Noctua NH-D15S and ASUS ROG Strix Z690-E motherboard

[MazerRakham]

I had a question about the orientation of installing a Noctua NH-D15s fan on an Asus ROG Strix Z690-E motherboard.

Specifically, the documentation for the NH-D15S, per Noctua's compatibility website,

https://ncc.noctua.at/coolers/NH-D15S-chromax.black-67/motherboards/ASUS/LGA 1700

states that the cooler should be installable with the fan blowing across the case (turning it 180 degrees) rather than blowing through the top or having to turn in 90 degrees. However in several examples I've seen,


https://www.pocket-lint.com/laptops/news/144012-how-to-build-and-upgrade-your-own-gaming-pc

the cooler is facing up or blowing through the top of the case (in the youtube video, he claims it touches the VRM heatsink if installed across directly contradicting Noctua's website)

Just to make it interesting, other fans on the noctua website are specifically listed as requiring a 90 degree orientation, such as the nh-u12s, which is not the case for the D15s:

https://ncc.noctua.at/coolers/NH-U12S-chromax.black-11/motherboards/ASUS/LGA 1700

So which is it? Can I install this cooler blowing across the case? Or are the videos/examples more reliable?

Thanks.

 

[doyll]

Can't help but very interested in seeing what users figure out.

I wonder VRM heatsink has a cover and if so how hard would it be to remove it and/or maybe cut//file off a bit to clear heatpipes?

My guess is there are probably several coolers that will fit, but so far nobody has gotten one of these Asus ROG Strix Z690-E motherboard & CPU who has collection of top tier coolers to check out what fits and what doesn't. If I had the motherboard and CPUI I could verify the fit of several top tier coolers. Doesn't even have to be a working mobo or CPU, although that would be better.