Best air cooler for Ryzen

Soldato
Joined
1 Jul 2011
Posts
8,632
What EstA said.

The difference between 1x and 2x fans is only a couple degrees at most. Making sure you have good case aiflow so component coolers are receiving air within a few degrees of room air temp is very important .. if air temp going into cooler under load (like gaming) is 10-15c above room air temp than component will run same 10-15c hotter than it would with air near room ambient. ;)

Cheers.
Since, I'm choosing a normal RAM choice. I need a different cooler.
I've gotten a good 6 years out of the NH D14, time to move on.
NH-D14 is still one of the best coolers out there. The only reason it's a few degrees warmer than D15 is because it's fan's max speed is slower. ;) D14 with a single new middle fan like TY-147A or TY-143 (if you can stand red/orange colour) are very good.
 
Soldato
Joined
1 Jul 2011
Posts
8,632
I've been seriously impressed with the following:
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/arctic-freezer-34-esports-duo-red-cpu-cooler-2-x-120mm-hs-075-ar.html
It handily beat my corsair h50 push pull.
Beating H50 isn't saying anything.
34 is 124x157x103mm (WxHD) w/ 2x fans & 4x direct contact heatpipes, so finpack is only 53mm deep.

For comparison, Alpenfohn Matterhorn Pure is 138x123x158mm w/ 1x fan & 6x heatpipes in 75mm deep finpack and is only £33.95 and has 6x 6mm heatpipes.

Direct contact heatpipes vs enclosed base heatpipes is not a big deal, although I believe enclosed is better.

50% more heatpipe area makes a huge difference in performance.

2x fans vs single fan on single tower (even twin towers) makes little difference (1-3c). Add 100-200rpm to single fan and it performs the same as 2x fans at lower rpm .. and at full speed the speed difference is even less. 2x fans make more noise than single fan, so the added speed needed with single fan ends up being about same DB level as 2x fans.
 
Associate
Joined
18 Sep 2016
Posts
108
Beating H50 isn't saying anything.
34 is 124x157x103mm (WxHD) w/ 2x fans & 4x direct contact heatpipes, so finpack is only 53mm deep.

For comparison, Alpenfohn Matterhorn Pure is 138x123x158mm w/ 1x fan & 6x heatpipes in 75mm deep finpack and is only £33.95 and has 6x 6mm heatpipes.

Direct contact heatpipes vs enclosed base heatpipes is not a big deal, although I believe enclosed is better.

50% more heatpipe area makes a huge difference in performance.

2x fans vs single fan on single tower (even twin towers) makes little difference (1-3c). Add 100-200rpm to single fan and it performs the same as 2x fans at lower rpm .. and at full speed the speed difference is even less. 2x fans make more noise than single fan, so the added speed needed with single fan ends up being about same DB level as 2x fans.

https://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/cases_cooling/cpu_air_cooler_mega_test/39

The older freezer i32 was beating the Matterhorn by the looks of things, so number of heat pipes isn't everything.
They both look like decent coolers though tbh
 
Soldato
Joined
1 Jul 2011
Posts
8,632
https://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/cases_cooling/cpu_air_cooler_mega_test/39

The older freezer i32 was beating the Matterhorn by the looks of things, so number of heat pipes isn't everything.
They both look like decent coolers though tbh
I question the validity of their testing procedure. It shows 20c as air temp during all tests. Testing differeent cooler with different size fans having different airflow in a case running same fans at same speed for all tests will not give same temp of air into all the different coolers.

Without monitoring and recording air temp into each cooler at the same time as CPU temp is recorded we no accurate test being done.

So even though the 32 results were 0.25c lower than Matterhorm in this testing, this testing is not at all accurate Realistic margin of errror is +/-0.5-1c .. and that is when the delta temp is actually being done by recording air temp at the same time CPU temp is taken.

Good rule of thumb is any cooler testing being done in a case built test station is most likely not a very scientific test. ;)
 
Associate
Joined
18 Sep 2016
Posts
108
I question the validity of their testing procedure. It shows 20c as air temp during all tests. Testing differeent cooler with different size fans having different airflow in a case running same fans at same speed for all tests will not give same temp of air into all the different coolers.

Without monitoring and recording air temp into each cooler at the same time as CPU temp is recorded we no accurate test being done.

So even though the 32 results were 0.25c lower than Matterhorm in this testing, this testing is not at all accurate Realistic margin of errror is +/-0.5-1c .. and that is when the delta temp is actually being done by recording air temp at the same time CPU temp is taken.

Good rule of thumb is any cooler testing being done in a case built test station is most likely not a very scientific test. ;)
I've not read any further, but I'm assuming they were using air conditioning to maintain a constant temperature.
Also, it's reasonable to test coolers with the fans that they are bundled with and in a reasonable case. Most people won't have an open air test bed that they use 24/7.
 
Soldato
Joined
1 Jul 2011
Posts
8,632
I've not read any further, but I'm assuming they were using air conditioning to maintain a constant temperature.
Also, it's reasonable to test coolers with the fans that they are bundled with and in a reasonable case. Most people won't have an open air test bed that they use 24/7.
I guess the real point here is an air conditioned room at 20c will not be supplying 20c air to any cooler mounted in a case. Not even at an idle, and put system under load in a case with stock case fans and it will likely be 5-10c, maybe even 20c hotter inside of case at 10-20 minutes into a full load run.

Even testing on open bench test station the air temp near station will go up a degree ot two because of lighting, heat from PSU, fans, CPU, even body heat of person/s doing the testing.
 
Associate
Joined
18 Sep 2016
Posts
108
I guess the real point here is an air conditioned room at 20c will not be supplying 20c air to any cooler mounted in a case. Not even at an idle, and put system under load in a case with stock case fans and it will likely be 5-10c, maybe even 20c hotter inside of case at 10-20 minutes into a full load run.

Even testing on open bench test station the air temp near station will go up a degree ot two because of lighting, heat from PSU, fans, CPU, even body heat of person/s doing the testing.
Fair points, but I think most people would assume that those factors would remain relatively constant between tests.
 
Soldato
Joined
1 Jul 2011
Posts
8,632
Fair points, but I think most people would assume that those factors would remain relatively constant between tests.
I don't think that way. Always monitor air temp as close to cooler as I can and at same time as CPU temp. Year and years and years of testing have proven time and again that room temp, temp near case and temp of air going into cooler are not constant and deinitley not the same. The only way to know what the air temp into cooler mounted in a case built system is with a remote sensor monitoring temp about an inch in front of middle of front fan and looking at both air and CPU temp at same time to determine CPU delta temp.
 
Associate
Joined
18 Sep 2016
Posts
108
I don't think that way. Always monitor air temp as close to cooler as I can and at same time as CPU temp. Year and years and years of testing have proven time and again that room temp, temp near case and temp of air going into cooler are not constant and deinitley not the same. The only way to know what the air temp into cooler mounted in a case built system is with a remote sensor monitoring temp about an inch in front of middle of front fan and looking at both air and CPU temp at same time to determine CPU delta temp.
Have to admire your need to control all the variables.
 
Soldato
Joined
1 Jul 2011
Posts
8,632
Have to admire your need to control all the variables.
It's only common sense if you are recording temps in 10ths of a degree of a degree to keep air temp into coolers within the same 10ths range .. or record cooler intake air temps at same time as CPU temp is taken. Different cooler fans move different amounts of air and this also significan'ty effects the cases airflow temp into cooler. So if 'all the variables' are not controlled in cooler testing the margin of error becomes something crazy like +/-5c which is a 10c margin of error .. meaning test results from reviews like referenced above can easily be 5-10c off, basically making them worthless.
 
Last edited:
Associate
Joined
18 Sep 2016
Posts
108
It's only common sense if you are recording temps in 10ths of a degree of a degree to keep air temp into coolers within the same 10ths range .. or record cooler intake air temps at same time as CPU temp is taken. If 'all the variables' are not controlled in cooler testing the margin of error becomes something crazy like +/-5c which is 10c margin of error .. meaning test results from reviews like referenced above are worthless.
Feel like this is going off topic, so will agree to disagree.
 
Soldato
Joined
14 Aug 2018
Posts
3,371
I suspect the main reason to change from the D14 is you fancy a different look. I'll be reusing the D14 on my 3900X, though my main criteria is as quiet as possible while keeping the heat in check. If the fans aren't up to it then I might consider changing them before changing the heatsink.
 
Soldato
Joined
1 Jul 2011
Posts
8,632
What MartinPrince said. Mabye some new fans, maybe just a good middle fan like D15S uses, and if you want more of a change in looks maybe spray top of top cooler fins black being careful not to blow paint into other fins. Painting just top of top fins doesn't effect cooling ability.
 
Associate
Joined
7 Apr 2017
Posts
1,762
Using a Noctua d14 still, seems up to the task, just set fans to max because my case is sound proofed and cant hear them. 50 degrees is highest I've seen gaming, seen it get into the 70s running stress tests.
 
Soldato
Joined
20 Apr 2015
Posts
4,064
Location
.
Cheers.
Since, I'm choosing a normal RAM choice. I need a different cooler.
I've gotten a good 6 years out of the NH D14, time to move on.

Are you overclocking the RAM? if not it might be worth removing the RAM heatsinks to give you a bit more clearance with the NH-D14
 
Soldato
Joined
11 Apr 2004
Posts
19,807
which of these coolers for the 3700x?

My basket at Overclockers UK:
Total: £294.83 (includes shipping: £9.90)

Any reason you have shortlisted the U12 rather than the D15 SE-AM4? Limited by your case?

I had a BeQuiet SilentLoop 240 which had some problems with the pump rattling. I sent it off for RMA, sold the replacement and bought a D15 for my 2600 @ 4.1GHz. I can't think of a single reason I'd go back to an AIO now. Sure, an AIO is more aesthetically pleasing but personally I don't mind a big air cooler... even if I can't see the RGB of my ROG X470-F anymore :(

I'm only running a single fan which I never hear ramp up and idle temperatures are never more than 10'c ambient. Load temperatures are 50-60'c depending on ambient which is easily on par with the BeQuiet AIO.
 
Back
Top Bottom