Noctua continues the development process of its next-gen NH-D15 G2 CPU cooler. The company has been working on this cooling system for several years and is now refining the product before its launch. At Computex 2024, Noctua showcased the latest version of this cooling system, along with several other innovations.
Noctua’s NH-D15 G2
Noctua has reported a 20% increase in the heat dissipation area of NH-D15 G2. The company also reduced the distance between the radiator fins from 1.9mm to 1.6mm. The radiator is asymmetric, making the cooler’s total depth 9mm less than its predecessor, which eases access to the upper PCIe connector on the motherboard. The NH-D15 G2 integrates eight heat pipes.
The cooling system is equipped with two 140mm fans with a new design that is optimized for efficient operation in both high-performance and quiet modes. Noctua notes that the new fans have more pleasant acoustic characteristics compared to their predecessors.
Mounting & Pricing
Noctua uses the SecuFirm2+ mounting system based on Torx screws for the cooler. The cooling system’s delivery set will also include NT-H2 thermal paste, an NA-TPG1 stencil for applying thermal paste to Socket AM5 processors, and additional adjustable washers NA-ISW1 to improve contact with the LGA 1700 CPU socket.
Noctua plans to release three versions of the NH-D15 G2. The standard model will have a medium convexity at the base, similar to Noctua’s other radiators. The NH-D15 G2 LBC will feature a slightly convex base, while the NH-D15 G2 HBC will have a more convex base.
Noctua expects to launch the NH-D15 G2 in June of this year. However, the product’s launch has been delayed several times, which wouldn’t be surprising if it happens again. The price of the NH-D15 G2 CPU will be around $149, which is more expensive than the original NH-D15 model. The increase in price is due to the use of new 140mm fans and the massive amount of time the company’s engineers spent developing this cooling system, especially the radiator.
Noctua NF-A14x25 G2 Fan
In addition, Noctua unveiled the second-generation Noctua NF-A14x25 G2 fan at the Taiwanese exhibition. The new fan features a progressive curved impeller made from Sterrox’s liquid crystal polymer, which directs air to the most efficient parts of the blades. The blades themselves are equipped with winglets that reduce air turbulence at their ends, thereby improving airflow efficiency.
The fan also has a minimal gap (0.7mm) between the impeller and the casing, augmenting its efficiency with cooler radiators and water cooling systems. The fan features a new etaPERF motor with the Smooth Commutation Drive 2 system for smooth operation, as well as a tested SSO2 bearing.
Noctua plans to release the Noctua NF-A14x25 G2 with a rounded frame in June 2024. The manufacturer intends to release a model with a square frame in September, and the chromax.black version should appear in the first quarter of the following year.
Prototypes and Future Releases
Noctua also demoed its prototype dual-tower cooler with 120mm fans at the exhibition. The cooler, despite its size, is reported to offer performance exceeding the larger NH-D15. This cooling system is equipped with eight heat pipes and two 120mm next-gen fans. The company plans to release the 120mm dual-tower cooler in the second quarter of 2025.
Finally, the manufacturer showcased a prototype of a massive air cooling system for Nvidia’s GH200 Grace Hopper superchips. The system features two combined NH-U12A radiators with significantly increased contact area. Noctua claims this cooling system can dissipate up to 1000W of thermal energy and promises it will operate as quietly as possible for such a solution. The cooling system is expected to be available for B2B customers in the fourth quarter of this year.
Apart from the mentioned innovations, Noctua displayed a prototype cooling system using the thermosiphon principle and the PRIME TX-1600 Noctua Edition PSU with its own cooling fan, details of which have been covered in previous reports.
