Page 4 - Conclusion
Six years after we first reviewed the Noctua NH-D15, is it the Noctua NH-D15 chromax.black -- really the same cooler in a different color -- still relevant? You can say Noctua has been repeating the same thing for an eternity in the technology world, but why reinvent the wheel if you are already the best? The Noctua NH-D15 was the best air cooler in 2014, and as far as I know, it still is the best air cooler in the market in 2020. The chromax.black version carries forward what made the original version so great. The heatsink design is top notch with excellent aerodynamics for smooth airflow and minimal turbulence noise. Despite its size, it maintains great compatibility with today's hardware. Noctua even throws in two high performance NF-A15 HS-PWM chromax.black fans for great airflow and low noise. Besides making a great heatsink, the Noctua NH-D15 series is easy to install, comes with crystal clear installation instructions in case you need it, and has perfectly organized accessories. The Noctua NH-D15 series is not only a great cooler in of itself, it is also a pleasure to use right from the beginning. The chromax.black version takes what was great and makes it even better. Really, this is one sick looking cooler. The whole thing is totally matte black from the heatsink to the fans to the installation accessories. I have seen many cooling products in my life, and this is by far the most awesome looking cooler I have ever seen. You may think ARGB is all the rage, but this is where it is at. Subtle and stealth. Quiet and cool. There are not many things to criticize about this Noctua NH-D15 chromax.black. The large second fan may cause compatibility problems, but you should not have problems with the latest mid-towers or larger. Also, it would have been better if they included the NT-H2 thermal paste instead of the NT-H1. Either way, for about $100 at press time, if you can fit this giant in your PC, the Noctua NH-D15 chromax.black really is the biggest, baddest, and best air cooler money can buy.
Noctua provided this product to APH Networks for the purpose of evaluation.
APH Recommended Award | APH Networks Review Focus Summary:
9/10 means Excellent product with very minor drawbacks that do not affect the overall product.
8/10 means Definitely a very good product with drawbacks that are not likely going to matter to the end user.
-- Final APH Networks Numeric Rating is 8.3/10
Please note that the APH Networks Numeric Rating system is based off our proprietary guidelines in the Review Focus, and should not be compared to other publications.
The Noctua NH-D15 chromax.black remains to the best air cooler in 2020, now in a sick full matte black finish.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Hardware; Installation
3. Test Results
4. Conclusion
