What’s the Best CPU Cooling Layout for the Fractal Terra?

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[@SmallBoxCentral]

As many of you have pointed out, the audio is in this video is very low! Apologies and the issues will be resolved with the next video.

[@arnoaldloukasscirpionis1558]

You should fire the moron who mounted the processor radiator, having the blades horizontal. The guy has still not understood that without a fan forcing air flow through the radiator, the horizontal blades will behave more as a heat retainer than as a cooler. He has still not understood, in other words, that without a fan forcing air flow through the radiator, only vertical natural convection upwards can dissipate the radiator's heat, and thae horizontal blades just impede this. 🤣

[@MarcusMeece]

It's a great video and you do great work my friend thank you kindly

[@MarcusMeece]

Noctua home

[@MarcusMeece]

​@@arnoaldloukasscirpionis1558be positive man

[@BlackAera]

The residual thermal paste on your hands tells me you are a man I can trust.

[@elvarolo]

I've seen many use the L9x65 which has an almost double in height radiator and still fits the Terra. Even went into this video hoping you would compare it

[@chrisdjohari]

I use the L9x65 with the ryzen 7600 without any exhaust case fan and my cpu temp maxed on the 60s most of the time. The cpu doesn't throttle and the case still quite silent even in the game. Guess maybe I'm just lucky on the silicone lottery.

[@justinlowery6017]

Technically, a full size fan will fit under the PSU as exhaust in this case, even with a grille attached. I have it in mine right now and it is working great. However, you will have to shove it under the gap with some force and feed the fan and the grill under separately. You may or may not need to remove rubber pads as well to get it through. To me it was worth it for the improved temps and noise vs. a weaker and louder slim fan.

[@patrik1881]

what kind of cpu fan do you have? and cpu?

[@ehdbom]

This depends on if you have a SFX or SFX-L

[@Fitnessforyou2003]

wouldnt you want it as intake though as heat rises?

[@mikejeffery8371]

I recently purchased this case. I have an 14th gen i5 and used the L9i with the foam duct kit and it was running way too hot for my liking. I ended up switching to the L9x65 and have seen much better temps running more CPU intensive games. My GPU is a 2 slot and I had to slightly adjust the room for the CPU from the stock setting to fit this comfortably, but still has a lot of room for the GPU. I recommend going with the L9x65, if you can.

[@MindGamezReal]

What temps do you got? I have the same L9x65 for my i7 12700k and I had to underclock and undervolt a lot to get to below 93ish.

[@jonnyfontane3607]

will go for the same cooler with the 13600KF

[@sun.is.spirit]

NH-L12S ?

[@axel-11]

How about Deepcool AN600?

[@axel-11]

It really depends on what i5 you have. In my opinion L9X65 is not enough for 14600K, for example. Probably would barely fit for 14600 non-K.

[@RaghavV-rk2zn]

I really want to see more from you. So please take the following as constructive criticism. 1. Audio, as others mentioned, it's difficult to listen to your voice over the music. 2. Video is too short, you could have gone more over the adapter, foam placement shots to show how it pans out in a real build. 3. A proper conclusion with some numbers alongside would have been great. You say the adapter makes it sound better, for this you could shown an audio sample with and without. 4. Shots with each cooling solution mounted as well. I would have liked to see that and I'm sure some other would too. Afterall, more shots of Terra are always appreciated. These ideas are just what I thought after watching this video. I do wish you all the best for future, and hope that you bring us more SFF content.

[@SmallBoxCentral]

Thanks for your comment! This video has definitely caused me the most trouble so far. I have a new camera and filmed a lot of what you suggested, including sound tests - but because I filmed everything in the wrong colour profile, it ended up looking terrible and I couldn't use any of the footage. If you look closely, a lot of the shots were actually from the last video. Everything with the purple/blue background is new, but I had to use my old camera which is why the footage doesn't look as sharp. Audio is not great so hopefully the next video will be better. Thanks again for your suggestions, it is my aim to improve something with every video.

[@RaghavV-rk2zn]

@@SmallBoxCentral I'm glad to hear you understood my intention. Yeah sometimes bad stuff like that happens. I really want to see more of your videos and wish you the best!

[@Thepigeons377]

Im probably going back before most of yall were born but about 20 years ago i built an itx system with a shuttle case , that thing was an absolute nightmare for cables. I ended up desoldering a load from the PSU 😄

[@ErrorInvalidName]

LOL, these kids these days do not know the struggle that shuttlers were, but man was it worth it for lan parties

[@user-vr2rq5hl6l]

For my Fractal Terra build, I’m using an Intel i7-13700T with the new Noctua NH-L12Sx77. The CPU base power is 35W with a max turbo frequency of 4.90 GHz. This isn’t a top tier gaming PC. For that, i would use a bigger case for better cooling. By the way, this video was great to help me get through the build.

[@santyclause8034]

If you are asking us, I don't have this case yet. Going on water blocks, ek-quantum velocity am5 ddc 4.2 pump, reservoir, block combo along with a ek quantum surface s140 rad pair (if you can find the space for a 2nd up top?), and a series loop... ie. CPU OUT to rad #1 IN to rad #1 OUT to gpu IN to gpu OUT to rad #2 IN to rad#2 OUT to CPU IN... 7800x3d CPU, Asus tuf rtx 4080 plus gpu water block. It might fit, dunno. Fan: Noctua NF-A14 ippc pwm 2k rpm or, if you trust pwm go the 3k rpm (it's also louder) While the case might sound busier than La Gardia, it's an On Demand deal just make sure it's plugged into the motherboard pwm fan header.

[@web_alchemist_]

Many thanks for the content; used the Noctua NH-L12S on a Ryzen 5 7600 in my terra build, so far so good!

[@SmallBoxCentral]

Great to hear!

[@martinbrach7899]

Hi, what temp and noise? Thanks

[@web_alchemist_]

have not hit above 75 yet, noise is very audible but I don't mind it. The metal case amplifies the fan noise and it's on my desk, very close to me. @@martinbrach7899

[@SmallBoxCentral]

@@martinbrach7899 01:59 in the video

[@eigenerkram2245]

how many slots does ur gpu have? I got a 2,5 slots GPU and not sure if the 12S fits, atm im using a l9 x 65

[@saidian2246]

I did notice when you mentioned setting to Position Two for the NH-L12S you had a shot that showed you moving to Position 7. A very minor detail but with my Autistic ass it was something that stuck out like a sore thumb. I did however appreciate you letting me know the GPU clearance, I'm potentially building a Terra system soon and that let me know to avoid some of the SKUs i was looking at 😊

[@SmallBoxCentral]

Haha to be honest I am surprised you are the first person to notice! The reason I did that was because I lost almost all the footage for this video due to colour correction issues, so that clip specifically was taken straight from the previous video

[@mparagames]

Hehe autistic ass, relatable

[@megadeth8592]

or just dont buy a noctua cooler for this case since the results are so poor......ID cooling and thermalright have better coolers for this type of setup at a lower price

[@djfuse254]

What would you suggest as your best option for this case?

[@h3g98fn]

@@djfuse254Id cooling is55

[@AlteredVisioned]

Also looking for cooler recommendations for the Ryzen 7700 in this case

[@RedcubeX24]

ID cooling IS-55, Thermalright axp90 x47 or x53 - get whatever fits your setup

[@denisnatera3633]

ID cooling IS 67 XT @@AlteredVisioned

[@tapts503]

That chart was for a r5 3600? I think Linus might be a little off using this for a 5800x3d. Congrats on the huge plug!

[@KDZen]

Thanks for this video! PCPartPicker notes the Noctua NH-L12S as incompatible with the Fractal Terra however. Did you have any issues in your experience installing it?

[@SmallBoxCentral]

Nope, it worked fine for me without any issues at all. You may run into issues if you have a very large graphics card though, but other than that, it fits in perfectly

[@KDZen]

@@SmallBoxCentral Great to hear, thank you!

[@KDZen]

​@@SmallBoxCentralHey sorry to bug you again, which motherboard do you have installed?

[@web_alchemist_]

Thought same thing after the seeing this video, but it works!

[@xk3v1nPx]

It wont clear the ram with b550i motherboard - is there a walkaround on this?

[@MessyLyra]

The "no new subscribers?" meme really got me xD

[@SmallBoxCentral]

I think you are the first person to ever notice it hahaha

[@spike178]

Yeah that's what I thought looks amazing but runs stupid hot so too noisy. But bought the case with a great cooler 12S Ghost and will try my 3080Ti and 65 watt cpu. I'm use to gaming on a cool silent Matx system.

[@3d9e]

If somehow the case can be connected as a heat sink to the CPU that would be the best IMO

[@yifeili1872]

This is exactly the video I am looking for

[@SmallBoxCentral]

I made it just for you

[@jessederinger]

this was great, but it all fell apart when it ended without ever showing how quite the system is. now I have to look up a video about it in order to stop thinking about it lol

[@ErrorInvalidName]

Just a note, audio is soft probably best to kill any music in those situations.

[@pspdsRobin2]

I have the same case, and an Intel i5 13600KF processor, and I stupidly bought the Noctua nh-l9x65. It too termal throttles directly at high load, even after undervolting. It cannot keep up with the load. Even idle temps are 40-50c depending on various stuff. I too have an exhaust fan in the bottom of the case. I've now ordered a Thermalright AXP120-x67 after some recommendations online. Would like to know how well it stands up vs the Noctua NH-L12S in this case. Thanks for the video!

[@SmallBoxCentral]

I've heard that any cooler with the fan on top (that will sit against the side panel) makes it unbearably loud due to to turbulence, Gamers Nexus mentioned it in their video on their Terra which I reccomend you look at! The L12S manages to avoid this as the fan is under the heatsink and it's blowing the opposite direction. Do let me know how it works out though, i'd be interested to see how it performs

[@maxxike]

I've also i5 13600K and Noctua NH-12S cooler. Idle temps : 35-40. Working temps (programming, importing and some CPU stuff). 35-60 (average 40, inaudible noise). Playing Games 2 hours (PUBG 4k): 70-85 (AVERAGE 78). I have fixed fan speed on 75% when playing for playing with low noise. When i open "sidewall" on CPU side of the case temperature drops by 5-10 on average (for example when playing PUBG average temp. drops to 70). I was struggling with PC construction a bit. Low profile RAM modules are necessary.

[@mannyc19]

Some,some,have had minor luck reversing the bottom fan. Again, some....

[@superstaples]

@@SmallBoxCentral the fan is exhausting through the heatsink or sucking air through the heatsink?

[@novalovan]

@@maxxike do you powerlimit the cpu?

[@ultralaggerREV1]

I see the issue, everyone! Our boi here used a Ryzen 5 3600 which is highly known for its overheating problems. It’s very difficult to cool a Ryzen 5 3600 because it overheats alot. Can you try a Ryzen 5 5600?

[@DatBoiJrSan408]

Which ram do you recommend with the Noctua NH-L12S? I'm going for DDR5 and just want to make sure I have enough clearance for the ram I choose.

[@SmallBoxCentral]

I can't say for sure but I think you will be fine with the normal Corsair Vengeance line. Crucial do a set of low profile RAM if you wanted to be extra sure

[@mojojogoart989]

He has the NH-L12s fans set as exhausted before fins? Too close to motherboard? I know if you set cpu fan as intake or in downdraft position you pull in fresh air but with fan being so close to side panel, will it will be noisier and slightly obstructed by panels? Not the smallest of venting holes (mesh would be better). So my question is what's the best way to setup cpu cooler fan orientation on nh-l12s if both downdraft or exhaust setups seem to be limited? Feels like either side would still be either close to panels or close to motherboard. Link below shows one needs 30mm of space for fans to work at max efficiency. I assume that counts for coolers as well. kzbin.info/www/bejne/i33Zha2ri5ebgKssi=Ry7hgh4qsFf0QtaK

[@labemolon5739]

Had the same issue with the fractal Terra and the 65w version of the 14700 (with 3080ti). Tried several air coolers. Had to limit the CPU to 3ghz max and lower voltage. This was unacceptable. So I tossed a 240mm low profile AIO in it and cranked it back up. Problem solved. Now everyone wants me to make a video showing how I did it but I’ve got no time for that, but it is very achievable.

[@ezekielkael4686]

Whats your AIO

[@Claudethechiefsfan]

I'm curious why you maybe didn't try the cooler Robeytech did (although I understand if you didn't know about it). Have you had any more success playing around in this case?

[@SmallBoxCentral]

I ran out of money 😂 I sold the case a couple of weeks after this so no further testing

[@dwadaw567]

What about the db noise levels?

[@marcoitrr]

could a Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 EVO enter in this case?

[@Melpandi]

Cpu cooler for ryzen 7800x3d??

[@Ren-bj4xm]

7700x with Noctual L12s are always hit 95c in my rig (Fractal ridge) Need to undervolt it or limit it performance so it will throttle at 85c.

[@SmallBoxCentral]

Damn that's toasty

[@KLOKIZ]

For NH-L12S it says 81.8. If its summer time and temps are 30 degrees in the room would it also increase the CPU temp by a lot? :|

[@SmallBoxCentral]

Most likely

[@vaporhazy]

Can people please, PLEASE! quit shilling for Noctua so damn much- I got a Thermalright AXP90-X47 for my Ryzen 7 5800x3D and it cools it 100% fine. No undervolt or anything. I do after effects and premiere for a living and Have yet to see it go above a 85c even full load rendering and editing 4k video as well as gaming in Cyberpunk at max graphics with all the bells and whistles. Like I get it they make good products but you are spending so much money on the Noctua stuff.

[@DavidsKanal]

With which cooler did you test the low-noise adapter?

[@DavidsKanal]

Never mind! It was the last config, NH-L12S with exhaust fan

[@vengier6828]

Idk if you tested, but what would be if you take the exhaust fan as an intake fan and letting the cpu cooler push out the air on the side panel?

[@SmallBoxCentral]

I did not test it but I think with small builds like this, it is best to have every fan possible set to exhaust to remove as much heat as possible. If you did have it as intake I can't imagine the difference being more than 1 or 2 degrees though

[@dragkhantech]

If you have the bottom fan as exhaust, the hot air would just rise back up into the case where it's trying to exhaust, there's not much space for the hot air to exhaust to the bottom of the case, also hot air rises. It's better to have the bottom fan as intake to take in fresh air.@@SmallBoxCentral

[@mizuhitoru2747]

Do you think a 13 400f with a NH-L12S would over heat? also can you give me an approx of how loud it would be Thanks ! great vid btw

[@mizuhitoru2747]

oh it seems like the NH-12S in my local stores don't come with lga 1700 ??????? this is so confusing please help if the NH-L12S is not compatible with lga1700 what cooler should I use ?

[@SmallBoxCentral]

I think that is probably the best CPU for this case, results would be similar to mine in the video but maybe a bit louder/hotter under full load

[@mizuhitoru2747]

@@SmallBoxCentral oh i just realized the 12600 kf is cheaper and it has better performance while being easier to cool so I think ill go wit that one instead

[@MrOnumonuo]

can you used the Fractal Design Terra as a case for external GBU?

[@SmallBoxCentral]

I don't see why not

[@AI.Musixia]

no case for me i love the tiny factor but without aio support is really bad so i choose any bit higher case :)

[@daniloharness1582]

Hey could you list what motherboard and ram was used?

[@SmallBoxCentral]

gigabyte b450i aorus pro wifi, corsair vengeance 32GB (2x16@3200MHz)

[@daniloharness1582]

@@SmallBoxCentral Thank you very much, just bought this case and need to figure out what components will fit aha

[@jonnyfontane3607]

what about i5 13600 and noctua NH-L9x65 ?

[@SmallBoxCentral]

I think this would overheat under load. If you haven't bought these parts already I wouldn't bother

[@Jagi603]

Will a 13600k and noctua NH12s work?

[@SmallBoxCentral]

It will work but you might need to set a power limit on it so it doesn't get too hot. Otherwise yes should be fine

[@Jagi603]

and this cooler works with all the lga1700 boards?@@SmallBoxCentral

[@smileisidiot]

not me running stock amd cooler for a year because im lazy

[@SmallBoxCentral]

Sometimes the easiest option is the best one

[@sicurr1]

The audio on your video is so low bro, I had to double the volume on my PC to hear what you were saying. Very informative otherwise.

[@SmallBoxCentral]

Thanks for letting me know! Will double check before I upload the next video

[@laszlosarkozi1385]

Good video, but your voice is way too low, barely audible.

[@rudy_4ier]

man you should work on your videos' volume levels. your Terra build video was fairly soft already. and this one is half the volume of that. what's going on? you wanna be a cool soft-spoken KZbinr but this is absurd.

[@antonbgoodwin]

Undervolt Bro

[@bobbymoss6160]

What do people really think is gonna happen jamming an ATX worth of stuff inside a case that's smaller than a shoe box with limited cooling? Room temperature numbers? 🙄

[@pissboybaby]

i run the l9a x 65 with a exhaust

[@wantsomecoffe]

Does the NHL12S support AM5 socket? im so confused, when looking up the product it says otherwise.

[@SmallBoxCentral]

It does

[@37Kilo2]

Of course you're not going to get great thermals with low profile air coolers. There's not a lot of surface area for the heat to transfer. You can always undervolt the CPU for lower thermals. You're not going to lose much performance in gaming. 🤷‍♂️

[@NoidoDev]

I wish we could have a passive ("fanless") cooler design of that size, where there's more metal and heatpipes involved, then optionally very big and slow coolers on top, which cool the case. Similar to The Beast from MonsterLabo.

[@Scriptdbrawl]

That is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. Temps would be over 100C

[@ocontis_studio]

soon when solid state cooling will get mainstream, look up frore systems

[@Jagi603]

Got a l12s ghost and 14600 intel and get 100 grad Celsius while gaming

[@johnhawthorne4716]

The top slides of Easy cooling

[@francescoliguori4708]

With a Ryzen 7900 (no X) to be installed in a Fractal Terra is the Noctua NH-L12S okay or is a smaller sized cooler also sufficient? Is AMD's stock cooler to be discarded? Thank you.

[@SmallBoxCentral]

L12S would be okay, but it will be very hot. If you can get the L12Sx77 that would be better. Avoid anything smaller than the L12S

[@francescoliguori4708]

@@SmallBoxCentral I can take the L12Sx77 but I would get to the maximum size of 77 mm for the cooler provided for the Terra. The Noctua site gives me it compatible with the Terra only in low-profile mode (fan installed under the fin). How much space would I have left for a graphics card? 43 mm? Toward which model of Nvidia 4060 or 4070 I could move toward? Wouldn't turbulence be created on either side? Would DDR5 Corsair Vengeance and an Asus ROG STRIX B650E-I be okay as RAM and motherboard? Thank you very much.

[@TheDailyDriver88]

Have the 7800X3D in my Terra. Running IS-55 Black with the 15mm Noctua on top. I did liquid metal under the IHS and everywhere in between. Running 64c on my CPU with a 4080 Super crammed in the case as well. NH-L9 is not the best cooler.

[@adrianocosta1214]

Hello, I have an EVGA RTX 3080 it only takes 2 slots so I should have a bit more space for CPU cooler which one do you recomend? have you tried any cooler from scythe?

[@mparagames]

there is the l12s-x77 but it onty works IF your gpu is exactly 2 slots If it's just a little bit taller you'll need the spine in position 2, meaning the x77 wouldn't fit so you'd get the regular l12s instead EDIT: wait nevermind, that gpu is 2.75 slots, not even that would fit

[@fraincs]

You can fit a 25mm at the bottom with a fan grill but it's hard :)

[@fahadalajmi8641]

does it reduce the temp ? I'm considering to get one, but not sure if it worth it ?

[@patrickwelch365]

Is the noctua L9x65 a good cooler? Ryzen 5600 may upgrade to 7700

[@SmallBoxCentral]

it's okay but there are better options available

[@patrickwelch365]

@@SmallBoxCentral do you know one that would fit alongside a 50mm width proart 4070

[@akin242002]

Visually gorgeous, but just too small of a case for my taste. I would be worried about heating issues over the long-term.

[@YongkiWibowo]

Hi maybe you should try Thermalright AXP90 X47 full copper, AXP90 x53

[@blackasthesky]

Very cool video, but please work on your audio.

[@RichGwilliam]

Actual research, nicely presented and delivered with respect for the viewer's time? You, sir, get all of the interactions.

[@SmallBoxCentral]

Kind words, thank you sir

[@CimInc]

L9A with a 30mm thick Phanteks T30 and a duct would be an interesting test IMO.

[@mizuhitoru2747]

yo its me agian lol do you know if the NH-l9x65 would work in this case paired with the ASUS ROG STRIX B760-I GAMING WIFI ?

[@helenbutte4246]

depends of your GPU size

[@pr0toncat]

Hi there, I am currently planning my build in the Terra but I do have an issue. I have a Gigabyte Aorus B450i Pro Wifi Mainboard which has the cpu socket weirdly placed close to the end of the PCB which makes it kind of hard to find a CPU cooler. Did I see correctly at 1:40 that this is a Gigabyte Aorus B450i Mainboard you are using?

[@SmallBoxCentral]

Correct, same motherboard

[@pr0toncat]

@@SmallBoxCentral Thanks man, you helped me a lot.

[@g1zmo85]

I got the DeepCool AN600 for my Terra, will build it once I get a 5700X3D or 5800X3D in the next month or so.

[@Frederik10M]

How did that go?

[@raganaxg]

Is it possible to pair this case with my 7800x3d?thx in advance

[@SmallBoxCentral]

Yes but it might be a bit hot :)

[@ASuwan22]

I have this case and purchased a i7 12700k today. Could you recommend a cooler suitable for this build please.

[@leonard8766]

Thermalright AXP90-X47

[@richiethirlwell9454]

did you have any issues fitting the NH-L12s cooler on the gigabyte b550i aorus motherboard? The noctua compatibility list says "the I/O panel shroud is too big."

[@SmallBoxCentral]

I don't have that motherboard, so not sure. The one I have is the B450I :(

[@richiethirlwell9454]

@@SmallBoxCentral oh OK, thanks. You have the b550i linked in the build video btw

[@Melpandi]

Better fan For ryzen 7800x3d??

[@Armed-]

It’s really hard to cool in a case like that with barely any watercooling compatibility (unless if you’re an expert), just get the l12s and under-volt the cpu

[@Witzmo]

For the L12s, which direction do you have the fan blowing? Into the cooler or away (towards the cpu)?

[@SmallBoxCentral]

I had it pushing air out of the case, but you have the option to reverse it. I think pushing air out the case is the most ideal for this specific case

[@web_alchemist_]

The blades scope the air and blow away from the cpu. My buddy almost convinced me to reverse that but this video made me keep it as it.

[@Semi_Colin]

I’ve been looking for a cpu cooler that can cool the 120 watt 7800x3d…any recommendations?

[@SmallBoxCentral]

Probably the configuration in this video! L12S with the exhaust fan. Can't really get much better than that in this case. Unless you have a tiny GPU and get a 120mm AIO

[@mannyc19]

Get a ID Cooling IS55 Black, nothing else, read my above post/

[@santyclause8034]

EK-QUANTUM Velocity AM5 4.2 DDC pwm reservoir/pump/block combo. Stick an EKWB EK-Quantum Surface s140 rad somewhere and stick a Noctua NF-A14 industrial PPC pwm fan on that bad boy.

[@KLOKIZ]

How noisy is it? :(

[@SmallBoxCentral]

Not very, but it's definitely not the quietest PC out there

[@andrewmoon26]

Does the terra fit any watercoolers?

[@SmallBoxCentral]

Yes, a 120mm on the graphics card side. But it means you must use a very short GPU because the radiator will block it

[@sun.is.spirit]

Get Graphic card that has 200mm length or less, and 120mm AIO will be fit

[@GoFeri]

Overrated case.