For some reason, in the race for high performance, many buyers do not pay attention to the cooling system at all, hoping that standard processor coolers will easily cope with the task. And only after a while, when exactly overheating becomes the weak link in the operation of the entire system, and the hum of the fan at peak loads is annoying, the user begins to look for solutions. This article focuses on the legend of the world market. computer components in the niche of processor coolers - cooling systems Noctua NH D15.
The king is dead, long live the king!
Products of an expensive Austrian brand cannot be called consumer goods. If a manufacturer puts something on the market, it is the result of the teamwork of designers, technologists and constructors, which does not need further refinement. This is exactly what happened with the predecessor of the legendary cooler, the Noctua NH D14 model, which is too early to write off.
Naturally, the new Noctua NH D15 cooler is a more advanced system that took the best from the outdated model and, keeping up with modern technologies, embodied the desires and needs of users in the final product. In fact, this is a common evolution of processor cooling systems. Definitely, after some time, new items will appear (16, 17 and other versions), no one is immune from this, the main thing is that the buyer should know when purchasing products from a manufacturer that is very respected in the market that at the time of purchase he has the best in his hands and the most technologically advanced device in the world.
An awl for soap?
Definitely, the end consumer is primarily interested in the difference technical characteristics a new cooler from the performance of its predecessor. Therefore, it's time to start the long-awaited comparison of the Noctua NH D15 vs Noctua NH D14 models, an overview of which is presented as a comparison.
- The novelty has added in size: the width has increased from 140 mm to 150 mm, the height - from 160 mm to 165 mm and the depth from 130 mm to 135 mm. This does not mean that now you cannot do without Full ATX, the manufacturer has increased the area of the radiator with the expectation of installing it in any system case.
- The proprietary technology for the production of the SSO-bearing has evolved, which received the corresponding number in the marking - SSO2-bearing. as before, it has magnetic stabilization, only new technologies are used in its production.
- Fan airflow increased from 110.3 CFM to 140.2 CFM.
- Now you can change the rotational speed of the cooler (300-1500 rpm).
- The noise level at maximum revs slightly increased (no more than 24.6 dB).
Serious approach to the buyer
How the manufacturer treats the end consumers can be judged by the packaging and packaging that accompanies the product. The Noctua NH D15 cooler will definitely attract the attention of any buyer, and the manufacturers of many computer components will certainly envy the Austrian brand. A huge box the size of a blender has a conservative appearance. On one of the sides, the manufacturer indicated a complete list of components supplied with the cooler.
Opening the box, the user will find inside a mass of cardboard boxes, on which inscriptions and drawings are applied, reflecting the contents. Naturally, the kit contains complete instructions for assembling and installing the device with the manufacturer's recommendations. Numerous customer reviews in the media note that you do not need to buy anything to install a cooler in the system, everything you need is in the box, including adapters and thermal paste.
This is a monster!
Without exception, all owners who have preferred the Austrian brand recommend immediately after purchasing to unpack the box and pick up the Noctua NH D15 cooler. A review of a processor cooler simultaneously evokes several feelings - delight, respect and curiosity, because not every day one has to contemplate such a monster.
The six copper tubes are bent in a U-shape with a platform at the base that contacts the processor. On the other hand, 45 aluminum plates are mounted on the tubes, which in appearance resemble two towers.
One fan is fastened between the blocks using special brackets included in the kit, and the second is mounted on one of the sides. The manufacturer suggests installing a third fan, which is not included in the kit, but user reviews assure that the system performance provided by the Noctua NH D15 cooler is sufficient with two devices.
Installation features
And if the cooling of Noctua NH D15 does not cause any doubts among potential buyers, then users have many questions about installing the cooler into the system. In the reviews that can be found in the media, the owners note that there are many different adapters for different sockets in the package bundle, so there is no reason for concern. Fully compatible with all existing AMD platforms from the current millennium. All available Intel sockets are supported starting from LGA775.
The installation system itself is quite convenient. First, you need to completely remove all mounts for the cooler, leaving 4 holes on the motherboard around the processor. Having installed special expansion joints that adjust the height of the cooling system relative to the processor (supplied in the kit), the user must install the guides and secure them securely. Then the Noctua NH D15 cooler is installed. It should be noted that the screws for tightening the cooling system to the processor are spring-loaded, so as not to accidentally damage the processor.
Test results
All potential buyers definitely want to see the potential that the Noctua NH D15 cooler is capable of. The review, photo and product characteristics for many are lyrics, so it's time to familiarize yourself with the test results. At an ambient temperature of 20 degrees Celsius, the Core i7-4770K (3.5GHz) normal operation shows 25 degrees. Overclocking to a stable 4.5 GHz made the cooling system work in maximum mode by increasing the fan speed to the limit. At the same time, the temperature of the nuclei did not rise above 78 degrees.
A similar test was performed with the Noctua NH D14, GT and Akasa Venom Voodoo cooling systems. The predecessor of the novelty lost only 7 degrees Celsius to its counterpart on overclocking, apparently, the lower air flow affects. The Corsair cooling system showed a little top scores- 75 degrees, but Akasa Venom Voodoo lost by 11 degrees to the culprit Noctua NH D15.
Design features
Compared to the previous model, the Noctua NH D15 cooler has small notches at the base; the manufacturer cut off several aluminum plates for this. Thus, the installation of the cooling system is possible on all existing motherboards, and the user can be sure that during installation the heatsink will not rest against capacitors or memory modules (especially if they have additional heatsinks).
The manufacturer made changes to the production by adding special notches, which, in his opinion, reduce the noise of the cooler. However, this statement is regarded by many experts as a marketing move by the Austrian company, designed to hide the true secrets that contribute to the quiet operation of the entire cooling system.
Work on bugs
The vibration protection of the rotating components of the Noctua NH D15 cooler, which is reviewed in this article, is designed to provide rubber gaskets located along the edges of the fan case. Judging by the numerous reviews of IT specialists, users have been using rubber delimiters between the fan and radiator casing for a long time, cutting them out of available tools, so everyone liked Noctua's solution.
Fan speed control was clearly lacking in the previous model, which could produce high-quality cooling even with the cooler stopped. Therefore, many buyers appreciated the step taken by the manufacturer in their direction. However, some owners note that there is still no way to completely disable the Noctua NH D15 cooler by software. The characteristics of the device, judging by the reviews of some enthusiasts, have to be changed on their own, using a soldering iron and a resistor.
Closest competitor in terms of efficiency
Many potential buyers were unequivocally confused by the comparison of the two cooling systems in the media: Noctua NH D15 vs Corsair H110i GT water-cooled. There is no logic: choose between an air cooler and a water cooling system. What about productivity and efficiency?
In fact, there is nothing strange in the review, because both systems have almost the same radiators, are equipped with two fans, and the air flow with noise is almost identical. The only difference is in the installation - Noctua is attached directly to the processor, while it is implemented in the form of a platform, which is separated from the radiator by special pipes with liquid and is installed on motherboard on one's own. There is also a difference in price, the Austrian competitor values his creation very dearly, asking for it on the market for almost double the cost of the Noctua air-cooled system, which is about 8 thousand rubles.
The market for similar devices
But many users try to compare devices by outward appearance and price, trying to choose a beautiful and inexpensive solution. For example, in the comparisons there is always a wonderful cooler from the budget class Arctic Cooling Freezer i30. Its cooling efficiency is by no means in doubt, especially when it comes to conventional computer systems where you just need to replace the stock cooler. Naturally, this device will not cope with overclocking the game processor.
If the buyer craves comparisons with the Noctua NH D15 Ulmart, then he should definitely be interested top models systems such as Akasa Venom Voodoo or Prolimatech Megahalems. Listed devices not only are the sales leaders in the world market, but also show small companies the direction of development.
Finally
Everything existing reviews on the wonderful cooling system Noctua NH D15, which can be found in the media, lead to the idea that the device is perfect. There are no questions about the quality of the cooler's work, and users are in no hurry to leave negative reviews. Many tests carried out in private laboratories only prove the effectiveness of the system. Cooler Noctua NH D15 is by far the best of the systems air cooling for gaming stations according to the criterion "price-quality".
Almost five years ago, the Austrian company Noctua released the Noctua NH-D14 supercooler. The cooling system turned out to be so good that for a long time it occupied one of the leading positions among the best processor coolers. And even now, periodically receiving new mounts to support modern platforms, I am ready to give odds to many new products, including factory liquid cooling systems of the same cost. But nothing lasts forever, and even more so supercoolers.Now the successor to the NH-D14 is the new Noctua NH-D15, announced last month. It did not receive major changes in design compared to its predecessor, but it still has a number of minor optimizations aimed at increasing efficiency and improving compatibility. The main emphasis is placed on new fans with a larger diameter and their higher rotation speed. We will tell you more about all this in today's article.
1. Review of the processor cooler Noctua NH-D15
technical characteristics and recommended costSpecifications the latest system cooling Noctua NH-D15 are shown in the table in comparison with its predecessor - model Noctua NH-D14:
packaging and equipment
The cardboard box in which the Noctua NH-D15 is supplied has increased in size, but the Austrian company does not change its design. The decor is still dominated by a strict brown color with white accents.
The information content of the package is not to occupy, especially since the areas allow. The back and sides of the box are detailed characteristics cooler, described it key features, the supported platforms are listed and so on.
The reliability of the packaging is also on the very high level... Protective spacers made of expanded polyethylene are inserted inside the cardboard shell, and in them there is an additional cardboard shell for the radiator and fan.
This minimizes the likelihood of damage to the device during transport. By the way, do not underestimate this fact, since more than once you had to receive damaged boxes and even dented radiators inside them.
Above, in separate cardboard boxes, there are mounts for AMD and Intel platforms, as well as accessories.
The package bundle has not undergone significant changes in comparison with the Noctua NH-D14, apart from the improved mounts and reinforcing plate.
Note the presence in the kit of a syringe with high-performance thermal paste Noctua NT-H1, the volume of which, according to Noctua estimates, should be enough for 15 applications.
The Noctua NH-D15 is manufactured in Taiwan. As before, the cooler comes with a proprietary six-year warranty. The recommended cost of new items in comparison with the Noctua NH-D14 has increased by 5 US dollars and is now 90 US dollars.
design features
The design of the Noctua NH-D15 has not undergone any changes in relation to its predecessor. This is still a two-tower cooler with a pair of fans, one of which is installed between the radiator sections.
In terms of size, the novelty has grown by 5 mm in height, by 10 mm in width, but has become 3 mm narrower. As for the weight, it increased from 1240 grams to 1320 grams, and the radiator became even slightly lighter (1000 grams versus the previous 1070 grams), and the increase in weight was due to the larger diameter fans.
Each of the sections of the radiator is pierced with six copper nickel-plated heat pipes. Interestingly, the outer tubes are brought out just below the four central ones.
If the Noctua NH-D14 had an asymmetric radiator, when one section was a little further from the central axis of the base, then the radiator of the new Noctua NH-D15 is completely symmetrical.
Each section of the radiator consists of 45 aluminum plates 0.5 mm thick, placed on heat pipes with an intercostal distance of 2.0 mm. The seven bottom plates in each section are narrower - their width is only 30 mm versus the 50 mm top plates. This is made obvious for the compatibility of the heatsink with high RAM modules, although when installed external fan such a solution is unlikely to help.
Heatpipes run through the radiators along the central axis and are spaced slightly wider than in the Noctua NH-D14.
The calculated area of the Noctua NH-D15 radiator is practically the same as in its predecessor - 12075 sq. Cm. Among the optimizations for air flow through the radiator, we note a barely noticeable wedge-shaped recess in each section and wavy ends of the ribs along the edges of the plates.
The contact of the plates with the tubes is made by soldering, but not along the entire circumference of the tube, since characteristic "locks" are visible.
In the nickel-plated copper base, where the heat pipes are laid in grooves with a millimeter distance from each other, soldering is also used, but everything is done very neatly, without smudges.
The processing quality of the base is not bad, although our overclocked Smesharik still falls short of a mirror reflection in it.
But the contact surface of the base with dimensions of 40x39 mm is even, thanks to which we managed to get full-fledged prints of the entire area of the LGA2011 processor heat spreader.
While the old Noctua NH-D14 is equipped with one 120mm and one 140mm fan, the new Noctua NH-D15 has a pair of the most modern NF-A15 PWMs that we tested last year, and then they left the most positive impressions about themselves. ...
This model has a whole arsenal of proprietary Noctua technologies designed to increase airflow and reduce noise levels. We will not dwell on them again today. However, we add that Noctua NH-D15 uses accelerated versions of the NF-A15 PWM, which can rotate in the speed ranges from 300 to 1500 rpm or from 300 to 1200 rpm when an adapter cable with a resistor is connected to the circuit. The maximum noise level of each fan should not exceed 24.6 dBA.
Service life of SSO2 bearings, sealed metal plate on the stator, has not changed and is an impressive 150,000 hours or over 17 years of continuous operation.
The maximum power consumption of each fan is just over 1.5 watts. The fans are fastened to the radiator using wire brackets inserted into the fastening holes in the fan frame and hooked onto the side slots in each radiator section. Since the radiator is symmetrical and there are slots on each side of the sections, theoretically three fans can be installed on the Noctua NH-D15, but an additional pair of brackets is not included in the cooler's package.
compatibility and installation
Needless to say, Noctua NH-D15 is compatible with all modern platforms without exception? After all this system cooling belongs to the Hi-End class of air coolers and it would be strange if it could not be installed on some of the Intel or AMD platforms. If only you have enough space in the case of the system unit.
The installation procedure is detailed in the instructions. The Noctua SecuFirm2 mounting system is considered one of the best and most convenient cooler mounts, so it has undergone only cosmetic changes in five years. To install the Noctua NH-D15 on a motherboard with an LGA2011 socket, four threaded pins are used, which are screwed into the mounting holes of the socket base plate.
Then two steel rails with studs are installed on these pins.
After that, it remains only to mount the radiator on the processor and evenly tighten it with two spring-loaded screws using a Phillips screwdriver.
That's all, just hang the fans on the radiator section, fix them with brackets, connect them using a Y-shaped splitter to one four-pin connector on the motherboard and you can start the system.
The distance from the lower edge of the heatsink to the motherboard is more than 50 mm, and the wide edges start another 20 mm higher, so that the friendly neighborhood of Noctua NH-D15 and high RAM modules is ensured. True, this statement is true only if you do not use an external fan, because if it is installed correctly, it directly rests on the 40 mm radiators of our G.SKILL TridentX F3.
This fan can be placed higher on the heatsink, but then it will increase the height of the cooler and will not effectively cool its structure.
Inside the case of the system unit Noctua NH-D15 is hardly distinguishable from the Noctua NH-D14.
The height of the cooler installed on the processor is 168 mm, which is quite normal for cooling systems of this category.
Well, as we can see, the changes in the new product are much less than expected. Let's find out what the efficiency and noise level of the Noctua NH-D15 is in comparison with the current leader among air cooling systems and other models.
2. Test configuration, tools and testing methodology
Cooling systems were tested in a closed system case with the following configuration:
Motherboard: Intel Siler DX79SR (Intel X79 Express, LGA 2011, BIOS 0594 dated 06/08/2013);
CPU: Intel Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition 3.5 / 4.0 GHz(Sandy Bridge-E, C2, 1.1 V, 6x256 KB L2, 15 MB L3);
Thermal interface: ARCTIC MX-4;
Video card: AMD Radeon HD 7770 GHz Edition 1 GB GDDR5 128 bit 1000/4500 MHz (with Deepcool V4000 passive copper heatsink);
RAM: DDR3 4x8 GB G.SKILL TridentX F3-2133C9Q-32GTX(XMP 2133 MHz, 9-11-11-31, 1.6 V);
System disk: SSD 256 GB Crucial m4 (SATA-III, CT256M4SSD2, BIOS v070H);
Disk for programs and games: Western digital VelociRaptor (SATA-II, 300 GB, 10,000 rpm, 16 MB, NCQ) in a Scythe Quiet Drive 3.5 "box;
Archive disk: Samsung Ecogreen F4 HD204UI (SATA-II, 2 TB, 5400 rpm, 32 MB, NCQ);
Sound Card: Auzen X-Fi HomeTheater HD;
Case: Antec Twelve Hundred (front wall - three Noiseblocker NB-Multiframe S-Series MF12-S2 at 1020 rpm; back - two Noiseblocker NB-BlackSilentPRO PL-1 at 1020 rpm; top - standard 200 mm fan at 400 rpm);
Control and monitoring panel: Zalman ZM-MFC3;
PSU: Corsair AX1200i (1200W), 120mm fan
Monitor: 27 "Samsung S27A850D (DVI-I, 2560x1440, 60 Hz).
For basic tests, a six-core processor at a reference frequency of 100 MHz with a fixed multiplier of 44 and activated function Load-Line Calibration has been overclocked to 4.4 GHz with an increase in the voltage in the BIOS of the motherboard to 1.240 ~ 1.245V. Turbo technology Boost was turned off during testing, but Hyper-Threading was activated to increase heat dissipation. The voltage of the RAM modules was fixed at around 1.6125 V, and its frequency was 2.133 GHz with timings 9-11-11-20_CR1. Other BIOS settings related to overclocking the processor or RAM were not changed.
Testing done in operating system Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1. Software used for the test is the following:
LinX AVX Edition v0.6.4 - to create a load on the processor (the amount of allocated memory - 4500 MB, Problem Size - 24234, two cycles of 11 minutes);
Real Temp GT v3.70 - for monitoring the temperature of the processor cores;
Intel Extreme Tuning Utility v4.2.0.8 - for monitoring and visual control of all system parameters during overclocking.
A complete screen shot during one of the testing cycles looks like this.
The processor was loaded with two consecutive LinX AVX cycles with the above settings. It took 8-10 minutes to stabilize the processor temperature between cycles. The final result, which you will see in the diagram, is the maximum temperature of the hottest of the six cores. central processing unit at peak load and in idle mode. In addition, a separate table will contain the temperatures of all processor cores and their averaged values. The room temperature was controlled by an electronic thermometer installed next to the system unit with a measurement accuracy of 0.1 ° C, the possibility of hourly monitoring of the room temperature change over the last 6 hours. During this testing the ambient temperature fluctuated within the range 22,2–22,7 ° C.
The measurement of the noise level of the cooling systems was carried out using an electronic sound level meter CENTER-321 during the period from one to three o'clock in the morning in a completely closed room with an area of about 20 sq. M. with double-glazed windows. The noise level was measured outside the case of the system unit, when the source of noise in the room was only the cooler itself and its fan. The sound level meter, fixed on a tripod, was always located exactly at one point at a distance of exactly 150 mm from the fan stator. The cooling systems were placed on the very corner of the table on a polyurethane foam backing. The lower limit of measurements of the sound level meter is 29.8 dBA, and the subjectively comfortable (please do not confuse with the low!) Noise level of coolers when measuring from such a distance is about 36 dBA. A conditionally quiet noise level was adopted by us at the border of 33 dBA. The rotational speed of the fans was changed over the entire range of their operation using a special controller by changing the supply voltage with a step of 0.5 V.
We compared the efficiency and noise level of Noctua NH-D15 with the best air cooler Phanteks PH-TC14PЕ ($ 75-80), tested both in the mode with two standard fans and with two Noctua NF-A15 PWM fans.
In addition, the Phanteks PH-TC14PE has been further tested with two Corsair AF140 Quiet Editions. In general, a real fight awaits us!
We add that the speed control of all fans of the cooling systems was carried out using special controller with an accuracy of ± 10 rpm in the range from 800 rpm to their maximum in increments of 200 rpm.
3. Test results and their analysis
cooling efficiencySo, the results of testing the effectiveness of two air systems cooling are also shown in the diagram.
In the mode with standard fans, Noctua NH-D15 at 1520 rpm demonstrates the same efficiency as Phanteks PH-TC14PЕ at 1270 rpm. With a decrease in the fan speed to 1000 and 800 rpm, Phanteks PH-TC14PE begins to outstrip Noctua NH-D15 by one degree Celsius at peak load in each of the operating modes. With such a difference and an allowable measurement error of half a degree Celsius, depending on room temperature, we can say that the efficiency of these two coolers with standard fans is practically the same.
When a pair of Noctua NF-A15 PWM fans is installed on Phanteks PH-TC14PE, it begins to outperform the hero of today's article by one degree Celsius at speeds of 1510 and 1200 rpm, and in quiet modes at 1000 and 800 rpm, the situation does not change. Leaving one NF-A15 PWM fan in the center of each radiator of Noctua and Phanteks, we are again convinced of the equality of the efficiency of these cooling systems. Nobody wanted to give in, as they say. Only at a speed of 800 rpm, the victory goes to Phanteks PH-TC14PЕ, but this is only a couple of degrees Celsius at peak load. Two Corsair AF140 fans on a Phanteks radiator quiet mode at 800 rpm, they simply work wonders, outperforming Noctua or Phanteks fans up to five degrees Celsius at similar speeds. Impressive!
Then we increased the overclocking of the processor to 4.6 GHz while increasing the voltage to 1.300-1.305 V, and carried out all the test cycles once again, excluding the modes with one fan. The next results are presented in the diagram.
Despite the leadership of Noctua NH-D15 in the mode with standard fans at their maximum speed, the advantage of Phanteks PH-TC14PЕ slightly increased in each speed mode of the fans. By two / one degrees Celsius, Noctua NH-D15 is inferior to Phanteks PH-TC14PE at 1200, 1000 and 800 rpm. Installing Noctua fans on the Phanteks PH-TC14PЕ radiator slightly raises its efficiency, so we can say that with the same fans Phanteks PH-TC14PЕ is still slightly more efficient than Noctua NH-D15. Well, the optimal fans for Phanteks PH-TC14PЕ from the ones we tested today are Corsair AF140.
Let's enter the results obtained on the Noctua NH-D15 into pivot table* and to the diagram, where all the cooling systems we tested earlier are presented in their standard configurations when the processor is overclocked to 4.4 GHz and voltage 1.240 ~ 1.250 V.
* - the peak temperature of the hottest processor core is shown in the diagram taking into account the delta from room temperature and for all cooling systems is reduced to 25 degrees Celsius.
At the maximum fan speed, Noctua NH-D15 was able to enter the elite of air and factory fluid systems cooling, along with CRYORIG R1 Ultimate, Raijintek Nemesis, Ice Hammer IH-THOR and, of course, Phanteks PH-TC14PЕ. Note that the Noctua NH-D15 is not the noisiest in this campaign. In quiet mode at a speed of two fans of 800 rpm, Noctua NH-D15 took a place in the middle of the second group, but in terms of noise level it occupies one of the leading places.
Testing the processor cooled by Noctua NH-D15 in normal mode with two fans at their maximum speed for maximum overclocking made it possible to find out that the new product is capable of providing a six-core Intel Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition with stability at a frequency of 4700 MHz, voltage of 1.340 V and a peak temperature of the most hot core 83 degrees Celsius.
Noctua NH-D15, 2x1510 rpm
We record this result in a pivot table and on a diagram.
A very decent result, below which we did not expect, frankly. It's time to talk about the noise level of the new product.
noise level
The noise level of the participants in our today's test was measured over the entire operating range of their fans according to the methodology described in the corresponding section of the article and is presented in the graph.
If in terms of cooling efficiency Phanteks PH-TC14PЕ turned out to be slightly ahead of Noctua NH-D15, then in terms of noise level in the mode with standard fans it has nothing to oppose to the new Austrian flagship. The difference can be called colossal, since the subjectively comfortable mode for Noctua fans is at the speed limit of 1000 rpm, while Phanteks fans can only afford it at 700 rpm. These coolers can be called quiet with a fan speed of 850 rpm for the Noctua NH-D15 and 570 rpm for the Phanteks PH-TC14PЕ. Needless to say, which of these cooling systems will be more efficient at the same noise level? In our opinion, everything is obvious. Removing the external fan from the Noctua NH-D15 radiator will allow you to win back a few more dBA at speeds from 840 rpm and above. Well, there is no doubt about the quality of Noctua fans, they will last a long time and as quietly as brand new ones.
Conclusion
Continuing the tradition of the famous Noctua NH-D14, the new Noctua NH-D15 is a worthy successor and rightfully deserves the honorary title of supercooler. Having become a little wider, a little taller, slightly heavier and imperceptibly more expensive, the NH-D15 is able not only to compete with the best representatives of its class, but will also allow you to squeeze all the juice out of your processor when overclocking it. However, in our opinion, despite the lack of direct comparison with NH-D14 in today's article (due to its lack), we are inclined to believe that the high efficiency of the cooler is due to the new NF-A15 PWM fans. After all, all the design changes made to the radiator are only cosmetic in nature, aimed at compatibility with high radiators on RAM modules. The area of the radiator, the thickness of the plates, and the number of heat pipes remained the same, and the mounting system did not undergo any changes at all, since it is already ideal. Therefore, although the Noctua NH-D15 is a supercooler with unprecedentedly quiet fans, after today's test there was some shade of dissatisfaction. Still, we would like Austrian engineers to please overclockers with something more than a simple "restyling" and re-equipment in almost five years. And we are sure that they are capable of it. Time will tell.Noctua is the result of a collaboration between Austrian Rascom Computerdistribution GmbH and Taiwanese Kolink International Co, bringing together more than a decade of experience in the design, manufacture and marketing of high quality refrigeration components.
Brand reputation
Founded in 2005, Noctua has taken the hearts of enthusiasts around the world by storm and has quickly grown to become one of the most renowned suppliers of high quality, quiet coolers. Today the company is present in over 30 countries and works with several hundred sales partners. The Noctua brand has become synonymous with impeccable quality, superior service and class-leading technology solutions. According to the owners, the fans and radiators produced by the company are not aesthetically pleasing, but they demonstrate excellent performance. Customer support deserves special attention. For example, if a new socket appears that is incompatible with a Noctua cooler, the manufacturer sends a suitable mounting fixture.
Time-tested quality
Noctua fans are not cheap but remain favorites for their extremely low output noise. Each manufacturer's product is designed with the goal of performing specific tasks as efficiently as possible. For example, popular Noctua coolers are the NH-U14S and NH-U12S models. They are inexpensive, efficient, lightweight and lightweight.
Another example is the NH-L12 model. Although it can barely handle large processors, its small footprint and low profile make it ideal for popular mini-ITX systems. Not everyone will like the company's color solutions, but the quality of the products makes fans turn to it again and again.
The Noctua NH-D15, whose design overview is given below, features an extra-heavy heatsink consisting of two blocks inherited from the tall NH-D14 model. Considering the history of advanced technological solutions and extensive experience in implementing changes and improvements, a lot can be expected from the company's next product. The only question is, will the NH-D15's performance outperform the competition?
Main characteristics
Cooling system specifications Noctua NH-D15:
Supported sockets: LGA1155, GA1156, LGA2011, LGA1150, FM1, FM2, AM3 +, AM3, AM2, AM2 +.
Radiator:
- aluminum fins;
- copper base and heat pipes;
- dimensions, mm - 165 x 150 x 161;
- 6 heat pipes with a diameter of 6 mm;
- Weight, g - 1320.
Fan:
- Dimensions, mm - 140 x 150 x 25;
- air flow, cubic meters m / h - 115.5 (with LNA), 140.2;
- speed, rpm - 300-1200 (with LNA), 300-1500;
- noise, dBA - 19.2 (with LNA), 24.6 (max.).
Price: $ 99.90
Guarantee: 6 years.
Packaging and delivery set
The product is packaged in a box measuring approximately 23.5 x 19 x 27 cm. It provides information on some of the model's features and stating that the design is based on the award-winning NH-D14 cooler. On the left side of the package, the product specifications are summarized in nine languages. The back shows the functionality of the model, but with some differences. For example, it is mentioned that the cooling system uses six heat pipes, extended cooling fins, a SecuFirm 2 mounting kit, and compatibility with high RAM in single fan mode. On the right is a list of heatsink and fan specifications with a list of the package contents. The box bears the product name, large Noctua logo and heatpipe images.
Inside the user will be several boxes with accessories and fasteners. The heatsink and fan are held in place with cardboard. Overall, the packaging is excellent, as it should be for such an expensive cooler.
The SecuFirm 2 mounting kit supports most sockets. However, LGA775 and LGA1336 are only compatible with the purchase of the optional NM-I3 kit. Otherwise, everything you need is already included, and there are also some nice additions that make the installation process much easier.
Kit includes dual fan heatsink, backplate, thermal grease, user manual, Intel and AMD socket mounting kits, extended Phillips screwdriver, screws, bushings, and LNA voltage regulator cables used when the motherboard controllers cannot control the motor speed.
Design overview
Similar to the NH-D14 cooling system on which the this model, it uses a two-piece design. However, it has undergone a number of improvements. First of all, they touched upon the aluminum heatsinks, which were cut from the bottom in such a way as to increase the compatibility of the device with RAM modules when used with a single fan. The fin design looks familiar because the units are similar to the NH-U14S cooling system. Noctua simply doubled them and tweaked them slightly to create a massive up-and-coming dual heatsink.
Six ø6 mm pipes are slightly separated to transfer heat more evenly from the base to the two radiator blocks. The quality of the base of the cooler in terms of its connection to the heatsinks can be called excellent. The base is a nickel-plated copper plate that, although it reflects light, does not have a specular sheen. On the base, traces of processing on a milling machine are visible, which do not affect the efficiency of the system.
The fans use SSO self-stabilizing oil bearings that operate in the range of 300-1500 rpm. The maximum speed can be reduced to 1200 rpm when connected via low noise LNA adapters. The fans support PWM for standard automatic RPM control via the motherboard. The grooved surface of the blades helps to optimize airflow, and the dark brown and beige colors allow you to instantly identify the manufacturer.
Noctua NH-D15: installation guide
Assembling the device is simple and consists of the following steps:
- Before installing the cooling system, the user will first have to secure the backplate. This must be done before the four plastic sleeves are installed on the bracket mounting screws.
- Next, insert two mounting arms and secure them with nuts. After that, a little thermal paste must be applied to the processor in order to install the heatsink itself.
- Align the heatsink with the mounting arms and install the spring-loaded screws for the cooler by tightening them with the supplied Phillips screwdriver.
- The next step in assembling Noctua NH-D15 is to install the fans and connect them to the motherboard.
SecuFirm 2 is very easy to work with as the manufacturer pays great attention to detail. These small details and robust construction make the mounting kit one of the best on the market. However, it can be difficult to install the Noctua NH-D15 Cooler in a PC case due to the size of the processor cooling system.
Design problems
The Noctua NH-D15 looks huge even for a cooler with two cooling blocks. Compared to it, the standard motherboard ATX board seems very small.
According to user reviews, the color design of this Noctua model, like all other products of the company, does not harmonize with the shade of the motherboard. This is a top quality product, the combination of colors has nothing to do with the efficiency of the device.
Large fan size bleeds free space around the socket, but users have no problems connecting the EP-12V cable. Like most modern coolers, Noctua NH-D15 blocks the first expansion slot on some motherboards, for example, the MSI Z87-GD65. This is because the width of the device is 150 mm. The distance to the RAM in the single-fan variant is sufficient, but if the owners want to use the standard-sized RAM with the two NF-A15s, then the cooler will be 165mm. Higher memory modules will require you to move the fans slightly higher. This can lead to the NH-D15 not being able to fit in most cases - something to keep in mind when choosing a cooler for your PC.
Efficient cooling system
Compared to other fans, its base is relatively small but large enough to cover the entire surface modern processors... The base is made of copper, steel parts are used in the mountings. All elements are nickel plated, including copper heatsinks. There are six 6mm tubes. This is the same as the NH-D14 - the manufacturer clearly does not believe that expanding the base and increasing the number of heatsinks will make a noticeable difference in system performance. The contact surface is smooth and well polished, but not finished to a perfect mirror finish. To control the rotation speed of two NF-A15 fans using PWM, a low-noise LNA adapter is included in the kit, which is an extension cord with a resistor. It reduces the revs to an inaudible level.
The design seems a little odd, but the device works efficiently. Why did the manufacturer install an asymmetric U-shaped radiator? Why couldn't you just place the fans on both sides? This is done purely for practical reasons. Installing a single central fan saves space and provides clearance for memory modules.
Test results
At idle speed of the processor, the cooling system works excellently, outstripping the heating temperature of such competitors as Thermaltake NiC C5, Corsair H105, CRYORIG R1 Universal, be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 3, etc. Under load the cooler outperforms many models, yielding only a few degrees to the Corsair H105 and Corsair H110.
Noctua NH-D15 Cooler is quiet. Lagging behind such models as Dark Rock Pro 3, Noctua behaves well at maximum speeds, with 43 dBA, only 3 dBA below the quietest devices, and by 25% and 50% of the highest rotational speed, the gap is reduced to 1-2 dBA. This is what the manufacturer has earned a reputation for - the cooler is not only one of the most effective systems air-cooled, but also one of the quietest.
The secret to low noise is simple - at 25% of full speed the fan rotates at 421 rpm, and at 50% it rotates at 837 rpm. Below 1000 rpm, the cooler is very quiet. At a maximum rotational speed of 1521 rpm, the volume increases, but the noise of the Noctua NH-D15 is almost completely extinguished by the computer case.
Dignity
According to user reviews, the Noctua NH-D15 performs really well in cooling. The system is ahead of many competitors in air temperature control of heating and even gives odds to some liquid coolers. Flagship model The Noctua offers class-leading performance while remaining very quiet, albeit inferior to the Dark Rock Pro 3. This is aided by low-noise adapters. The NH-D15 leaves 64mm for memory modules, so the distance in a single fan configuration is excellent. Simple system SecuFirm 2's mounting and build quality are also highly rated by users. The accessory kit includes a screwdriver.
Flaws
However, there are some areas where the manufacturer can improve. The Noctua NH-D15, which is priced at $ 100, is pricey, although justified by the quality level. But this means that many will pass by, preferring cheaper alternatives such as Gamer storm Assassin by Deepcool. The next important problem of the Noctua NH D15 reviews is the distance to the RAM chips. Of course, the single-fan configuration provides ample space, but the temperature rises by 5 ° C, which benefits cheaper options such as Thermaltake NiC C5 or Scythe Ashura. When using two CRYORIG R1 Universal fans on regular sockets, it offers more clearance and $ 10 less price, although the NH-D15 outperforms it by 2 ° C in cooling efficiency. The brown-beige color scheme of the device could also be improved. It makes it unique and recognizable, but it is very difficult to harmoniously fit it into the color scheme of the motherboard and PC.
Grade 5
Advantages: 1) Unrealistically silent fans (not quiet, but silent)
2) It copes very well with cooling 4790k at runoff frequencies (i.e. there is a solid headroom for overclocking in the future)
3) Rich bundle and good packaging
4) The quality justifies every ruble (I took it for 5500r)
Disadvantages: What I will describe in the Disadvantages column is more of a feature, not a disadvantage
1) On MSI Z97 Gaming 5 card before the first PCI slot there is a gap, but small, about 1 cm, i.e. already press the latch of the video card from above to remove it - you cannot
2) In fact, the tower itself is supported by two screws
3) Again, on my mother - the rightmost fan actually lies with its side on the memory bar (I have it of a standard height, but with a radiator - Fury), i.e. if you have a RAM with high heatsinks - the 2nd fan will stick out, but despite this - if you remove it - that is, full access to the memory without having to remove the heatsink itself
Commentary: I recently installed a D15 on an i7-4790k, to tell the truth I ran into Noctua for the first time, but fell in love and the price justifies their quality (I replaced all the turntables in the case - there are 6 of them, they work silently at 500-600rpm). And so D15 is quite easy to install, everything is simple and straightforward. The 4790k copes with cooling with a bang, in the BIOS settings I set a profile so that the turntables work up to 45C at 300rpm, and only after that they gradually spin up, i.e. count the passive - you can't hear it at all, in simple percent at runoff frequencies it stays in the region of 28-30C, after 2 hours of playing GTA5 - it was possible to warm up the percentages to 45-50 degrees, which I consider a very good result (the old 3570k with another fan is not stock heated up to 60-65). For a silent system - definitely a Must Have
Grade 5
Advantages: 1 Excellent cooling (the best in the world in the complex: noise, cooling, air flow, equipment)! 2 ease of installation, complete or, I would say, an absolute package (for Intel and AMD processors). 3 Low noise (there are even adapters that reduce the noise of 2 fans). 4 The easiest mounting of fans.
Disadvantages: Weight and dimensions (but otherwise you cannot achieve high cooling and silence rates.) And yet, look carefully at the dimensions of the case and dimensions of the Noctua NH-D15, it may not fit into the case! And the case must be roomy so that the filling does not choke from overheating ...
Commentary: I installed it in the case, I was afraid that it would touch the side cover. But there is a place, a couple of centimeters was in stock. The radiator was made so that it did not interfere with the installation of RAM with high radiators, but the fans had to be placed not for blowing into the radiator grilles, but for pulling out, since the fan in front, during installation, protruded so much that it went beyond the case. I moved the front and the cooler between the radiators (in the center). Everything went easily and without difficulties! I am very pleased with the purchase !!! If you have a powerful processor, then I strongly advise you to purchase and install the Noctua NH-D15, in my opinion, this is the most the best way!
Grade 5
Advantages: Time-tested quality. The progenitor of this model is the legendary ND-14. Large dissipation area, large dimensions of the external cooler, workmanship, minimal component tolerances.
Now the space for memory modules has become even more: 32mm with an external cooler, and as much as 64mm if you move it up or completely remove it, replacing it with a 120mm fan.
Disadvantages: Excessive delivery set. It is clear that the manufacturers were a little greedy: why release two types of packaging configuration (by the way, very convenient and high-quality).
Well, that's why I need a kit to install on AMD sockets?
And it is easier for the manufacturer to justify the price for two installation kits (intel and AMD each in a separate box) in the kit.
A comment: Great choice for socket 2011 v 3, for an almost reasonable price.
p.s. Without the AMD socket installation kit, the price would be even nicer.
Nikodimov Ivan December 26, 2014, Moscow \ Experience of use: less than a month
Enough for a long time processor cooler Noctua NH-D14 was the leader in its segment in terms of combination of consumer qualities. But technologies do not stand still (although many think on the contrary that stagnation has reigned) and, it would seem, we recently tested a single-section cooler Noctua NH-U14S, which managed to take the palm from the larger NH-D14. Probably, the Austrian company also came to the conclusion about the need to update their flagship. Therefore, the appearance of the NH-D15 is not surprising, especially since the first prototypes of the cooler were demonstrated almost a year ago at Computex, and the early upgrade options appeared about two years ago. Therefore, let's see if Noctua managed to make perfection even better, and compare what has changed in the design of the new item in relation to its predecessor.
Packaging and delivery set
Noctua NH-D15 is delivered to the retail market in a box of impressive dimensions - 235x193x270 mm. In the design applied classic design combined with signature white and brown shades.
Inside, in addition to polyurethane dampers, there were several more separate boxes with additional fan, cooler and accessories.
The delivery set, traditionally for Noctua, has everything and even a little more that is necessary for a comfortable installation of the device. This includes:
- cooler with main fan;
- additional fan Noctua NF-A15 PWM;
- two wire brackets for attaching a second fan;
- four rubber nails for installing the fan on the case;
- four screws for installing the fan on the case;
- NA-YC1 four-pin power splitter for fan;
- two four-pin resistors NA-RC7 reducing the fan speed;
- four white plastic stands, two mounting plates and four screws for AMD sockets;
- four black plastic stands, reinforcement plate and two mounting plates for Intel sockets LGA 115x;
- four mounting pins for Intel LGA 2011 sockets;
- four nuts for Intel Phillips screwdriver sockets;
- crosshead screwdriver;
- a tube of thermal paste;
- Three installation instructions for AMD, Intel LGA115x and LGA2011 platforms;
- adhesive metallic Noctua logo.
Appearance
Noctua NH-D15 and NH-D14, if you do not go into details, have more similarities than differences in appearance. This is the same large two-piece design, weighing 1 kg excluding fans (which will add another 320 g). Due to the large propeller frame and trimmed fins at the front, there is a false visual feeling that the cooler has become more squat, and a certain feeling that it is now somewhat wider.
If we look at the cooler from the front, we can see that the size of the fan is quite well chosen. Almost the entire area of the radiator fins and heat pipes falls into the blowing zone. And below there is an open area through which air is pushed, cooling the radiators of the power circuits of the motherboard.
Although the official Noctua website claims that the radiator is 165mm high, in fact it remains the same as it was on the NH-D14 - 160mm. However, due to the size of the fans, even when combined with standard height RAM, the overall size of the cooler can be up to 170mm. Thus, if the NH-D14 with its 160 mm fit into almost any case in the middle price segment, then for the NH-D15 you will need to choose the chassis more thoughtfully.
Two complete fans are already well known to the readers by Noctua review NH-U14S. They are called Noctua NF-A15 PWM, have dimensions of 150x140x25 mm and seats from conventional 120-mm models. The impeller rotation speed ranges from 400 to 1500 rpm and is controlled by PWM, and the noise level ranges from 34 to 53 dB (A), respectively. Up to 900 rpm, the propeller remains invisible from the closed housing. The NA-RC7 resistor will allow, when connected, to reduce top speed up to 1200 rpm. The bearing is a proprietary development of the company called SSO2 (Magnetically Stabilized Hydrodynamic). The electrical characteristics are visible in the photograph:
The fan frame is equipped with anti-vibration pads. The power connection is four-pin. The cord length is 200 mm. The overall quality of the product and its electromechanical components is at a very high level.
The shape of the edges of the radiator plates has changed. If in NH-D14 they resembled saw teeth, now they have become almost even. Three notches remained only at the edges, and in the center the rib was slightly recessed in order to optimize acoustic performance.
The main innovation is that the six 6mm heatpipes are now slightly wider, providing better heat distribution to the radiator fins. The negative aspect of this solution - the width of the cooler has reached 150 mm excluding the mounting brackets of the fans and it will stably close the first PCI-E slot on any motherboard.
And in the horizontal projection, nothing has changed, the pipes are still in a row. The thickness of each section is 50 mm, and the gap between them is 35 mm.
The cooler has 45 radiator plates spaced 2 mm apart. The total heat dissipation area of NH-D15 has grown by almost a thousand units relative to NH-D14 and amounted to 12600 cm².
The seven bottom fins on each side of the radiator are reduced in depth. This approach allows you to use RAM in the first slot up to 64 mm high, in the absence of a front fan.
The heat pipes at the points of contact with the radiator plates and the base are connected with solder. All aluminum and copper elements are coated with a thin layer of nickel to prevent metal corrosion.
The cooler's sole is smooth, but not mirrored. Although concentric grooves left by the cutter are observed on its surface, the thermal interface is removed from it easily and without a trace, which was not observed with NH-D14.
Noctua NH-D15 supports installation on all AMD, Intel LGA115x and LGA2011 sockets. To support outdated Intel LGA775 and LGA1366 sockets, the company is obliged to provide an NM-I3 mount free of charge upon request, it is not included in the package. As usual, I will tell you about the features of mounting the cooler using the example of the Intel LGA1155 socket. First, we need a reinforcing plate. Please note that it has undergone changes not only in comparison with the usual "cross" of SecuFirm, but also in relation to a similar element that I encountered earlier with Noctua NH-U14S, which is eloquently indicated by the inscription Rev.2 on it. If earlier the plate was bent in the central part, repeating the contours of the socket fastening, now it is straight. This was probably done in order to avoid conflict with the elements on back side motherboard too close to the processor socket.
So, we insert the reinforcement plate, which can have only one orientation, into the required holes on the back of the motherboard.
We put plastic stands on the studs.
We put and screw the fastening plates with the nuts. It is convenient to turn the nuts themselves by hand, but it is better to tighten them with a screwdriver. If it is necessary to change the orientation of the cooler, the plates will need to be rearranged from a perpendicular position with respect to the RAM slots to a parallel one.
We apply the thermal interface and screw on the cooler, evenly turning the two spring-loaded screws with a screwdriver until they stop. As you can see, even without a fan, the Noctua NH-D15 heatsink covers the first two RAM slots.
But, due to the absence of the lower seven plates, it is possible to put memory with high combs - up to 64 mm inclusive. Owners Intel platforms LGA2011 will definitely appreciate this feature.
The installed front fan will cover all remaining memory slots. In order to install it along with the usual 30 mm strips, the frame will need to be raised at least 10 mm relative to the ends of the heat pipes. In this case, the height of the cooler will become 170 mm, from where the Great chance conflict with the corps. That is, if you want to use four strips and not exceed 160 mm - please buy a low-profile RAM with a height of 19 mm. And since the fan hangs partially over the second memory slot, use a niche and hide two high planks v dual channel mode will not work, even on boards that support this option. But if you have only one bar, in the first slot, there are no problems in principle. There is also the option of ditching the front propeller and using only the middle propeller, but this will have to pay off with reduced cooling efficiency.
As expected, the first PCI-E slot remains covered even without a fan installed.
The cooler can be rotated horizontally on the socket by 90 degrees, but I didn’t do that, since the whole design was sharpened for vertical use.
Installation as a whole is very simple and takes about five minutes. It is also worth noting that lowering adapters, when using two fans, must be installed after the splitter and in front of the fan, one piece for each. Using one resistor on two fans at the same time, with it installed in front of the splitter, can cause problems.
The cooler has a very high clamping force in the center of the base, which confirms the near-ideal imprint of thermal paste.
Specifications
We compared the efficiency of heat dissipation with the Noctua NH-D15 cooler with its predecessor - a quiet, powerful and in many ways similar in design to the Noctua NH-D14 supercooler.
| Technical specifications | Noctua NH-D14 | |
| Socket compatibility | Intel LGA 1150/1155/1156/2011 AMD AM2 (+) / AM3 (+) / FM1 / FM2 (+) |
Intel LGA 775/1150/1155/1156/1366 AMD AM2 (+) / AM3 (+) / FM1 / FM2 (+) |
| Radiator dimensions (LxWxH), mm | 150x135x160 | 140x130x160 |
| Fan dimensions (LxWxH), mm | 150x140x25 / 150x140x25 | 120x120x25 / 140x140x25 |
| Heatsink material and construction | Vertical two-section radiator made of aluminum plates strung on 6 copper heat pipes with a diameter of 6 mm, arranged in a U-shape. Heatsink fins, heat pipes and base are nickel-plated, all connections are soldered. | Vertical two-piece construction of aluminum plates strung on 6 copper heat pipes with a diameter of 6 mm, arranged in a U-shape. Heat pipes and base are nickel plated, all connections are soldered. |
| Radiator weight, g | 986 | 900 |
| Number of radiator fins, pcs. | 45 / 45 | 42 / 42 |
| Plate thickness, mm | 0,5 | 0,5 |
| Intercostal distance, mm | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Estimated radiator area, cm² | ~12 660 | ~11 760 |
| Fan model | Noctua NF-A15 PWM / Noctua NF-A15 PWM | Noctua NF-P14 / Noctua NF-P12 |
| Fan speed, rpm | 1500/1500 with PWM | 1200 / 1300 |
| Air flow, m3 / h | 140,2 / 140,2 | 110,3 /92,3 |
| Fan noise level, dB (A) | 24,6 / 24,6 | 19,6 / 19,8 |
| Static pressure, mm of water | n / a | 1,29 / 1,68 |
| Number and type of fan bearing | Magnetically Stabilized Fluid Dynamic Bearing (SSO2) | Magnetic Stabilized Fluid Dynamic Bearing (SSO) |
| Time between fan failure, hour | 150 000 | 150 000 |
| Fan rated voltage, V | 12 | 12 |
| Fan current, A | 0,13 / 0,13 | 0,10 / 0,09 |
| Peak fan power consumption, W | 1,56 / 1,56 | 1,2 / 1,08 |
| Additional features | Speed reducing adapters | Reducing speed adapter |
| Average cost, $ | ~100 | ~80 |
Test stand
To test the efficiency of the Noctua NH-D15 cooler, we used a stand based on the Intel LGA1155 platform with the following configuration:
- processor: Intel Core i7-2600K (3, [email protected], 5 GHz, 1.352 V);
- motherboard: ASUS P8Z77-M Pro (Intel Z77);
- memory: Hynix HMT351U6BFR8C-H9 (1 x 4 GB, DDR3-2133 MHz, 11-13-12-28-1T, 1.5 V);
- SSD: Crucial M4 CT064M4SSD2 (64GB, SATA 6Gb / s);
- PSU: SeaSonic G550 Gold (SSR-550RM; 550 W);
- fan controller: Zalman PWM Mate;
- thermal grease: Noctua NT-H1.
To measure the sound pressure level, a UNI-T UT352 sound level meter was used. All measurements were taken in a quiet room without extraneous sound sources. The sound level meter was located at a distance of 10 mm from the upper end of the cooling system mounted on the motherboard. The background noise level was 34 dB (A).
Test results
Since the Noctua NH-D15 is updated version Noctua NH-D14, it was he who was chosen as a rival. To completely equalize the chances of both models, the same fans were used, namely stock from the NH-D15 called NF-A15 PWM with a maximum impeller speed of 1500 rpm. That is, in fact, a comparison was made of the efficiency of radiators, at the maximum speed of rotation of the propellers and in full silent mode at 800 rpm and 37 dB (A).
Then the temperature was plotted for each noise level.
The Noctua NH-D15 has managed to demonstrate amazing cooling performance. The change in the heat pipe layout allowed to win back from the "old man" NH-D14 up to four degrees at maximum speed and one degree in deathly silence at minimum speed. Indicative in terms of optimizing the radiator is the fact that high speeds The NH-D15, even with a single 150mm fan, is two degrees ahead of the NH-D14 with two similar turntables.
conclusions
Noctua NH-D15 easily won the place of the flagship solution in the model range of the Austrian company, proving that it is able to cope with processor cooling more efficiently and quieter than NH-D14. The cooler has retained all the best features of its predecessor - the highest quality workmanship, ease of installation, a six-year warranty and a rich package. And new fans and redesigned designs allow it to deliver powerful cooling while keeping noise levels low.
Not without a "fly in the ointment in a barrel of honey." The recommended product price has increased. Compatibility issues with video card, memory and case have become more pronounced due to the increase in the overall dimensions of the product. And the owners of the outdated Intel LGA775 and LGA1366 processor sockets will now have to wait a couple of weeks after purchasing the NH-D15 for free mounts to arrive.
The ideal use case for NH-D15 is its use on Intel LGA2011 sockets and boards with other ATX format sockets or larger. The cooler is less suitable for owners of MicroATX solutions. As for us, it is already obvious that the Noctua NH-D15 will firmly take its place in the laboratory's test bench for the next few years.
