- Review -

29.06.2014 PC PowerPlay

It’s not often that a CPU cooler graces the pages of PC PowerPlay’s tech reviews, let alone get a full page to itself. But the Noctua NH-D15 isn’t just any old air-cooler; it’s the successor to what is arguably the most popular air cooler ever made for overclockers, the NH-D14. Our tech editor has personally relied upon the D14 to keep his 3770K purring along at 4.5GHz for several years, and he’s never heard a peep out of this immense yet silent cooler. That’s what made the original D14 so special – it delivered top-tier performance, all while sounding quieter than a sparrow’s fart. Can the brand new D15 version live up to the incredible reputation of its predecessor? [...] We installed this on an i7 4770K CPU overclocked to 4.4GHz, using the premium thermal paste Noctua includes in the kit. After being under load for 20 minutes in a room with an airconditioned stabile 21C temperature, our CPU measured a peak temperature of 64C, a full 3C improvement over the D14. Yet we could barely hear it doing its thing, thanks to the incredibly silent Noctua fans included in the pack.

"So there you have it – once again Noctua proves it’s the king of powerful yet silent air cooling. If you’ve go the room for this behemoth, and don’t mind paying a little extra for top tier performance, this is the air cooler to buy. Verdict (10 words max): Want to overclock the heck out of your CPU without the hassles of water or excessive fan noise? Look no further." (Bennett Ring, PC PowerPlay)