Question Rest of Build Done, Just need a cooler

[knightsnotgolden]

I had some issues mounting my 280mm AIO cooler, so I'll be returning it. The case is pretty much built, with cables managed and such so changing cases is something I'd rather not do.
The highlights are a Fractal Design- Focus G -165mm clearance G-Skill DDR4 3200- 42mm height i7- 9700k plan to overclock
I wanted to go for a noctua, but it doesn't seem to be compatible with my case/ram clearances unless I remove a fan.
Suggestions?

 

[WildCard999]

What about the Cryorig A40 240mm? It's a pretty good AIO for the money and is the only one out there that has a additional fan over the heatsink which they claim can make a significant difference. I'd mount on top as exhaust.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=46&v=BTCDo_WT6xY&feature=emb_logo


PCPartPicker Part List

CPU Cooler: CRYORIG A40 83 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $99.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-12-07 21:58 EST-0500

 

[knightsnotgolden]

What about the Cryorig A40 240mm? It's a pretty good AIO for the money and is the only one out there that has a additional fan over the heatsink which they claim can make a significant difference. I'd mount on top as exhaust.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=46&v=BTCDo_WT6xY&feature=emb_logo


PCPartPicker Part List

CPU Cooler: CRYORIG A40 83 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $99.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-12-07 21:58 EST-0500

I've never heard of the company :/ And I'm a little antsy to finish off the build and Amazon doesn't show it shipping for at least another week.

What do you think about the Noctua D15 and just removing the second fan?

 

[WildCard999]

I've never heard of the company :/ And I'm a little antsy to finish off the build and Amazon doesn't show it shipping for at least another week.

What do you think about the Noctua D15 and just removing the second fan?

You should be able to use both fans unless you memory has tall heatsinks but it is an excellent CPU air cooler.

 

[Karadjgne]

Try the Noctua NH-D15S instead. It's the same thing as the NH-D15 except has a rear and slight right offsets and only comes with a single center fan. That avoids any ram issues, any gpu backplate issues which was a bone of contention for many builders. There's also a black chromax version, so avoids the brown/tan color issues too.

Cryorig was formed several years ago. The original ppl were pro gamers and gaming engineers, which is a dynamite combination. Their first cooler design was the H7, nicknamed the Hyper212 Killer, because it did exactly that, dominated the Hyper212 in every department. Demand was so high that ppl were forced to wait for months to get it as NCIX was the only retailer that carried it. Both the A80 and A40 are very good AIO's, and do have a pump mounted fan which has been on the minds of OC'rs for years, something to cool the VRM's since that's lacking on every other AIO setup.

Cryorig is a verified company, no worries in that area.

 

[knightsnotgolden]

You should be able to use both fans unless you memory has tall heatsinks but it is an excellent CPU air cooler.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017RKV4N2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Here's my RAM, its listed as 42mm in height, so I was under the impression there would be clearance issues. This could have all been resolved by picking a different case... but lessons learned its my first build.

 

[knightsnotgolden]

Try the Noctua NH-D15S instead. It's the same thing as the NH-D15 except has a rear and slight right offsets and only comes with a single center fan. That avoids any ram issues, any gpu backplate issues which was a bone of contention for many builders. There's also a black chromax version, so avoids the brown/tan color issues too.

Thanks! I think I'll order that!

 

[Karadjgne]

It's not your case choice. That's a very decent case and really no different in design than many others.

It's air cooler design combined with physical limitations. Which is totally out of your hands.

I once bought a Raijintek Nemesis. Excellent cooler, on par with the NH-D15 or Cryorig R1 Ultimate. Tickled pink that it was on sale and I got it for $40. Went to install it, didn't fit. The VRM heatsink on my MSI mpower is massive, sticks up very high. The pipes on the back/underside of the cooler hit the heatsink, so it wouldn't seat right. That's a design flaw not considered when the cooler was designed.

Now I own a Cryorig R1 Ultimate, another fantastic cooler, no fitment issues except 1. The front fan is a full 25mm deep fan, and my ram is 52mm tall, so the ram is in the way and I can't raise the fan high enough to clear. No problem, used a 120mm fan instead, fits perfectly, looks like. Cryorig hybrid version of the old NH-D14.

Years ago, gpus didn't have huge supporting backplates, so Noctua had no idea that was coming when they designed the NH-D15 and left mm of clearance from cooler and gpu. Then came backplates and suddenly the NH-D15 didn't fit, too wide. So Noctua bent the heatpipes and offset the cooler, fixed that, but there's also the popularity of RGB ram, and ppl didn't like the cpu cooler covering their expensive lighted ram. So ditch the front fan too. Slight performance loss, but not much. So the NH-D15S was developed.

None of which has any impact on your case choice 😉