Noctua are back with their re-designed top-flow cooler first seen at Computex. How will they fare in this ever competitive segment?
Product on Review: Noctua NH-C14
Manufacturer and Sponsor: Noctua
MSRP: €74.90/ US $84.90/ £60 (Available in December)
Street Price: N/A
It has certainly been a long time since our last CPU cooler review here at Vortez. So it’s only fitting that the next cooler to enter our labs is from the King of coolers themselves, Noctua! Noctua have always been synonymous to premium quality, flexibility and delivering the best performance without the compromise of noise. The last time we saw new products from Noctua was when they were showcasing a few of their latest prototype designs back at Computex in June. Such are their reputation that a mere glimpse of what they had in store was enough to excite their audience, whether they be enthusiasts, mainstream users or HTPC addicts. Despite their diverse line up of innovative heatsinks, Noctua still retain two of the most successful coolers on the market today, the majestic NH-D14 and the highly efficient but minimalistic NH-C12P SE14. The Noctua NH-D14 is clearly a demonstration of the brand’s prowess and since its introduction, it has gone unchallenged until only 2 months ago when Thermalright released their Silver Arrow. We can remain assured that Noctua will be working on their next revolutionary product as we speak (if the Computex event was of any indication), but for now let’s turn our attention to the NH-C12P SE14’s successor, the NH-C14.
The name itself describes what we can expect from the cooler, the ‘C’ denotes that it’s a C-type top down cooler and the ‘14’ represents the size of the fans bundled with the heatsink. As is typical of Noctua, they have bundled two of their flagship and highly revered NF-P14 FLX fans with the NH-C14 to deliver high performance whilst maintaining quietude. The concept itself is not new since top down coolers used to be the norm before tower coolers entered the market, but they have endured the test of time and remain the ideal solution for Media Centres where low profile coolers can provide adequate cooling power in a small package. Compatibility is clearly an emphasis Noctua are taking to. Although bundled with two fans, they can be used in 3 different configuration modes depending on usage and available space inside a chassis; Dual fan mode, Low profile mode & High clearance mode. We will have an in-depth look later on in the review. As an evolution of the NH-C12P it will be interesting to see how the two fare against each other. Other features we can expect to see is compatibility with all recent AMD and Intel sockets, including the unique claim to being the first cooler to officially support the upcoming LGA1155 socket, and of course their NT-H1 thermal paste.
For those not already familiar with the Noctua brand, here are a few words from them:
Designed in Austria, Noctua’s premium cooling components are internationally renowned for their superb quietness, exceptional performance and thoroughgoing quality. Having received more than 1000 awards and recommendations from leading hardware websites and magazines, Noctua’s fans and heatsinks are chosen by more than a hundred thousand satisfied customers around the globe.
Technology
Scientific know-how pooling and state-of-the-art simulation environments allow for advanced, highly optimised products that set new benchmarks for performance to noise efficiency. Over the years, Noctua has put itself on the forefront of quiet cooling innovations with its unique, psycho-acoustically optimised impeller designs as well as new bearing and drive technologies such as the SSO-Bearing (Self-Stabilising Oil Pressure Bearing) or the Smooth Commutation Drive (SCD) system. Thanks to advanced aerodynamic design measures like Vortex-Control Notches and Bevelled Blade Tips, Noctua’s products are renowned for pushing the envelope in axial fan technology.
Quality and Service
In a market that’s increasingly driven by cost saving rather than customer dedication and flooded with branded budget products, we take pride in striving for excellence both in product and service quality. For example, our heatsinks feature all soldered joints for maximum performance and durability, our fans’ 150,000h+ MTBF is backed up by a full 6 years manufacturer’s warranty and when AMD introduced AM2 and Intel introduced LGA1366, we provided thousands of users with mounting kits for free. As a result, an ever growing base of avid Noctua users not only swears by the thoroughgoing premium quality of our products, but also by our excellent, customer-friendly service.
Technology
Scientific know-how pooling and state-of-the-art simulation environments allow for advanced, highly optimised products that set new benchmarks for performance to noise efficiency. Over the years, Noctua has put itself on the forefront of quiet cooling innovations with its unique, psycho-acoustically optimised impeller designs as well as new bearing and drive technologies such as the SSO-Bearing (Self-Stabilising Oil Pressure Bearing) or the Smooth Commutation Drive (SCD) system. Thanks to advanced aerodynamic design measures like Vortex-Control Notches and Bevelled Blade Tips, Noctua’s products are renowned for pushing the envelope in axial fan technology.
Quality and Service
In a market that’s increasingly driven by cost saving rather than customer dedication and flooded with branded budget products, we take pride in striving for excellence both in product and service quality. For example, our heatsinks feature all soldered joints for maximum performance and durability, our fans’ 150,000h+ MTBF is backed up by a full 6 years manufacturer’s warranty and when AMD introduced AM2 and Intel introduced LGA1366, we provided thousands of users with mounting kits for free. As a result, an ever growing base of avid Noctua users not only swears by the thoroughgoing premium quality of our products, but also by our excellent, customer-friendly service.
With that covered, let’s unleash the beast!
Updated Pages 12.03.2011
**Results**
**Closer Analysis**
**Conclusion**
Features & Specifications
Noctua’s own overview of the cooler:
The NH-C14 brings top-flow cooling to a new level by offering an exquisite, uniquely flexible 140mm dual fan setup: The two supplied NF-P14 premium fans can be installed on top and underneath the fin-stack to configure the cooler for maximum performance in dual fan mode and either lower profile (105mm) or maximum component clearance in single fan modes. Bundled with the award-winning NT-H1 thermal compound and Noctua’s SecuFirm2™ multi-socket mounting system, the NH-C14 is a highly flexible, premium-class top-flow solution that further boosts the renowned quiet cooling performance of the much acclaimed NH-C12P series.
Specifications
Features
As we have grown accustomed to from Noctua, the specification that the NH-C14 boasts are impressive. The most distinguishing aspect of the specification list is the sheer weight of the heatsink. At 700g, it’s 150g heavier than the NH-C12P SE14 heatsink despite the fin stack being much thinner on the former. Consequently it also means the surface area is less on the NH-C14 so it will be interesting to see how the transition to a smaller heatsink but with two fans instead will impact performance. Similarly, then the fans are attached, the NH-C14 is a beastly 1000g in weight, 270g more than the heatsink it replaces. The aluminium and copper construction has remained the same and the cooler retains the 6 heat piped design. Unlike the old cooler, Noctua have bundled two of their 14cm NF-P14 fans but the NH-C14 will still support 12cm fans should users opt for higher RPM fans. Of course, the latter will sacrifice noise for improved performance but Noctua’s philosophy has always been silence hence the NF-P14 having a rotational speed of 1200 RPM.
Noctua realise that tower heatsinks are inherently better at cooling thanks to the greater surface area available for heat dissipation and their orientation to work with chassis airflow. But in many situations, users demand low profile coolers for their HTPCs or where space is very limited so top down coolers are the ideal choices. Cases such as the Lian Li PC V351 restrict the size of coolers to around 115mm and the NH-C14 caters for those with the low profile mode. In its low profile configuration, the heatsink is a mere 105mm tall and cooling is provided by the fan clipping to the under-side of the fin stack. Another growing complaint with heatsinks is memory compatibility as manufacturers constantly use taller RAM heat spreaders. For an idea of how much clearance is available, have a look at our video here. The flexibility of the Noctua cooler means that users can simply switch to the high clearance mode and have a single fan at the top of the radiator. This increases the height of the cooler to 140mm but there is enough clearance for 65mm tall memory modules. And finally, if space isn’t an issue, the cooler can still be used with both NF-P14 fans attached for a unique push-pull top down cooler configuration. The main advantage of such coolers is their ability to cool motherboard components such as the Northbridge, MOSFETs, RAM and adjacent components. Our tests will see how the NH-C14 compares to the NH-D14 in that regard.
Packaging
The packaging
The packaging makes use of a white cardboard box with outlines of the NH-C14 cooler printed all around. The design is very minimalist and akin to those used on previous Noctua coolers. The overall size is approximately the same as the NH-C12P SE14 packaging, an indication of the cooler’s size for reference. The Noctua logo is subtly placed in the top left and the NH-C14 model name is situated on a blue strip on the right, on which the specifications have also been listed when we move to the top. Unlike the old packaging, there is no window to tease potential buyers with the cooler inside. Instead a picture depicts how it looks with both fans attached. On the side are small illustrations of its features. Overall, the box gives an impression of professionalism that will appeal aesthetically.
The features
Turning to the side of the box, the features are listed in more detail, explaining the benefits of the different fan configuration modes. The other included features are also listed such as the two bundled NF-P14 FLX fans, the legendary SecuFirm 2 mounting kit and Noctua’s NT-H1 thermal paste.
The inside of the box
When we open the box, we are greeted firstly with a rectangular box holding all the mounting kit. Two small finger cut outs are conveniently placed so it can easily be removed to access the larger enclosure below. The latter holds the NH-C14 cooler securely and for convenience, both 14cm fans have already been installed.
The bundle
Noctua have always been generous with their bundle and this time is no different. Three sachets are provided, one each labelling AMD and Intel, and one last one labelled ‘common parts’. The AMD and Intel sachets include their respective mounting kit. The SecuFirm 2 kit remains unchanged and still has support for AMD AM2(+)/AM3 and Intel LGA775/1366/1156/1155. LGA1155 uses the same mounting holes as LGA1156 so no additional parts will be needed if users are looking to upgrade to the P67 platform. The common parts include the NT-H1 thermal paste tube, the Ultra-Low Noise Adapters (U.L.N.A) and Low Noise Adapters (L.N.A) for reduced fan speeds (750/900RPM), the famous Noctua L-shaped screw-driver, and a case badge. Also included are 4 metal clips that extend the fan mountings from 120mm to 140mm, and four rubber gromets to mount one fan elsewhere. This is highly convenient because some users might be limited to using one fan only so at least the spare fan can still be used as a case fan. Finally, detailed installation instructions are provided for both Intel and AMD systems in a form of a leaflet.
Closer Look
Closer Look (Continued)
The NH-C14 has retained the 6 heat pipe design but the shape has changed from being hook like to claw like. As mentioned previously, it is to accommodate the lower fan. Based on the orientation of the cooler once it is installed, they shouldn’t coincide with neighbouring components. The heat pipes all spread out from the base and into the heatsink where the heat is dissipated evenly on each fin.
The base of the cooler is fairly flat but lacks a perfectly mirror finish but this is due to the nature of CPUs not being flat either. The base has micro grooves that help disperse high viscosity thermal pastes to create a uniform layer. The ends of the heat pipes are tightly packed in the base, making the most of the space available to help transport heat away. We can also see the pre-installed mounting bracket that attaches to the Secufirm2 kit.
The base of the cooler is fairly flat but lacks a perfectly mirror finish but this is due to the nature of CPUs not being flat either. The base has micro grooves that help disperse high viscosity thermal pastes to create a uniform layer. The ends of the heat pipes are tightly packed in the base, making the most of the space available to help transport heat away. We can also see the pre-installed mounting bracket that attaches to the Secufirm2 kit.
Once installed, the quality normally attributed to Noctua is reflected immediately. It doesn’t take a lot of the motherboard’s real estate, unlike most tower coolers we get to test here. The coupling of the 140mm NF-P14 fans and the heatsink compliments each other well. The fan manages to cover a large surface area of the heatsink so more heat can be dissipated away. During installation, it is very important to orientate the heatsink the correct way (unlike myself on the first try…). The cooler can be physically mounted in 4 different orientations; the heat pipes vertically facing either up or down or horizontally facing the right and left. Noctua advise NOT to mount the cooler such that the ‘C’ bends point upwards in a tower case. Instead, the bends should point downwards or the heat pipes should lie horizontally to avoid reduced cooling performance (as I found out). Unfortunately on the Rampage III Extreme, the CPU socket lies closer to the top of the motherboard than most boards so I couldn’t orientate the cooler to have the bends facing downwards. The latter may prove more efficient so that chassis airflow can be directed through the fins.
Test Setup
CPU – Intel Core i7 920 – 2.66/4.0GHz
RAM – 6GB (3x2GB) OCZ Platinum DDR3 1333MHz
Motherboard – ASUS Rampage III Extreme
Graphics card – XFX HD5870 1024MB
Power Supply – Enermax Revolution 85+ 850W
Hard Drive – OCZ Vertex 2E 120GB
Samsung F1 320GB
Samsung F3 1TB
Drivers – ATI Catalyst 10.10
CPU Coolers:
Noctua NH-C14 (U.L.N.A and default speed) including tests using 2 SWiF2-120Ps
Thermalright Silver Arrow including passive and tests using 2 Noctua NF-P12s and 2 SWiF2-120Ps
Thermalright HR-02 including passive and tests using Noctua NF-12/NF-P14s and Thermalright TR TY-140
Thermaltake Frio (Low/med/high speed) including tests using 2 Noctua NF-P12s
Corsair H50 including tests using 2 Noctua NF-P12s and 2 SWiF2-120Ps
CoolIT ECO A.L.C including tests using 2 Noctua NF-P12s and 2 SWiF2-120Ps
Thermalright Venomous X using 2 Noctua NF-P12s and 2 SWiF2-120Ps
Coolink Corator DS including tests with dual fan setups
Tuniq Propeller 120(High speed fan)
Noctua NH-C12P SE14
Prolimatech Megahalem
Noctua NH-D14 (U.L.N.A and default speed)
Noctua NH-U12P SE1366
Thermolab Baram (with 2 Noctua NF-P12 fans)
CoolIT Domino A.L.C
Sunbeam Core Contact Freezer
Coolermaster Hyper 212 Plus including test with 2 Noctua NF-P12 fans
Alpenföhn Nordwand including test with 2 Noctua NF-P12 fans
Tuniq Tower 120 Extreme (Low/med/high speed)
Program Suite:
Core Temp 0.99.5
LinX stress Test
AIDA 64 Extreme Edition
CPUID HWMonitor
How I tested:
Testing will be based on temperatures recorded by Core Temp and PC wizard after 20 passes of LinX stress test. The absolute temperatures recorded in the tables are averages of the 4 cores and the delta value provided for a fair comparison, taking into account ambient temperatures. The test will be run at stock speed and at an overclocked speed of 4GHz.
Video Tour & Installation
Video Tour (By Dave a.k.a. Mishima)
Installation
Installing the NH-C14 is a very easy, straight forward task. The above shows the mounting parts for AMD systems on the left and Intel systems on the right.
If you have previously used the Secufirm kit, then this will be very familiar.
Intel Systems
•Firstly insert the 4 bolts in the appropriate position on the Intel backplate. There are three sets of holes for LGA775/1156/1366 systems.
•Install the back plate through the motherboard making sure you use the rubber inlay if you have an LGA775 motherboard.
•Place the plastic spacers onto the bolt and install the mounting bars on top, ensuring that the circular rim faces outwards.
•Tighten is with the 4 thumbscrews and proceed with placing the heatsink on top.
•Use the screwdriver provided to tighten the cooler on to the mounting bars.
AMD systems
•If your motherboard has a backplate, place the spacers above the mounting holes with the mounting bars on top.
•Thread the 4 long screws through the holes and tighten them.
•Finish by installing the cooler, and tightening the pre-installed screws until they stop.
For much more detail, follow Noctua’s instructions.
One observation I made after installation is that the heatsink vibrated in pulses when the fans operated. This may be due the heatsink only getting support from the bar and thus resonating to the rotation of the fans. However, it wasn’t prominent and shouldn’t be something to worry about.
**Update**
After the problem was brought to Noctua’s attention, they sent me a special part that was aimed at stopping the vibration altogether. This came in the form of an extra support bar which Noctua will provide at no extra cost if you email them and show some proof of purchase.
The support rod comes in a small plastic bag along with the installation instruction as can be seen above. It’s a simple matter of removing two screws at the base of the cooler, placing the support bar and using the two provided longer screws to secure it into place. The metal support rod has rubberised ends.
The rubberised ends of the support bar ensure that it can hold the fan above without further vibrations. This only works if the bottom fan is installed.
The result was very positive and I no longer encountered any vibrations with the cooler.
Results
2.66GHz
Ok so I hope your scroll wheels haven’t broken yet. If they have, please check one of our mice reviews for a better alternative. The NH-C14 gets off to a very good start at stock clocks. We have to remember that this is a top down cooler that Noctua claim can match some tower heatsinks. In that respect, their claim holds true. The default configuration yields a temperature delta of 34.5C, which is comparable to the NH-D14 using U.L.N.A. Considering that the NH-C14 heatsink is half of the NH-D14, it is very impressive seeing it keep up. It also beats the NH-U12P by a significant 2C margin. Comparing it to other coolers, the NH-C14 manages to beat our old favourite, the Thermolab Baram which also uses a push-pull configuration. It might not match the likes of higher end towers such as Thermalright but it proves to be a very good alternative for mid-range ones. HTPC users should also be thankful that they can now have enough cooling potential to match tower cases whilst still maintaining low noise levels.
Fan configuration modes
The flexibility of the dual fan system means that the cooler can be used in three modes. Looking at the results, dual fan mode provides the best performance, as can be expected. Low profile mode, where the fan is installed at the bottom of the heatsink, is the second best configuration at 1C behind. Removing the top fan doesn’t have a large impact on performance so those who require low profile coolers can rejoice at the fact that the 105mm tall heatsink has performance to rival bigger tower coolers. High clearance mode is only 0.5C behind the low profile mode. This mode should only be used if the clearance is needed for larger memory modules. Otherwise, users should opt for the dual fans or use U.L.N.A. for near silent operation.
Default VS U.L.N.A VS High RPM
Noctua bundle 5V and 7V adapters to reduce the fan speed of the NF-P14. Using the 5V U.L.N.A on both fans reduced the rotational speed to 750 RPM and the performance hit was a mere 1C. Using the 2 SWiF2 120P fans yielded slightly better performance that the stock setup but the 1900 RPM fans are also much louder.
Direction of flow
By default, the fans are mounted to push air towards the motherboard to cool adjacent components. People often claim that it ends up pushing hot air onto them. In terms of CPU cooling performance, the stock configuration works better than having the fans in reverse.
**Update**
Following a few conversations with Noctua and being somewhat unimpressed with the overclocked performance on the next page, I tried to investigate what could be limited the cooler. As I have mentioned, Noctua recommend that the cooler be orientated with either the heat pipes being horizontal or the C bend facing downwards. Since the CPU socket on the Rampage III extreme is unusually high, it was impossible to test the cooler such that the heat pipe ends faced the top of the case and the C bend faced downwards so I had to settle with the heat pipes facing to the sides. Ideally, we want the former configuration so that the vapour in the heat pipes can travel upwards and then condense into a liquid and subsequently flow downwards. In the end I decided to lay my case flat rather the upright so that the orientation of the cooler didn’t matter for optimal cooling. So here are the results:
For the most part in this situation, the results have remained vastly unchanged but the overclocked cooling results are more interesting…
Results (Overclocked)
Unfortunately, this is where the Noctua NH-C14 disappointed. Despite being better than the NH-C12P SE14 at stock, it failed to sustain a 4GHz clock speed where its predecessor could. Generally, 4GHz is achieved by using 1.3-1.32V on my i7 920 chip but this proved too much for the cooler. Temperatures rose to 100C fairly quickly, and the CPU started throttling to lower clock speeds. My own assumption is that the size of the heatsink doesn’t provide a large enough surface area to dissipate the heat generated and it quickly becomes saturated. At stock clocks, the airflow dominates cooling, hence the advantage of the two fans compared to the NH-C12P. At 4GHz, the heatsink itself becomes the limiting factor. It is understandable that such a cooler can’t cope with such a high overclock, given its purpose as a low profile top down cooler but it is disappointing that it couldn’t match up to the older NH-C12P SE14.
However, all overclocking hope is not lost. The test prompted me to look at the maximum clock speed it could sustain on my i7.
At 3.9GHz, the NH-C14 still managed to cool the i7 without it throttling or reaching absolute temperatures in the upper 90s. 4GHz required a voltage hike that increased the heat generated above acceptable values (100C).
**Update**
Following a few conversations with Noctua and being somewhat unimpressed with the overclocked performance ,I tried to investigate what could be limited the cooler. As I have mentioned, Noctua recommend that the cooler be orientated with either the heat pipes being horizontal or the C bend facing downwards. Since the CPU socket on the Rampage III extreme is placed unusually high, it was impossible to test the cooler such that the heat pipe ends faced the top of the case and the C bend faced downwards so I had to settle with the heat pipes facing to the sides. Ideally, we want the former configuration so that the vapour in the heat pipes can travel upwards and then condense into a liquid and subsequently flow downwards. In the end I decided to lay my case flat rather the upright so that the orientation of the cooler didn’t matter for optimal cooling. So here are the results:
Unlike before, the Noctua NH-C14 manages to handle the 4GHz clock speed and more importantly, it does so with Noctua levels of expectations. I was personally amazed that simply changing the orientation of the cooler could have such a large impact despite Noctua stating that the previous method I used was acceptable. Although I couldn’t have it facing vertically upwards, having the case and cooler lying flat rather than upright simulated these results. Immediately, we see that the default Noctua configuration managed to outperform the original NH-U12P significantly and beats the likes of the Corsair H50, CoolIT ECO A.L.C, Corator DS and the Nordwand. We also have to remember that the Noctua is the quietest solution of the lot. It was a mere 0.25C behind the mighty Prolimatech Megahalem, demonstrating Noctua’s amazing engineering.
In its other configurations, having the fans reversed resulted in worse performance and the same goes for using the U.L.N.A. Coincidentally, those two configurations yielded the same results. For those looking for a low profile cooler, the respective setup still achieved very impressive results that match the NH-U12P. Users no longer have to compromise on cooling in their quiet HTPC or LAN rigs.
Closer Analysis
Top down Coolers
**Updated**
At stock speed, the NH-C14 provides the best performance of all top down coolers tested. The added benefit compared to the Tuniq Propeller is much quieter operation and compared to the NH-C12P (SE14), it can be used in three configurations depending on usage and clearance.
Again, the Noctua NH-C14 is in a league above, being more comparable to tower heatsinks than top down coolers without compromising on noise and practicality. Even with one fan, it coped much better than the NH-C12P SE14.
Northbridge and Motherboard temperatures
The advantage of top down coolers is their ability to cool motherboard components so the Northbridge (X58 chipset) and motherboard temperature deltas were recorded. Compared to its much bigger brother, the NH-C14 did an excellent job cooling the Northbridge lowering temperatures by 3C under load. Strangely, reversing the fans yielded slightly better performance which could be due to heat being extracted from the area, as opposed to hot air being pushed onto the board underneath. High clearance mode provided the worse results because airflow was attenuated by the heatsink itself and the greater distance to the motherboard. Conversely, low profile mode had the fan closer to the components for better cooling.
The motherboard temperature remained vastly the same throughout testing.
Thermal Paste Comparison
For all the cooler tests, I use Thermalright’s Chill Factor II thermal paste but the Noctua cooler comes bundled with NT-H1 thermal paste so additional comparisons were warranted. Our results suggest that they performed very similarly. The NT-H1 lost by 0.25C in low profile mode but won by 0.5C in the default setup. The test highlights the margin of error is cooler tests.
Conclusion
Noctua promised us a top down cooler that could compete with tower coolers and for the most part it delivered. At stock speed, it competed with the likes of Thermolab, Alpenföhn, Coolink and outperformed the once flagship NH-U12P. The benefit of the cooler is also quite clear when we look at the lower Northbridge temperatures, even besting the NH-D14. Noctua have also ensured their cooler to be as flexible as possible to meet the demands of different people. The three fan modes can provide performance, memory clearance or a low profile setup for HTPC users. In all three configurations, performance exceeded that of the older NH-C12P SE14 by 2-3C, so Noctua definitely have a winner on their hands.
The problem lies in its overclocked performance. Unfortunately the NH-C14 couldn’t cope with the heat despite the older model being able to so. For a cooler that wasn’t designed to sustain such overclocks, it would be unfair to put a lot of emphasis on its performance at 4GHz. Nonetheless, overclocking wasn’t impossible and a healthy final clock speed of 3.9GHz was attained. The slight pulsating vibration during operation was also perturbing on first observation but it wasn’t significant to cause any problems.
On the whole, the NH-C14 is still a very good cooler and comes highly recommended. The overclocked performance leaves a bit more to be desired but excellent stock performance, the inclusion of two premium NF-P14 fans, its compact size and brilliant mounting mechanism makes it one of the best top down coolers available on the market. HTPC users should also rejoice because its low profile increases compatibility and best of all, the fans remain quiet even without the low noise adapters. The price is higher than the average tower cooler but it reflects on the premium quality Noctua are famed for. Considering the price of the individual NF-P14 fans, the whole package doesn’t isn’t a bad deal at all.
**Update**
After changing the orientation of the cooler and retesting, it becomes clear that the Noctua NH-C14 does exactly what Noctua set out to achieve. It was intended that the top down cooler would compete with tower coolers and that it did. In its default two fan configuration, it kept up with the Prolimatech Megahalem which many consider a high end tower cooler. Even with a single fan, it outperformed the highly popular NH-U12P. The additional support bar also reduced vibrations so another thumbs up to Noctua for their support
Pros
+Excellent performance
+Size
+Flexibility and compatibility
+Very quiet
+Excellent bundle including two premium 140mm fans
+Very easy to install
+High quality finish
+6 years warranty and brilliant after sales support
Cons
-Fan wire clips
-Has to be orientated a certain way for optimal performance.
+Excellent performance
+Size
+Flexibility and compatibility
+Very quiet
+Excellent bundle including two premium 140mm fans
+Very easy to install
+High quality finish
+6 years warranty and brilliant after sales support
Cons
-Fan wire clips
-Has to be orientated a certain way for optimal performance.
With the new tests taken into account, the Noctua NH-C14 highly deserves the Vortez Gold Award.
I would like to thanks Noctua for giving us this exclusive sample and opportunity.
