Cryorig R1 Ultimate vs Noctua NH-D15 vs other

[miha2]

Hi all, I want to get the best air cooler possible. I'm thinking to buy the Cryorig R1 Ultimate, but with my current build, I don't think it's possible. My motherboard is Gigabyte Z97X-SLI (Rev. 1.1) and the cooler is quite large for this motherboard. Also, according to the FAQ for this motherboard, the CPU cooler weight limit is 450g/1 lb. Should I be concerned about it as well?

I have all 4 memory slots occupied with G.Skill Sniper (42mm high), and it's not an option to remove the 2 sticks. Why? Well, I need all 4 for now (unless you are willing to spare me 2x8), but I'm planning to get a new motherboard and the CPU (and as such, the memory) once the Intel's 10-nm CPU is released, which is going to happen in the next year.

Currently, I'm choosing between these air coolers:

1. be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4
2. Noctua NH-D15
3. Cryorig R1 Ultimate

If you know of any other good air coolers that will fit my current build, I may take a look at them, and if it's good enough, I may consider buying that cooler instead. Please, however, no liquid coolers. I want a super quiet system.

The cooler must fit into my current build, and it should not block the memory slots. I did rough calculations, and the R1 may not fit: it may block the memory slot. But that's just my rough calculations. If somebody here has roughly the same build (the same lenght CPU<->memory) did it fit perfectly? Does it block the memory slot(s)? Is there any better cooler?

I'm plannnig the next motherboard to be E-ATX, so that will not be a problem starting the next year.

 

[miha2]

...whether you have really tall RAM like the old school Ripjaws and Corsair Dominator modules...

There are very few memory modules with that kind of height anymore...

https://www.corsair.com/us/en/Categories/Products/Memory/Vengeance-PRO-RGB-Black/p/CMW32GX4M4A2666C16
- I want something like this to be my next memory. It is, as far as I know, about 50mm high, and it was released just this summer. And this is why I want "the best", or the most fit, ultra quiet, extra cool, and, preferably, not so heavy cooler. However, since this is impossible to have all of these qualities, it may be heavier than 450g/1lb, because the other 3 can work well together. NH-D15S seems to be the best fit for now, (I could even say perfect, if (and only if) it will keep the CPU super cool; as cool, or almost as cool, as NH-D15) and then, when I find a good enough motherboard, once Intel's 10nm is released, I can add the 2nd fan. Or if S is exactly NH-D15, but without the 2nd fan, I will buy the NH-D15, but use it with just 1 fan for now.

How does that sound?

 

[Karadjgne]

The D15 is old school. It's a standard double heatsink, sits squarely on top of the cpu. The D15S is a newer, redesign of the D15 where the towers are offset diagonally slightly to compensate for taller ram issues and gpu back plates. The D15S also only has the central fan, working the front tower on pull and the rear tower in push, vrs both on push with 2x fans. Stock there's only a few °C difference due to the redesigned fan and airflow characteristics. It's not uncommon for ppl to add 2 more fans for a total of 3x, just for looks alone since the 2-3°C at high loads isn't really much of an issue.

 

[miha2]

OK, so NH-D15S, with a 2nd fan (well, and maybe even 3rd, if it'll go well...) later on then? It looks good, it keeps the CPU cool, so... darkbreeze, if you approve it, I'll have no doubt and buy the S, and all be well.

If Noctua says my motherboard is supported (even though it says nothing about weight; just dimensions), I think it'll keep for 1 year; otherwise, I'll need to get another board...

And Karadjgne, 2-3°C lower is always good... Especially in the hot summer, when you're playing all in sweat.

 

[larrycumming]

Well, yea, ok I'm glad we all had a good laugh

 

[Karadjgne]

If it's lower than @90°C, temp is irrelevant. At 30,40,70° there's exactly no difference in performance, ability or anything else to a cpu. Literally a cpu doesn't care about or consider anything below thermal throttling temps as anything different. A pc idling at 50° and gaming at 70° in the middle of summer is exactly no different to a pc idling at 25° and gaming at 50° in the middle of winter. 2-3°C difference to a cpu is intrinsically the exact same temp. The only difference is to you, the user, not to the pc in general.

 

[Darkbreeze]

That's exactly what I said earlier. About four posts back. A long time in thread years. LOL.

Could go D15s and ADD a fan on the back maybe.

 

[miha2]

Right, right. OK, so, thanks everyone, that was a long thread. But finally you helped me decide on the best air cooler. D15S is a way to go, and as soon as Intel's 10nm CPU is out, I'll upgrade my rig, and that will be a good setup for the next 5 years (hopefully).

 

[Karadjgne]

Sounds like a solid plan. Had my Ivy-Bridge for 5 years now so I can't see you not getting that much out of your system. Game devs don't go too fast or the games become elitist and too few can play.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Yep. I've had my 6700k since release three years ago and while it might be nice to have something newer, so far I have not thrown anything at it that it couldn't handle just fine. I may upgrade when Zen 2 comes out, or if Intel ever stops being lazy AND gets their fab process problems worked out for a smaller architecture, but for at least another year, maybe two, this is still going to do what I need it to do.

I would feel fairly confident yours would as well. Maybe longer actually, especially if you overclock, since you'll have a bit more thermal headroom and probably extended longevity with the soldered heat spreader rather than TIM like everything else since Sandy has used.