We’re focusing on one of the best coolers to date here in our Noctua NH-D15 Chromax.black CPU Cooler review. Technically, the NH-D15 reigns as the best cooler around. And now that it comes with black air towers, it gets even better.
Chromax Black is the latest lineup that a lot of Noctua fans have been waiting for. It sports an entirely black theme, but the colour isn’t the only thing that matters to the company. The NH-D15 Chromax.black CPU Cooler needs to perform just as efficiently as its brother.
Today, we’ll learn more about this specific cooler from Noctua, and we’re going to test its efficiency and performance. Is it an air tower that can properly keep up with liquid cooling? Is it as great as what Noctua claims it to be? We’ll find out soon but first on our Noctua NH-D15 Chromax.black CPU Cooler review, let’s check out the packaging.
Noctua NH-D15 Chromax.black CPU Cooler Packaging
This part of our Noctua NH-D15 Chromax.black CPU Cooler review talks all about the mouse’s box and its contents.
Overall, we’d give Noctua and their packaging a gold star, and if it were a contest, they’d win every time. It’s because the exterior clearly shows that this CPU cooler is a flagship product from Noctua. Plus, it also features all the necessary details needed before purchasing the cooler.
Packaging with flair is good, yet practicality and convenience are most vital; and of course, Noctua excels on this part. The packaging is somewhat similar to a puzzle since we had a challenge getting the CPU cooler out. But despite that, the cardboard used for the box provides quality protection for the NH-D15’s fins. Plus, extra foam layers are present to add more protection to the product during transit.
Aside from the CPU cooler itself, there are other accessories included in the box. These are all neatly organised to avoid confusion and to keep things looking good as well.
Other than the CPU cooler, users will also find two NF-A15 HS-PWM Chromax.black premium fans in the package. There are two Low Noise Adaptors, a 4-pin PWM Y-cable, NT-H1 high-quality thermal compound, and a Black SecuFirm2 mounting kit. Moreover, Noctua included their metal case badge to the package.
Noctua NH-D15 Chromax.black CPU Cooler Review – Design and Functionality
This part of our Noctua NH-D15 Chromax.black CPU Cooler Review is all about the cooler’s design and functions. Let’s begin with the heatsink’s top and front portions.
The front portion of the heatsink sports an entirely black shade from top to bottom. It sports a total of 45 aluminium fins, and per tower, these fins are all black-coated and nickel-plated. Its fin stack isn’t dense, and the heat pipes’ proportions within the fin stack are similar to the previous design.
On the top step, there are a total of 38 fins present while seven fins are available on the lower step. The stepping design provides the cooler with a RAM clearance that’s about 64mm. Plus, its heat pipes go inside the fin stack at equal distance.
The right and left sides of the heatsink appear identical, and these areas are also where the fins are joined. The extreme ends of the heatsink feature grooves that hold the metal black fan clips. They’re attached to set up the fans to the heatsink.
The heatsink’s overall style is symmetrical, just like the original’s design, and its geometry allows for better airflow. Aside from that, the layout makes the heatsink effective for heat dissipation.
The fan’s rear features a 4-arm assembly that holds and secures the fan together with the frame. One of the arms comes with a latch that holds the black-coloured wires.
Key Features of the Noctua NH-D15 Chromax.black CPU Cooler
This time on our Noctua NH-D15 Chromax.black CPU Cooler Review, we’re focusing on the CPU’s different features.
chromax.black design
The heatsink, fans, fan clips, mounting parts, anti-vibration pads, and everything about the NH-D15 Chromax.black CPU Cooler is black. It’s perfect for all black builds, and it is easy to combine with other colour schemes.
Award-winning NH-D15 cooler
More than 10,000 enthusiasts worldwide trust NH-D15’s performance and quality. Also, it’s one of the best high-end coolers recommended by more than 200 international hardware magazines and websites.
Fully Customizable Colors
You can fully customise the NH-D15 Chromax.black CPU Cooler by using the NA-HC3 and NA-HC4 heatsink covers, which are optional. The NA-SAVP3 anti-vibration pads are available in colours blue, red, green, yellow, white, or black.
High RAM Compatibility in Single Fan Mode
The recessed lower fins of the NH-D15 Chromax.black CPU cooler in single fan mode provides 64mm clearance. Because of that, the cooler becomes more compatible with tall memory heatsinks and high-end RAM modules. In dual fan mode, you can use standard height RAM of up to 32mm.
Dual Tower Design with Six Heatpipes
Unlike the usual heatsinks with a single tower, the NH-D15 Chromax.black features a dual tower design. With its optimised heatpipes, this cooler offers more surface area, exceptional airflow efficiency, and improved distribution of heat.
Wider Fin Stack and Expanded Layout for Heatpipes
The fin stack of the NH-D15 is wider by 10mm compared to NH-D14. With the heatpipes’ more spacious layout, the cooler provides a more uniform heat distribution throughout a large surface area.
Dual NF-A15 140mm Fans
The NH-D15 Chromax.black CPU Cooler comes with two of Noctua’s superior 140mm NF-A15 fans. These comply with the company’s AAO standard and have advanced aerodynamic design measures like Flow Acceleration Channels. Because of this, the NF-A15 fans have earned the reputation as one of the leading 140mm fans on the market.
PWM Support and Low-Noise Adaptors
The NH-D15 Chromax.black CPU Cooler supports PWM for automatic speed control via the motherboard. You can use the Low Noise Adaptors to reduce the maximum fan speed from 1500 to 1200rpm. Doing this allows for less noise during operation.
Excellent Cooling Performance
The large NF-A15 fans extend below the fin stacks to provide more airflow for the surrounding components and heatsinks. With that, the NH-D15 Chromax.black CPU cooler gives excellent cooling to the motherboard’s components.
SecuFirm2 multi-socket mounting system
SecuFirm2 mounting systems from Noctua are of high-quality, safe, and easy to install. It supports Intel LGA115x, LGA20xx, AMD AM2(+), AM3(+), AM4, and FM1. The mounting system makes installation easier by providing perfect contact pressure, and it will last long even under heavy use.
Compatibility with past and future sockets
With the SecuFirm ecosystem, the NH-D15 Chromax.black CPU cooler is compatible with older sockets. All you have to do is use the optional NM-13 mounting kit, which the company provides for free. Noctua will also provide upgrade kits to make this cooler compatible with newer sockets in the future.
NT-H1 Thermal Compound
The NT-H1 is Noctua’s top-performing TIM solution for minimal thermal resistance, reliability, and ease of use. It’s the first choice of most overclockers and enthusiasts around the world since it’s a premium-quality thermal compound.
Soldered interface between heatpipes and fins
Instead of press-heated fins, the NH-D15 comes with soldered ones set into the heatpipes. When soldered, the heatpipes ensure durability and reliability over the years.
Specifications
Our Noctua NH-D15 Chromax.black CPU Cooler Review will now focus on the cooler’s specifications. The NH-D15 Chromax.black uses an SSO2 bearing and has a maximum rotational speed of 1500 RPM (+/- 10%). With LNA, its maximum rotational speed is 1200 RPM. For the cooler’s minimum rotational speed, it’s at 300 RPM (PWM +/-20%).
When it comes to the CPU cooler’s airflow, the maximum number it reaches is 140.2 m³/h. Its total airflow with LNA is 115.5 m³/h. For its noise, overall acoustical noise reaches 24.6 dB(A) while it’s 19.2 dB(A) with LNA.
The NH-D15 Chromax.black’s voltage range is at 12V and with over 150.000h for its MTTF. For convenience, Noctua included a 6-year warranty with the product.
Hands-On with the Noctua NH-D15 Chromax.black CPU Cooler
Now on our Noctua NH-D15 Chromax.black CPU Cooler Review, we will focus on how the NH-D15 performs.
We all know that Noctua heatsinks are the best due to their top-notch cooling functions and quiet operations. However, its understated design and brown-coloured fans are often the subjects of ridicule among enthusiasts and PC builders. It is most especially when they greatly value aesthetics above everything else.
Luckily, Noctua has the NH-D15 Chromax.black CPU cooler and we can say that it looks sleek and fabulous. With this all-black colour scheme, this CPU cooler will surely make even the most discerning PC builder, delighted.
Overall, the Noctua NH-D15 Chromax.black is a highly capable CPU cooler, and it shows. It doesn’t require maintenance and the cooler performed efficiently during our tests. It has a beautiful exterior that will fit any setup style users may have.
So with that, we highly recommend the NH-D15 Chromax.black, and we’re giving it five stars for it.
Noctua NH-D15 Chromax.black CPU Cooler Review Summary
The Noctua NH-D15 Chromax.black CPU Cooler is another top-notch product from the company. It’s the best choice if you prefer sticking to air cooling but wants the performance that liquid cooling kits deliver. Although expensive, you’re paying for the performance with this CPU cooler.
The best improvement for this model is the black colour scheme. The premium look made a lot of users even happier since it finally comes with both aesthetics and performance.
To conclude our Noctua NH-D15 Chromax.black CPU Cooler review, we highly recommend this product. If you want this CPU cooler for your rig, check out the company’s store locator for authorised sellers and retailers.
