Testing
The following system was used to test the cooler:
– Processor: Intel i9 9900K @ 5GHz
– Motherboard: ASRock Z390 Phantom Gaming X
– RAM: Ballistix Tactical Tracer 16GB DDR4 @ 2666MHz
– GPU: MSI GeForce RTX 2070 Super Gaming X Trio
– SSD: Crucial MX500
– HDD: WD 1 TB Blue
– PSU: Seasonic Snow Silent 750W Platinum
– Case: Phanteks Enthoo Luxe White
– Thermal compound: Noctua NT-H2
Software used for testing the cooler:
– AIDA64 Extreme Version: 6.20.5300
– Intel Burn Test v2.54
– Prime95 29.1
The cooler was tested with the CPU at the default turbo frequency of 4.9 GHz and overclocked to 5 GHz with a core voltage of 1.261 V.
Also, the included fans have been used at their maximum speed.
The room temperature was approximately 26°C (78°F), with 2°C margin of error.
The idle test consists of the CPU sitting idle at the desktop for 30 minutes, the temperature was measured at the end of the test.
The settings of the software used are the following:
Intel Burn Test v2.54 – Stress level: Maximum
Prime95 29.1- small FFT
AIDA64 Extreme Version – FPU Benchmark & Temperature monitoring.
Each test was conducted for 40 minutes.
Idle
Full Load – IntelBurnTestV2
Full Load – AIDA64 CPU, FPU & Cache
The noise level was measured at three different distances from the fans (10cm, 20cm, 30cm.) the noise was measured with a margin of error of ± 2 db.
The NH-D15 chromax.black will cover all four RAM slots on a ATX motherboard. With the fans in their default position, most regular size RAM modules will fit. However, if RAM modules with tall heatsinks are used, then the front fan needs to be moved upwards to provide more clearance.
The PCIe slot clearance is average thanks to the width of the cooler, which is 150mm. In most cases, either the first PCIe x1 slot or the top M.2 socket of the motherboard will be blocked by the cooler. This means that the M.2 SSD needs to be installed before the installation of the CPU cooler.
The Noctua SecuFirm2 mounting system is simple and uses mostly metal manufactured components in its construction. This ensures an equal spread of thermal compound over the CPU die and the cooler baseplate.
Final thoughts
The Noctua NH-D15 chromax.black is on average 10 USD or EUR more expensive than the regular NH-D15. This price increase is justified by the attention to detail that Noctua put into the NH-D15, with this color change.
Starting with the heatsink, fans and the mounting system components, everything has been painted and regardless of the material or surface, all components of the cooler are the same shade of black.
The chromax.black coating does not decrease the cooling performance of the NH-D15, the differences in temperatures are so small, that they fall into the margin of error.
The only drawback of the NH-D15 chromax.black is the size that will cause clearance issues on most motherboards. The RAM clearance can be addressed by moving the front fan upwards to allow for taller memory modules to be installed. However, the PCIe & M.2 socket clearance is average at best, thanks to the 150mm width of the fans and heatsink. The only solution for using the M.2 socket placed under the CPU socket is to install the M.2 SSD before installing the NH-D15.
The installation process is very simple thanks to the way the Noctua SecuFirm2™ multi-socket mounting system is designed. The SecuFirm2 uses mostly solid metal components and a metal backplate with spring loaded screws. This not only ensures a solid mount over the CPU, but it creates an even spread of thermal compound over the CPU die. and the
In conclusion, the NH-D15 chromax.black is one of the best air CPU coolers available on the market today. It is not only great in terms of cooling but the two NF-A15 HS-PWM are silent and have no bearing noise present, thanks to the SSO2 bearing. The NH-D15 chromax.black is worth the 10 USD/EUR price increase over the regular model, as it is easier to match with any modern system.
