I'm considering using a Noctua NH-D15 cooler for my Ryzen 9800X3D build, and I've got Kingston FURY Beast Black DDR5 RAM (32GB, 2x16GB). I've heard the NH-D15 is quite large, and I want to know if it will fit properly in my Fractal Design Pop Air case. I've read that I need about 2-3mm of clearance between the cooler's fan and the glass panel. Is that enough space, or should I look for a different cooler? Any advice or recommendations would be appreciated!
1 Answer
The NH-D15 should fit in the Pop Air, but there are a few things to keep in mind. It's about 168mm tall, so it should technically fit fine. The 2-3mm of space you mentioned is basically a buffer to account for any minor bending or adjustments during shipping, which is normal. However, the issue is with the front fan—it won’t fit due to the height of your RAM, which is about 33mm tall. You’ll still be effective with just the middle fan, doing about 90% of the cooling work. But for the 9800X3D, you might want to consider a different cooler. The NH-D15 isn't as efficient in that setup compared to something like the Phantom Spirit 120 SE, which performs nearly as well for a much lower price.
I wanted to go for the Phantom Spirit too, but it’s completely out of stock here, so it’s tough to find alternatives!