Phanteks cooler, will it fit?

I do need to know if the Phanteks PH-TC14CS will fit for me. Now the issue is pretty easy to tell. All the other stuff will not matter but the RAM heatsink can become a issue.

The case is a Lian Li PC 354, which will allow for a max size of 125 mm height, the other values may work fine too. But i can not use the upper cooler, thats why the lower cooler is important. I dont OC so all what matters is that it will keep CPU cool.

Now i dont use a special size (such as on the pictures on the link) but i guess the size of the sink is about average with a hight of aproximately 1 cm above raw RAM edge (hard to measure). The extreme stuff such as the Patriot Sector 7 is larger in size than a Rippjaws-Z, but dont know how much.

The RAM heatsink is a Gskill Rippjaws-Z with 40 mm height. Unfortunately i already got the RAM and didnt know that it would be messy to fit a good low profile cooler. My first experience building low profile stuff was just 1 month ago and still challenging to find out if stuff fits when there isnt accurate size measurements at every single edge.

What i need to know is the distance between the lowest edge of the cooler to the surface of the IHS. Stuff like that is helpful when the stuff becomes mm work.

Braining out hardly the size "guessing". I dont know why the parts doesnt have exact size descriptions from point A to B, because it becomes critical with small systems.

But i can not use the upper cooler, thats why the lower cooler is important!

Click to expand...

Wait, when you say "cooler" do you mean FANS? The cooler is the heatsink to most...and you used cooler as the heatsink later in the post. Please clarify.

In looking at the picture, its clear to me that any ram with a heatspreader on it will be hard pressed to fit underneath that heatsink and lower fan. I dont know the measurements, I do not have one... hopefully someone here does though and can help out. If not, or regardless actually, I would email Phanteks and see what they say about that measurement. You are hoping someone has that cooler and can give you the measurement. I would imagine Phantek will get back to you sooner with what you need.

A bit off topic: Is this really a low profile heatsink in the first place? I guess Im confused, because this is a low profile build, and your systems in your signature are all run at stock speeds, so why did you chose to go with a MONSTER heatsink like this. The factory fan is fine for stock speeds.

Low Profile: That cooler is a low profile cooler because it got a height between 120-140 mm (dependable on fan mounting). 2 fan = 140 mm, upper fan only = 140 mm, lower fan only = 120 mm. Its probably the most powerful low profile cooler worldwide, so its worth it trying to make it fit.

Cooler: Yes i do mean fans, because the main body is a heat sink, the entire body is a cooler. I said cooler because a fan does cool down too, relative matter.

Factory fan/cooler: On LGA 2011 Intel decided not to release a cooler anymore (and i use LGA 2011). So i need to use a dedicated coler and i dont enjoy junk. Its for HTPC which isnt finish.

Its a mATX system but that doesnt mean that there cant be power inside, it just need proper cooling.

That thing looks huge for a low profile! 140mm is a big cooler. THIS is low profile and will cool a 3930K at stock speeds . This is a 'normal' tower and is a mere 20mm taller.

Not relative when discussing "mm" differences. So it needed clarified, thank you.

I would email/call Phantek's for a quick answer. Again if nobody has this cooler you are SOL here. I havent seen anyone with this thing at this site. Hopefully someone comes out of the woodwork and helps you get your measurements.

GL!

A "normal" profile is 160 mm (or even more), you should know it. 120-140 mm is made for systems who may not be able to meet the required height such as mATX systems. Usualy the most powerful low profile cooler is a top blower with a max of 120-140 mm, which can in some term even keep up with bigger coolers when quality is better. NH-C12P SE14 is another top blower with a height of ~120 mm and its performance is only beaten by the Phanteks. Both are messy to fit on the RAM, but doable.

However, on my Gigabyte MB i could even insert very huge RAM because that OC-MB is designed in a way that the first 3 slots are away from the CPU (and huge cooler can be fitted easyer, because people who use it usualy OC). But thats a halfway-EATX board (inside ATX HTPC case) and not a mATX board, which is way more tricky. I basically combined a huge board with a flat HTPC case which can still fit a huge board and a cooler not more than 140 mm heights. Its possible using either a Phanteks or Noctua. Because the Noctua is lesser than 120 mm, it means i can still attach a second fan at the top of the case. Then the cooler will work with a dual fan, and it will be highly effective, probably as effective such as the Phanteks.

So it matters a lot if the case can fit 120+ or 140+, just wanted to explain why. But the mATX board isnt good at OC so its useless to use a double fan. However, the Gigabyte MB may still be OCd when it becomes old, so it makes sense to have a 140mm + possibility for double fan.

Below 120 mm is usualy considered "super low" or simply "flat" design, at least according to my mind.

The whole reason of this is to safe up on size (more GFLOPS/cm3) without huge sacrifices on performance, not even on the cooling.

I havent touched an air cooler in years. I just know by looking at the link that thing is an absolute monstrosity compared to other coolers. Oh well.

Honestly I think you are screwed, if you cant use the top fan due to height and are forced to use the bottom fan, it doesnt seem like the bottom fan will work with any ram that has a heatsink on them. Perhaps get a smaller fan for the bottom or return that heatsink is my suggestion.

WC is not my thing because i dont make extreme OCs. Most WC need maintenance and they got huge size.

An exception is the micro WC stuff but im not sure if that stuff is truly that reliable such as been told. I worry it could leak or what else, i just want a safe and maintenance free running system and without extreme OC, WC isnt required. Noise isnt a issue when quality fans are used, a single Noctua fan at 750 RPM is barely audible and thats enough in order to run a 6 core CPU at below 75 C (15 min Prime 95). When i use a second Noctua fan at 750 RPM, it will probably be below 70 C for max load.

With more speed (900/1200 RPM) OC is possible but i wont need it unless the system is already aged (and weaker). I may OC to 4 Ghz (all i need is to push a button at my MB) when the performance doesnt feel "good" anymore. Right now i have no need for OC, its sufficient for nice performance.

At 1200 RPM i had 67 C at max load, so the difference is 8+ C at least, just by raising/decreasing speed of a single fan. The cooling increase with second fan can be huge (probably doubled flow) because i will open a new "entry" from outside. That entry is currently closed so the flow is weaker. So yeah... no problem going air so far.

There will be basically 3 fans blowing at the sink, because the case intake fan is entering just where the sink is located at the right side. So the flow is going to the left and downwards and the intake is from upper and right side. Highly effective without risk nor any real maintenance (apart from cleaning some dust). But there will be way to many fan mods soon, im not nearly done yet. I already feel it should receive a award because of its efficient room management without lack on cooling.

Besides, i will try to mod the Shuttle with a micro WC (probably Zalman), so i can OC stuff. But thats some future project. Will probably be my first "WC". Thats my gamer PC so i can take such risks... but on HTPC/Workstations reliability is more important than raw power.

Would like to bring up that my question isnt answered yet and i hope i will find it out soon.

Ivy said:

I do need to know if the Phanteks PH-TC14CS will fit for me. Now the issue is pretty easy to tell. All the other stuff will not matter but the RAM heatsink can become a issue.

The case is a Lian Li PC 354, which will allow for a max size of 125 mm height, the other values may work fine too. But i can not use the upper cooler, thats why the lower cooler is important. I dont OC so all what matters is that it will keep CPU cool.

Now i dont use a special size (such as on the pictures on the link) but i guess the size of the sink is about average with a hight of aproximately 1 cm above raw RAM edge (hard to measure). The extreme stuff such as the Patriot Sector 7 is larger in size than a Rippjaws-Z, but dont know how much.

The RAM heatsink is a Gskill Rippjaws-Z with 40 mm height. Unfortunately i already got the RAM and didnt know that it would be messy to fit a good low profile cooler. My first experience building low profile stuff was just 1 month ago and still challenging to find out if stuff fits when there isnt accurate size measurements at every single edge.

What i need to know is the distance between the lowest edge of the cooler to the surface of the IHS. Stuff like that is helpful when the stuff becomes mm work.

Braining out hardly the size "guessing". I dont know why the parts doesnt have exact size descriptions from point A to B, because it becomes critical with small systems.

Click to expand...

if you use single fan with that cooler you should be fine. Phanteks looks nice with the color too. wish they come out with a gold one. will be pretty nice with the white.

I doubt that you got a golden case. Silver and Black will probably be highest demand because most cases are that color and people want to match the color.


I do need accurate answers, so does it truly fit? Doesnt matter if there is only 1 mm left but it should not decrease pressure on the CPU (so it should not touch the sink). It could work but it would be very very close.