Can you replace the fans on Noctua LGA1150 coolers?

[Gimpy2k7]

Specifically the Noctua NH-D15, as I'm reading up on air coolers that seems to be the best choice for an air cooling choice. But with the new build I'm working on...something I didn't think I would care about is colour scheme but those fans definitely clash with everything I've been looking at.

So my question is if there are fans similar in performance that could replace the stock fans on that cooler, or are there any other cooler out there that performs on par with that one that has a different colour scheme?

 

[Jameson Clark]

You can pretty much always change the fans on a cooler but i dont have a specific fan blade to suggest for you

 

[Vic 40]

Did you consider the Phanteks PH-TC14PE,comes in different colors,is also 171mm high.
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/phanteks-cpu-cooler-phtc14pe(fans are always white,the cooler itself can also be blue,black and red)
Or the be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 3,is a bit harder to install.
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/be-quiet-cpu-cooler-bk019
Both need low profile ram.

 

[Gimpy2k7]

I have had a look at a few other coolers, the Dark Rock Pro 3 especially. I guess performance isn't that far off of the Noctua unit which is okay if I make sure the case is loaded with fans, certainly the black would match the Enthoo Primo I plan to get a lot better. I just want to make sure I get something that performs very well on the air cooling side.

Are there specially designed fans needed to replace the ones on these coolers? With the Noctua D15 the fans look different, but can you mount any old 120mm fan on there?

As far as the low profile RAM goes, is that going to hurt performance at all? What I mean is, are the low profile options as good as the normal? The Corsair Vengeance kits for instance wouldn't work with the Dark Rock Pro correct?

Thanks for the help.

 

[Vic 40]

Are there specially designed fans needed to replace the ones on these coolers? With the Noctua D15 the fans look different, but can you mount any old 120mm fan on there?

For fan compatibility for the NH-D15,

from noctua,

Fan compatibility 140x150x25 (with 120mm mounting holes), 140x140x25 (with 120mm mounting holes), 120x120x25

So old 120mm fans could be used too.

As far as the low profile RAM goes, is that going to hurt performance at all? What I mean is, are the low profile options as good as the normal? The Corsair Vengeance kits for instance wouldn't work with the Dark Rock Pro correct?

To take the vengeance as an example,

for low profile you have these,
http://www.conrad.nl/medias/global/ce/8000_8999/8700/8730/8737/873758_RB_00_FB.EPS_1000.jpg
there are also these with high heat spreaders,
http://plexuscomputing.com.au/supplies/images/corsairvengeance.jpg
avoid ram that looks like the last,with those really tall heatspreaders.

I don't know why you would look at the already expensive nh-d15 and want to replace the also expensive fans on it just because of the color.It's up to you though.

 

[terry4536]

I would wait until you get the Noctua cooler. You really can't see that much of the fans. And the Noctua fans are the best around in my opinion.

But to answer your question, of course you can change the fans out.

 

[FastRedPonyCar]

I know that this is an old thread but given that the D15 is still THE go-to heatsink for serious air cooling and fan replacement is not uncommon given the color scheme, I thought I would chime in and say that 140mm fans fit just fine on the thing using the provided fan brackets.

There is no excess force or stretching needed to clip them onto the heatsink an just like with the included noctua fans, you can raise the outer fan up higher to clear taller memory chips.

I've got a pair of Phanteks 140mm fans mounted on mine with HyperX fury RAM under it with no clearance issues at all.

Stress testing my 4690k for half an hour at 4.4 ghz produces a max temp of 57*C and the system is near inaudible.

 

[terry4536]

Yes the fan clips use the standard 140mm fan screw holes to secure the fan. I haven't seen a problem with any brand of fan in this regard.

 

[Guest]

I was actually planning on doing the same thing, only with the black noctua fans that push like 107CFM and are 140mm.