Question Would my ram clear my CPU cooler?

[Brian_246]

Hello, everyone I need some opinions on my new build I am currently working on. Here is the full parts list. https://pcpartpicker.com/list/XL3xdH

My main concern is the corsair vengeance rgb ram might not clear the cpu cooler i can’t really find how tall the ram is. On amazon it says 1.2 inches but I am unsure. The cooler is a Noctua DH-15 all black. Thick fans and heatsink. what do i do?

 

[Brian_246]

Hello, everyone I need some opinions on my new build I am currently working on. Here is the full parts list. https://pcpartpicker.com/list/XL3xdH

My main concern is the corsair vengeance rgb ram might not clear the cpu cooler i can’t really find how tall the ram is. On amazon it says 1.2 inches but I am unsure. The cooler is a Noctua DH-15 all black. Thick fans and heatsink.

Also I could go with an aio cooler like the arctic cooler III. If it’s too big. I am within the time frame to return items

 

[hotaru.hino]

According to https://hexus.net/tech/reviews/cooling/141712-noctua-nh-d15-chromaxblack/ , the cooler has 64mm of clearance if you use only one fan. If you drop in the other, it goes down to 35mm. The RAM you selected has a height of 44mm.

The Ryzen 7800X3D doesn't run as hot as the others, so you could probably get away with the single fan usage.

 

[Brian_246]

According to https://hexus.net/tech/reviews/cooling/141712-noctua-nh-d15-chromaxblack/ , the cooler has 64mm of clearance if you use only one fan. If you drop in the other, it goes down to 35mm. The RAM you selected has a height of 44mm.

The Ryzen 7800X3D doesn't run as hot as the others, so you could probably get away with the single fan usage.

Question for you. In that article you provided you see how there is always 1 fan in the center and one fan on the front fins. What if I instead put the fan on the back fins? Leaving the front exposed allowing the ram to be fully open? Thoughts? I wonder how that would affect cooling.

 

[hotaru.hino]

Question for you. In that article you provided you see how there is always 1 fan in the center and one fan on the front fins. What if I instead put the fan on the back fins? Leaving the front exposed allowing the ram to be fully open? Thoughts? I wonder how that would affect cooling.

You might be able to do that as the heat sink seems symmetrical. However, cooling won't be as effective as they intended for two fans to be used because the fans are likely designed for high static pressure, i.e., needing to push air through an obstruction. They're not as effective at pulling air through something.

 

[geofelt]

The NH-D15 is designed to run with two fans.
I think the cooler you want is the NH-D15s which is a high compatibility version that is a one fan design:
https://noctua.at/en/nh-d15s/specification
The corsair ram will be 44mm.
Even the platinum at 54mm would work.

https://help.corsair.com/hc/en-us/articles/4412253644045-RAM-DDR5-memory-module-dimensions

I might add that the NH-D15s is assymetrical to clear gpu backplates in sime motherboards where the first pcie x16 slot is too close to the cpu.

 

[Brian_246]

You might be able to do that as the heat sink seems symmetrical. However, cooling won't be as effective as they intended for two fans to be used because the fans are likely designed for high static pressure, i.e., needing to push air through an obstruction. They're not as effective at pulling air through something.

I may have been misspoken. For the setup I was thinking is keeping the one fan in the center and using the 2nd fan behind the cooler. Compared to the photos in the article where the 2nd fan is in the front of the heatsink. What if I placed that 2nd fan behind the heat sink?

 

[Brian_246]

The NH-D15 is designed to run with two fans.
I think the cooler you want is the NH-D15s which is a high compatibility version that is a one fan design:
https://noctua.at/en/nh-d15s/specification
The corsair ram will be 44mm.
Even the platinum at 54mm would work.

https://help.corsair.com/hc/en-us/articles/4412253644045-RAM-DDR5-memory-module-dimensions

I might add that the NH-D15s is assymetrical to clear gpu backplates in sime motherboards where the first pcie x16 slot is too close to the cpu.

Thank you for the suggestion. I am confused on the other part of your statement. Are you saying that the NH-D15s which has higher clearance might have trouble clearing the first PCIE slot which usually covers the GPU? Or that it would be a very tight fit?

 

[hotaru.hino]

I may have been misspoken. For the setup I was thinking is keeping the one fan in the center and using the 2nd fan behind the cooler. Compared to the photos in the article where the 2nd fan is in the front of the heatsink. What if I placed that 2nd fan behind the heat sink?

That's what I mean. If you place the fan that's supposed to be "in front" of the cooler on the back, it won't be as effective because the fans are designed to push air through, not pull air.

Also the NH-D15S looks like the NH-D15 without the other fan. You can run the NH-D15 with only the center fan too.

 

[geofelt]

Thank you for the suggestion. I am confused on the other part of your statement. Are you saying that the NH-D15s which has higher clearance might have trouble clearing the first PCIE slot which usually covers the GPU? Or that it would be a very tight fit?

No, I am saying that the NH-D15s fixes such potential issues.
Noctua maintains a list of motherboards with some issues; yours is not on the list:
https://ncc.noctua.at/motherboards/model/ASUS-ROG-Strix-B650-A-Gaming-WIFI-5675

 

[Brian_246]

That's what I mean. If you place the fan that's supposed to be "in front" of the cooler on the back, it won't be as effective because the fans are designed to push air through, not pull air.

Also the NH-D15S looks like the NH-D15 without the other fan. You can run the NH-D15 with only the center fan too.

Oh okay thank you for the clarification.

 

[Brian_246]

No, I am saying that the NH-D15s fixes such potential issues.
Noctua maintains a list of motherboards with some issues; yours is not on the list:
https://ncc.noctua.at/motherboards/model/ASUS-ROG-Strix-B650-A-Gaming-WIFI-5675

Alright, thank you as well for clarifying if I run into any issues I’ll go with that alternative. Also, do you guys prefer air cooling over liquid? I heard aios “tend to go bad” after 3 years but I haven’t had that experience. So I’m trying air cooling for this new system.

 

[hotaru.hino]

Alright, thank you as well for clarifying if I run into any issues I’ll go with that alternative. Also, do you guys prefer air cooling over liquid? I heard aios “tend to go bad” after 3 years but I haven’t had that experience. So I’m trying air cooling for this new system.

I prefer air cooling because I've settled on parts and workloads that don't necessarily need it. Gaming is the most intense thing I do on my computers often enough, but even then my CPU barely uses more than 50% of its power limit of 125W.

In addition, I've just found AIOs more annoying to work with. Especially when it comes to routine maintenance like dusting.