Phanteks PH-TC14CS CPU Cooler Review

1. Introduction2. Packaging and Bundle3. The Phanteks PH-TC14CS CPU Cooler4. Installing the Phanteks PH-TC14CS5. Testing Methodology and Performance6. Closing Thoughts7. View All Pages

It's clear that Phanteks are targeting the big brands in the high-end air cooling market such as Noctua and Be Quiet! Their first cooler, the PH-TC14PE gave the Noctua NH-D14 a run for its money and this latest addition to their range, the PH-TC14CS, is also very impressive.

The PH-TC14CS combines an attractive aesthetic design with solid build quality.  The array of colours available make it easy to coordinate a new system build with attractive side panel showcasing the components.  This is sure to win the approval of the enthusiast community.

Our sample of the cooler was finished in black and looked very attractive indeed. Additionally, the low profile design of the cooler makes it ideal for use in a compact chassis or HTPC.

Even though the Be Quiet! Shadow Rock TopFlow outperformed it slightly at standard settings, the PH-TC14CS showed significantly lower temperatures when overclocked … which is what most potential buyers of this product will be interested in.  We managed to achieve a solid overclock of 4.7 GHz (i7-3770K) with temperatures that would be acceptable for 24/7 use.

At a price of £61.99 from OCUK (silver) with the colour versions demanding a small price premium @ £65.99, it certainly isn't a bargain basement cooler.

We feel that the Phanteks PH-TC14CS is a little overpriced.  While the Be Quiet Shadow Rock TopFlow didn't perform as well when overclocked, it's significantly cheaper, at around £35.

Pros

• Attractive aesthetics.
• Numerous colours available.
• Good overclocked performance.
• Low profile design.

Cons

• Expensive.

KitGuru says: The PH-TC14CS is an impressive cooler but it needs to come down in price before we would recommend it over the competition.

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