I'm trying to install a Noctua DH-15 D-type CPU cooler on my Gigabyte B850 Aorus Elite WiFi 7 motherboard, and I'm running into some issues. I have an MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 4070 Ti in the top PCIe slot, which I believe is the one that connects directly to the CPU. I have two main concerns:
1. The fan bracket for the middle fan on the DH-15 sticks out a bit and is really close to the circuits on the back of my GPU. I'm worried that the metal bracket might touch it, though I can't tell for sure from measuring.
2. It looks like I'll have trouble removing the GPU or cooler once they've been installed. The GPU release is located underneath, but I can't access it because of the cooler above. Plus, I'd have to remove the middle fan on the cooler to get to the CPU cooler, which is blocked by the GPU.
I'm considering a couple of potential solutions:
1. Moving the GPU to one of the lower PCIe slots. How much of a performance hit would that cause in real-world gaming? I mainly play games like Diablo 4.
2. Adjusting the position of the middle fan on the cooler towards the back of the case to avoid interference with the GPU. However, I'm not sure if that would negatively affect cooling performance or still leave me with access issues for the GPU release.
I'd really appreciate any advice you can offer! Thanks!
2 Answers
Have you thought about how easy it is to return the cooler if it doesn't fit? If the D15s is more compatible, that might be an option for you. I think the main difference is just the fan setup, but it could help your situation.
What case are you using? If you’re not doing a vertical GPU mount, I’d suggest installing the CPU cooler first and then putting in the GPU. About the fan bracket, it's usually just a thin wire, so it should be fine as long as it’s hugging the cooler properly. For accessing the GPU release, you can actually reach it from the other side of the slot. Just use your finger or a long screwdriver bit to push it down from there. Also, just so you know, the lower PCIe x16 slot operates at x8 speed, not x1, so it shouldn't be too much of a hit.
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