Cooling [SFF Network] Is Bigger Better? Looking at the Noctua NH-C14S

[confusis]

Recently, we looked at Noctua's NH-L12, one of the more premium downdraft style CPU coolers. The NH-L12 does have a larger cousin though - the NH-C14S, a behemoth downdraft cooler designed for high wattage or quiet systems. Featuring support for 140mm fans, this cooler should offer substantial cooling performance, albeit with a significant size increase. Of course, sometimes sacrifices must be made, and in this review, we will see if it is really worth it to go bigger.

Read more here.

 

[GuilleAcoustic]

I'm using its older brother, namely NH-C14, since a few years now and I am more than happy with it. The old version, version is a tad lower too, with 105mm in top fan less configuration (versus 115mm for the NH-C14S), which I am using for case compatibility (with fan blowing upward, through the fins, towards the CPU exhaust vents).

This is a very versatile cooler, but big footprint that almost obstruct the first expansion slot on my mATX motherboard.

 

[Phuncz]

Beastly, chunky cooler from Noctua, performing as it should. I'd love one for a future project, I was very satisfied with the NH-L12 although I could have used more performance which this one will provide.

 

[yardsail]

Notice that the cooler is left/right asymmetrical. It looks like there would be more clearance for the expansion slot if it was rotated 180 deg. so that the heat pipes are on the IO side instead of the DIMM side. I believe that is one of the changes that was made from the C14 to the 14S models to improve expansion slot clearance.