[SOLVED] New Noctua NH-D15s vs 8 years old corsair h55?

[Syntextoxy]

Hello folks. So I have an about 8 years old build.

Asus rog z87 maximus gene vi MOBO

Intel i7 4770k Cpu (for the first time ever 2 weeks ago applied an overclock to 4.4 on all cores and seems stable)

Corsair h55 aio for the cpu.

Corsair cs750m PSU

16gb (4x4) corsair vengeance Ddr3 1866 Hz Ram.

Gainward rtx 2080 super phantom glh (set to about 2000mhz core and +450 mhz memory overclock)

1 amd 250gb ssd, 1 crucial mx250 ssd, 1 crucial bx500 ssd and a terabyte wd hdd.

NZXT H500i case, 1 stock 120 fan as exhaust in back, 1 140 noctua fan as exasut on top, 1 stock fan as intake front below for gpu, and 1 120 noctua fan as intake and 1 120 corsair fan as exhaust on the h55 rad in the front top.

I game on a AOC AGON AG352UCG6, 3k Ultrawide, gsync 120hz mva panel.

I've used the windows 10 debloater, try to keep a low number of background using apps.

Been playing horizon zero dawn and getting an a rage of 55-65 fps, cpu temp would go to about 81c and gpu temp would go to about max 70c.

https://imgur.com/AJ9XR6c

View: https://i.imgur.com/AJ9XR6c.jpg
(ingame benchmark)

https://imgur.com/mW4QBka

View: https://i.imgur.com/mW4QBka.png
(usersbenchmark score)

Does anyone have suggestions on how I might improve the gaming experiance further on this system? I know going and buying a new mobo, cpu, ram would be nice and an upgrade but not financially able now or in the see able future.

Would I have a good enough benefit to buying a 240 aio perhaps? I saw an arctic and fractal design one that show good results that I like though no idea how much that would improve results. I'm hoping it would cuz it would be 240 vs the current 120 and also my current h55 is 8 years old, so prolly not as much liquid in it as if brand new...

The most tempting idea is to maybe buy an Noctua NH-D15s, add a second fan on it, though I have no idea how it would preform vs an 8 years old corsair h55...

Thanks for any suggestions in front,
Cheers!

 

[grimfox]

A 120 rad on the cpu is not really sufficient IMO. And that's coming from someone who used a H80i when those first came out. It's just barely enough cooling. The D15 would probably be an improvement. BUT! You didn't post temps. So it's hard to say if the H55 is working as intended or struggling. Also the 2080 super should be more than enough for most games. If you really want a performance boost you'll need to update your CPU/RAM/MOBO. That would be the better choice compared to getting a 3080 (if you could).

 

[okjak808]

The Noctua should perform better since it is a high end air cooler. I bought a Antec H2o 620 AIO new, but it launched around 2011. It's looks similar to the H55 (Asetek made AIO coolers for both of these brands,) and it probably performs similar or in some cases lower than the H55. But upon research some say even the cooler master evo212 will perform better the fact that it's a budget air cooler. Since your H55 is 8 years old it's best to start looking for a new cooler cause it might fail soon.

 

[Syntextoxy]

A 120 rad on the cpu is not really sufficient IMO. And that's coming from someone who used a H80i when those first came out. It's just barely enough cooling. The D15 would probably be an improvement. BUT! You didn't post temps. So it's hard to say if the H55 is working as intended or struggling. Also the 2080 super should be more than enough for most games. If you really want a performance boost you'll need to update your CPU/RAM/MOBO. That would be the better choice compared to getting a 3080 (if you could).

Yeah I know that'd be best, but in the current financial standing I need to make this system work for several more years. In modded minecraft, horizon zero dawn and borderlands 3 while cpu is at 100% utilization cpu Temps reach to 85C.
Even if I for instance took a combo that my fav store is selling (AMD Bundle Ryzen 5 PRO 4650G Promo, B550 Pro4, DDR4 8GB G.Skill Aegis 3200MHz) I'd only be getting a new platform, the cpu is about on par with mine, if not worse for gaming. And even if I had money for the combo I would rather wait a bit more to buy something like x570 tomahawk, 3700x,trident z neo cl16 3600mhz. Though by the time I manage to upgrade zen 5 and Nvidia 5000 will already be out x'D

https://imgur.com/oIgaM3y

View: https://imgur.com/oIgaM3y

This was when borderlands 3 optimised shaders at game launch. That's why I was thinking of going with the NH-D15s with 2 fans since I'm optimistic that compared to the 8 years old h55 it should hopefully work better and is the cheepest thing I could do. Can also use that on any new system I build once financially able.

 

[Crosslhs82x2]

You definitely got your Money's worth out of that cooler.

 

[Syntextoxy]

The Noctua should perform better since it is a high end air cooler. I bought a Antec H2o 620 AIO new, but it launched around 2011. It's looks similar to the H55 (Asetek made AIO coolers for both of these brands,) and it probably performs similar or in some cases lower than the H55. But upon research some say even the cooler master evo212 will perform better the fact that it's a budget air cooler. Since your H55 is 8 years old it's best to start looking for a new cooler cause it might fail soon.

Whelp that was kind of my tought process also, and the only thing I see that I actually can upgrade without going for a completely new mobo/cpu/ram combo.

 

[Syntextoxy]

You definitely got your Money's worth out of that cooler.

Indeed, last time I cleaned the internals I heard a lot more liquid flowing around the radiator then usual, that's why I'm also mainly thinking of switching it.

 

[Crosslhs82x2]

I can't speak on the Noctua cooler itself except it is highly rated.
I can say I love Noctua's Ippc fans as those are what is on all 3 of my corsair coolers.

 

[grimfox]

The D15 might bring your temps down a touch, and you should probably get it for piece of mind. That said my H80i is still running and I believe it's older than the H55.

 

[Phaaze88]

Does anyone have suggestions on how I might improve the gaming experiance further on this system? I know going and buying a new mobo, cpu, ram would be nice and an upgrade but not financially able now or in the see able future.

You pretty much answered your own question here.
There's nothing you can change for a significant different in performance without having to spend moolah in this situation.

Would I have a good enough benefit to buying a 240 aio perhaps?

Negative, and if the current cooler isn't broke...
Then again, IMO, the biggest downside of hybrid coolers is needing a 2nd cooler on hand for when it eventually breaks, otherwise you can't - shouldn't - continue to use the PC with a busted unit until it is replaced.

The most tempting idea is to maybe buy an Noctua NH-D15s, add a second fan on it, though I have no idea how it would preform vs an 8 years old corsair h55...

Won't make a significant difference with a 4770K. Since the H55 is still operating in safe thermal ranges, a NH-D15S won't change this.
Though it will be nice to have on hand once the H55 does give up the ghost.

 

[Syntextoxy]

You pretty much answered your own question here.
There's nothing you can change for a significant different in performance without having to spend moolah in this situation.


Negative, and if the current cooler isn't broke...
Then again, IMO, the biggest downside of hybrid coolers is needing a 2nd cooler on hand for when it eventually breaks, otherwise you can't - shouldn't - continue to use the PC with a busted unit until it is replaced.


Won't make a significant difference with a 4770K. Since the H55 is still operating in safe thermal ranges, a NH-D15S won't change this.
Though it will be nice to have on hand once the H55 does give up the ghost.

Thanks for the info, guess I'll just wait awhile then and use it till it goes broke and then go for the Noctua. Cheers

 

[Zerk2012]

Thanks for the info, guess I'll just wait awhile then and use it till it goes broke and then go for the Noctua. Cheers

8 years old I would be replacing that, when it fails your PC is 100% down, usually you can count on 5 years for the AIO's (could be longer could be less)

A good option for less than a D15.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QMK5R45?tag=pcpapi-20&linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1

You should be able to get more of a overclock out of your processor.

I would also be looking at replacing a 8 year old CS power supply when you can.

 

[Phaaze88]

Thanks for the info, guess I'll just wait awhile then and use it till it goes broke and then go for the Noctua. Cheers

That's IF you don't already have a spare cooler on hand. Do you?

 

[Flayed]

I'm getting a D15s delivered on Saturday. I wasn't planning on replacing the stock cooler but when I saw one on Amazon Warehouse used for £35 I figured why not. I hope it isn't too badly "used" heh

 

[geofelt]

I'm getting a D15s delivered on Saturday. I wasn't planning on replacing the stock cooler but when I saw one on Amazon Warehouse used for £35 I figured why not. I hope it isn't too badly "used" heh

To answer your original question, the NH-D15s is as good as it gets for an air cooler.
Fully the equivalent of a 240 aio in a nice case like yours. You will get little benefit from adding another fan to it.
Do not bother.

If anything, relocate that 140mm top exhaust to the front as an intake.

 

[okjak808]

Whelp that was kind of my tought process also, and the only thing I see that I actually can upgrade without going for a completely new mobo/cpu/ram combo.

Better cooling will drop your temps and that will improve performance by only preventing your PC from throttling, and improve the life span of it . The only way to improve your performance without major upgrades is to either overclock your CPU or GPU.