Size / Clearance

In the interests of being consistent, we installed the NH-U14S in the Node 304 case like the  other coolers in the benchmark table. The Node 304 is a mini-itx case and one of the smallest spaces we have to work within. The NH-U14S was a tight fit in the Node 304 but it did fit without the need to ‘persuade’ anything. Fitting the NH-U14S in larger cases should also be fine – as with any tower cooler, it’s worth checking clearance if your case has a side fan.

Our mini-ITX motherboard had the RAM slots closer to the CPU socket area than a standard ATX motherboards and the fan did overhang the first slot. As you can see from the test bench photos, our low profile Corsair RAM meant that this wasn’t a problem. In standard sized motherboards, this won’t be an issue and I’d consider it unusual to pair this cooler in our test bench for a real world build – it’s smaller brother the U12S would be a better match.

Acoustics

The NF-A15 Fan has been previously reviewed here. In the standard PWM profile via the ASUS software, the NF-A15 was virtually silent in our testing with the exception of 12v mode. With a second (optional) fan attached, the acoustics under general use with the standard PWM profile were still barely audible in an open case.

At 12v, the NH-U14S was noticeable and with a second NF-A15 attached also at 12v, it was loud enough to be the first sound we noticed when walking into the room. The thermal returns for running two fans at 12v improved temperatures by about 2 degrees but personally I’d prefer a quiet rig that runs only slightly warmer.

Thermal Performance

For general use, gaming and going for a moderate overclock, the NH-U14S is superior to the U12S but only just. The asking price is about $10 more and if you are not planning to overclock, we would strongly recommend saving the $10 and selecting the 120mm version. If you are looking to overclock, want to use tall RAM modules and not interested in a watercooled solution, the NH-U14S could be what you are looking for.

Value

At $85, it’s a premium grade product and you do get a lot of accessories like a mounting kit for another fan and enough thermal compound to install the unit many times over. The asking price seems within the realms of expectation when considering the performance, accoustics, build quality and no-fuss installation. One thing to also consider is how many cheaper alternatives accommodate tall RAM modules as this is the key point of difference in the ‘U’ series coolers.

Final Thoughts

This is a premium product from a specialty manufacturer that is both thermally effective and acoustically pleasing. Although I was impressed with the NH-U14S and would happily use it in any of my own personal systems, I’d probably be just as satisfied with the smaller NH-U12S. If you are wanting complete freedom in terms of memory selection and also want to overclock then you should have the NH-U14S on your shortlist and this product is not hard to recommend. Whilst a water loop will also accommodate any RAM height and also provide good performance, it’s likely to cost more and will take longer to install.