Installation

The SecuFirm2 mounting system is really good, which is just as well because before I'd installed the Noctua NH-D14, I admit I had visions of needing scaffolding :p

I've taken pictures of a dummy install on an MSI P45 Platinum board, as this is a motherboard with a particularly large and complex cooling system of it's own. If we are going to run into trouble installing the Noctua NH-D14 on any board, it'll be this one.

The first part in an Intel installation is to get the backplate set up. Basically, if (like me) you're using a Socket 775 motherboard, you'll want to make sure you have the rubber insert ... inserted. 1366 and 1156 setups can remove it. Then you put the hex headed bolts in the correctly marked holes (there is a guide engraved on to the back of the plate itself). The plate then goes on the back of the motherboard and through the mounting holes.

Next you place the black plastic spacers over the bolts. At this point you should offer up the cooler and decide how you are going to orientate it on the board. In our case, we could mount it in all 4 directions perfectly fine on our Asus Blitz motherboard but the MSI P45 Platinum only allowed you to install the Noctua NH-D14 in one direction (at least with the 120mm fan attached). The orientation of the cooler dictates the next part of the mounting installation.

The curved mounting bars attach to the bolts and are screwed on with the supplied thumbscrews. Tighten thumbscrews till they stop, and they do suddenly stop due to the way the mounting bars are designed, which is great because it removes any guesswork on your part.

For the next part, the central 140mm fan has to be removed from the cooler to allow you access to the screws which are close to the base. Noctua have made this very easy with the fan clips they have used; keeping things clean will be easy too. Again, the coolers two spring loaded screws which attach the cooler to the mounting bars, only tighten to a certain point; once more there is no guesswork on the part of the end user. Noctua even supply you with an appropriate screwdriver for the job.

Total installation time was around 45-50 minutes the first time, but having done it once, it could easily be done in 25-30 minutes. You will also likely require extra time to remove your motherboard, and that includes those of us with motherboard mounting holes cut into your case motherboard tray; without the fans the Noctua NH-D14 isn't all that heavy, but it is large and a little too unwieldy to hold in place while you tighten up screws, at least not without a second pair of hands to help.

Installation in a Comsos S case went well enough, but I did have to remove the side panel fan. Also, my usual OCZ Reaper ram with it's high height heat-pipe cooling got in the way, so I swapped it out for some lower height Patriot ram.

You will need to check carefully that you can install this cooler in your case before you purchase.