Thermalright TL-C14 unboxing and impressions

Melcar · Nov 20, 2021

Last week I bought a trio of TL-C14s from Amazon US to replace my old PH-F140MPs in my case. Got them yesterday and today plan to install them on my Enthoo Pro (2 front intakes and 1 bottom intake). My testing won't be scientific or anything remotely technical, just compare them against the Phanteks fans and see how well they sound and cool.

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Got them for $12.26 USD a piece (more on the prices latter*). Packaging is simple, just a plastic box and some carton. Contents aside from the fan is just a small bag with four metal fans crews and four rubber fan screws. The fan frame is a bit light and some flex can be observed, but only if you really try to bend the frame. Since I like mounting my case fans with machine screws and nuts, I would have to be careful when I secure them in the case so as not to bend the frame. The corners have rubber sound dampeners and the cable is nicely braided with 40cm for length. The packaging and presentation reminds me of Scythe fans.

I will be testing them out in a few hours when I get off work.

Update:

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Well got them in, and impressions are... ~~mixed~~ great. They go from 350-1430 rpm (one of the fans caps out at 1380 rpm). They do seem to push noticeably more air then the PH-F140MPs in seemingly all rpm ranges (definitely at max rpm). My CPU fans speeds up less frequently due to it. Noise wise they are about the same, with the TL-C14s being much quieter at full rpm (the PH-F140MP is very inefficient beyond 1400 rpm). HOWEVER, the TL-C14s have this annoying rasping sound profile that is noticeable in all rpm ranges. It somehow (and thankfully) does not get much louder as the fans spins faster, but it's there and you can definitely hear it at minimum speeds and if you put your ear up close. If you have your case up in your desk next to you you will hear it. My case is below my desk, so it's not THAT big of a deal, but I'm a bit anal about these things. There is some bearing noise coming from the hub (the typical sleeve bearing noise), but it's only noticeable if you put your ear up close. One huge plus, however, is that they don't do any humming noises at any rpm level (the PH-F140MPs have an annoying hum).
I will keep them, as they have ~~more plus than minuses~~ a lot of pluses. Shame about the Amazon price hike, because at $12 these things are killer. Lets see how long they last, as I got a good 5 years out of the PH-F140MPs before they started to have issues (ticking and failing PWM circuitry).

* Price:
Well it seems that prices for some Thermalright listings in Amazon have gone up. The fans I still have on my wishlist have a $2-$5 USD markup (these TL-C14s are now $15.33 USD), and some of the heatsinks (like the TS 120 Rev. B) as much as $10 USD. Could be just a demand thing, or Thermalright is still adjusting prices, or just Amazon shenanigans.

doyll · Nov 20, 2021

This will be interesting!
My crystal ball predicts both these TL-C14 and PH-F14MP will have similar performance and noise levels with TL-C14 being slightly better overall.

Edit: Here is dimensional drawing of TL-C14

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Melcar · Nov 20, 2021

doyll said:
This will be interesting!
My crystal ball predicts both these TL-C14 and PH-F14MP will have similar performance and noise levels with TL-C14 being slightly better overall.

The MP is actually a bit louder once they both reach 1300 rpm and above, with the TL-C14 pushing more air even with a filter. And it definately beats the MP at max rpm (1400 vs 1600) in both airflow and noise. Below 1300 rpm both seem to be similar. Shame about the rasping noise, as it blemishes an otherwise excellent impression. Could be a QC defect, but all three have that same noise.

Melcar · Nov 21, 2021

Updated OP. I seems I may have "fixed" the weird sound issue, or rather it was all my fault. I did mention that rather thin frame on the fans that can be flexed if too much force is applied. Well it seems that despite being careful I did in fact end up bending the frame a bit when I mounted them to my case using my usual machine screws and nuts. This caused the impeller to move forward a bit and it started to touch the fan mounting lips on the front panel of the Enthoo Pro. I remounted the fans using some of the long fan screws that came with the Enthoo Pro (regular screws are to short and can't accommodate my Silverstone filters and the Lux frames) and now that scratching noise is gone.
All is great now and I would definitely give these fans a 9/10 for the time being. Again, shame about the price hike, but even at $15-16 these are great fans.

CrustyJuggler · Nov 21, 2021

Nice write up. I just replaced two fractal venturi hp-14s with two of these C14s and I'm quite pleased. Way more airflow across all rpm ranges and less noise. I've experienced similar noise reductions from my CPU fans and GPU as they don't have to spin up as much. I've got two or of TL-C12s arriving Monday from my GPU. Time to ditch the stock fans.

Melcar · Dec 2, 2021

Well been almost a couple of weeks. One of the fans started to do weird noises. That particular fan is mounted horizontally (case bottom intake).
Also must take issue with how flimsy the frame is. I must admit that I have not used many of the newer fans out there, so maybe they are all like this now. You can apply some pressing force on the frame and it will deform a bit, causing the impeller to move forward. This is particularly troublesome because if you are not too careful with your mounting (apply to much torque) the frame will deform and the fan will start making noise. The best way (and only way it seems) to mount the fans are with the silicone mounts, as self tapping screws will easily shred the plastic after a few mounts.
Still a good fan. Performance wise it's great and very quiet.

doyll · Dec 4, 2021

So user needs to be careful with mounting screws to just snug and not over-tighten?

I"m about to put a couple TL-C14X in my Evolv mATX. Origianally ran PH-F140MP but changed to P-30 when they released, so 2x TL-C14X will need to be good to match or do better.

Melcar · Dec 4, 2021

doyll said:
So user needs to be careful with mounting screws to just snug and not over-tighten?

I"m about to put a couple TL-C14X in my Evolv mATX. Origianally ran PH-F140MP but changed to P-30 when they released, so 2x TL-C14X will need to be good to match or do better.

Yes, or just use silicon mounts if possible (which is almost impossible to do in my Enthoo Pro for front intakes). The mounting holes on the fans have incredibly brittle plastic, so one needs to be careful if mounting the fans with self tapping screws (I already stripped mine and some plastic is already falling off). Even the slightest amount of force will make the frame deform a bit, causing the impeller to swift forward and protrude out of the frame (this can cause clearance issue in some PC cases like in my Enthoo Pro).
In the end I ended up mounting the fans with long machine screws secured with nuts at the opposite end. I placed some 4mm metal spacers between the front panel ant the actual fan so that the impeller blades would properly clear the case panel. This could be just a particular of the Enthoo Pro, since Phanteks made it a bit difficult to properly mount any fan other than 120mm of 200mm in the front panel and the clearances are very small.
The TL-C14 is better than the original 140MP. The C14 pushes noticeably more air at 1400rpm (their top speed) compared to the MP at 1500rpm (and noticeably quieter too), but at 900-1200rpm both seen to be similar. Two C14s feed my CPUs TY-143 better than 3 140MPs. Also, my C14s make weird noises when mounted horizontally.

The C14X seems to be more about airflow, so you may experience different.

doyll · Dec 4, 2021

I'm hoping D14X curved blades create a different (more cylindrical) flow path than TY-14x / C15 series make, and that difference will give us better overall case and cooler airflow.

Shenhua · Dec 19, 2021

So.... they're basically nf A14 with worst quality and lower price..........
tl c14 - Búsqueda de Google
nf a14 - Búsqueda de Google

Owterspace · Dec 19, 2021

Shenhua said:
So.... they're basically nf A14 with worst quality and lower price..........
tl c14 - Búsqueda de Google
nf a14 - Búsqueda de Google

You finally noticed manufacturers are copying each other.. Its nothing new. TR is just repaying everyone that "borrowed' from them over the years.

You said:

So.... they're basically nf A14 with worst quality and lower price..........

But what you meant was:

So.. They are basically NF-A14 with a lower build quality, and a lower price...

I wouldn't go that far. I own Noctua fans and they don't have that premium feeling that forum members drone on and on about. They feel quite similar to my Thermalright fans, if not a bit cheaper if I am honest.

doyll · Dec 19, 2021

Shenhua said:
So.... they're basically nf A14 with worst quality and lower price..........
tl c14 - Búsqueda de Google
nf a14 - Búsqueda de Google

If I understand hou correctly, you got that backwards. Thermalright was first releasing TY-140 way back mid 2010 with Noctua releasing NF-A14 late in 2011 .. 18 or so months later. TY-140 used round housing (similar to Noctua NF-A15 instead and NF-A14 had square housing, but key fan components are more about motor and blade design than housing, especially way back then.

I don't have TL-C14, but have TL-C14X in my Evolv m-ATX now and while plastic is harder / more brittle than some I find it works just fine. Maybe you were tightening a little to hard when you stripped threads? Need to get some TL-C14 to be sure they have same plastic in them as TL-C14X has so only guessing.

Long story short, Thermalright marketed this design well before Noctua did.

These 'vibration dampening' corner pads we see on so many newer fans are really a joke because metal screw gives direct case to fan rigid connection while REAL vibration dampening isolates all contact of fan from case / rad/ cooler .. even a spring clips on cooler have some flex/dampening which screws do not. There are a few real vibration dampening corners out there, but most are fake dampeners. Rant over

Owterspace said:
You finally noticed manufacturers are copying each other.. Its nothing new. TR is just repaying everyone that "borrowed' from them over the years.

You said:

So.... they're basically nf A14 with worst quality and lower price..........

But what you meant was:

So.. They are basically NF-A14 with a lower build quality, and a lower price...

I wouldn't go that far. I own Noctua fans and they don't have that premium feeling that forum members drone on and on about. They feel quite similar to my Thermalright fans, if not a bit cheaper if I am honest.

Can't remember, do you have TL-C14 fans, and if so did you find the housing plastic to be impractical like Shenhua did?

Melcar · Dec 19, 2021

The plastic on the mount holes inside the TL-C14 is rather brittle. I already ruined one of my fans from the self tapping screws. The plastic in and around the mounting holes fell off so now the fan does not sit flush against the case panel when mounted. Every time I mount the fans with self tapping screws, I see plastic shavings coming off, like lots of plastic. I have a pair of TL-C14Xs coming in next week so I will compare if they have a different more "premium" plastic. If you are careful you can always mount the fans with nuts and long machine screws (6-32 x 1-1/4 "), which has always been my preferred method of mounting fans. One can always get long nylon spacers to place in between the mounting holes so that you don't accidentally deform the frame from tightening the nut too much (M4 16mm sspacers should do).

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Noctua fans are good, just not $20+ good (the bundled extras are nice at least). Not when you can get these fans for practically half the price.

doyll · Dec 19, 2021

If I need real vibration dampening this is what I do:

The case usually needs the hole drilled out so grommet will fit. Drill hole big enough so grommet is a nice loose fit. This way when screw snugs up it does not force the rubber hard against the edges of hole.

Also solves the problem of blind mounting of screw through a rubber wash without it touching the case. A vibration mount only works if it separates the vibrating object (fan) from what it's mounted on. If any part of fan or it's mounting hardware touches what it is being mounted to, the vibration is transmitted through this contact.

Additionally, the screw must not be tightened into fan too tight or the 'vibration mount' is compressed, becomes more dense and transmits the vibration

Phanteks used same principle on 3.5" HDD mounts in many of their cases. Works nicely as long as screws are not too tight. That said, I did have one fan that screws worked loose in. Replaced them with slightly bigger threads for tighter fit into fan solved the problem. Best solution would be stepped screws, but don't thing they would be easy to find.

Owterspace · Dec 19, 2021

doyll said:
Can't remember, do you have TL-C14 fans, and if so did you find the housing plastic to be impractical like Shenhua did?

No, I just have TL-C12 Pro, TL-D14X, TY-143, NF-F12/NF-A14. They all feel pretty good to me. I have not cracked any frames on these fans.. they are all nicer than the CM Sickleflows that I have in a box. They came with an old Stacker.. those ones cracked lol. The new style Thermalright fans are pretty nice imo. The frame on the TL-D14X is the same frame as TY-143/TY-147B just a different pigment. Those iPPC's are nice fans, a bit loud though.. not using an exhaust fan anymore, no pci covers either

doyll · Dec 19, 2021

Owterspace said:
No, I just have TL-C12 Pro, TL-D14X, TY-143, NF-F12/NF-A14. They all feel pretty good to me. I have not cracked any frames on these fans.. they are all nicer than the CM Sickleflows that I have in a box. They came with an old Stacker.. those ones cracked lol. The new style Thermalright fans are pretty nice imo. The frame on the TL-D14X is the same frame as TY-143/TY-147B just a different pigment. Those iPPC's are nice fans, a bit loud though.. not using an exhaust fan anymore, no pci covers either

My bad.
Seems same motor and impeller in TL-D14X round frame vs TL-C14X in square frame.
I have 2x TL-C14X as front intakes in Evolv mATX now. Evolv mATX front is configured for 3x 120 or 2x140mm fans so mounting frame for 120mm passes over 140mm fan in several places. Might be able to post an image of it tomorrow. I do like them, but have noticed some harmonic noise at certain speeds. Quite possibly caused by 120mm mounting framework. If I can find some longer mounting screws and spacer stock I might space them 10-15mm away from case panel. I suspect this would solve the harmonic noise issue.

Owterspace · Dec 20, 2021

Now that I have started to pay closer attention to some little things.. how tight you fasten to the chassis may help in harmonics. If you give a good squeeze and compress the rubber, you pretty much lose you're damping.. so I just twist until the rubber touches and stop.

Right now my cooling config is:

Meshify C:

2x NF-A14 3K in the front, my little TL-C12 Pro at the bottom front. On the floor I have TL-D14X drawing in. On the CPU I have TY-143 in the middle position, and NF-F12 3K in the front position, about 1.5mm over the memory. Just to allow better airflow for the middle and rear sticks. I am running 0 exhaust fans with no pci covers. I do have a few gaps and cutouts taped off, the top of the case is sealed.. it is a true wind tunnel.. it works quite well lol.. I wanted a Torrent before but now I don't think I need one.. As for harmonics at certain speeds, I think that affects all fans to a degree.. but I have not been blessed enough to try a full blown quiet Noctua setup. Those iPPC are on sale sorta cheap, and they are rated for a long life. You dont have to run them hard and they arent too bad. But they are loud AF once you hit 75% and above.

doyll · Dec 20, 2021

Playing with TL-C14X (2x as front intakes are only case airflow fans in case). I've got them idled down to 485rpm surfing web keeping air entering cooler same temp as room. So far performance is similar to 3x T30 front intake and 2x PH-F140MP at similar noise levels. Obviously T30's move much more air at higher RPM, but more noise too.

Shenhua · Jun 8, 2025

Is the tl c14c and c14-s same fan as the tl c14.

doyll · Jun 8, 2025

Shenhua said:
Is the tl c14c and c14-s same fan as the tl c14.

TL-C14, TL-C14C and TL-C14S are all same basic fan.

TL-C14L is anit-clockwise rotation rated 2.0 mm H2O. Others are all same spec 1.93 mm H2O.

TL-C14X is way different with narrow curved impeller design

Thermalright TL-C14 unboxing and impressions

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