Upgrading from AMD Wraith Prism to Noctua NH-U14S (Installation and Sound Comparison)

I recently upgraded my CPU cooler from the AMD Wraith Prism to the Noctua NH-U14S. Overall I'm extremely impressed with the swap, from both a thermals and noise perspective. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
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Link to PC components: ca.pcpartpicke...

[@PatrickRennie]

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[@syzygy3107]

Patrick have you got the mods for it? The chromax fan in black and the nh-hc6 cover to make it all black? Makes it far more good looking in ur case i would get the white version of the clip on cover for cooler. Also some people saying white cans coming next spring. If true a white cover and white fan would complete ur rig really :D

[@slan7]

This is exactly the type of video I was looking for. Thanks.

[@PatrickRennie]

Glad it was helpful!

[@spacecy]

No problem.

[@lorenzweb]

"Consider me a convert to team brown" :') - cracked me up. Anyhow, gonna install two Noctua NH-U14S to me new dual CPU socket build. Hope it lives up to the expectations. Will post a video in a few weeks.

[@PatrickRennie]

That sounds sweet! I'm looking forward to watching it :)

[@BenyBenator]

Thanks Patrick! I just got the 3800x and I had exactly the same issue with the stock cooler. It's too loud in my living room now. Ordered the Noctua cooler and now I can't wait to get it. I love how you showed the installation too :)

[@PatrickRennie]

Glad I could help!

[@BenyBenator]

@@PatrickRennie you certainly did. It's running in my rig now and it's so quiet compared to the stock cooler, on top of being 5-10C cooler under load

[@PatrickRennie]

Man isn't that so satisfying to see the numbers go down? Love it!

[@rhythmcaster2018]

I feel you. Jump from E7500 to donated i7 4790 (non-k) system. Such a godsend. Keep up a good content my man!

[@PatrickRennie]

Hey, thanks!

[@digitalbikertv9431]

Great video and well narrated. Was looking for sound clips of the Wraith Prism - super helpful

[@PatrickRennie]

Thanks!

[@MarvelousMarvinB]

2 years later, still helpful! Thank you.

[@riccardoarreghini]

Few subscribers, but better videos than those who have many! Keep it up! You have a new subscriber from Italy :)

[@PatrickRennie]

Hey, thanks a lot!

[@eriknelson5585]

You can always swap out that brown fan with a black one. I just go the noctua d15 with black fans and it looks great!

[@PatrickRennie]

Y'know, I've really grown to like the brown. So much so that I got a 120mm Noctua for my rear-exhaust as well!

[@davapod]

It's a great cooler. For those that have a case that can't accommodate this cooler at 165mm tall the Noctua NH-C14S is a great alternative.

[@AB-WhyAlwaysMe]

Colourful+Noise+Hotter CPU < Ugly+Less Noise+Cooler CPU. Definitely like that second pair. Well made video.

[@PatrickRennie]

Thanks!

[@cajun_canuck]

Team Brown, librarian approved. Well done!

[@PatrickRennie]

Thanks!

[@MurCurieux]

I found backing out a screw before you screw it in will ensure no cross threading. Thanks for the video!

[@TapChanek]

Just month ago I've switched my Prism with this Noctua.... it's absolutely great! Best cooler I've used so far. On the other PC I've switched (same) Prism with beQuiet! Dark Rock Slim and it also works well. Anything is better than Prism tbh, your one was silent, ppl report Prisms to make whole range of various unpleasant noises together with jet engine sound.

[@TheThirdeYe1337]

Great video. I just built a new PC and noticed my temps with the Wraith Prism on my 5600x were higher than expected. I spike to 80C degrees just gaming without a heavy load and average in the mid 70s. The room I am in does have high ambient temps, reaching over 30C at times. Looks like I’ll be upgrading to a Noctua soon.

[@PatrickRennie]

Thanks! They are really awesome.

[@Saintsfan019]

Thanks for this comment! I was looking at sticking with the stock 5600X cooler but will be getting a noctua off the bat now.

[@Direwoof]

I just ordered teh zaliman CNPX

[@Hasdfgh12321]

when the video started i was shocked because your pc looks identical to mine LMFAO i thought i was tripping

[@PatrickRennie]

It's a great case isn't it?

[@Hasdfgh12321]

@@PatrickRennie a real beauty

[@KampfKeks502]

tbh i didn't expected this kind of video quality. Nice job 👍. I'm planning to upgrade my stock ryzen 5 3600 cooler for my Server cuz under load it's getting quite hot (95-100°C) and loud obviously. I think i'm going with Team brown as well.

[@PatrickRennie]

Wow, thanks a lot! Glad that you got something out of the video :)

[@ikiboisart]

I noticed you have an asus mobo, you can now overclock your processor because of your new cooler via asus auto OC. Based on my own experience my ryzen 5 2600 on stock cooloer auto oc’d only by 12% but replacing it with a hyper 212 it increase to 19% auto OC. Nice video BTW, very well presented.

[@PatrickRennie]

Thanks a lot! And yes since installing the fan I am running a modest overclock on it. Not too crazy because I still want the system to be quiet, but it has certainly helped for when I render and process videos!

[@emilemouannes2236]

Loved your take on this cooler. Thanks man!

[@PatrickRennie]

Glad you liked it!

[@trilb]

Awesome video, helped me make a decision for a future build :)

[@PatrickRennie]

Hey, glad I could help!

[@optimus888amicus]

Hello everyone ! 🌞😉👍 Very good video ! I really L❤VE the noctua Colers 😻😻😻 For the sake of a technical experiment, I recently changed “ID Cooling IS-67-XT” to “Noctua NH-C14S” I took this cooler so that it would simultaneously cool the RAM and the motherboard's power circuits (VRM) You have a beautiful, powerful computer ! I Really like it !

[@josalt]

Great video thankyou. Going to upgrade my stock cooler sounds like a jet engine...

[@PatrickRennie]

Hey, glad the video could be helpful! It's really amazing how a quiet system improves your office/gaming/workspace!

[@kirop7001]

I have this cooler installed on my i7 8700k, its great,

[@sodesunee]

Great video, but there is one thing: With the noctua some may have a problem by using 4 RAM Sticks because there is no place for them. So it´s good to see, that I wont´t feel messed around and had to remove one for this.

[@PatrickRennie]

100% agree. It should work with lower profile RAM, but with the XPG sticks I have it won't work.

[@umutdurutuna643]

Nice video Patrick! Grabbing this cooler today. Subscribed.

[@PatrickRennie]

Cheers! Glad you found it useful :)

[@idlefiction]

Great video keep up the good work my dude

[@PatrickRennie]

Thank you!

[@Chingy8]

Great video! What was your temperature at idle and load with the wraith prism cooler?

[@PatrickRennie]

Thanks! Temps with the Wraith Prism were ~40 degrees Celsius at idle, and around 75-80 degrees Celsius under full load. With the new Noctua I don't think I've seen it go above 70. Pretty impressive!

[@AndrewKwabula]

I just bought this exact cooler for my next build, Ryzen 7 3700x + b550-E Gaming Wi-Fi, to be delivered anytime from 6 Feb. So thanks for the reassurance because I have been having second thoughts, thinking am I substituting a better-looking more capable cooler? To all, I recommend Team Brown, ugly but a serious performer. Just paint the fan black LOL. I have a Noctua NH-U9S in my B450-F Gaming + AMD Ryzen 5 3600 so I am deep into Mr. Ugly Brown.

[@PatrickRennie]

Nice! Hope it works well for you :)

[@billyboix]

You mentioned disliking the classic noctua colour scheme, I am fairly sure the NF-A15 also comes in chromax black which you might prefer down the line

[@PatrickRennie]

Thanks for the tip! I did notice that they do make them in Chromax black but it's a bit hard to get a hold of these days. Since I put this together I've come to like the brown/beige, it give the PC a bit more of an 'industrial' look which I don't mind.

[@johnnyb530]

Great video! Currently making the same cooler change. How do you like your gigabyte card? 5700xt?

[@PatrickRennie]

Thanks! It is a 5700xt. It's a pretty hot card, but honestly for the price it's pretty fantastic. I was having some pretty awful driver issues up until about February, but I haven't had a driver issue since. For example, I'm playing the Witcher 3 right now on full ultra settings, and I'm still getting about 80fps.

[@OneTradeMan]

Nice video, about to do a similar swap out, the wraith is just too loud but have used it for 3 years

[@Armadyz]

When I was removing the stock Wraith Prism cooler the paste was like glue and I ripped the cooler along with the CPU, had to use a hairdryer later on to wiggle it off the cooler, seems like you had an easier job. :D

[@PatrickRennie]

Oh yeah, I made sure that I removed the cooler after running the PC for a couple of hours. I've heard that it happens sometimes with the Wraith Prism, which is why I tried to wiggle it so much before removing it.

[@colin9630]

Does the NH-U14S come with all the required hardware like that those bracket adapter plates? I also have an AM4 Ryzen setup, so hope it's compatible. I love the look of the Wraith cooler but I have similar issues you did, especially the constant loud fan noise

[@PatrickRennie]

Hey Colin! Yup, it should be totally compatible. This cooler comes for brackets for both Ryzen and Intel. It's been a while since I made this video, but I also think that if you are using AM4 that you also use the backplate included with your motherboard. It's pretty easy!

[@torukmahtomahto409]

also free mounting kit support for every socket..had this since 2013, lga775,

[@ks4863]

Awesome quality on the review and comparison. I'm building a new system with the same case and processor...do you find that the 2 stock case fans in the fractal meshify produce excess noise as well or is most of the noise generated from your cpu under full load? Did you suffer from the same noise issues when you were only gaming?

[@PatrickRennie]

Hey thanks for the kind words! The two stock fans are pretty decent and not too loud, however they are a 3-pin fan and not a 4-pin PWM fan. This means that you can't really customize any of the fan curves in the BIOS. When I initially built my PC as well, my Fractal exhaust fan was accidentally connected to the AIO pump header on my motherboard, which meant that the fan was spinning at full gas 100% of the time, which was very noticeable. I donated the Fractal fans that came with the case to a friend who as building another PC, as I have a combination of Noctua/Be Quiet! fans in my system now, but if you're on a budget and just want to get your PC up and running to start, you can't really go wrong!

[@user-os1jw9fg2w]

You can buy noctua chromax black fan for your cooler!

[@PatrickRennie]

Yeah I've seen that actually! Since this video I've added 3 more brown Noctua fans to my build, so you might say I'm fully committed now XD. Thanks for the heads up though!

[@toseeupload8855]

Thank you. Exactly what I look for. A timestamp should be good. Btw, is the load noise from how much % of RPM?

[@DrVektor]

if you want to out of focus. You should lock the focus static distance.

[@Stuntzii1]

ok mr fancy keyboard :P i have same cooler i added a second fan, i would have used the noctua backplate its a lot stronger. also this is i tip i never see on any videos. after u put the compound, use a credit card to evenly distribute it across the chip. i always do this and it works great my cpu never goes above 70c

[@attilavs2]

Doing literally the same thing but with a 5600X, mostly for the quiet, i am not worried about temps as long as it's not throttling into oblivion

There is always the possibility to buy a NF-A15 cromax and make the most beautiful build. From the reviews I saw it is a great cooler, I am waiting for mine in a few days

[@drafton4897]

Can I mount it with msi x470 plus max? It's an am4 mobo.

[@PatrickRennie]

Hey! My girlfriend has the exact same mobo as you, and I have a Noctua cooler installed on it as well. No problems!

[@drafton4897]

@@PatrickRennie happy to hear that. i just ordered it.

[@11BravoMike]

Thanks for the video Patrick. As you probably know by now Noctua offers black fans now. They also offer all kinds of stuff to dress up their coolers. I'm going to try the NH-U14S. Have you thought of running it in a push pull config? I'm considering doing that on mine if I have the clearance. I have to wait until all my parts show up though until I can check the clearance. May be something I just do down the road. Either way. Great vid man. Take care.

[@PatrickRennie]

Hey there! Thanks for the support, it means a lot! I did see the Chromax black coolers, they look pretty slick! Funny you mention the push-pull configuration; I'm currently finishing up a video where I test exactly that, and I can tell you from my tests at least, the cooling benefit is marginal at best (less than 1 degree), and the actual performance of the CPU decreased (I did this by using the Blender benchmark tool to test). The best configuration I found was the standard single fan in the front. I'm going to be re-testing things just to double check that it is in fact correct, but my findings so far indicate that there is no added benefit for a second fan in a pull configuration. I'm hoping to get that vid out soon, but I want to make sure I've done my tests as properly as possible.

[@11BravoMike]

​@@PatrickRennie Thank for the response Patrick. I'll have to check that video out when you're done. It could be an issue with the pull fan screwing with the rear exhaust on the case. I've seen setups where you can actually choke parts by blowing too much air here or there in a case. That kind of makes sense too with this cooler. The rear of it is getting close to the case exhaust. I wouldn't do it for 1-2 degrees. Not worth the extra noise imo but, if it were minus 5 or so degrees under load, that would be worth it. Thanks again. Good luck.

[@11BravoMike]

OH! You could try testing each fan and making sure the pull fan is the faster of the two. You could be getting turbulence if the push is faster. Who knows? Wish I had all my parts in so I could test it myself lol. I believe Noctuas can have up to a 20% variable between fan speeds on identicle fans. Take care.

[@seane6020]

So I am considering getting this or the nhd15 but I also prefer aethstetics and I would like to save the look of the extra price I paid for my rgb ram. I plan to buy this and buy chromax white heatsink covers and then black noctua fans. Is it worth the performance because I dont plan to overclock, I just want a nice looking and quiet sounding cooler, because my wraith stealth is a jet engine.

[@PatrickRennie]

I think when you consider the cost of an air cooler vs. a low-end liquid AIO cooler, its a bit of a no-brainer. It is more 'expensive' than some of the more basic air coolers (e.g. the Hyper 212), but if your primary goal is silence, I think you gotta go with a cooler with a bigger heatsink and fan like a U14S/U12S. I think that the NHD15 is a bit overkill if you're not planning to overclock, and there would also be RAM clearance considerations as well.

[@SuperSuperka]

Stock cooler is so beautiful! I am buying 3900X for CG and plan to work with stock cooler for some time.

[@PatrickRennie]

AMD did a really great job with the stock cooler, and it's absolutely a decent choice. I prioritized a quieter build as there are 2 computers in my office, and I'm really happy with the decision overall. Enjoy your beast of a CPU!

[@SuperSuperka]

@@PatrickRennie Thank you! BTW, Fractal Design Define C is the most quiete case, with some foam on back panels. Otherwise it the same as Meshify C you have.

[@guyrigby109]

My 3900x absolutely throttles with the stock cooler unfortunately. It works good for less intense loads like gaming, but rendering it will hit throttle. I ordered a noctua one to replace it.

[@javiierborges16]

This case is awesome, I am comparanding nzxt and fractal design cases, and I think I will put a nd-15 chromax.black cooler :)

[@PatrickRennie]

NZXT makes great cases, but I think bang for buck the Fractal Meshify C can't really be beat. Especially if you're looking for a high-airflow case.

[@javiierborges16]

​@@PatrickRennie I will take you opinion to make my decision, thanks.

[@if7939]

Great Video Thank you

[@PatrickRennie]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed ☺️

[@skremsel5186]

You deserve more followers

[@PatrickRennie]

Haha, thanks :) Slowly but surely!

[@JMUDoc]

They should do a black version - they have with all their other coolers!

[@PatrickRennie]

Agreed. The black would create a very clean look. Although I wonder how similar it would look to something like the Hyper 212 if they did make that change.

[@seppous]

clean!

[@deeproychowdhury516]

Hey did you mount the cpu fan push or pull ?? I mean is it blowing air through the heatsink at the back or blowing out air??

[@zuan1666]

Top class content, I love it.

[@PatrickRennie]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@Haddley333]

Nice vid! Does the stock amd cooler get that loud when gaming? I’m a noise freak so would love to know

[@PatrickRennie]

It does get loud, but it only ramps up periodically in my experience. The Noctua does the same, but because this is a bigger fan and the heatsinks are more efficient, it's a lot quieter. If you're a noise freak and you don't use headphones to game, I'd consider upgrading to a better cooler.

[@jaredderaj1331]

I have the stock AMD fan and the high frequency coil whine annoys me.. I just bought the Noctua to replace it.

[@nishikantprabhu]

Hi Patrick! Thanks for your review.. I wanted to ask was whether the fan can slide down one or two mm - my case can accommodate only 164 mm tall cooler, this one is 165. Possibly the fan clips can be mounted, 2 fins lower than usual? Since this anyway does not overhang on the RAM slots, this should not be a problem right? Or does the mounting bracket screw hit the fan as it would slide below?

[@PatrickRennie]

Hey Nishikant, The fans can be lowered down on the fin stack, but there are these little nubs where the heat sink pipes terminate that will still be 165mm tall, so this might be a bit too tall for your case. You could look at the U12 instead of the U14 as I think it's a bit smaller if I remember right. Hope that helps!

[@nishikantprabhu]

@@PatrickRennie I saw the U12, and yes it fits perfectly. But this is not available in my geography right now and my processor is FX-6300 - so I will be upgrading in future and I dont want to be limited by the lower headroom of the U12S. Regarding U14 - Im getting what you say, but if you check the pic at the bottom of the specifications tab on noctua.at/en/nh-u14s then you will see that the fan frame is slightly above the "little nubs" as you describe them. In principle therefore - the fan can be pushed down. Even if the push down is 2 mm, my problem is solved. Only concern again is that the slight push is actually more than 1 mm (preferably more than 2 mm), and the mounting screws on the bracket beneath should not interfere. I don't have this Cooler - and your video is a recent one - so I thought maybe you still have it and can open up your case and check. The other option I have is that of Dark ROck 4 (not slim, not Pro) but even that is unavailable right now. Thanks !

[@Unslain]

You can pick up a black fan instead of the brown now, they are called NF-A15 chromax black. www.amazon.co.uk/Noctua-NF-A15-HS-PWM-chromax-black-swap-Premium/dp/B07654B9MR

[@PatrickRennie]

Thanks for the tip! I'll have to consider this for a future build :)

[@anotherstupidfeature]

I changed from Wraith Prism to NH-D15S hoping to get the temps little lower. I was very surprised when I saw the result. The temps didn't change hardly at all even though the cooler has a lot more cooling surface. I just in case reseated the cooler and tried also another TIM spreading method but no succes. Atm the idle temp is 47C(116F). It was more or less the same with Wrairth Prism. Max noticed temp 78C(172F) when I ran Windows Defender scan. I flashed the latest BIOS and tried different fan curve testings etc. but nothing changed. I wasted over 70 euros. Well, at least now my PC is a little quieter.

[@PatrickRennie]

Huh, that's really interesting, although that sucks that you didn't see any noticeable temp changes. What CPU are you using? I would imagine it could be a combination of several factors, but it's good to know that your mileage may vary with these types of coolers.

[@anotherstupidfeature]

@@PatrickRennie 3800X@stock settings. Last 3 hrs I have studied this issue because it simply feels a physical impossibility that a larger cooler with better fan can't make the processor run cooler. I just checked out how TIM was spreaded. It was evenly spreaded so at least no seating problems. Also the surface is perfectly straight on both the processor and the cooler. I tried light and tight seating. No change. I disassembled and reassmbled the whole thing. No change. This indeed is strange. And not acceptable.

[@PatrickRennie]

That's a bummer. I would love to be able to recreate your situation with my cooler to see if I would get the same results, but alas I'm just a small youtuber with no hardware connections (yet!). I'd agree that you should have seen at least some sort of performance benefit to moving to the Noctua. I have heard that the 3800X is a pretty hot CPU to begin with (hotter than the 2700X on average at least), but you should have at least seen a couple degrees difference I would think. Best of luck with your troubleshooting!

[@anotherstupidfeature]

@@PatrickRennie Thanks, your wishes came true :) I was thinking about the airflow of my case generally and tested what happens if I remove the three quite noisy fans on top of the case and then mount one 130 mm fan on the back wall. Now the temps are amazing. Idle temp atm 37-41C(98-105F) and max 57C(135F) when running Windows Defender full scan, when earlier it was as high as almost 80C(176F). I just can't believe the three fans messed up the airflow so badly :O Also the chipset temp was always around 60-65C(140-150F)(idle) but now 52-56C(125-132F). Now my PC is also nearly completely silent. Thanks for your video it pushed me to solve the issue :)

[@PatrickRennie]

Daaamn! Look at you! That's awesome. Glad you did some more digging!

[@Pandahut_rl]

what case is that? looks exactly like what i've been looking for. btw i just bought this cooler and installed it in my rig. works amazing

[@PatrickRennie]

Case is the Fractal Meshify C - would highly recommend. Really easy to work in, and lots of good spots for cable management. I picked up my girlfriend a Phanteks P400A case as well (in the same price range as the Meshify) and it was also really nice to work in.

[@Pandahut_rl]

Patrick Rennie perfect thanks man

[@mamagalebi]

@@PatrickRennie I'm planning on buying a p400A as well for my rig, do you know if the NH-U14S would fit in it comfortably? PCpartpicker site says they're not compatible.

[@PatrickRennie]

@@mamagalebi It's a great case to work in! When I built in the P400A I opted for the NH-U12S instead of the 14. I don't think you would actually have clearance issues, but the U12S fits in no problem at all, and is still super quiet.

[@mamagalebi]

@@PatrickRennie Sweet, thanks for the info!

[@kbhasi]

(5:13) While I do like Noctua's colour scheme (it reminds me of old exhaust/extractor fans), I won't be surprised if you have since replaced that with the Chromax version.

[@PatrickRennie]

I haven't made any changes! The fan works perfectly fine, and my PC is now tucked behind a second monitor I picked up so I don't see it nearly as often. Still super quiet though, which was the biggest reason I made the upgrade.

[@Gypsycamile]

Thanks, i went from a stock cooler Ryzen 5 3600 to a Noctua NH U12S, since it was smaller and enough for me. My question is, i still hear some noise, its normal right? I mean, i have three noctua fans too AFX12X15. I put them in silent mode, so its less noisy. What RPM is the recommended? I mostly use it for office and gaming.

[@PatrickRennie]

Hmm, I think recommended RPM really depends on your preferences and what you would ultimately trade off. If you prefer a silent system over total performance, I'd suggest going into your BIOS and adjusting your fan curve to a quieter one. Also there is still going to be some noise for sure (it's not totally silent for me either), but the pitch of the fan is also a lot lower and less noticeable for me as a whole. Oh and one more thing; is one of your fans connected to the AIO Pump header on your motherboard? I made the mistake of doing that for my exhaust fan and since there are no controls for that header, it was running at full speed the entire time. I'd also double check that!

[@NGreedia]

the noise difference doesn't sound that huge, at leaste from the video audio although the tone is different.

[@jhandgreat7079]

good video!

[@PatrickRennie]

Thanks!

[@JayzBeerz]

i had a 2700x but with all the RAM issues with 4 sticks i got rid of it. i got the 3700X and it loves all kinds of RAM.

[@PatrickRennie]

Yeah I was debating between a 2700x or a 3700x, but the local computer shop had the 2700x on an absolutely screaming deal when I bought it which made my decision pretty easy. Might pick up something a little more powerful once the 5000 series is released!

[@JayzBeerz]

@@PatrickRennie same here I'm kind of leaning towards the 5900X since it's only 100 bucks more than the 5800X. And I actually got my 3700X for $189.99 with sales and discounts at best buy.

[@isosolo5664]

does it matter what side the fan is on? I have an ASUS ROG STRIX X570-F and installed the cooler when i first had 2 sticks on ram however, i bought 2 more and can't install the final one bc the cooler is too big due to the fan overlapping onto the ram stick slots.

[@PatrickRennie]

Hmm, well I think if you put the fan on the other side of the heat sinks, you wont' get as much 'pull' through the case as the heat sink fins will obstruct the airflow. I don't see why you couldn't however it might result in slightly higher temps. Might be interesting to do a video to see if there is a big difference!

[@MKLDSNTA]

THAT CABINET LOOKS COOL...WHICH MODEL IS THAT?

[@PatrickRennie]

You referring to the case? It's a Fractal Meshify C

[@shtiken]

Does it not block the first memory slot? Or even just slightly touch or push on the memory stick if it was installed there? Also can you get to the m.2 slots with the cooler installed?

[@PatrickRennie]

Hey! Good questions. The U14S is pretty massive and does cover up the first DIMM. You would need to use low-profile ram in order to make it work in the standard configuration (I am just about to finish up a video where I test a few other configurations out, and you can definitely have it on the other side of the fin stack with minimal performance loss). The U12S is a bit taller and the fan is smaller, and you should have clearance you need. You will be able to access the m.2 slot on your mobo if you use this cooler, but you will have to first take out your GPU to install. Hope that helps!

[@shtiken]

@@PatrickRennie Thanks very much man. You're awesome, very helpful of you.

[@TheJoeMB]

The wraith prism has very good performance (thermal wise) but it does sound like a jet engine under load.

[@PatrickRennie]

It does a great job for being something included with the processor! I think something like the Noctua is a good upgrade path if you're looking to either increase your thermal performance or decrease the overall sound of the system under load.

[@mdrafiqurahman1634]

does your "Noctua NH-U14S" block one or two ram slots? I am planning on using it with 4 ram sticks (16gbx4). Wondering if i could put 4 sticks in there. Ram I am planning on using G.Skill Trident Z.

[@PatrickRennie]

You should be able to if you go for specifically low profile ram. The ram that I bought for this particular build would definitely not have enough clearance if I had 4 sticks. You can also move where the fan itself sits on the heatsink to accommodate for different ram, but then you'll need to consider the width of your PC case overall. Hope that helps!

[@SerpentLord]

"10 degrees cooler". Is that F or C?

[@mts982]

Shouldve had temps from stock cooler to noctua.

[@PatrickRennie]

Appreciate the feedback! Yeah it was something that I realized I should've done after I had installed the new one. If/when I build a new PC with the same stock fan, I'll maybe revisit this.

[@n00ber420]

So, you took it in the brown. I've been considering upgrading from my prism, not for noise particularly but maybe knock off a few degrees, did your VRM temps change at all, with the fan not blowing down?

[@PatrickRennie]

That's a good question. To be honest that wasn't a metric that I was looking at when I was getting data for the video, so I can't really answer your question unfortunately.

[@Nilmil_0838]

Why not get an aio cooler?

[@PatrickRennie]

Hey! There are a couple of reasons I went with air vs. AIO. Firstly, air coolers are cheaper than AIOs (This cooler costs about $65USD). There are also less things that can 'fail' in an overall air cooler configuration (AIOs can have leaks, pump failures, etc. Not common, but you do introduce a marginal amount of risk). Finally, after doing some research about AIOs vs Air, there really isn't any performance to be gained by AIOs unless you are massively OCing your system and using a huge 360mm radiator. Big cons to the air cooler are the fact that it doesn't look as 'clean', but IMO I kind of like the industrial look. Great question, and I hope that helps!

[@KrotowX]

Where is fan sound comparison? Can't find it here.

[@PatrickRennie]

Sound comparison starts at around the 6:00 mark of the video.

[@eyeprops5422]

In order to keep the back plate lined up and from falling out... I temporarily masking taped it in place. lol

[@PatrickRennie]

Hey that's a great idea! I'll keep that in mind next time I do another PC build :)

[@guyrigby109]

You could also only take out one stock amd bracket, then screw one noctua one in place. The other amd bracket holds the backplate in place while you swap. Then do the second pair swap.

[@matiassormunen421]

Does the cooler come with some thermal paste?

[@ravesos7898]

I have the same cpu and I've been looking for a cooler since many months now and I think this is the one! But, how does it fare against hyper 212 rgb black edition?

[@PatrickRennie]

Hey! Good question. I don't personally have any experience with the Hyper 212, but from what I've heard that you can't go wrong with that cooler for the price. Keep in mind too that the Hyper 212 is also about half the price as the NH-U14S. I'd say it boils down to your budget as well as the aesthetic you're going for with your build. Personally I prioritized overall silence of my system which is ultimately why I went with the more expensive/bigger cooler. Hope that helps!

[@GameTimeWhy]

Any recommendations for 120mm noctua case fans? I've been looking at getting more fans for my case but there are so many options.

[@PatrickRennie]

Man you're absolutely right - there are SO many options for fans with Noctua. I think it would depend on what you're going for! Are they intake fans or exhaust fans? For my exhaust I purchased this one: noctua.at/en/products/fan/nf-s12a-pwm and it's been excellent. I don't really think you can go wrong with any of them if I'm honest. The only thing I would definitely recommend is getting PWM fans, as they allow you to custom control your fan curves in the BIOS of your motherboard. Hope that helps!

[@GameTimeWhy]

@@PatrickRennie it did help a lot. Awesome fans! Thanks!

[@Behdad47]

Hey there. Do you have enough clearance to occupy all 4 ram slots?

[@PatrickRennie]

Hey! Not with the current RAM I use, it would work if you specifically get lower profile RAM however. I also did a review of fan placement that you can watch, where if you put the fan on the other side you can fit conventional RAM on all of the DIMM slots.

[@Behdad47]

@@PatrickRennie Thanks. I'll give it a watch. I'm using Gskill Ripjaws V and according to Noctua's website, I have all sorts of clearances for U14S. At first, I wanted to get a D15. Since it's overkill for what I do and I also don't want to sacrifice my PCIe slot, I decided to go for a U14S. With all the components shortages happening, I have to stick with my Wraith Stealth cooler for a while.

[@PatrickRennie]

Yo can also go for the U12s too if clearance is a big concern. I put that U12s into my girlfriends system, it's just as quiet and I believe is a bit cheaper as well!

[@Behdad47]

​@@PatrickRennie Yeah I had that one on my list too. However, I'm also looking for future upgrades and overclocking as much as my mainboard allows. I currently have a Ryzen 5 3600xt which I didn't install properly. Because of that, I'm getting stupid high temps and had to underclock it to 3.75ghz.

[@Pinpadprompts]

Is that an LG GL850? How do you find it for video editing?

[@PatrickRennie]

It is a LG 32GK850F-B. I like it a lot! It's got a huge screen so plenty of real-estate for video/photo editing. Colours are pretty good for a VA panel as well. I don't have a lot to compare it to as it's my first 1440p 144hz monitor, but I've been really impressed with it.

[@whenwillidie6821]

what is the case you are using?

[@PatrickRennie]

It's the Fractal Meshify C

[@hardkombucha]

Should have at least gone with the Black Chromax version. It would look a lot better.

[@PatrickRennie]

Eh, keep in mind when I put this together it was peak COVID and everything was sold out. I was lucky to get a cooler as is! The colour has grown on me as well :P

[@hardkombucha]

@@PatrickRennie To each his own.

[@antomarkic7190]

Take off that unnecessary transparent side cover and your temperature will drop even more and thus the noise...

[@MrEricmopar]

Not like a jet engine... more like a turboprop LOL

[@PatrickRennie]

Hah, that's probably a better comparison :P

[@aaabbb-se1ks]

What’s the clearance for your RAM?

[@PatrickRennie]

I have a 2x16GB setup, so RAM clearance hasn't been an issue at all (in DIMM slots 2 and 4 on the motherboard). That being said, the first DIMM slot is directly over top of the CPU fan, so you would likely have to go with a low-profile RAM to achieve proper clearance.

[@aaabbb-se1ks]

@@PatrickRennie Thanks mate for the info. Guess i'll need to get some new rams then.

[@hadesdomein6174]

Patrick r

[@Pinpadprompts]

How much room is there between your u14s and the meshify tempered glass?

[@PatrickRennie]

There isn't a ton of clearance, maybe around 1cm or so? You won't have any problems closing the case if that's a concern.

[@Pinpadprompts]

@@PatrickRennie I'm keen on fitting the chromax cover underneath the glass which adds 7mm. It would be a very tight fit by the sounds of things.

[@PatrickRennie]

It'll be close, but I found this build of a user on PCPartPicker using a Define case (very close to the same dimensions as a Meshify if I remember correctly), and the Chromax cover fits fine: cdn.pcpartpicker.com/static/forever/images/userbuild/216089.bf3ba84cd93cac528f9ac7c53cbd3eca.1600.jpg Those covers look great! If you end up building with this heatsink make sure you send an update :)

[@Pinpadprompts]

@@PatrickRennie I think the u14s is slightly higher than the 15 but I will roll the dice and keep you posted

[@overnightdelivery]

See what brown can do for you..

[@Hamza-Razak]

The loudness

[@PatrickRennie]

I've since put another Noctua fan for rear exhaust! Suuuuper quiet now :)

[@klaezx]

Should I get an aio instead?

[@PatrickRennie]

Hey! I think it depends on your budget and your goals for the PC. A lot of people prefer the AIO because of the aesthetics of it (not to mention better compatibility if you want to add 4 sticks of RAM on your motherboard). Personally I wanted something as quiet as possible for a reasonable price and I think this and the U12 are the best bang for your buck.

[@NightOwlGames]

i really need to have a chat with the CEO product design manager of Noctua i have one simple question to ask thats on all our minds, "why the F did he/she choose this color?"

[@mehtapylmazkaya3199]

Amd Wraith Prism is very loud.

[@ducnguyenminh6165]

does it hang over the first memory slot???

[@PatrickRennie]

It does. My memory slots are in 2 and 4 on my motherboard, but if you are looking at having a 4 DIMM setup, you will want to consider a low-profile RAM option.

[@ducnguyenminh6165]

@@PatrickRennie low-profile memory, ok I will note that at looking for CPU cooler, but which part hangs over the slot, is it the cooler itself or the large fan???

[@PatrickRennie]

@@ducnguyenminh6165 its mostly the fan that overhangs. The U14 is a 140mm fan. I have also worked with the U12 (120mm), and it gives more clearance as both the fan and heatsinks are a bit smaller.

[@jackburton307]

Noctua makes their fans in black too. Those browns are hella awful

[@PatrickRennie]

Eh, I've gotten over the looks of 'em. My entire PC is behind my second monitor now, and they still perform amazing. Those black Noctua fans look cleeeean though

[@VinceCabahug]

454th subscriber

[@iwishihadgoodinternet7766]

that easy? hopefully i don't still mess up when i get one lol

[@PatrickRennie]

It definitely feels a bit nerve-wracking, especially if it's the first time you're doing it. All in all though I was pretty happy with how simple the actual installation is!

[@iwishihadgoodinternet7766]

@@PatrickRennie what about the wiring? those things you connect to the motherboard? the wraith has one

[@PatrickRennie]

@@iwishihadgoodinternet7766 it's just 1 4-pin connector that you'll need to install for the fan, and that's it. Since there's no RGB you don't need to plug in anything else.

[@iwishihadgoodinternet7766]

@@PatrickRenniethanks! last question sorry, This is just 1 fan right?

[@PatrickRennie]

@@iwishihadgoodinternet7766 yup

[@frederikverbruggen8290]

Try the Best, schyte ninja 5 :)

[@PatrickRennie]

Hahaha, I initially read this as 'shite ninja 5' and had a good laugh. I'd be very interested in trying some other coolers out for sure!

[@nickking7375]

you ar running your noctua to fast. limit it at 40% and it will be still cooler.

[@PatrickRennie]

Interesting. Can you explain the rationale behind that?

[@nickking7375]

It is all about heat difference. you can get 5c cooler and need 500% fanspfeed or it. Or you can get Stock performance.. nearly inaudible. Lock the Noctua to 35% fanspeed and run some tests. The numbers will not change a lot, but your hear nothing.

[@PatrickRennie]

Thanks for the tip Nick! I'll play around with my settings a bit. It's still whisper quiet but I'll give it a go

[@scottkailey1]

Spray paint the fan, sir!

[@PatrickRennie]

Haha, since making the video the colour scheme has grown on me. I actually don't mind it now :P

[@prrish]

that is visually such a downgrade

[@Ziamira]

Holy dam dude that’s way to much thermal paste 😟

[@PatrickRennie]

Funny, you're the only one to comment on that since this video went up. I might apply a bit less next time I were to do this but it certainly hasn't been an issue.

[@Ziamira]

@@PatrickRennie its not an extreme issue but down the road you will find over heating quicker due to having so much kinda like having to much peanut butter in a sandwich compared to the little bit of jelly. the heat wont transfer as efficiently to the metal plate.

[@EbefrenRevo]

LOL, you guys call this "jet engine" ?!?! LOOOOOOL, ah be young again

[@elitechen5918]

that color is ugly