Phanteks PH-TC14PE (vs. Noctua NH-D14) CPU Cooler Review

1. Introduction2. Packaging and Bundle3. The Phanteks PH-TC14PE CPU Cooler4. Installing the Phanteks PH-TC14PE5. Testing Methodology and Performance6. Closing Thoughts7. View All Pages

We are very impressed with the Phanteks PH-TC14PE as it offers everything we would look for in a high end cooler.  Many enthusiasts will like the fact that there are a number of different colour options available to colour co-ordinate their system.  We would like to see Phanteks considering some other colour options in the future, such as green and black as we feel these would be well received by the market.

Obviously, the most important factor to consider for any enthusiast is the performance of the cooler.  In our tests, the PH-TC14PE performed extremely well, beating the Noctua NH-D14 by about 1-2 degrees C in the temperature tests.  Even though it was only a small margin, the NH-D14 is widely regarded as one of the best air coolers on the market and is great for overclocking.  It isn't surprising though as the Phanteks heatsink is slightly larger and features even thicker heatpipes.

The PH-TC14PE was able to handle our overclocked i5-2500K at 4.7 GHz (1.43V) with ease and we expect that we could push it further without a great deal of trouble.

Beating the Noctua was a great engineering effort, but the overall package needs improving. What do we mean? Well, for a start, the mounting system is very similar to Noctua's but not as good. Phanteks' engineers should look at this. also, the instructions do not match the price tag. It needs to be re-written and be delivered with improved illustrations. If the Phanteks is going to deliver the king of the air coolers, then it needs to be delivered on a throne. Customers should be really happy with their purchase decision, from the moment they open the box.

Considering the performance of the Phanteks PH-TC14PE, it's not surprising that it demands a price of £65 at OCUK.  At around £60, the Noctua is slightly cheaper, but anyone spending this kind of money on a cooler is probably not looking at a 5-10% price difference as much as they would a measurable drop in CPU temperature. The Phanteks PH-TC14PE has more attractive aesthetics and measurably better performance – ensuring the best possible overclock for your system.

Pros

• Supreme cooling performance
• Good build quality
• Different colour options

Cons

• Expensive cooler
• Mounting system could be better
• Needs better instructions and presentation to make you feel you got good value

KitGuru says: A great cooler that offers an unrivalled level of performance. It's been a long time coming, but finally we can say that the king is dead – long live the king.

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