Noctua NH-D15 vs AIO coolers

[ccc2rt]

Hi all,

I am looking to buy a CPU cooling. So far I've only had experience with air coolers and am looking at the Noctua D15. However, I may consider getting an AIO water cooler like Antec Mercury 360 or Corsair Hydro H110i 280mm.

Any advice/benchmark and opinions on the performance of these coolers compared to the D15?

These coolers are more expensive compared to the D15, are they worth it?

What is The Pros and Cons of AIO Water Cooling ?

CPU is 8700K.
Thanks.

 

[stevenjemint]

"The Noctua NH-D15 is truly outstanding. It rises above all competitors and takes the air-cooling crown while giving even loud AIO liquid coolers a run for their money. Simply put, Noctua's new flagship cooler offers class-leading cooling performance. Not only that, it does so while being very quiet. Although not as quiet as be quiet!'s Dark Rock Pro 3, it still offers a near-silent operation, which holds especially true if you use Noctua's low-noise adapters. With the NH-D15 offering 64 mm for DIMMs, memory clearance in single-fan mode is also great. Add Noctua's easy-to-use SecuFirm 2 mounting system and the cooler's exceptional build quality and you end up with a real winner. The nice accessories bundle includes that handy screwdriver, and Noctua's excellent packaging really sets the Noctua NH-D15 apart. Overall, Noctua has done a fantastic job.

There are, however, some areas the company can improve upon. Lets face it, $100 is expensive, although I do feel it's justified given the level of quality and attention to detail. However, it does mean many will pass the NH-D15 up in favor of cheaper alternatives, like Deepcool's Gamer Storm Assassin. The next big issue is memory clearance. Sure, single-fan mode offers great clearance, but temperatures rise by 5°C, which makes cheaper alternatives like the Thermaltake NiC C5 or Scythe Ashura better options. When using both fans, the CRYORIG R1 Universal stands out because it offers better memory clearance on mainstream sockets and costs $10 less, although the NH-D15 outperforms it by 2°C. Then there is obviously Noctua's well-known dark brown and beige color scheme. While it makes the fans unique, incorporating the cooler into a color scheme becomes very difficult.

The other thoughts I have come down to one matter only: Noctua, improve your memory compatibility in dual-fan mode. Do that and you can truly take the crown when it comes to high-end coolers. As it stands right now, the NH-D15 is an excellent product that sets a new standard in air-cooling performance, but much like other dual-tower designs, its short comings are easy to spot. With all that said, I can fully recommend the NH-D15. If memory clearance is not a big deal, this is the air cooler to get when it comes to performance and noise produced.

Setting a new bar for air-cooling performance while keeping noise to a minimum, the Noctua NH-D15 eats the competition alive. If AIO liquid coolers don't appeal to you, give the NH-D15 a good look as it doesn't disappoint."

- Tech Power Up

 

[bazznet1]

DOES D15 BETTER?

 

[techNOguy123]

As I recall when I was researching cpu coolers for my build, a D15 is on par with 240mm AIOs in terms of temps. A 280mm AIO will get you another 5c or so.

I'm a cheap bastard so I went with a Cooler Master ML240 Lite on sale for $38 and added some extra fans I had laying around for a push/pull setup (essentially like the pro version but without the fancy braided tubing). Can't speak for a 8700k but my Ryzen 7 1700 @ 3.9ghz/1.344v gets about 28c idle, 50c under prime95, and 40c gaming.