Bottom line: Noctua has launched the follow-up to its legendary NH-D15 tower cooler, and it comes equipped with a pair of the company’s cutting-edge 140mm round-frame fans. The original NH-D15 was considered by many to be the gold standard in CPU air cooling for years, and this new second-gen offering looks to build on that legacy.
The NH-D15 G2 combines eight heatpipes with asymmetrical fin stacks that have been tweaked to work with Noctua’s new fans. The cooler was also designed with an offset to clear the top PCIe slot on most motherboards, and now utilizes the Torx-based SecuFirm2+ multi-socket mounting system for broader compatibility.
According to Noctua, the new cooler affords 20 percent more surface area than its predecessor.
The heatsink is paired with two speed-offset NF-A14x25r G2 PWM fans and comes bundled with a tube of Noctua thermal paste. Combined, Noctua claims it is their best performing heatsink to date and that on average, users can expect a 2-3 degree Celsius temperature reduction compared to the original.
A third fan can be added to the equation, although Noctua recommends against this due to the small cooling performance it provides versus the added noise. Should you still want to proceed, Noctua will supply you with free fan clips.
When shopping for the NH-D15 G2, you’ll notice that Noctua has three variants available. The standard version has a medium base convexity that’s described as a solid “all-arounder.” The high base convexity variant, meanwhile, is meant for LGA1700 chips used with full ILM pressure or CPUs that have become permanently deformed over time while the low base convexity model is optimized for relatively flat CPUs or those that have been lapped.
If you are unsure which model to get, Noctua’s explainer video is worth checking out.
The NH-D15 G2 is available from today priced at $149.95 and comes backed by a six-year warranty. First-gen heatsink owners that simply want to upgrade their fans to the new round-frame variants can do that as well.