PH-TC14PE contact point

PorkPieCat · 20 Apr 2012 at 12:40

I just got my Phanteks cooler in the post today. A question for all those with this heatsink, is the base supposed to be a little bit uneven? It has machine marks on it, and at first I was ok with it. But running a fingernail over the machine marks is not entirely smooth, there's definitely friction one way and not the other (and it sounds like a fine nail file lol). Is that normal? Noctuas are cheaper and are supposed to have 100% smooth bases :L

(am i being unrealistic??)

beejjacobs · 20 Apr 2012 at 12:46

Hi there, I don't have one of these to compare but this review shows that the base is slightly convex:
http://www.vortez.net/articles_pages/phanteks_ph_tc14pe_cpu_cooler_review,6.html
They also state the previous page that it is not a mirror finish.

Also I have a Noctua and it's not a 100% smooth base

See this review here:
http://www.vortez.net/articles_pages/noctua_nh_d14_cpu_cooler_review,5.html
Which states

The base of the cooler is fairly flat but doesn't have a mirror finish. Noctua's philosophy is targeted at better thermal paste application, hence the base being slightly rough to prevent air pockets forming. Micro grooves mean that high viscosity thermal paste is dispersed creating a uniform thin layer.

PorkPieCat · 20 Apr 2012 at 13:27

thanks VERY much. everything i wanted to hear

Helios1234 · 20 Apr 2012 at 13:47

And people wonder why I go into so much detail in my reviews

.

PorkPieCat · 20 Apr 2012 at 19:50

haha. thanks for the sweet review. details are definitely important for angsty first-time consumers

.

some of the fins on mine were bent when i opened the box but otherwise the heatsink's really growing on me. getting the cpu on monday, and hopefully everything goes awesome!

Helios1234 · 20 Apr 2012 at 19:51

What colour did you go for?

beejjacobs · 20 Apr 2012 at 23:49

Can't read. Ignore...

clone · 21 Apr 2012 at 10:25

I always lap my air cooler base as they are no the best

PorkPieCat · 22 Apr 2012 at 00:26

went for red, to go with... nothing, really. i just like red. it'll look hideous with ty-140s in it though. at least my case has no window hah

i would have considered sanding, but the good benchmark results were made with unaltered bases, and helios' fantastic review points out that it might be intentional. if most other people aren't lapping and they have no problems with it, then i can live with grooves too ^^