Best cooler for 9900k, that 57mm or shorter?

No room for an aio i assume? Even at stock most low profile heatsinks are going to have a hard time unless your case is a wind tunnel.
 
You can always check out heatsinks from Noctua, BeQuiet, Silverstone, Coolermaster and Thermalright.
 
I mean using that logic, he can always check out ones that are made of metal and have fans on them.

WHICH one is what he is after.
OK, well to be honest I was kind of thinking not everyone will like the same styles. Besides, not every retailer web site have the same brand names. So, in some ways that list is still a short cut.
 
Here's a few options for ya depending on the noise/quality of the fan you could replace the ID Cooling's fan with a better noctua or scythe fan for better performance/noise:

55mm tall ~ 130w TDP ~ ID-COOLING IS-60 - https://www.newegg.com/p/2RM-00AP-00094
47mm ~ 115w TDP ~ CRYORIG C7 Cu (same buying issue and model just all copper)
47mm ~ 100w TDP ~ Cryorig C7 idk where to buy, i think its technically discontinued
42mm tall ~ 100w (95w/90w) TDP ~ Arctic Freezer 11 LP https://www.amazon.com/ARCTIC-Freezer-11-LP-Pre-applied/dp/B0037AKXKM ~ this listing says 100w but ive seen others say its only rated for 95w or 90w
37mm tall ~ 90w TDP ~ Nocta NH-L9i https://www.amazon.com/Noctua-NH-L9i-Premium-Low-profile-LGA115x/dp/B009VCAJ7W

(make sure to check spacing and ram height compatibility for your selection)
 
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Are you trying to run with unlimited turbo or Intel's recommended tau values? There are a number of coolers which will handle Intel's recommended 95W configuration, but a 2U blower is your only chance of moving 210W with a 57mm cooler.
 
I'm assuming the height restriction is due to the drive cage partially sitting over the CPU area.

But in looking at pictures of systems installed, it looks like the drive cage only overlaps the RAM, more or less. And you otherwise have a lot of height to work with. I bet you could fit most of the 120mm fan slim stack heatsinks in there, without much concern. A classic example would be a Coolermaster Hyper 212 EVO. Slightly better, but a little wider, the Reeven Justice ( Hardocp reviewed it and showed it as one of the best bang for the buck 120mm coolers).
https://www.newegg.com/reeven-rc-1204/p/1DR-003S-00004?Description=reeven justice&cm_re=reeven_justice-_-1DR-003S-00004-_-Product&quicklink=true


You might even be able to fit a Scyth Mugen 5 Rev. B. without hitting the drive cage.

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/media/image/thumbnail/HS046SY_155407_800x800.jpg


It mounts with an offset. You can offset it toward the rear vent and put the fan on that side, as well. so the side towards the RAM, doesn't extend further than some slim towers.I have a Scythe Mugen 5 Rev. B in a Raijintek Metis, which has a similar area for the motherboard and rear vent. In my Metis, with a fan mounted on the vent side of the Mugen 5, its very close to the rear vent. Almost close enough to touch the rear of the case. So you don't need an extra fan there. It intakes/exhausts directly to/from the CPU heatsink.

http://www.play3r.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Raijintek-Metis1.jpg
 
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It's 58mm, but might work http://thermalright.com/product/axp-100/ (also available in copper). If you can find a thinner fan maybe that'll get you the extra mm.
OMG I can't believe I ordered the Thermalright AXP-90i (for Intel) and only just realized now I could have chosen one with a 120mm fan. Sheesh. (By the way, I can't review it until I build my Rocket Lake computer. Besides, the tracking number shows it just entered the country. I was going to use a Nexus 92mm fan I have in a box for it though, not the stock fan. Oops, just saw the price, maybe that's why.) EDIT: Another weird oops, I just realized I had some Nexus accessories in a box, not a fan).
 
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OMG I can't believe I ordered the Thermalright AXP-90i (for Intel) and only just realized now I could have chosen one with a 120mm fan. Sheesh. (By the way, I can't review it until I build my Rocket Lake computer. Besides, the tracking number shows it just entered the country. I was going to use a Nexus 92mm fan I have in a box for it though, not the stock fan. Oops, just saw the price, maybe that's why.) EDIT: Another weird oops, I just realized I had some Nexus accessories in a box, not a fan).
I have two AXP-90Rs running, it's nice (I think it's even better on Intel, where you can rotate the heatsink so you can point the exhaust), but if you have the height I'd get something bigger. I couldn't find AXP-90 except on Aliexpress, but it seems like AXP-100 is more available, gotta look around for a good price though (eBay seems to be the place right now).
 
You can either put a TDP limit in the BIOS or get ready for dust buster noise levels to cool that CPU lol.
 
I have two AXP-90Rs running, it's nice (I think it's even better on Intel, where you can rotate the heatsink so you can point the exhaust), but if you have the height I'd get something bigger. I couldn't find AXP-90 except on Aliexpress, but it seems like AXP-100 is more available, gotta look around for a good price though (eBay seems to be the place right now).
When I saw the Coolermaster Gemini S5 was not available on any web site I checked, I considered the Noctua NH-L9i, be quiet! Shadow Rock LP, SilverStone Argon AR06 and SilverStone NT06-PRO. This is because I like heatsinks that are close to the motherboard in case I move the computer and accidentally drop it. How I chose the Thermalright AXP-90i I guess was just a human decision. Sometimes you feel like a Russian I guess... (I mean when they embraced democracy and couldn't deal with all the choices they had like various tooth paste, tooth brushes etc.) There was however a review linked to Youtube on this site saying the Thermalright model was good.
 
I used a DS380 years ago and was able to fit a U12S and U14S on an Asrock E3C226D2I with the hard drive cage in - the position of the CPU socket on the motherboard you select will dictate if it's possible. Silverstone doesn't mention this as it isn't officially supported.

I still had my photos from back then, re-uploaded them.

 
It took a little over a month before my Thermalright AXP-90i arrived and of course it's not tested yet as the Rocket Lake CPU is not officially launched. It was ordered from Cloudfan Store on Aliexpress.
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