Noctua test unmasks false manufacturer specifications for PC cases
Noctua has measured over 100 PC cases itself. The result: Many manufacturer specifications for CPU cooler clearance are not correct. Deviations range from -3.5 to +10 millimeters.
As Noctua writes in a post, employees have measured over 100 PC cases themselves and found significant deviations from the official manufacturer specifications in 56 models. The cooler specialist is responding to complaints from customers whose own measurements did not match the information on the manufacturer's websites.
More space = wasted potential
The differences are sometimes significant. For example, the NZXT H2 Flow officially states a maximum cooler height of 75 mm, but coolers up to 79 mm actually fit. The Thermaltake TR100 has 2.7 mm more space than advertised, and the Corsair Frame 4000D even has a full 10 mm.
This sounds harmless at first, but it's a missed opportunity for you as a buyer: if you strictly adhere to the official figures, you might be giving away cooling performance because a larger and more powerful cooler would have easily fit. In the first two cases mentioned, larger fans actually fit. In the latter, taller RAM can be installed because the cooler's fan can be mounted higher up on the cooling element. These are all important things for PC building.
Less space = failed build
It becomes more critical with the opposite. Noctua also found cases that actually offer less space than stated. The Asus Prime AP201 has 1.7 mm less, and the Lian Li B4-mATX even has 3.5 mm less. If you selected your cooler exactly according to the manufacturer's specifications, this can become a problem. With the Asus case, you might then have to consider the RAM height in addition, or with the Lian-Li case, a fan that should have fit according to the specifications might not. The consequence: effort with returns, because you have to send back either the cooler or the case.
Measuring yourself is best
Therefore, the safest way is to buy the case first and only then assemble the remaining components. This is particularly worthwhile for Mini-ITX builds, as space reserves are already tight there and incorrect information quickly becomes a problem. Alternatively, Noctua's own compatibility database can help you, in which the company publishes the clearances it has re-measured for each case.
This raises the question: do such inaccuracies only affect CPU coolers, or are other specifications such as GPU or power supply clearances also incorrect? Noctua's database currently only covers coolers. For everything else, you are still dependent on other sources or a tape measure.
Small deviations can be explained by tolerances. Not every mass-produced case is identical. I asked Asus how they explain the differences. An answer is still pending. As soon as I have it, I will post it here as an update.
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