I'm replacing my current CM hyper 212 evo because of high temps (in the low 80s). Would a Noctua NH-D15 chromax.black CPU Cooler fit my CM Storm Scout 2? it's a dual tower cooler which may conflict with the ram on the MB (Asus Rog Strix z490-e gaming).
Stop creating new threads. All of your questions could have easily been answered in 1 single thread. That CM Storm Scout 2 is 9 years old and was not made with today's hardware and cooling requirements in mind. It does not have sufficient airflow to maintain lower temperatures. Regardless of what you do, over extended periods of system load, the internal temperature is going to rise and increase component temperatures.
So if my system is hovering around 75-80, what decrease in CPU and/or case temp can i expect after installing the noctua?
Without adequate airflow, I wouldn't expect anything lower than 70-75C.... If you want maximum cooling capacity from an NH-D15, the Fractal Torrent would be ideal.
so if i can only expect 70-75C with the noctua and my current case, what temps could i get with the noctua and your recommendation (the fractal torrent)? Also, what would be the difference between this noctua and its single fan counterpart? I'm reading conflicting reports about how more affective the dual tower would be versus the other. Also, there are many versions of the fractal torrent. some are the same size as my cm storm scout 2 adv. What version of the Fractal Torrent are you suggesting?
If you are determined to get the Noctua, do not get the D15. Get the D15s, it is offset to avoid any conflict with the GPU, and comes with one fan. For the second fan, get a NF-A12x25 that over hangs the ram. This will pretty much keep the fan level with the heat sink top, and avoids the ram. I have this setup in a Fractual Meshify 2 compact, and fits fine. Although the Scout is a little old, it is still usable, but there are better. Use better high static fans up front to push more air in, and try to keep as much of those HDD cages free. BTW, the max cooler height for your case is 162mm. Gl.
I have a D15 cooling a 10900K and my load temps are around 62c-72c. The case I'm using is a Fractal Design Meshify 2 XL which has great airflow. I'd say the only downside to the D15 is that it does come close to the video card. The few times I needed to pull my 3080 out I needed to use a popsicle stick to push the PCI-E's slots clip down. The D15s resolves this issue by angling the heatpipes upward as mezball mentioned, maybe go with that.
Physical size has nothing to do with how well air flows through a case. The Fractal Torrent was specifically designed with airflow in mind. The faster cool air can be drawn in and hot air can be expelled, in the proper pattern, the cooler components run and the more effective a CPU/GPU cooler will be. Older cases, like your CM Storm Scout 2, were not designed with current generation components in mind and in most cases, airflow was an after-thought.
A friend of mine had a CM Storm Scout 2 case, he always had problems with with that case both with airflow and component expansion (limited space in the case due to the case having several bays) - he later replaced the case with a Fractal Define R6 and his problems went away.
Did you ever install more fans to try and optimize the air flow? Just looking at reviews of the case so I can see the layout... it looks like you could add 5 more 120mm fans and probably get decent results. Exhaust - 1 Rear (this is the fan it comes with) - 2 top Intake - 2 front - 1 bottom
