NH-D14 vs Corsair H80

[Sheza]

Hey there,

I just realised that I no longer have the correct backing plate for my current water cooler and therefore I'll need to get something else before my Ivy Bridge upgrade.

I really wanted to get the Phanteks PH-TC14PE_BL (Love the blue colour) but unfortunately it doesn't look as though it fits inside my case (Coolermaster Storm Scout).The NH-D14 is the only high end cooler that looks like it will fit.

However I'm also looking at the Corsair H80 since I've seen some very good reviews on it and I think it'd look nicer in my case and since I have a side panel I'd love to illuminate my case with some blue cold cathodes and everything, wouldn't want the view to be obstructed too much.

So, which to choose? Obviously the looks are pretty important but overall I'd want to get the best performance out of these two.

I also have a slightly related question regarding reviews on coolers - thankfully OC3D makes it clear what the delta temperature is. On virtually every other site they do not state whether the temperature results are actual readings (therefore I should manually take away 20 or so degrees) or delta readings. Which can I assume them to be? If they mention 20 degrees ambient temperature and 35 degrees recorded temperature, is that delta or not?

Thanks all.

 

[SieB]

The Delta temperature is the temperature minus the ambient temperature (temp of your room) so that way you can judge the temp differences more accurately by eliminating any variable differences in ambient temps.

As for the cooler, without a doubt the NH-D14, the only other highend coolers worth getting besides the D14 are the Phanteks, NZXT Havik or the H100.

 

[Sheza]

Aye, but often in reviews they just mention what the ambient temperature is. On the graphs they do not say whether it is "delta" or "with the ambient temperature included". So I get confused.

That's one for the NH-D14. I'll have to make my mind up pretty quick methinks, I really hope to order this for delivery tomorrow lol.

 

[Master&Puppet]

Ttl's review for the h100 had the deltas and whilst the d14 and h100 are evenly matched the single rad h80 is definitely not as good.

 

[Sheza]

It shouldn't be too much of an inconvenience to install the stock cooler for the first day and then take off & re-apply paste etc for the Noctua when it arrives a day or so later right?

 

[SieB]

It shouldn't be too much of an inconvenience to install the stock cooler for the first day and then take off & re-apply paste etc for the Noctua when it arrives a day or so later right?

Won't be to much trouble as long as the motherboard cutout in your case is big enough so you don't have to remove your motherboard to fit the NH-D14.

 

[Lauralarry]

No 1 knows the H100 doesn't fit in the scout lol.. dude get the H80 the shine out the window of your case and the huge warranty it comes with.. never go back to aircooling

 

[PetrolHead247]

Tbh i wouldn't bother with the H80, i'd go for a D14 or Havik 140. I would also be tempted by the Phanteks but as you said it most likely won't fit, so D14 or Havik it is

 

[SieB]

No 1 knows the H100 doesn't fit in the scout lol.. dude get the H80 the shine out the window of your case and the huge warranty it comes with.. never go back to aircooling

H80s are not as good as the D14 and they are louder, also, not watercooling.

The coolant in those tiny tubes heats up overtime as well, the rad is only a 120 and needs higer air flow meaning louder fans to keep it cool.

Don't get me wrong the H80 would do the job but not as good or as quiet as the D14, as for warranty, not a problem with the D14, it's a piece of metal and can't break.

 

[Sheza]

No 1 knows the H100 doesn't fit in the scout lol.. dude get the H80 the shine out the window of your case and the huge warranty it comes with.. never go back to aircooling

The H100 doesn't fit in my case. or is that what you're saying?

 

[dukeReinhardt]

if you had to choose between a h80 and an nh-d14, the noctua will win in every department, including price. noise - check. performance - check. customer support - check. looks - ...subjective.

 

[Shepard]

Noctua would win over the h80 but if you consider the h100 (which is only a little more in price) then I would go with that.

 

[warshooter]

I bought an H80 and it had a grinding noise since the very first moment I installed it. Many have this problem. There is like a 50 page thread on this on the offcial corsair forums. Some people have RMA'd 3 times and still have this. There is a workaround by adding a diode between the molex connectors.

I got quite scared of this and I asked a refund instead of a replacment, so I'm buying the Noctua now.

You can read more here: http://forum.corsair...ead.php?t=97733

 

[garih]

get d14 and sleep easy knowing you have the best air cooler money can buy. no matter what your overclock and also no water to leak

 

[KING_OF_SAND]

It all depends on the overclock. At stock clocks I saw no difference between the H80 and D14 in prime. When you start overclocking is when the D14 will perform, further overclocks the H100 will out perform the D14.

 

[airdeano]

The H100 doesn't fit in my case. or is that what you're saying?

not without severe modification in the front of the case. with h100 and fans it hangs down way too low.

stay on course with the NH-D14 cooler for piece of mind in a fantastic heatsink product and quiet, too.

airdeano

 

[Liarma]

Just a tip for you mate; get some scythe GT 1850 rpm fans for the NH-D14, I did it, it works a treat, dropped 4c and looks a lot nicer over the ugly brown noctua fans

 

[Munster]

Well after reading this thread. I guess I should keep the D14 and not swap it over to a H80.