Noctua NH-U14S & NH-D9 Air Cooling For The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7980X

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Noctua NH-U14S & NH-D9 Air Cooling For The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7980X

For those wondering about the air cooling prospects for DIY builds with the new 350 Watt AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7000 series processors, here's a brief look at the new Noctua heatsink options for the Socket sTR5 processors and the results in use with a Threadripper 7980X 64-core / 128-thread workstation.

https://www.phoronix.com/review/noctua-threadripper-7980x

[sharpjs]

Any subjective differences on noise?

edit: FWIW, I have the prior generation of the NH-U14S in a Torrent Compact for a 2950X, and it’s nearly silent at idle and only barely audible at load, so I expect good things from the newer generation. I have the newer generation one and a 7960X, just waiting on a motherboard.

edit edit: My fan curves prioritize silence but still keep the CPU under 70C in all cases.

[sharpjs]

Michael, can you tell us whether the Asus motherboard's super-I/O chip (sensors for fans, temperatures, etc.) is fully recognized by lm_sensors?

edit: I previously asked about the NICs, but Asus's tech specs list Marvell AQtion for the 10Gbps and Intel I226-LM for the 2.5Gbps.

edit edit: I can see from a picture on Asus's site that the super-I/O chip is a Nuvoton NCT6798D, which bodes well for Linux support

[danger89]

Any follow-up of those above questions would be nice.

I did found the orientation a bit strange it the Noctua NH-U14S TR5-SP6 cooler on this motherboard. But it doesn't seem to hurt performance.

[sharpjs]

I have the NH-U14S TR5-SP6 in my TR 7960X build and all is well. I did build in a Lian Li Lancool III instead of the Fractal Torrent Mini I previously had, mainly because the Lancool can do top exhaust. For me, it's quieter than the Torrent at similar fan curves.

[danger89]

I have the NH-U14S TR5-SP6 in my TR 7960X build and all is well. I did build in a Lian Li Lancool III instead of the Fractal Torrent Mini I previously had, mainly because the Lancool can do top exhaust. For me, it's quieter than the Torrent at similar fan curves.

But which motherboard do you have? Since Asus threadripper mobos have their TR5 socket 90 degrees rotated. Not ideal, right? So like you said you also then use the top exhaust. Should I maybe go for a Alphacool Eisbaer Pro Aurora 420 CPU AIO instead?

Since, if you put a GPU in the first slot on ASUS Pro WS TRX50-SAGE board, it's sucking hot air from the GPU. I guess is there like 5mm space between the GPU backplate and CPU intake fan.

[sharpjs]

But which motherboard do you have? Since Asus threadripper mobos have their TR5 socket 90 degrees rotated. Not ideal, right

I have the ASUS (the Pro WS TRX50-SAGE WIFI). AFAIK, all of the TRX50 motherboards have the socket oriented the same way.

I bought the ASUS because Gigabyte is known for poor Linux support (those iTE super-I/O chips), the ASRock board has all those fans and a lane layout I didn't like, the MSI board doesn't exist, and the SuperMicro VRM cooling looks like it assumes a whining server chassis / wind tunnel.

Should I maybe go for a Alphacool Eisbaer Pro Aurora 420 CPU AIO instead?

I can't provide any useful answer, as I am an air-cooling-only person.

FWIW, I put my GPU on the second slot down. My first slot is currently unused but is reserved for an SSD card once Gen5 carriers and SSDs become more widely available.

[danger89]

I bought the ASUS because Gigabyte is known for poor Linux support (those iTE super-I/O chips), the ASRock board has all those fans and a lane layout I didn't like, the MSI board doesn't exist, and the SuperMicro VRM cooling looks like it assumes a whining server chassis / wind tunnel.

Exactly the same reasons I will also go for asus.

I can't provide any useful answer, as I am an air-cooling-only person.

I'm always an air cooling person myself. However, looking at the amount of watt from the threadripper. The wrong octua cooling solution orientation. As well as arctic coolers is not fitting...

I'm now looking into AIO or even eventually custom loop. Alphacool is basically also using standard fittings, meaning the aio can become a custom loop in the future. If needed. But yea, I'm also new to water cooling.