- Review -

28.07.2015 HiTechLegion.com

The transformation of the NH-C14 to the NH-C14S was a very slight one. The tower simply needed to be shifted slight over, and at first glance the differences are nearly imperceptible. Thankfully the performance differences are imperceptible, as well, leaving you with simply a more compatible NH-C14. That said, the NH-C14S sits firmly atop the performance charts of top down coolers at any price. Mind you, pricing also sits atop that chart, but at $79.95 retail it is more than fair. Leaving the top down aspect aside for a moment and looking from purely a performance standpoint, the NH-C14S still sits at the top of performance in its price class regardless of configuration. It gives up only a couple of degrees in our overclocked tests to the likes of the NH-D15, Cryorig R1 and H100i GTX, and is less expensive and quieter than any of these while having far more compatibility. It also gives up nothing in terms of build quality, sporting the same flawless fit and finish we have come to expect from Noctua products and what is arguably the best mounting kit on the market.

"While a builder typically has to make certain concessions when using a larger air cooler, the only concession made with the NH-C14S is lack of trouble caused by component interference. The NH-C14S simply provides excellent performance with great compatibility and low noise, essentially the SFF builder’s dream. With that, the Noctua NH-C14S comes highly recommended and is the recipient of the Hi Tech Legion Editor’s Choice Award." (George Cella, HiTechLegion.com)