- Review -

06.08.2016 Building a Gaming PC

To test the cooler out I used an i5-4690K that runs at 3.5GHz standard speed and at 3.9GHz boost. I used Core Temp to measure how hot things got on the CPU, and to log temperatures for 10 minutes, then tested the processor using the CPU stress tool Prime95. So how did the Noctua NH-D15 fair? Well at idle the CPU merrily chugged along at between 24-25c. After a 10-minute test on Prime95, Core Temp recorded a temperature of 64c. This doesn’t really mean anything unless it’s compared to something, so I switched the NH-D15 out and reinstalled the stock CPU fan and cooler provided by Intel. As expected the stock cooler fared a lot worse. At idle the CPU was 33c, but following a 10-minute stress test on Prime95 the CPU temperature skyrocketed to 100c – way too hot! So the NH-D15 at stock operation, managed to reduce the CPU’s temperature by around 8-9c, but was a massive 36c cooler following a stress test. What this means is that investing in a cooler like the NH-D15 will go a long way to extending the life of your CPU, and will also help to cool the rest of your system too.

"The verdict is in, and it’s good. If you’re looking for a near-liquid level of CPU cooling, but don’t want the extra work that comes with it, the Noctua NH-D15 is for you." (Chris Sealey, Building a Gaming PC)