Intel's Haswell-based CPUs have a unique cooling problem that leaves many overclockers in a quandary. Today, we're rounding up nine different sink and fan combinations to see if any can contend with the fourth-gen Core processor's copious heat.
After hearing about 5 GHz overclocks from pre-production fourth-generation Core processors (that's Haswell, for fans of code names), enthusiasts were despondent to hear that retail parts would be far less friendly. Angelini even went so far as to poll folks with hundreds of retail processors for his launch coverage in The Core i7-4770K Review: Haswell Is Faster; Desktop Enthusiasts Yawn. The consensus was that stability at 4.5 and 4.6 GHz on air was extremely rare, that most enthusiasts should expect to top out at 4.3 GHz or less using 1.2 V, and that heat is the most likely culprit.
Before we get into the details, let's have a quick look at the nine air coolers we'll be testing in today's round-up.

| LGA 115x CPU Cooler Features | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Gamer Storm Assassin | Noctua NH-U14S | Phanteks PH-TC14PE | |
| Height | 6.4" | 6.6" | 6.5" |
| Width | 5.8" | 5.9" | 5.8" |
| Rad. Thickness | 2x 2.0" | 2.1" | 2x 2.1" |
| Total Thickness | 6.0" | 3.1" | 6.3" |
| Base Height | 1.7" | 1.8" | 1.6" |
| Assy. Offset | 1.0" Forward | 1.0" Forward | 1.0" Forward |
| Cooling Fans | 1 x 140 x 25 mm 1 x 120 x 25 mm | 1 x 140 x 25 mm | 2 x 140 x 25 mm |
| Connectors | 1 x PWM 1 x Three-Pin | PWM | 2 x Three-Pin |
| Weight | 37 Ounces | 36 Ounces | 47 Ounces |
| Intel LGAs | 115x, 2011, 1366, 775 | 115x, 2011 | 115x, 2011, 1366, 775 |
| AMD Sockets | Four-bolt Rectangular | Four-bolt Rectangular | Four-bolt Rectangular |
| AMD Orientation | Vertical | Vertical | Vertical |
| Web Price | $80 | $75 | $85 |
DeepCool’s Assassin and Phantek’s TC14PE return from our LGA 2011 round-up, ready to prove themselves against the more thermally-constrained Haswell package. The Assassin carries the Gamer Storm logo.

| LGA-115x CPU Cooler Features | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Prolimatech PRO-GNSS-BK | Scythe Ashura SCASR-1000 | SilverStone Argon AR01 | |
| Height | 6.5" | 6.4" | 6.3" |
| Width | 8.5" | 5.7" | 4.8" |
| Rad. Thickness | 2 x 1.3" | 2.6" | 2.0" |
| Total Thickness | 8.5" | 3.5" | 3.0" |
| Base Height | 1.9" | 1.6" | 1.5" |
| Assy. Offset | 1.6" Forward | None | 1.0" Forward |
| Cooling Fans | Not Included (2 x 140/120 mm) | 1 x 140 x 25 mm | 1 x 120 x 25 mm |
| Connectors | Fan-Dependent | PWM | PWM |
| Weight | 32 Ounces | 37 Ounces | 26 Ounces |
| Intel Sockets | 115x, 2011, 1366, 775 | 115x, 2011, 1366, 775 | 115x, 2011, 1366, 775 |
| AMD Sockets | Four-bolt Rectangular | Four-bolt Rectangular | Four-bolt Rectangular |
| AMD Orientation | Both | Both | Vertical |
| Web Price | $80 | $50 | $35 |
Prolimatech sent a pair of fans and alternative clips with its $80 PRO-GNSS-BK, pushing the as-tested configuration to $125.

| LGA-115x CPU Cooler Features | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Thermalright Archon SB-E X2 | Xigmatek Night Hawk Frostbourne | Zalman CNPS10X Optima | |
| Height | 6.8" | 6.3" | 6.1" |
| Width | 6.1" | 4.8" | 5.1" |
| Rad. Thickness | 2.1" | 2.0" | 2.5" |
| Total Thickness | 4.1" | 3.0" | 3.4" |
| Base Height | 1.6" | 1.4" | 1.4" |
| Assy. Offset | None | 1.0" Forward | 0.9" Forward |
| Cooling Fans | 2 x 140 x 26 mm | 1 x 120 x25 mm | 1 x 120 x 25 mm |
| Connectors | 2 x PWM | PWM | PWM |
| Weight | 47 Ounces | 22 Ounces | 24 Ounces |
| Intel Sockets | 115x, 2011, 1366, 775 | 115x, 2011, 1366, 775 | 115x, 2011, 1366, 775 |
| AMD Sockets | Four-bolt Rectangular | Four-bolt Rectangular | Four-bolt Rectangular |
| AMD Orientation | Vertical | Vertical | Vertical |
| Web Price | $80 | $50 | $30 |
Thermalright adds a second fan to its Archon SB-E, which now supports smaller LGA and even AMD’s sockets. Zalman updates its previously-reviewed CNPS10X in this Optima-version.
- Picking The Right Cooler For Haswell
- The Equalizer: Our Core i7-4770K Review Sample
- Gamer Storm Assassin
- Assassin Installation
- Noctua NH-U14S
- NH-U14S Installation
- Phanteks PH-TC14PE
- PH-TC14PE Installation
- Prolimatech Genesis Black
- Genesis Black Installation
- Scythe Ashura SCASR-1000
- Ashura Installation
- SilverStone Argon AR01
- Argon AR01 Installation
- Thermalright Archon SB-E X2
- Archon SB-E X2 Installation
- Xigmatek Dark Knight-Series Night Hawk Frostbourne Edition
- Night Hawk Installation
- Zalman CNPS10X Optima
- CNPS10X Optima Installation
- Test Settings And Benchmarks
- Results: Cooling And Fan Speed
- Noise And Acoustic Efficiency
- Cooling Value
- Which Heat Sink Best Contends With Haswell's Heat Problems?
Haswell= 10% more power for 10% more energy and 10% less headroom. Oh and it costs more...
Man I hope AMD can whip them back into shape with Steam Roller...
Since Noctua chose not to feature the NH-D14 this time, you might want to look at its closest competitor. The article links a comparison of Phanteks TCP14E and NH-D14. Since Phanteks chose to keep its big cooler in the running but Noctua chose otherwise, this was the closest "frame of reference" available.
To say compare it's performance with the Plantek's performance is lame. Use some common sense when you do these reviews.
Cooler Master chose not to participate this time.
You'd be placing the blame wrongly, if there were any blame to place. Now if you want some clue as to how it should perform, read the noc-vs-phan review. It's linked. Good luck.
Crashman said:
Since I've never heard from anyone at Be Quiet, I've sent a message. Thanks for the reminder!
Cooler Master chose not to participate this time.
Hope it works out. Really interested to see those models. I am quite certain they will make a bit of a difference in your performance charts. Good luck.
While i understand Intel has their own formula for determaning TDP for their chips, i've said it before, by moving the VRM onto the chip, they invalidated their calculation. The Haswell performs and benches like a much hotter chip then it's advertised TDP. The first warning to benchers this was the case, was when benchers were getting thermal throttling from turbo mode on the stock intel heatsink, and then those same benchers hitting the thermal ceiling with a very small voltage bump and moderate overclock (4.2) with a solid air cooler the hyper evo. People can overclock 125W amd chips pretty aggressively with a lot of vcore on a hyper evo... meanwhile they were thermal throttling with a very modest bump in vcore on a tiny overclock.
This raises a question about the formula intel used to calculate the TDP of their haswell chip, as cpu coolers rated for far higher tdps were struggling with haswell. This article is a bit of an eye opener, as most of those cpu coolers are not jokes. The noctua isn't all that different from the old cpu cooler i used to use to keep my PhII x4 965be cooled. It managed to keep a PhII at a 3.7ghz overclock in a 35C room under 55C while running prime. So that's no joke of a cpu cooler. That it struggles so badly with haswell says something significant to me.
Simply put, you need a water system with a serious rad/fan combo to make a serious stab at a haswell overclock. Air isn't enough anymore.
yes... it will give you 10+C better temps. the problem is haswell basically heats up exponentially with more voltage. So this rarely gives you a lot more overclock headroom then you had pre-delidding. Ignoring those NO2 guys or the ones using some peltier or other exotic cooling solution, Haswell doesn't really benefit as much as IB does with delidding. another 0.1ghz or 0.2... at best. and that might be a bit optimistic. The real trick with haswell is getting the right batch... apparently some of the chips from certain asian foundries are atrocious overclockers with almost crippling heat problems...