 2560x1440 with max details. I average over 60 FPS. With the NH-D15S the CPU hits 55-59 C running 50% fan! With the fans mounted right, so they don't buzz, I see 50 C - 55 C with 87% min fan RPM. GPU is still 55-57 C, same as before so I didn’t hurt that situation any with my CPU cooler orientation. So yes it works. The system idles at 38-40 C with a slow fan speed with 1.25V on the CPU and never gets above 60 C in any load test, so the 50% fan speed is still safely below 75 C, my upper safe limit.
A very efficient processor cooler - which comes with a single Noctua PWM fan (which is itself very quiet in operation).It's quite a large 'lump' overall, which has the supplied fan sitting in the middle between the two banks of fins. Note: the fan itself is slightly wider than the fins of the cooler - so it will stick out just a little!When fitting this cooler to the processor installed in my MSI motherboard I found it almost impossible to attach the cooler onto the processor when the mobo was already installed into the case, and had to resort to taking the motherboard back out of the case to do so! YMMV of course.If you do take the fan out of the middle when you're trying to fit the cooler in, just be aware that the pre-formed wires (which hold the fan in ... MoreA very efficient processor cooler - which comes with a single Noctua PWM fan (which is itself very quiet in operation).It's quite a large 'lump' overall, which has the supplied fan sitting in the middle between the two banks of fins. Note: the fan itself is slightly wider than the fins of the cooler - so it will stick out just a little!When fitting this cooler to the processor installed in my MSI motherboard I found it almost impossible to attach the cooler onto the processor when the mobo was already installed into the case, and had to resort to taking the motherboard back out of the case to do so! YMMV of course.If you do take the fan out of the middle when you're trying to fit the cooler in, just be aware that the pre-formed wires (which hold the fan in place on either side of the fins) will be very close to the top of the case - and unless you have long, spidery fingers, pulling those wires into place to hold the fan in position will be "difficult", and you'll probably skin your knuckles in the process!My advice would be to fit the cooler first - including the fan connection to the motherboard's CPUFAN connector, and then put the motherboard into the case.In my case I was building a very quiet Audio workstation which used components that in normal service wouldn't be producing much heat, and therefore slow speed fans would provide sufficient movement of air to keep everything within the thermal envelope.Be aware that if you use certain passively-cooled Video cards (as I was with my Sapphire 6600, which also uses heat-pipe technology to conduct the heat away from the GPU) when the Sapphire card was fitted in the first x16 PCIe slot on the MSI motherboard, then the fins of the GPU cooler were too close to the processor cooler fan. However, the Palit Graphics card I also purchased (which is also passively-cooled) had its cooling fins in a slightly different position and these were well clear of the side of the Noctua fan.
This is the first time I've installed an aftermarket cpu cooler... Only ever used the ones that came with the processor (which apparently they don't anymore). I've been Argonauting my other PC for 15 years and this is the first completely fresh build since then (though I did bring over the Seasonic 850 platinum rated power supply that I had installed in the old one earlier this year; I put a Corsair 550 in the old one and still use it for mobile recording). This is a workstation on which i do audio work and I'm angling toward silence. It's an i9-10850k 3.6Ghz running at constant 4.8 for stability, and the temperature stays below 50 degrees Celsius easily so far in a dry 70 degree F ambient environment. I am waiting on a set of Noctua case fans and am currently ... MoreThis is the first time I've installed an aftermarket cpu cooler... Only ever used the ones that came with the processor (which apparently they don't anymore). I've been Argonauting my other PC for 15 years and this is the first completely fresh build since then (though I did bring over the Seasonic 850 platinum rated power supply that I had installed in the old one earlier this year; I put a Corsair 550 in the old one and still use it for mobile recording). This is a workstation on which i do audio work and I'm angling toward silence. It's an i9-10850k 3.6Ghz running at constant 4.8 for stability, and the temperature stays below 50 degrees Celsius easily so far in a dry 70 degree F ambient environment. I am waiting on a set of Noctua case fans and am currently running the new system with the stock fans in the Fractal Define 7 which do not allow motherboard speed control. It's not loud but it's not silent. I made an early attempt to overclock to 5.2 GHz and the system broke to the point of needing to reinstall windows, but otherwise it's been snappy and all programs are running better than I could have imagined before with seemingly no stress on the system. Not sure how much this heatsink has to do with that, but it's definitely not hurting. I guess I should also say that I've never manually overclocked before and thought I should try to get the most out of what I have going on, but might have done something wrong. In any case, I'm sure this cooler was not the reason the 5.2 overclock failed. I'm a little concerned about the weight of the heatsink but honestly once it was put together it seemed like it wasn't pulling on anything too hard. The screw system between the heatsink and the mounts was a little janky coming together... Only two screws, each on opposite sides of the processor. The male side is on the mounting brackets, and on the heatsink itself is a female screw with springs. I'm not sure why there are springs; they may only serve to complicate the process of achieving an optimal mate between the plate on the heatsink and the processor, obfuscating the amount of torque you're applying. Mounting the heatsink to its own brackets was the hardest part. One screw would go in, then I would twist and twist on the other but the screw wouldn't mate with the bolt. I went back and forth several times, easily getting the first screw to engage and being careful not to tighten it any more than necessary for it to simply be engaged, then moving to the other to try to get it to engage and twisting and twisting and it just wouldn't. This process did give me an opportunity to see that I had not applied enough thermal paste, then to see that I had applied too much and wipe it off the edges of things. (Microfiber cloth, 99% alcohol.) Mounting would seem more stable to me if there were four screws through a structure integrated into the heatsink itself and then into the brackets that come in from behind the motherboard, but then it would be less modular and different models would have to be made for different processors and it would probably cost 7x as much and apparently this way is fine so... let's do it. Seems nice, keeps things cool. Just be careful not to bust anything when you're screwing it all together.
I have this CPU cooler supporting my Intel i7-8700k in a Fractal Design Define R6 case (tempered glass version). I also have an EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 FTW2 iCX GPU which also cranks out heat. My case is designed to minimize noise, often at the expense of cooling. That said, I haven't been able to crack beyond 55C on my CPU with this cooler installed, and have a 38C idle temp in a 21C ambient temp setting. I still have the top on my case (so no airflow there) and am just using the three stock 140mm fans that came with my case (two front intake, one rear exhaust). Honestly, without a high-end liquid cooling setup, I don't think you can do much better than this air cooler. So why not five stars? I have a ASUS ROG Maximus X Hero motherboard (with wifi, although that ... MoreI have this CPU cooler supporting my Intel i7-8700k in a Fractal Design Define R6 case (tempered glass version). I also have an EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 FTW2 iCX GPU which also cranks out heat. My case is designed to minimize noise, often at the expense of cooling. That said, I haven't been able to crack beyond 55C on my CPU with this cooler installed, and have a 38C idle temp in a 21C ambient temp setting. I still have the top on my case (so no airflow there) and am just using the three stock 140mm fans that came with my case (two front intake, one rear exhaust). Honestly, without a high-end liquid cooling setup, I don't think you can do much better than this air cooler. So why not five stars? I have a ASUS ROG Maximus X Hero motherboard (with wifi, although that doesn't really change where things are on the motherboard). The Noctua website notes that this cooler is fully compatible with this mobo. Having installed the CPU, this cooler, and my RAM on the motherboard before installing the motherboard in the case, I spent upwards of an hour combined trying to plug in the CPU fan, plug in a fan hub, plug in CPU power, and install a PCIE M2 SSD. Why? Because there wasn't much space for my big hands to finesse the cables and the M2 SSD cover around the huge heat sink. It can also be tricky to get the top left and middle ATX mobo screws in with the heat sink in the way unless you have a really large case. You need a long and narrow screwdriver (the cooler does come with one, but there's no handle on it). While I was able to get my 1080 graphics card in without too much trouble, I think I'll have to uninstall the CPU cooler if I ever want to take it out...because I can't get enough leverage to push down on the tab and pull it back out (without pulling a chunk of the mobo with it) with the cooler's heat sink in the way. On the bright side, there's actually enough room to install more RAM (even those with large heat sink fins) without having to take out the cooler. Overall, this is an excellent cooler, but if I were doing it again, I would install the cooler after I installed most of the other components, especially the things near the CPU.
Overkill for my FM2+ system, for sure. This is a beefy air cooler, in both size and weight. It's recommended to remove the cooler if you're transporting your computer. It's a lot of mass that could potentially damage your motherboard with some good jostling. With the offset design of the cooler, I have no issues with clearance between it and the graphics card. However, be aware that the edge of the cooler extends a few millimeters past the top of the motherboard. The undercut of the lower heatsink fins allows clearance for even my G.Skill TridentX DDR3 RAM and their attached heat spreader fins. No way that a second fan would fit in my system as-is, but it was nice to at least have the hardware included if you decide to procure a second one down the line. Per ... MoreOverkill for my FM2+ system, for sure. This is a beefy air cooler, in both size and weight. It's recommended to remove the cooler if you're transporting your computer. It's a lot of mass that could potentially damage your motherboard with some good jostling. With the offset design of the cooler, I have no issues with clearance between it and the graphics card. However, be aware that the edge of the cooler extends a few millimeters past the top of the motherboard. The undercut of the lower heatsink fins allows clearance for even my G.Skill TridentX DDR3 RAM and their attached heat spreader fins. No way that a second fan would fit in my system as-is, but it was nice to at least have the hardware included if you decide to procure a second one down the line. Per Noctua's fame, the included fan is quiet at a reasonable rpm. Even at an elevated rpm as I have set mine, the low "noise" is only noticeable if you pay attention to it, otherwise it just falls into the background. Thanks to this product (along with the three other case fans I purchased) I am now a fa... an enthusiast of the brand.
Got sick of the noise from my Corsair H100i and the "old" looking original Cooler master cosmos in which I had about 6 fans going. I sort of felt like I was working next to a launch pad with all the air noise... I decided to go back to a "silent air" solution and a more modern and sleek looking case. This looked like the perfect cooler for me to try. Install went well - yes, make sure you attach fan header first as it would be a major PIA to do after the D15H is locked down. Great clearance on my setup - running strix 970's in SLI and have a Xonar Essence populating the PCI slots...so its a pretty full load in there... I also have 4 sticks of Dominator platinum in there too - no problems with clearance with the Noctua. My CPU is an overclocked 3820 running a 4.5GHZ ... MoreGot sick of the noise from my Corsair H100i and the "old" looking original Cooler master cosmos in which I had about 6 fans going. I sort of felt like I was working next to a launch pad with all the air noise... I decided to go back to a "silent air" solution and a more modern and sleek looking case. This looked like the perfect cooler for me to try. Install went well - yes, make sure you attach fan header first as it would be a major PIA to do after the D15H is locked down. Great clearance on my setup - running strix 970's in SLI and have a Xonar Essence populating the PCI slots...so its a pretty full load in there... I also have 4 sticks of Dominator platinum in there too - no problems with clearance with the Noctua. My CPU is an overclocked 3820 running a 4.5GHZ on 1.4 volts and my temps are slightly higher than the H100i (30 idle, 65 load) but I did change cases to the very silent Fractal Define r5 so some of this may be due to a slightly lower airflow in the smaller case. Just a note that the rampage iv is a long board and getting it to fit into the define r5 caused some difficulty with the cable routing but with perseverance I was able to do a nice clean routing job. I did add a 2nd front case fan in my Blackout R5 and now when I'm working or playing games, the only sound is a very slight whisper of air when you have the case fans on high, when on low, its virtually silent (note: the case sits on my desk about 18" from my ears)...what a joy to have silence again!!
This thing is an absolute work of art! Was considering a large AIO, and extremely happy I went with air cooling. Moved in rapid succession from an old dying 120mm Corsair AIO, to a Coolermaster Hyper 212 to this, and the difference in build quality and included kit is night and day. Currently keeping an old i7-4770K overclocked to 4.3Ghz (delidded with liquid metal, admittedly) at or below 70C without fail when running Folding@Home 24/7. Idles in the low 30s. Some quick notes specific to the "S" model- -The upward offset away from the PCIE slots puts the top of the heatsink very close to the top of the case if you choose to install it with "Noctua" upright and parallel to the graphics card. Less than 1cm of clearance below 25mm thick fans in a Meshify C case. No ... MoreThis thing is an absolute work of art! Was considering a large AIO, and extremely happy I went with air cooling. Moved in rapid succession from an old dying 120mm Corsair AIO, to a Coolermaster Hyper 212 to this, and the difference in build quality and included kit is night and day. Currently keeping an old i7-4770K overclocked to 4.3Ghz (delidded with liquid metal, admittedly) at or below 70C without fail when running Folding@Home 24/7. Idles in the low 30s. Some quick notes specific to the "S" model- -The upward offset away from the PCIE slots puts the top of the heatsink very close to the top of the case if you choose to install it with "Noctua" upright and parallel to the graphics card. Less than 1cm of clearance below 25mm thick fans in a Meshify C case. No problem in operation, but makes access to its fan mounting brackets very tricky. -Second set of fan brackets are included; an additional 120mm fan fits on the front above the RAM easily, and lowers temps an additional 3-4C.
| Maximum TDP | All |
| Height (without fan) | 160 mm |
| Width (without fan) | 150 mm |
| Depth (without fan) | 135 mm |
| Height (with fan) | 165 mm |
