The Noctua NH-D15 is broadly considered one the most effective CPU coolers on this planet because of its mixture of unimaginable cooling efficiency and whisper quiet operation, and now it lastly has a successor. The Noctua NH-D15 G2 incorporates a decade of analysis and growth, fine-tuning the unique’s system to supply much more cooling capability with even decrease noise.
In our Noctua NH-D15 evaluation we famous that its six heatpipes and two large 140mm followers mix to make it the one finest CPU cooler on the planet, not less than so far as typical air coolers go. You will get much more cooling efficiency with all-in-one liquid coolers and customized water-cooling however these are dear and sometimes noisier choices.
The brand new Noctua NH-D15 G2 ups the ante on its predecessor in a single very apparent approach, which is that it goes from having six to eight heatpipes. These small copper tubes use a liquid that regularly evaporates out of your CPUs warmth then cools down and liquifies once more on the heatsink, pulling warmth away from the CPU. Utilizing capillary motion, the liquid then is drawn again to the CPU plate to be heated once more in a steady loop.
The transfer to eight heatpipes instantly enhances the flexibility of the cooler to shortly pull warmth away out of your CPU the place it may be dissipated by the massive heatsink and followers.
Different enhancements embody the usage of new NF-A14x25r G2 followers which incorporate a bunch of design tweaks resembling a progressive bend impeller with a centrifugal turbulator hub and winglets. These options assist the fan “push extra air in the direction of the outer blade areas the place effectivity is larger” in addition to making certain even loading throughout the blade, to maintain it from distorting.
The NH-D15 G2 makes use of these new followers together with a reconfigured heatsink fin stack that makes use of a 5mm thinner stack on the entrance to stability the general load with the center fan within the push-pull fan configuration used. The upper strain/airflow efficiency of the brand new followers additionally permits Noctua to cut back the spacing between the fins from 1.9mm to 1.6mm.
Consequently, the NH-D15 G2 exhibits a barely disappointingly small distinction in efficiency to the G1 cooler. So good was that cooler that the G2 will solely “usually translate right into a 2-3°C temperature discount” in comparison with the G1 with present CPUs. That stated, Noctua’s exams present it does have considerably extra total thermal dissipation capability, with the ability to dissipate 620W in comparison with the G1’s 460W for a sustained 15-minute load.
The brand new cooler is out there in three fundamental variations, with Noctua’s signature brown and beige shade scheme the one possibility proper now. There’s the usual base plate model then one with a excessive base plate curve (HBC) that’s optimized to be used with Intel thirteenth and 14th gen CPUs that profit from the middle of the cooler pushing down more durable on the CPU. There’s additionally a low base curve (LBC) model that’s good for AMD AM5 CPUs or different flat CPUS resembling AM4, LGA2066, LGA2011, and lapped or customized flat heatspreaders.
So how a lot will this marvel of CPU cooling set you again? Loads. With an MSRP of $150, it’s some of the costly non-liquid-based coolers you should buy. However, if you would like the most effective – particularly when you don’t care an excessive amount of about inside PC aesthetics – its efficiency is unlikely to be crushed. You’ll be able to already purchase the brand new cooler on retailers resembling Amazon US and Amazon UK.
If you happen to’re not eager on fairly such an expensive CPU cooler, try the Cooler Grasp Hyper 212 Halo, which has sufficient cooling capability for low to mid-range CPUs whereas costing simply $40. Or try our greatest AIO CPU cooler information for extra dear choices which have much more cooling capability than the Noctua and make for better-looking PCs.
