28/02/2026 6:35 pm
Topic starter
Notifications
Clear all
0
I finally pulled the trigger on an i7-13700K for my video editing rig and man I am freaking out a little bit about these temps. Its hitting 90c almost instantly when I start a render and I'm currently using some old cooler I had lying around which was clearly a mistake lol. I need to fix this fast like by Friday since I have a client deadline coming up and I cant afford for the system to crash or throttle. My case is a bit tight though, it's a Fractal Meshify C and I'm super worried about ram clearance too since my sticks are kinda tall.
I've been looking at the Noctua NH-D15 because everyone says its the king but it looks massive and might not even fit with the side panel closed. Then there is the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 which is way cheaper but some people say the fans are loud and I dont know if it handles the i7 heat spikes well enough for long renders. I'm also considering the Be Quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 because it looks sleek but the mounting seems like a nightmare from what I've read online. Budget is about 80-90 bucks max. Really torn between the Noctua and the Thermalright mostly. Is the Noctua actually worth double the price or am I just paying for the brown fans? I really dont want to throttle during this project...
3 Answers
12
28/02/2026 7:00 pm
@Reply #1 - good point! Noctua is the gold standard for reliability, but that D15 height is a gamble with tall RAM in a Meshify C. If you lift the fan to clear the sticks, the side panel wont close. These are decent options that actually fit:
- Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE 7 Heatpipes - handles 13th gen spikes like a champ for way less money.
- DeepCool AK620 Dual Tower Cooler - super sturdy mounting and better clearance overall. Either will stop that throttling.
5
28/02/2026 6:36 pm
You seriously need to go with Noctua! I have used them for years and they are absolutely amazing for rendering because you never have to worry about failures.
- Just get any of their big tower models
- Mounting is super safe
- Fans stay quiet Reliability is everything for deadlines, so dont overthink it... just go with Noctua and it will never let you down!
1
02/04/2026 2:00 am
@Reply #2 - good point! The Meshify C is a great case but it definitely punishes you for using tall RAM with big air coolers. Instead of the D15, take a look at the Scythe Fuma 3 CPU Air Cooler. It has an asymmetrical heatpipe design that clears the RAM slots completely, and its short enough that the side panel wont be an issue. Its usually around 50 bucks and very quiet. Another one that flies under the radar is the Noctua NH-D12L Low-Height Dual-Tower. Its only 145mm tall and uses a center fan design so RAM clearance is a non-issue. It handles 13th gen chips surprisingly well for its size. Both of these are better bets than forcing a D15 in there and praying the glass closes. Save your money, you dont need to spend 100 bucks to keep that i7 from throttling during your render.
