Noctua NH-C14 CPU cooler review - Introduction

Noctua NH-C14 CPU cooler

You can hardly think of a manufacturer out there that is not in the CPU cooling business, and sure anno 2011 there really aren't  bad performing coolers produced anymore. The market has stabilized and within the the entire range and scope of heatpipe based coolers there's a certain comfort zone, and as a result most of these coolers are all adequate at the very least.

There are always exceptions to this, there's a handful of manufacturers out there that offer the really interesting stuff, the kit and gear that really stand out from the cooling crowd, the hardware you and me crave and need so badly.

In the long line of Noctua CPU coolers they introduced another CPU cooler, tagged with the name NH-C14, the heatpipes bent in a C shape and armed with not one, but two Noctua NF-P14 FLX 140mm fans this product is bound to keep any CPU released to date nicely cooled and chilled.

The cooler features roughly the same six heatpipe arrangement used by its predecessor.  The mounting kit is sheer excellence as any number of platforms the NH-C14 support via its SecuFirm2 mounting system is supported, so here we go: LGA1366, LGA1156, LGA1155, LGA775, AM2, AM2+ and AM3. Not just that, the CPU cooler is just really easy to install as well.

Armed with a 6-year warranty the NH-C14 is selling right now for purchase for EUR 69  price tag, the cooler being bundled with a tube of Noctua's NT-H1 thermal compound as well as low-noise and ultra-low-noise adapters.  But really, is it any good ?

Well let's find out and head onwards into a full review of the product where we'll test its baseline performance but also increase CPU voltage for overclocks to see how well this critter behaves temperatures wise.