I'm putting together a new PC where keeping the noise levels as low as possible is my top priority. I'm wondering which cooler would be the best fit for the Ryzen 9 9950X. Is the Noctua NH-D15 G2 the best choice? I know it's a bit pricey, but will it be significantly quieter—like at least 10%—compared to the Dark Rock Pro 5 or the Thermalright Peerless Assassin? Most of the time, my PC will be used for light office work, and I only play a little bit of games.
3 Answers
I’ve got the Peerless Assassin with my 9900X3D, and I can hardly hear it. If you tweak your settings a bit, you can keep it cool and quiet without much hassle.
Honestly, when you're under light office loads, you might not hear any of these coolers. The NH-D15 G2 is slightly quieter at full load, but the difference isn’t huge. It's pretty efficient as it is, so tweaking the PBO (Precision Boost Overdrive) could help keep it cooler and quieter, but you probably won’t notice much difference in normal use.
If you want the quietest option, consider an AIO cooler. Some are cheaper than the Noctua and tend to be quieter overall. Just keep in mind, if the pump is noisy or the fans are cheap, it kind of defeats the purpose of being quiet.
Wait, did you mean the Peerless Assassin? I couldn’t find anything called a Phantom Assassin.