[SOLVED] Recommendations for an air cooler that won't interfere with RAM

[emitfudd]

I'm moving the components from my old rig into a Lian Li Lancool II Mesh Performance case. I will be using this PC as a backup and not for gaming. It will be running a delidded 7700K but I'm going to set the clock speed back to stock. I was using a Hyper 212 Evo before I switched to an AIO. The only way I was able to mount it was with the fan on the opposite side in a pull configuration. I don't really want to use this fan again since I hate the mounting bracket and I know there is not much love for the 212 Evo. I have been looking at the Be Quiet coolers but there are so many choices. It looks like the Dark Rock Slim would be a good choice and not interfere with the RAM. Then there's the Shadow Rock and the Pure Rock. The Dark Rock Slim has the highest TDP rating at 180. The 7700K is only rated at 91 watts.

If there is something better in the Noctua lineup I'm open to that too. Ram clearance is my main concern along with a good design for the attaching bracket. I watched a video on the Dark Rock Slim and like that bracket design although the fan attaching clips may not be the best design.

7700K CPU
Asus Maximus IX Code motherboard
Corsair Vengeance LED CMU32GX4M4C 8GB x 4 RAM kit

 

[Lutfij]

How much are the coolers you're looking at go for? We see traffic from a lot of people around the world so it's a good idea to mention where you're located and/or where you prefer to buy the cooler from(site of purchase) since prices and availability of parts vary from region to region. As for your platform, if the system is a backup rig, you could go for a cheap Coolermaser 240mm AIO, they tend to go for about 65USD~80USD. Here's a shortlist;
https://pcpartpicker.com/products/cpu-cooler/#sort=price&W=10240

As for an aircooler, you could get away with a Be Quiet! Pure Rock Slim 2 cooler. If you're looking at Noctua's, you could look at the NH-U9S.

If you want a reliable backup system, then ditch AIO's. Stick to air cooling.

 

[emitfudd]

How much are the coolers you're looking at go for? We see traffic from a lot of people around the world so it's a good idea to mention where you're located and/or where you prefer to buy the cooler from(site of purchase) since prices and availability of parts vary from region to region. As for your platform, if the system is a backup rig, you could go for a cheap Coolermaser 240mm AIO, they tend to go for about 65USD~80USD. Here's a shortlist;
https://pcpartpicker.com/products/cpu-cooler/#sort=price&W=10240

As for an aircooler, you could get away with a Be Quiet! Pure Rock Slim 2 cooler. If you're looking at Noctua's, you could look at the NH-U9S.

If you want a reliable backup system, then ditch AIO's. Stick to air cooling.

I'm not too concerned with the price but would like to keep it under $100 US. I usually buy from Amazon or Newegg. I don't want to use an AIO on this build. Is the Pure Rock Slim more of an economy model compared to the Dark Rock? It has a TDP of 130 vs 180 on Dark Rock. It's quite a bit cheaper too. Thanks.

 

[emitfudd]

I bought the Dark Rock Slim. I looked at the specs vs the Pure Rock and there were quite a few upgrades to the Dark Rock. It is quite a bit more expensive at $65 vs $30 but I also like that it is all black.