Z170M-ITX/ac CPU cooler compatibility

Pier wrote: I wonder about the compatibility the Z170M-ITX/ac has with low profile CPU cooler such as: Noctua L9i Cooltek LP53 Scythe kozuti I'm worried in particular about to the position of the mini PCIE WIFI card. How can I know what cooler can i install on this mother board? Thank you Pier Silverio

Mini-ITX size boards like the Z170M-ITX/ac are difficult to match with a CPU cooler, as you know.

The "low profile", or height of the CPU cooler above the board is not the situation you are worried about, it is the length and width that you are worried about.

This is a picture of the Z170M-ITX/ac:



Look at the CPU socket, and then the four mounting holes for the CPU cooler. You can see the white lines on the board all around the CPU socket. There is one large square of white lines around the CPU socket, one side of the square is by "PCI Express 3.0" on the left, and another side of the square on the bottom is next to "Front USB 3.0". At the top of this square, the four pin CPU power connector is just on the other side of the top line of this large square.

The large square around the CPU socket is an area defined by Intel, and called the "Keep Out Zone". The square is 95mm x 95mm. The reason for the Keep Out Zone is so no parts on the board will touch the Intel stock CPU cooler. There can be some parts in the Keep Out Zone, but they must not be taller than the top of the CPU, when it is in the CPU socket.

For your issue, you need a CPU cooler whose size is equal to or not much larger than the Keep Out Zone. The Noctua L9i is exactly 95mm x 95mm, so fits perfectly in that square. The Cooltek LP53 is 100mm x 94mm. If you mount the LP53 so the longer side goes from the top to bottom of the board, it would probably fit, but will be close to the copper heat sink of the chipset, or the CPU fan connectors at the top of the board.

But there is more to consider. Some CPU coolers are larger than 95mm x 95mm. The part of the cooler that is larger than 95mm x 95mm is 20mm or more above the mother board and CPU socket. The part of the CPU cooler that touches the CPU is inside the 95mm x 95mm square, but the top part of the CPU cooler is larger. That is how the Scythe cooler is, the top is 110mm x 104mm. The Scythe Kozuti might not be high enough to not touch the memory, so it probably won't work.

Don't forget the memory height, the memory is even closer to the CPU socket than the WiFi card!

What PC case will you be using? A taller CPU cooler that is larger than 95mm x 95mm, but stands higher off the board will not touch the WiFI card, but might not fit in your PC case.

What CPU will you be using? The small, low profile coolers like the L9i can only cool CPUs with a TDP of up to 65 Watts. The LP53 will cool up to 100 Watts.

If you just look at CPU coolers that will fit in the 95mm x 95mm zone, then you won't need to worry about touching any other parts.