A Closer Look

Much like the NH-D15 it is based on, Noctua's NH-D15S uses a dual-tower design. However, there has been a major change: The cooler now uses an asymmetrical design that offsets the cooler to one side, which increases motherboard-expansion-slot compatibility.


The build quality is of course simply impeccable; however, like all Noctua coolers, the bare aluminum is prone to attracting fingerprints, so make sure to grab some cotton gloves if you suffer from OCD.


Here is a better view of the asymmetrical design to show you just how much clearance Noctua has given for those looking to attach this behemoth of a cooler to a mini-ITX or micro-ATX motherboard.


The nickel-plated copper base is smooth to the touch, but is still nowhere near a mirror finish. Don't let the photo fool you as looks can sometimes be deceiving.


The fan Noctua provided with the NH-D15S is the NF-A15 with their SSO bearing. It has an RPM range of 300-1500. Attach Noctua's low-noise adapter and its maximum RPM drops to 1200. Ridges are used to help streamline airflow. The love it or hate it brown and tan color scheme once again shows; it is alive and well here.