Conclusion:

The NH-C14 is, all-around, quite an amazing heatsink. Admittedly, the installation method for the NH-C14 is somewhat cumbersome if not performed exactly as instructed. If aftermarket fans are in the picture, it is important to make sure the fan blades provide enough clearance for heatsink installation. All in all, the NH-C14 is a nearly-silent, efficient cooling solution that is an excellent choice for all but the most extreme overclockers. The quality of the accessories and instructions are unrivaled, and Noctua’s excellent engineering packs all of this into a cooler that is suitable for installations that require high clearance or low clearance.

The only caveat we have is that, because it’s designed for quiet performance and not all-out cooling, with the stock fans that come with it, it’s not up to the task of cooling a heavily-overclocked i5 or i7 CPU. Sandy Bridge chips, with their lower TDP figures, will undoubtedly be friendlier to this unit, but more robust airflow might still be worth investigating if you go with this unit.

For the above reasons, and for pushing the envelope of HSF design, TechREACTION gives the Noctua NH-C14 our Gold Silicon Award for product excellence. The deadly silent NH-C14 can be purchased from Amazon, Newegg and various other quality retailers.

Thanks to Noctua for sending the review sample.

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