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

The installation guide that Phanteks include with the PH-TC14PE is far from the best we've experienced.  The diagrams are very small and the quality of English used in the instructions leaves a lot to be desired.  While this may put off some less advanced users, we imagine that most people who buy a top end heatsink like the PH-TC14PE will be an enthusiast with a reasonable level of technical know-how.

It's clear that Phanteks have taken some inspiration from Noctua when designing the mounting mechanism for the PH-TC14PE.

In this section we will be detailing the installation procedure on a Socket 1155 system but the cooler is also compatible with Socket 775, 1156, 1366 and 2011 motherboards.  First, we were required to secure the backplate to our motherboard using the four bolts and strip adapters using the four thumb-nuts provided.  We have to be careful to install the strip adapters the correct way round so we don't run into trouble later in the installation procedure.

We were then required to install the mounting plate to the cooler itself which is secured using a single thumb-nut between the two heatsink towers.  This is quite a fiddly process as it's difficult to reach the area with a screwdriver or your hands.

Then we are required to attach the fan clips to the fans using the rubber plugs provided.  Again this is quite fiddly and much more complicated than the system that Noctua use.  Then we are instructed to attach the four (six if you are installing three fans) adhesive rubber strips to help prevent fan vibrations.

We attach the cooler to the backplate using the two screws on either end of the mounting plate.  This was a simple process but it is worth considering that you need quite a long screwdriver for this which, unlike Noctua, Phanteks don't include with the cooler.

Next we can attach the fans to the cooler using the clips provided.  Phanteks include a 3-pin cable splitter with the cooler which means that you can attach both fans to a single header or to the PWM adapter if you wish.

As you can see, the PH-TC14PE leaves little room for RAM with tall heatspreaders so low profile memory will be necessary for the vast majority of motherboard installations.

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