Thermaltake Intros New Non-Interference Cooler Series

By Kevin Parrish
published

Here is a new line of CPU coolers that allows power-users to install high-end, tall memory sticks.

On Thursday Thermaltake said that it has finally solved the issue of CPU coolers getting in the way of RAM slots thanks to the introduction of a new series of CPU coolers, the NiC Series.

In many cases, traditional "tower" coolers aren't ideal in a desktop because they're just too tall or wide. They can also get in the way of RAM slots that are positioned too closely to the CPU socket. Thermaltake claims it has cleared this obstacle with its new NiC Series of CPU coolers which use a slim tower side-flow form factor.

NiC actually stands for "Non-interference Cooler", and the series itself consists of four models: the NiC F3 (160W), NiC F4 (180W), NiC C4 (200W) and NiC C5 (230W). Thermaltake claims that they are fully compatible with all kinds of RAM, even the towering, high-end overclocked sticks inserted by power users.

According to Thermaltake, the slim coolers feature curved aluminum fins, each measuring just 0.4-mm thick, allowing for reduced backpressure and maximized overflow. The base plates are made of nickel plated copper which sends the processor's heat to the fin arrays through three to five 6-mm U-shaped heatpipes.

As for fans, the F3 model features one 120-mm PWM fan and the F4 model sports two -- both of these models use automatically adjustable silent fan blades with speeds between 800 and 1,600 RPM. The C4 and C5 models use VR fans that are hooked up to an adjustable fan speed nob, allowing users to manually adjust the spin from 1,000 to 2,000 RPM.

"Convenient tool-less fan clip design makes installation a breeze," the company said. "This [new series] brings the air cooler industry another level towards silence, performance and compatibility."

So far an actual launch date and pricing haven't been provided, so stay tuned.

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Kevin Parrish
21 Comments Comment from the forums
  • lp231
    They haven't solve anything, Cooler Master already has one too.
    http://www.coolermaster.com/product.php?product_id=6900
    Reply
  • -Fran-
    Tall RAM modules for enthusiasts? You do realize RAM doesn't require cooling, right?

    Just remove the Goddamn sticks and be done with it. Have mine with no metal thingies running at full speed and no heat in them.

    Cheers!
    Reply
  • christop
    That thing is huge..
    Reply
  • JackNaylorPE
    Another product for a problem that doesn't exist.

    The only cooling effect of these big RAM coolers is that they "look cool". While they served a purpose (when they were effective) w/ DDR2, they are absolutely useless on DDR3.

    http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=773&Itemid=67&limit=1&limitstart=1
    At more than 2" tall in certain areas the Corsair Vengeance could pose a problem for users like me who use large coolers such as the Scythe Mugen 2. I was able to use the Corsair Vengeance only after I mounted the fan on my cooler on the backside. Size is definitely a concern with heat spreaders of this size and therefore I encourage users to check that they will have enough space under their heatsinks before purchasing the Corsair Vengeance kit.

    http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=773&Itemid=67&limit=1&limitstart=6
    The problem I have with the Corsair Vengeance is the same I have with many kits of RAM on the market. Companies insist on putting large coolers on their RAM and it limits the choice in CPU heatsinks that can be used within users system. DDR3 does not require these elaborate coolers with its lower voltages which translate to lower temperatures then RAM saw during the DDR, and DDR2 era. Corsair is correcting this with low profile versions of its Vengeance line but ultimately I would like to see the average size of coolers drop instead of having to look for specific low profile versions of a memory line.
    Reply
  • toms my babys daddy
    Why can't the motherboard manufacturers design a mb with the ram slots somewhere else?
    Reply
  • murzar
    This is really weird.. it has been years and a motherboard manufacturer still hasn't fixed the design!

    Not that the design needs fixing, why do RAMs even need those cooling solutions?!
    Reply
  • murzar
    toms my babys daddyWhy can't the motherboard manufacturers design a mb with the ram slots somewhere else?
    Wow. Exactly a couple of seconds before I posted mine.
    Reply
  • Onihikage
    One would think they could design the RAM slots to be...I dunno, at an angle? Shouldn't be that difficult, and it would look SO COOL.
    Reply
  • adgjlsfhk
    OnihikageOne would think they could design the RAM slots to be...I dunno, at an angle? Shouldn't be that difficult, and it would look SO COOL.the problem there is that inserting ram at an angel could put a lot more stress on the motherboard. It would also have to be slightly wider, but that isn't a big deal.
    Reply
  • bgunner
    I still run ddr2 ram for now and my CM hyper 212 evo's fan is in the way of one of my slots so I have to use 2 different Ram cooler styles. This would help me in my situation but will it cool as well and the cooler I have? at the same price point? with out this knowledge I would stick to what I have already.

    Yuka Just remove the Goddamn sticks and be done with it.
    In my case I want to run 8 GB and with my set up I need to use all available slots. So your solution is not feasible for all.

    Reply