Noctua has been providing us with great CPU coolers that perform well. They even introduced a memory-friendly form of the NH-D15. But today, our Noctua NH-D15S Chromax.black review will discuss this specific CPU cooler.
It’s the latest version of the company’s successful NH-D15S, but is it just as good? Let’s find out as we continue through our Noctua NH-D15S Chromax.black review. But first, let’s take a look at the package and its contents.
Noctua NH-D15S Chromax.black Packaging
Our Noctua NH-D15S Chromax.black review won’t be complete without us checking its package and contents.
The cooler came in a sturdy cardboard box, which is quite huge compared to other boxes from similar products. The package features the usual design and presentation that you’d see on other Chromax.black coolers’ packages.
The front portion displays an image of the heatsink together with bold brandings you definitely won’t miss. There’s a description of the cooler written on the upper portion, while the cooler’s name is on the right corner.
Looking at the box’s rear, you’ll see a detailed presentation of the cooler’s primary selling points. On one side, you’ll find a detailed list of all the specifications of the cooler. This is vital for people in a physical shop since it lets them see what they’re purchasing.
On the opposite side, there’s a short paragraph that informs us a bit more about the cooler and its features.
Inside, you will find the NH-D15S Chromax.black and its accessories all packed in their respective boxes.
Aside from the NH-D15S Chromax.black, you’ll find a sticker with the company’s logo, thermal grease, and the fan. There’s also the L.N.A., screwdriver, plus the mounting kit for all the popular desktop platforms.
Noctua included pretty much everything you’ll need to install the NH-D15S Chromax.black.
Noctua NH-D15S Chromax.black Review – Design and Functionality
Now, our Noctua NH-D15S Chromax.black review will discuss the functions and design of the cooler.
The NH-D15S Chromax.black makes use of 45 aluminium cooling fins on each of its towers. These directly contact the heatpipes located at the cooler’s base.
The sides of the fins curve downwards to create a stacked form. This design doesn’t only enhance the cooler’s appearance, but it also optimises the heatsink’s rigidity.
The heatsink is similar to the grey version, except for the cold plate. This part is entirely painted black, and that also goes for its heatpipes.
The heatsink’s height totals to 160mm, and it sports an asymmetrical design. When it comes to its copper plate, this is responsible for absorbing heat. It’s a nickel-plated solution where black copper heatpipes are linked.
This specific layout allows the transferring of heat that’s absorbed by the cold plate, to the aluminium heatsinks. Plus, Noctua placed a 140mm NF-A15 HS PWM fan on the cooler, and of course, it’s a black one.
If you plan to install another fan, you can readily do so. It’s because the company included two additional mounting lugs inside the kit. But of course, you’ll need to provide the additional fan yourself.
120mm fans can fit perfectly, but you need to see how high your memory modules are.
Key Features of the Noctua NH-D15S Chromax.black
Now, our Noctua NH-D15S Chromax.black review will showcase the various key features of the NH-D15S Chromax.black.
Chromax.black design
The all-black design of the NH-D15S Chromax.black allows for easy integration in your build. You can also do full customisation using the optional heatsink covers and anti-vibration pads. The latter are available in blue, yellow, red, green, black, and white.
High-compatibility Version of NH-D15
This cooler is the S-version of the NH-D15, which utilises an asymmetrical layout. With that, the cooler offers advanced heatsink performance while maintaining PCIe and RAM compatibility.
For RAM with RGB or tall heat spreaders, the NH-D15S Chromax.black provides 65mm clearance. With that, it is compatible with many high-end modules.
The recessed lower fins on the heatsink’s sides allow for compatibility with a wide variety of Intel and AMD sockets.
Asymmetrical Layout for Improved PCIe compatibility
In current motherboards, larger heatsinks tend to block the top PCIe x16 slot near the socket. With the asymmetrical design, the cooler’s fin stack is off-set towards the motherboard’s upper edge. Also, it clears the top PCIe x16 for the latest ATX and micro-ATX motherboards.
NF-A15 140mm fan
The NH-D15S comes with Noctua’s NF-A15 fan, which is one of the top 140mm cooling fans on the market. It features aerodynamic design measures like Flow Acceleration Channels.
Dual-fan ready
Noctua supplies the NH-D15S with additional fan clips, which you can use to install another 140mm or 120mm fan. With that, your build can have improved cooling performance.
PWM Support + Low-Noise Adaptor
Noctua’s NF-A15 premium fan, which comes in the package of the NH-D15S Chromax.black, supports PWM. This feature makes automatic speed control more convenient since you can do this via the motherboard.
PWM support allows for the reduction of the maximum fan speed from 1500 RPM to 1200 RPM via Low-Noise Adaptor. With that, you can enjoy silent performance.
SecuFirm2™ multi-socket mounting system
The SecuFirm2 mounting system from Noctua has equated to quality, easy installation, and safety. It’s included with the NH-D15S Chromax.black to give it a straightforward and easy process of installation.
It’ll give the cooler perfect contact pressure, allowing it to withstand the test of time even under extreme loads.
Compatibility with past and future sockets
Noctua ensures that their coolers are not only compatible with current sockets. They provide the optional NM-I3 mounting kit for free, so the NH-D15S is also compatible with older sockets.
If possible, the company will provide upgrade kits to make the cooler compatible with upcoming sockets in the future. This makes the NH-D15S a great investment for long-term use.
Excellent component cooling
The inclusive NF-A15 fan extends below the fin stacks, providing superior cooling capabilities. It offers more airflow for the surrounding motherboard components for excellent cooling performance.
Specifications
Our Noctua NH-D15S Chromax.black review will now discuss the different specifications of the cooler.
The cooler supports Intel and AMD sockets which include the following. The LGA-2066, LGA-1150, LGA-1151, LGA-1155, LGA-1200, and the LGA-1156. It’s also compatible with the LGA-2011 and the LGA-2011-3 square ILM.
For AMD, it’s good with the AM4, AM3, FM2, AM2, AM3+, AM2+, and the FM2+. However, do note that the latter requires a backplate to use.
Cooler’s Heatsink
The NH-D15S Chromax. black’s heatsink has a copper base and heatpipes, while the cooling fins are made from aluminium. For a better heatsink, it features nickel plating and soldered joints as well.
Without the fans, it measures 160 x 150 x 135mm (HxWxD), while the heatpipes are 6x – Ø6mm. With the fan installed, the total weight of the heatsink is 1150g
Fans
The cooler’s fan is the NF A15 HS PWM Chromax.black which measures 140 x 150 x 25mm. It sports an SSO2 bearing with a maximum rotational speed of 1,500 RPM.
With the LNA, the maximum rotational speed is 1,200 RPM. The fan’s overall rotational speed is 300 RPM (PWM, +/-20%). Maximum airflow is 140.2 m³/h; with L. N. A., it’s 115.5m³/h. For maximum acoustic noise, the fans reach 24.6 dBA and is 19.2 dBA with the L.N.A.
Moreover, it makes use of a 4-pin PWM, has an input power of 1.56W and voltage range of 12V. Its MTBF is > 150.000 h, and the cooler comes with a 6-year warranty for convenience.
Hands on with the Noctua NH-D15S Chromax.black
This is the part of our Noctua NH-D15S Chromax.black review where we get hands on with the product. We’ll get to see how well it performed and if it’s something you should include in your rig.
Let’s begin with the noise levels. When we tested the cooler, its fan is almost inaudible while running at 1,500 RPM.
This result surprised us since the cooler was quiet the whole time despite working at such speeds.
Not only that, but we didn’t experience any issues during the tests. And even if we exposed it to heavy loads, it still performed amazingly at keeping our CPU cool.
Generally, Noctua is one of the most trusted brands when it comes to air cooling. And based on our tests, this title definitely shows.
The NH-D15S Chromax.black gave us low idle temperatures and low load temperatures. It was quiet during the tests, and we have no complaints about it at all.
Noctua NH-D15S Chromax.black Review Conclusion
So are we recommending the Noctua NH-D15S Chromax.black? Definitely.
The Noctua NH-D15S Chromax.black was one of the most anticipated coolers this year. Lots of people wanted the clearance offered by the NH-D15S’ heatsink, but with the all-new black design.
Aside from the looks, this cooler also delivered excellent performance during our tests, and we didn’t experience any issues. Even the installation was easy, thanks to its unique mounting system.
To summarise our Noctua NH-D15S Chromax.black review, the NH-D15S chromax.black is an excellent CPU cooler. It offers great clearance, cooling performance, and aesthetics.
If you want to have this cooler for your rig, check out the store locator for authorised sellers.
