Cooler question

greenbrucelee · 4 Apr 2018 at 21:14

I am going to get an i8700k with my new build but I cannot decide on a cooler

I have always used air cooling specifically the noctua nhd14 and was thinking about getting the nhd15 or 15s but I have been thinking about an AIO. maybe the corsair 150i pro or kraken x72

I will be overclocking and may get a dellided chip.

Can you suggest what I should get and how is the reliability and noise on AIO coolers?

I will be using a fractle define design r6 case and an asus maximus x hero mobo

Thanks

Disco_P · 4 Apr 2018 at 21:21

Any reason not to use the NH D14?

greenbrucelee · 4 Apr 2018 at 21:27

Disco_P said:
Any reason not to use the NH D14?

I am selling my current build to my brother who will probably break it but I thought I will just go new on everything apart from my data drive which I will be taking from the old system to use in the new one

evohicks · 4 Apr 2018 at 22:52

I am using the NH-D14 with the 8700k running at 4.5Ghz (I've no need for more O/c right now) and it gets to around 53° max in PUBG or Pcars 2 (maxed out on 3 screens)
It all depends on what fan curve you are going to be using as to how high the temps are, in my case if the temp hits 50°, the fan hits 50%, I use a closed headset so no issues with fan noise.

I had this cooler with my previous build and ran my FX 8350 at a solid 4.7Ghz for a while with no issues, it's a good air cooler and I'm glad it fits the new Z370 board.

Obviously it's not going to look as nice in the case as the closed liquid coolers but it does the same job if you're not too bothered.

greenbrucelee · 4 Apr 2018 at 22:55

evohicks said:
I am using the NH-D14 with the 8700k running at 4.5Ghz (I've no need for more O/c right now) and it gets to around 53° max in PUBG or Pcars 2 (maxed out on 3 screens)
It all depends on what fan curve you are going to be using as to how high the temps are, in my case if the temp hits 50°, the fan hits 50%, I use a closed headset so no issues with fan noise.

I had this cooler with my previous build and ran my FX 8350 at a solid 4.7Ghz for a while with no issues, it's a good air cooler and I'm glad it fits the new Z370 board.

THanks. I have been running my NHd14 on my i2500k since it came out and they have never missed a beat. I am just wondering if i should venture into AIO for a change or will I be disappointed?

doyll · 5 Apr 2018 at 17:59

If you want to venture into AIO stay far far away from CLCs. CLCs are a sub-group of AIOs, but not all AIOs are CLCs. Swiftech H series, Alphacool OEM (Fractal Design Kelvin series, be quiet! Silent Loop series and their own Aisbaer series) are AIOs but not CLCs. They all have copper radiators, threaded fittings with hoses that can be cut to length / changed, fill port to add / change coolant, and pumps that move much more coolant than CLC pumps do at lower rpm .. so quieter. They are much better built and if something goes wrong / wares out it can be replaced. CLCs are factory build and filled with no way to do anything but change fans.

The new Alphacool Aisbaer LT series are actually lower priced than most CLCs so are a much better deal.

But regardless, if you venture into liquid cooling you are adding more working parts to the cooling system and this increases the chances of something going wrong. Air coolers are still the best low cost way to cool.

A good air cooler will cool as well as CLCs almost always at lower noise levels and almost never fail. Only thing that can go wrong is fans, and any fan will keep system running until a new fan is in hand.

NH-D14 is every bit as good and any of the new top tier coolers. With same fans as D15 it give as good or slightly better temps. I would keep it and maybe put 2x 140mm new fans on it.

greenbrucelee · 5 Apr 2018 at 21:16

doyll said:
If you want to venture into AIO stay far far away from CLCs. CLCs are a sub-group of AIOs, but not all AIOs are CLCs. Swiftech H series, Alphacool OEM (Fractal Design Kelvin series, be quiet! Silent Loop series and their own Aisbaer series) are AIOs but not CLCs. They all have copper radiators, threaded fittings with hoses that can be cut to length / changed, fill port to add / change coolant, and pumps that move much more coolant than CLC pumps do at lower rpm .. so quieter. They are much better built and if something goes wrong / wares out it can be replaced. CLCs are factory build and filled with no way to do anything but change fans.

The new Alphacool Aisbaer LT series are actually lower priced than most CLCs so are a much better deal.

But regardless, if you venture into liquid cooling you are adding more working parts to the cooling system and this increases the chances of something going wrong. Air coolers are still the best low cost way to cool.

A good air cooler will cool as well as CLCs almost always at lower noise levels and almost never fail. Only thing that can go wrong is fans, and any fan will keep system running until a new fan is in hand.

NH-D14 is every bit as good and any of the new top tier coolers. With same fans as D15 it give as good or slightly better temps. I would keep it and maybe put 2x 140mm new fans on it.

Thanks

I have decided I will stick with the noctua, have been looking at AIO and CLCs and they are all too noisy for my liking although I will be getting an NHD-15 or 15s as I will keep the 14 in the system I'm selling too my brother. I might even get those new fan covers or whatever they are as I plan to get a fractle define design r6 in black or gunmetal so will make the cooler the same colour. IF my budgest allows I will be getting a pre binned i8700k. I wonder how the noctua will perform with it. I would think it will be good as the NHD-14 kept my E8400 at a constant 4GHz and has kept my current i52500k at 4.5GHz since it was released. The noctua is that quiet that I hear the built in motherboard fan (asus sabertooth z77) over it.

doyll · 6 Apr 2018 at 12:57

greenbrucelee said:
Thanks

I have decided I will stick with the noctua, have been looking at AIO and CLCs and they are all too noisy for my liking although I will be getting an NHD-15 or 15s as I will keep the 14 in the system I'm selling too my brother. I might even get those new fan covers or whatever they are as I plan to get a fractle define design r6 in black or gunmetal so will make the cooler the same colour. IF my budgest allows I will be getting a pre binned i8700k. I wonder how the noctua will perform with it. I would think it will be good as the NHD-14 kept my E8400 at a constant 4GHz and has kept my current i52500k at 4.5GHz since it was released. The noctua is that quiet that I hear the built in motherboard fan (asus sabertooth z77) over it.

If I was going Noctua the NH-D15S (£75) is what I would probably get. Their finpacks are 150mm wide (so is D15 (£85)) but D15S has base offset 8mm so it's fins only reach 67mm from center CPU toward PCIe sockets. Another extremely good Noctua cooler is NH-U14S (£63), also 150mm wide with centered base so 75mm center CPU toward PCIe sockets. Phantkes PH-TC14PE performs same and is £60. Others to consider are Cryorig R1 coolers, but their fans are not a nice sounding. Thermalright TRUE Spirit 140 Power is extremely good and was about fifty until recently, but OcUK does not allow us to post where on the shopping river other products are sold, or their prices. Another extremely good cooler is Thermalright Le Grand Macho RT. I'm using one myself and every review I've seen puts is as good or slightly better than NH-D15 / D15S .

greenbrucelee · 6 Apr 2018 at 22:20

doyll said:
If I was going Noctua the NH-D15S (£75) is what I would probably get. Their finpacks are 150mm wide (so is D15 (£85)) but D15S has base offset 8mm so it's fins only reach 67mm from center CPU toward PCIe sockets. Another extremely good Noctua cooler is NH-U14S (£63), also 150mm wide with centered base so 75mm center CPU toward PCIe sockets. Phantkes PH-TC14PE performs same and is £60. Others to consider are Cryorig R1 coolers, but their fans are not a nice sounding. Thermalright TRUE Spirit 140 Power is extremely good and was about fifty until recently, but OcUK does not allow us to post where on the shopping river other products are sold, or their prices. Another extremely good cooler is Thermalright Le Grand Macho RT. I'm using one myself and every review I've seen puts is as good or slightly better than NH-D15 / D15S .

I was thinking of going for the d15s, need to check out how its cooling compares to the 15

doyll · 6 Apr 2018 at 22:38

greenbrucelee said:
I was thinking of going for the d15s, need to check out how its cooling compares to the 15

D15S with it's one fan is a degree or two warmer under heavy to extreme loads than D15 with it's two fans. If both have same fans they cool identically.

greenbrucelee · 6 Apr 2018 at 23:11

well I am not too bothered about RAM clearance and if I can use the 2nd pcie slot (wont do sli) then I may get the d15 as I want as cool as possible even if it is a couple of degrees.