- Review -

25.03.2011 APH Networks

At full speeds with both fans, we can see the Noctua NH-C14 cooled my Intel Core i7-930 to an amazing 23 degrees Celsius. Keeping it at full speed in High Clearance Mode bumps the temperature readings up to 29 degrees Celsius. Using Low Profile Mode at full speed further increases the temperature to 32 degrees Celsius. For reference, using Low Profile Mode in conjunction with the lowest noise level setting, the Noctua NH-C14 still holds a respectable 36 degrees Celsius with the fan running at 900 RPM. All the idling tests, as well as the load tests coming up next, were done in my high airflow Cooler Master case with a triple 230 mm fan setup. With the dual fans running at full speeds, the CPU temperature readings show it is a full 30 degrees Celsius lower than with the stock Intel heatsink, which is pretty darn impressive!

"The Noctua NH-C14 is one of the most beastly heatsinks I have seen on the market. If you are looking for a high performance, low noise heatsink using overhead fans (140mm too), this is the one." (Preston Yuen, APH Networks)