This is the last review of the parts that make up what is already my new PC that I was encouraged to build from scratch. It's the turn of the processor heatsink, which also improves the overall airflow by expelling hot air.
If you prefer air cooling, this NH-D15 G2 has nothing to envy to liquid cooling. Arguably, in some configurations it can even outperform any liquid. It is as beastly, but quiet, as its size and weight, 1525 grams with its two fans mounted.
The NH-D15 G2 was introduced in February 2024 and is the second generation of Noctua's popular NH-D15. Featuring state-of-the-art NF-A14x25r G2 PWM fans with speed compensation, eight heatpipes and a set of asymmetrical fins tuned to work in conjunction with the new fans, it achieves superior quiet cooling performance over its predecessor.
Noctua is known for the care they put into the packaging of their products, you would be embarrassed to throw away the box. In addition, they always include a good amount of quality accessories and even their own little details.
The accessory box includes a comprehensive set of accessories: the manual, the SecuFirm2+ mounting system, Noctua NT-H2 thermal paste, a Torx-tipped NM-SD1 screwdriver in the brand colours, a metal sticker with the Noctua logo, a NA-CW1 cleaning wipe, a NA-TPG1 protector for socket AM5, two L.N.A. and a Y-cable (NA-YC1) for the fans.
The first thing you notice when you take it out of the box is its size and weight, and you immediately think that this thing is not going to fit in the tower. It's huge, but it fits. Of course, as long as before you buy it you have taken into account the dimensions of your case and the RAM modules you use or are going to use.
Installation, due to its size, can be cumbersome, but not difficult. Everything is very well explained in the manual. I set it up in less than 10 minutes and because I had to adjust the height of the front fan little by little to save the height of the RAM modules.
Installation manual (PDF)
According to the specifications provided by the manufacturer, the NH-D15 G2 leaves a gap of at least 59 mm for the tallest memory heatsinks using only one fan, making it compatible with most high-end RAM modules on the market.
For use with two fans on taller modules, the proposed alternative is to replace the 140 fan with a 120 fan, which would leave 52 mm of height for the modules.
However, if we want to use the two 140 fans, which is the best, the maximum height for the RAM modules is the standard 32 millimetres.
And this is where the problems start. You can hardly find low-profile DDR5s, most models start at 35mm and can be much larger, as most of them have large housings adapted to fit the damn RGB lights they put on everything nowadays.
The extra 32 millimetres you add to the height of the RAM modules will be the millimetres you have to raise the fan and add to the total height of 168 mm of the heatsink to make sure you have enough space in the case.
In my case, with the Antec P10C, which offers a maximum height of 175 mm, I was left with a margin of almost 5 mm with 34.9 mm modules.
To find out if your RAM modules will fit using the two NH-D15 fans you will need to consult the RAM compatibility list.)
Once assembled and tested in different scenarios such as in undemanding daily tasks and making it work at full throttle with some very demanding games with everything in ultra, I can only applaud the manufacturer. It is as quiet as it is effective. Until it starts working in earnest, you don't even notice it's there.
In idle mode it keeps a warm Intel Core i7 12700K at 26 degrees, with an ambient temperature of 19 degrees and with heavy loads it stays within a range of 35/38 degrees.
There are many who say that it is an expensive heatsink, which it is. It's around 150 euros and doesn't go below that. However, if you can afford it, it is a good buy because, beyond the excellent performance, the first generation NH-D15 has already been working for many years without incident and it looks like the second generation is going to be just as durable.
I have never had a processor below 30 degrees before (not even in winter on the coldest days). I even had to recheck and verify the temperatures with different reading tools because I thought it was a measurement error.
And this is the current configuration after finishing the work:
Chassis/Case: Antec P10 C(Review)
New power supply: Corsair RMx Series RM750x PCIe 5.1 ATX 3.1 750W 80 Plus Gold Modular(Review)
Board: ASUS TUF GAMING Z790 PLUS WIFI (Review)
CPU: Intel i7-12700K up to 5.00 GHz - 12 cores / 20 threads. 8 performance cores (3.6 GHz - 5.0 GHz) + 4 efficient cores (2.7 GHz - 3.8 GHz) L3 cache 25 MB + L2 cache 12 MB.
CPU fan and heatsink: Noctua NH-D15 G2
Additional front fans: 2 Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM. (Review)
Rear and bottom fans: 2 ARCTIC P12 Slim PWM PST -120mm(Review)
GPU: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER D6 6GB GDDR6 - GV-N166SD6-6GD.
RAM: Kingston FURY Beast Black DDR5 64GB (2x32GB) 5600MT/s DDR5 CL40 DIMM
Disk System: Crucial T500 SSD 1TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 SSD, up to 7300 MB/s, CT1000T500SSD8
Storage: Crucial P3 1TB PCIe Gen3 NVMe M.2 model CT1000P3SSD801 (Acronis Edition) up to 3500MB/s.
Storage: Samsung 870 EVO SSD 2.5" 500GB SATA3
Storage: Kingston A400 SSD Internal Solid State Drive 2.5" SATA Rev 3.0, 240GB - SA400S37/240G
External Data Drive: Western Digital "Caviar Blue" HDD 1TB 7200rpm SATA 3.
OS: Windows 11 Pro 64 Bits.
Monitor: LG 29WP500-B, ultrawide 29 inch.(Review)
Keyboard: Drevo Blademaster TE 88K.(Review)
