- Review -

20.03.2011 HiTechLegion.com

The NH-C14 had an idle temp of the overclocked CPU as low as any cooler I had tested, including behemoths outweighing it by 300gr, standing 55mm taller and making literally twice the noise. Putting the CPU under load for ten minutes did nothing to change the results, the NH-C14 stayed as cool as (or better than) any of the units I have ever tested. Ever, period, end of conversation – and the comparison coolers used here are all upper echelon enthusiast class coolers. Moving into Low Noise and single fan setups didn’t affect the NH-C14 very much. With dual fans and the Low Noise Adapter installed, the temps jumped a few degrees but it still outperformed most of the competition….and it was silent doing it. The NH-C14 allowed me to run my system at maximum OC in near silence and never came near a temperature I would consider uncomfortably warm. In single fan mode, results were similar, with the NH-C14 putting up stellar performance and outpacing anything you would expect from a 'low profile' cooler. The NH-C14 literally takes overclocking in a tight case from 'I wish I could' to reality.

"In every aspect, the Noctua NH-C14 qualifies as one of the top CPU coolers available today at any price. The build and materials used are unmatched, mounting is easy and solid, it is incredibly versatile and, most importantly, provides top of the line performance. In the world of enthusiast class coolers, the Noctua NH-C14 is hands down my top pick." (George Cella, HiTechLegion.com)