Is Noctua overkill if not overclocking 5900X?

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CyJackX

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I've been using an AIO for my 4770k for 7 years, but could be interested in an air cooling solution for my incoming 5900x
Is a Noctua overkill?
I forget what it was about PBO or something where coolers could improve stock performance.

edit: possible alts 212 Evo or cryorig h7?
 
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CyJackX said:
I've been using an AIO for my 4770k for 7 years, but could be interested in an air cooling solution.
Is a Noctua overkill?
I forget what it was about PBO or something where coolers could improve stock performance.
Click to expand...

No it's fine to use on a 5900x. I got a slight cpu increase over the stock cooler.

*D15s is what I use on my 3900x* It's also what I used on my skylake x when I had it.
 
thecold said:
No it's fine to use on a 5900x. I got a slight cpu increase over the stock cooler.

*D15s is what I use on my 3900x* It's also what I used on my skylake x when I had it.
Click to expand...
Stock? I am still waiting on shipment but i thought it didn't come with one.
 
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CyJackX said:
Stock? I am still waitin gon shipment but i thought it didn't come with one.
Click to expand...

5900x doesn't come with a stock fan, but the 3900x did and it was noisy under load. A noctua d15 is perfect for a stock 5900x. It keeps noise reasonable (well at least it does for my 3900x).
 
I'm using D-15S on 5800X which is a little harder to keep cool than 5900X. It's not overkill at all.
 
I'm using U12S with my 5900X, cools it just fine quietly.
 
Noctua makes a bunch of coolers, which one did you have in mind?

Regardless, none of them look that extreme, as long as it fits in your case, and doesn't bump into ram or whatever, it's not overkill.

The low profile (NH-L9a-AM4) would be underkill unless that's all that'll fit. The cooler you can keep your CPU, the better boost you'll get, and bigger fans make more airflow with less noise, so bigger is better.
 
CyJackX said:
To clarify, this means that you don't think there is a price/performance plateau for air coolers on modern processors?
Click to expand...

I was speaking on a purely technical level. I haven't priced or used an air cooler in many years.
 
CyJackX said:
I've been using an AIO for my 4770k for 7 years, but could be interested in an air cooling solution for my incoming 5900x
Is a Noctua overkill?
I forget what it was about PBO or something where coolers could improve stock performance.

edit: possible alts 212 Evo or cryorig h7?
Click to expand...

AMD recommends a 240mm AIO for 5900X
 
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CyJackX said:
I've been using an AIO for my 4770k for 7 years, but could be interested in an air cooling solution for my incoming 5900x
Is a Noctua overkill?
I forget what it was about PBO or something where coolers could improve stock performance.

edit: possible alts 212 Evo or cryorig h7?
Click to expand...
Give you some data using 3900x which is same TDP as a 5900x of 105w using a Noctua NH-D15S, Premium Dual-Tower CPU Cooler with NF-A15 PWM 140mm Fan:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XUVGLEU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
.

System is a 3900x, MSI B450i motherboard, iTX build in a Fractal Design Define Nano S mini tower with only 3 system fans, 2 supply and 1 exhaust, 16gb 3600mhz mem, Radeon 5700 XT AE:

iTXBRsys2.jpg
​
Using Aida64 stress test for temperatures and data using AVX, CPU using Precision Boost only, CPU power averaged 124w:

TempGraph.png Power.png
​
The cooler allowed the CPU to use Precision Boost over base clocks of 3.8 ghz to 4.05ghz with modest fan speeds:

Clocks.pngFans.png
​
The system is very quiet, I don't even hear it next to a running box fan and periodic A/C unit turning on/off during this test. Only time I hear this system is when the blower on the 5700 XT AE is ramped up. I am very much amazed at the performance of the CPU cooler here with the anemic case cooling I have.

Aida64 Stats page:

Stats.png​
 
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My NH-D15 has no problem cooling my 5950X and I fully recommend high-end air for Zen 3.

At full load on 16 cores with moderate PBO I'm hitting 77C. Single-core, 72C. Of course if I open PBO up it will cap at the limit of 90C, but that's a lot of power used for only 200Mhz. If you want to go [H]ardcore then sure, a 360mm AIO or custom loop will do a much better job. But for us mere mortals, air is fine.
 
noko said:
Give you some data using 3900x which is same TDP as a 5900x of 105w using a Noctua NH-D15S, Premium Dual-Tower CPU Cooler with NF-A15 PWM 140mm Fan:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XUVGLEU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
.

System is a 3900x, MSI B450i motherboard, iTX build in a Fractal Design Define Nano S mini tower with only 3 system fans, 2 supply and 1 exhaust, 16gb 3600mhz mem, Radeon 5700 XT AE:

Using Aida64 stress test for temperatures and data using AVX, CPU using Precision Boost only, CPU power averaged 124w:

The cooler allowed the CPU to use Precision Boost over base clocks of 3.8 ghz to 4.05ghz with modest fan speeds:

The system is very quiet, I don't even hear it next to a running box fan and periodic A/C unit turning on/off during this test. Only time I hear this system is when the blower on the 5700 XT AE is ramped up. I am very much amazed at the performance of the CPU cooler here with the anemic case cooling I have.

Aida64 Stats page:

Click to expand...

So you're running the Noctua at 100%? That is way too loud for me I need it around 50-60% under the heaviest loads. But I won't be OCing my 5950 though (or Rocket Lake, IDK yet what it will be).
 
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kalston said:
So you're running the Noctua at 100%? That is way too loud for me I need it around 50-60% under the heaviest loads. But I won't be OCing my 5950 though (or Rocket Lake, IDK yet what it will be).
Click to expand...
I am probably worst person to be concerned about noise. Grew up and worked around machines all my life, love the different noises, even if loud. Anyways I do not hear the NH-D15S at all and I do have very good hearing. The case has sound dampening all through it so that probably helps plus not using the top part of the case for fans so the dampening material there is probably doing its job. I am only using PB for the CPU. Noctura makes some great stuff.
 
My NH-D15 is absolutely audible under full multicore benchmark load on my 5950X. It isn't loud, and the sound itself isn't variable or annoying, but I can hear a soft "fan" sound in an otherwise whisper-quiet room. They spin up to ~1300RPM max.
 
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