Noctua NH-C14

Zitat: Pro: + 6 Heatpipe Construction + Lots of Surface Area + Low Profile Design + Silent Cooling Contra: - Not recommended for overclocking In our heatsink and waterblock tests we don´t really focus on overall load temperatures but rather how well the product can remove heat given a specified heat load. Since this is a real world testing method we need to take into consideration real world variables and estimate tolerances. This is why we normally only apply 85% of the total wattage output to our heat calculations. The resulting C/W number is used to rate how efficient a heatsink or waterblock is based on the given heat load. These numbers can be used to determine heat capacity, the larger the difference the less efficient the heatsink is. (aka not good for overclocking) Given that we used the new Sandy Bridge platform for these tests you will notice that the total heat output is considerably lower than any of our other heatsink tests. Yet, even with the lower 95w TDP we were still able to pump 194w of heat into the heatsink at 4.7Ghz and show it can handle a good overclock. In these tests you´ll notice that the C/W numbers did change between the default and overclocked tests. All this indicates is that the heatsink was beginning to saturate and had some trouble dissipating the heat at the same rate. It should also be noted that we did test this heatsink using both fans spinning full speed at 1300rpm, Despite this the system ran extremely quiet and is really one of the primary reasons for using a Noctua cooler over an OEM design to begin with. Keep in mind these calculations are provided for demonstration purposes only and may not reflect the actual lab tested C/W rating, but we´re pretty close .

Zitat: + Extrem gute Verarbeitung + Sehr gute Kühlleistungen mit zwei Lüftern + Hohe Leistungsreserven + Sehr stabile Befestigung dank Verschraubung + Sehr gute Sockel Kompatibilität + Sehr gute Lüfter-Flexibilität - Keine optionale Bestellung mit nur einem Lüfter möglich - Keine deutsche Anleitung

Zitat: Pros: + Multiple configurations + Dual 140MM fans + Quiet cooling + Radiant cooling + Large cooler + SecuFirm 2 mount + Included thermal paste + Six year warranty Cons: - Large size - Price The Noctua NH-C14 is an improvement over the NH-C12 in both size and cooling capability. With this cooler you have the tried and true C style design from Noctua with an added twist. The addition of a second NF-P14 fan to assist the top mounted fan in moving airflow through the heat sink. When tested against the NH-C12P SE14 in the stock testing, it delivered slightly better cooling numbers in both the idle and load tests. Where the NH-C14 excels against it predecessor is when the thermal load increases. In the overclocked testing, the NH-C14 bested the NH-C12P SE14 by three degrees Celsius in the load testing. This result puts the NH-C14´s cooling capabilities ahead of some of the all-in-one liquid and tower solutions in the comparison field. In the looks department, Noctua continues to impress with the nickel plating and finish. I did not notice any areas that looked like the finish was ready to come off. These good looks and excellent fit and finish come with a price tag though. At $89, though steep for a heat sink, you get what you pay for it seems when it comes to fit, finish and cooling performance. Noctua has equipped this cooler with two of its largest fans to push the airflow needed to keep the thermals in check. The NF-P14 FLX fans come with a wealth of innovative technologies that deliver increased static pressure without increasing the noise signature of the design. The use of offset Vortex notches on each of the blades reduces the effects of turbulence to improve airflow velocity and static pressure, making these fans ideal for use on a heat sink. In addition to the the Vortex notches, the NF-P14 FLX fans use a combination of a metal reinforced (brass) bearing shell and SSO (Self Stabilizing Oil Pressure) bearing to minimize any imbalance for added longevity and noise suppression. With two of these fans in place, you have the ability to remove either one to fit the NH-C14 into any number of situations. You can go ultra low profile with a single fan under the fin array for use in HTPC or shallow chassis. High clearance mode allows for a single fan on top to address clearance issues caused by dram modules or motherboard heat sink cooling solutions. While, the dual fan option can be used in all other situations. Noctua´s Secufirm 2 mounting solution is standard with this cooler and the Noctua lineup. This mounting solution has got to be one of the easiest to work with and provides excellent retention properties to hold the up to 1000g weight of the NH-C14 when equipped with both fans. It is a bolt through design but if you are putting together a new build then it´s no harm, no foul but, if this solution is an upgrade, then motherboard removal will be necessary. There is no doubt that the NH-C14 is larger than the NH-C12. Fitting this heat sink into a cramped chassis may present some unique challenges. When installed horizontally, the NH-C14 hangs over the top edge of the motherboard by about .75 inch in my chassis. This is not a problem in the HAF 932 but in a mid-tower it might be an issue with the cramped quarters normally associated with the PSU motherboard spacing. This again means that depending on the location of the socket on the motherboard being used this may not present an issue. Noise is just about always the enemy of a good air cooled heat sink. As proven in the past, this does not have to be so. Noctua engineers their cooling solution to be effective with their own low noise, high performance fans. This means that when the NF-P14 FLX fans are spinning at 1200+/- rpm they are pushing over 65CFM at 19.6 dBA. By using the "Low Noise" and "Ultra Low Noise" adapters, the fan speed as well as noise signature drops to an almost inaudible 13.2 and 10.1 dBA respectively. Couple the low noise generated by th

Zitat: Noctuas NH-C14 gehört zu den wenigen CPU-Kühlern der Gattung Top-Blower, die es mit großformatigen Turmkühlern aufnehmen können. In unserem Testfeld schlägt der NH-C14 nicht nur seinen Vorgänger Noctua NH-C12P, sondern auch den Scythe Kabuto. Hinter der hohen Kühlleistung steckt allerdings kein Geheimnis, die Österreicher haben einfach die Masse und die Oberfläche vergrößert und zudem den Luftdurchsatz durch die Verwendung eines zweiten Lüfters gesteigert. Technische Neuerungen wie direkt aufliegende Heatpipes, Heatpipes mit größerem Durchmesser oder eine Unterteilung der Kühlbleche in einzelne Blöcke sucht man beim NH-C14 vergebens. Und auch mit der Drehzahlregelung durch Pulsweitenmodulation kann sich Noctua noch immer nicht anfreunden, weshalb wir auch bei diesem Kühler wieder Adapter mit Widerständen im Lieferumfang finden.