Noctua D14 vs D15 With Ram Issues

gdawgatl

Commendable
Dec 14, 2016
2
0
1,510
So I have a bit of a dilemma. This is my first gaming rig, and I am using an i7 6700K CPU and G.Skill Ripjaws V series 2 x 8gb. My problem is that the D15 cannot fit both those sticks, as they are 42mm tall and I cannot raise the second fan up enough as my case clearance is 170 mm. So, do I get the D14 (which I think can fit the sticks), use only one stick of ram, return the ram I have now and get a smaller one, or just go liquid cooling? Thanks.
 
Solution


It's unfortunate that RAM manufacturers have to give us these silly heat sinks whose whole function if to a) look cool and b) serve as a billboard for their name / logo.

Options:

1. Move the fan to other side.

2, Use appropriately sized sticks

3. Use an alternate that has that...

gdawgatl

Commendable
Dec 14, 2016
2
0
1,510


It's unfortunate that RAM manufacturers have to give us these silly heat sinks whose whole function if to a) look cool and b) serve as a billboard for their name / logo.

Options:

1. Move the fan to other side.

2, Use appropriately sized sticks

3. Use an alternate that has that clearance CryoriG R1 will work, Phanteks PH-TC14-PE would work if ya slide the 1 fan up 2mm. It's usually $65-$75 and can pick color to match ya build.

4. Switch to liquid cooling, but not a CLC. The Corsair H100i, will raise CPU temps higher than the Noc and is 12 times louder.... not to mention weak pumps, aluminum rads and extreme rpm fans. If the $140 - $150 budget doesn't bother you, the Swiftech H220 X2 for 120mm rads and fans or the H240 X2 for 140mm rads / fans. But it's a great investment as pump is strong enough to add water blocks for GPus, more fans, radiator is copper so you can water cool your GPU to for just the cost of a block and a pair of fittings.

http://www.swiftech.com/aio.aspx

H240-X2-COLOR-PICS.jpg


 
Solution
Noctua has redesigned its coolers with s variants.
NH-U12s, NH-U14s, and NH-D15s.
They are designed to allow tall ram heat spreaders and also are offset so that there is no impact with graphics card backplates mounted in the first pcie slot.
I had a D14, which is HUGE and needed to insert a shim to avoid shorting with a gpu.
Liquid cooling may solve your ram issue, but it will cause other issues.
My suggestion is to use a NH-U12s which will cool anything very well and be quiet about it.
I7-6700K does not need anything more.


 

It doesn't as all cryorig heatsinks are designed with a shift toward the back away from the memory slots. Noctua started making the single fan versions to fix the RAM issue.
 
I used to use the Nocs because even tho they had the fugliest fans, they were the best fans. But that was then, this is now and they don't have the best fans anymore. Always advise folks we build for to avoid tall heat sinks as the only cooling function they perform (perhaps) was "looking cool". In the one instance where I did have problem, I simply moved the fan to the other side towards the back of the case.

I see that the M5 has a big majunga ... it's technical term :) ... heat sink on the other side tho, so you'd have to check the height. Another option of course,as I have seen others do. is to replace the 140mm fan with a 120mm one which should give you the 10mm necessary .... even more if you offset.

Could even buy the S version, leave the 140mm in the middle and put twin 120mms on the outside faces on wither side. The fins at the bottom are much smaller so it would not be a big impact and with the 3rd fan that impact would be more than offset.
 

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