The best, quiet CPU cooler with ram clearance?

dancook · 20 Oct 2019 at 13:31

I keep reading there is little point to getting AIO cpu coolers with such good Air coolers...

So keeping my options open - I want to overclock 3900x, 9900k, or other high end cpu

CPU Currently is 6700k over clocked, and I need clearance for memory which is currently

G.SKILL TridentZ Series F4-2800C14D-32GTZ 32GB DDR4 2800 MHz C 14 1.35 V Memory Kit

What would be recommended? I'd also like it quiet.

moogle · 20 Oct 2019 at 13:35

Noctua NH-D15 or its latest version

dancook · 20 Oct 2019 at 13:41

moogle said:
Noctua NH-D15 or its latest version

thanks, I might have to rethink my case choice as I just read it doesn't fit in the lian li pc-o11 ! I will double check it

moogle · 20 Oct 2019 at 13:43

dancook said:
thanks, I might have to rethink my case choice as I just read it doesn't fit in the lian li pc-o11 ! I will double check it

There is the newer 120mm fan Noctua heatsink which is just as good I believe. I'm not sure if it has the exact same noise levels due to being smaller but being Noctua it is quality and does compete with its its bigger brother.

dancook · 20 Oct 2019 at 13:54

Thanks!

dancook · 20 Oct 2019 at 14:36

On watching a video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCUXacmoTcI

Seems this case is not best for air … no clearance for a lot of coolers

LuckyBenski · 20 Oct 2019 at 15:18

dancook said:
On watching a video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCUXacmoTcI

Seems this case is not best for air … no clearance for a lot of coolers

It's largely aimed at modern water cooling setups. In that sense it's ideal but has minimal cooler clearance.

EsaT · 20 Oct 2019 at 18:27

dancook said:
thanks, I might have to rethink my case choice as I just read it doesn't fit in the lian li pc-o11 ! I will double check it

Scythe Mugen 5 is cozy 0.5mm short of its 155m clearance. (same for Fuma 2)
Mugen 5 could take two good pressure capability Arctic P12s to squeeze last bits of performance out of it.
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/search?sSearch=Mugen+5

dancook said:
On watching a video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCUXacmoTcI

Seems this case is not best for air … no clearance for a lot of coolers

Nothing "Air" or "Dynamic" in it with that very mediocre cooler clearance and major airflow impedance meshes in front of fans.

doyll · 24 Oct 2019 at 11:31

dancook said:
I keep reading there is little point to getting AIO cpu coolers with such good Air coolers...

So keeping my options open - I want to overclock 3900x, 9900k, or other high end cpu

CPU Currently is 6700k over clocked, and I need clearance for memory which is currently

G.SKILL TridentZ Series F4-2800C14D-32GTZ 32GB DDR4 2800 MHz C 14 1.35 V Memory Kit

What would be recommended? I'd also like it quiet.

dancook said:
thanks, I might have to rethink my case choice as I just read it doesn't fit in the lian li pc-o11 ! I will double check it

Lian Li PC-O11 case has 155mm CPU clearance. It designed more for water cooling than air, so if you don't already have it there are better choices for less money. Phanteks and Fractal Design make nice cases.
Trident Z is 44mm tall so stands 47mm above motherboard. That means there isn't enough room between RAM and case side for even a 120mm fan so whatever cooler you get needs to be offset back from RAM.

What motherboard do you have? Once I know I can tell you the center CPU to x16 PCIe socket distance.

dancook · 24 Oct 2019 at 13:52

doyll said:
Lian Li PC-O11 case has 155mm CPU clearance. It designed more for water cooling than air, so if you don't already have it there are better choices for less money. Phanteks and Fractal Design make nice cases.
Trident Z is 44mm tall so stands 47mm above motherboard. That means there isn't enough room between RAM and case side for even a 120mm fan so whatever cooler you get needs to be offset back from RAM.

What motherboard do you have? Once I know I can tell you the center CPU to x16 PCIe socket distance.

I bought the Phantek 600S - sorry I didn't update this thread sooner!

doyll · 24 Oct 2019 at 14:14

dancook said:
I bought the Phantek 600S - sorry I didn't update this thread sooner!

P600S is a good case. I suggest using all 3 included fans as front intakes and remove all PCIe back slot cover (even if vented) to improve exhaust vent area and airflow out of case and thus improving front to back airflow lowering both CPU and GPU temps thus lowering fan speeds and resulting noise.

dancook · 24 Oct 2019 at 15:01

doyll said:
P600S is a good case. I suggest using all 3 included fans as front intakes and remove all PCIe back slot cover (even if vented) to improve exhaust vent area and airflow out of case and thus improving front to back airflow lowering both CPU and GPU temps thus lowering fan speeds and resulting noise.

thanks for the advice!

doyll · 24 Oct 2019 at 15:52

dancook said:
thanks for the advice!

Sorry, should add to plug fans to motherboard, then set their temp to speed curves to match CPU & GPU needs / speeds. That way the idle at 4-600rpm and only speed up as CPU and/or GPU load increses and their fans speed up. Might need to increase temp fans speed up at so they don't cycle up and down at low load. Keeps things nice and quiet most of the time.

Grim5 · 24 Oct 2019 at 20:30

An AIO

doyll · 25 Oct 2019 at 11:07

Grim5 said:
An AIO

Why? AIOs (most are actually CLCs) usually cost more often 2-3 times as much as air cooler, don't last are usually noisier (especially at idle), CLCs can't be repaired, and when they die there is no CPU cooling so no computer use until new cooler is installed. With air coolers the only thing that can wear out is fan and most will still work at low load with no fan or any fan can be held on with rubber bands until replacement is in hand.

Grim5 · 25 Oct 2019 at 21:36

doyll said:
Why? AIOs (most are actually CLCs) usually cost more often 2-3 times as much as air cooler, don't last are usually noisier (especially at idle), CLCs can't be repaired, and when they die there is no CPU cooling so no computer use until new cooler is installed. With air coolers the only thing that can wear out is fan and most will still work at low load with no fan or any fan can be held on with rubber bands until replacement is in hand.

They provide the most ram clearance for the cooling ability. I thought that's what OP wanted, great RAM clearance?

GL with RAM clearance if you're sticking in 4 sticks and trying to slap a brick cooler like the NHD15 on there lmao

drakulton · 25 Oct 2019 at 22:01

Are you going to massively overclock the memory? If not unclip the stoopid ram heatsinks and fit the aircooler you want. You're not going to see the memory under the cooler anyway

b00merang69 · 25 Oct 2019 at 22:14

The D15S is the one specifically made for extra Ram and top PCI-E slot for clearance not the D15.

All the information is on the Noctua site, look at what cooler you ideally want and then look up compatibility chart for your Mobo and see if it is suitable.

MartinPrince · 26 Oct 2019 at 12:00

Grim5 said:
An AIO

I've got a proper and really good AIO (Swiftech) as the radiator is copper (most are aluminium) and I've replaced the fans to some of best air pushed for rpm fans available. I also have a D15s on my 3900X, which is specifically designed for RAM clearance or the first PCIE slot depending on your orientation.

When it comes to quiet (which the OP specifically mentioned) and cooling performance the D15s is just head and shoulders above the AIO. It is virtually silent at full load in my case.

dancook · 26 Oct 2019 at 12:19

I noticed when I took this photo the fans were the wrong way round, I misunderstood the triangular direction notches. But saw that it didn't match the installed case fans.

The outer fan just sits a little higher as it rests atop the ram. Vengence LPX which hasn't got a very large heatsink anyway