Noctua NH-D12L, Low-Height Dual-Tower CPU Cooler (120mm, Brown)

Product Information

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The fins, thirty-eight in each stack, are aluminum, left that way, are soldered to the heat pipes, and speaking of them, five 6mm diameter pipes are used in this design. The AIO Cooler showed up very quickly and exactly as described, brand new, still sealed in it's fancy box! In addition to the heatsink, Noctua also graciously sent us a separate Noctua NF-A12x25r fan used to mount onto the NH-D12L. WCUK Online Ltd is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 824034) and acts as a credit intermediary. The NH-D12L also includes an extra set of fan clamps that may be used to install a second of these NF-A12x25r PWM fans on either the front or rear fin stack.We also noticed the fan is lower than the pipe tips, which is where Noctua measures, getting the 145mm height from the bottom of the base to the top of those tips. For example, my favorite SFF case Cooler Master NR200P comes to mind, where this cooler fits like a glove even if you equip this case with a TG panel. Noctua is known for its high-quality coolers and covers all common platforms with its product range. The NH-D12L is 145mm tall – 13mm shorter than typical Noctua models – and uses a custom-built NF-A12x25r fan with rounded edges that can be lowered between the fin stacks without tainting neighboring components. While many will offset the design to allow for RAM clearance, Nopctua said how about no, we use a single fan, and here we have it.

Noctua’s much-acclaimed NT-H1 is a pro-grade TIM solution that provides minimum thermal resistance, excellent ease of use and outstanding reliability. Today, we have the Noctua NH-D12L, a new 120mm based air cooler with an emphasis on a lower height clearance despite a dual-tower design. Mounting kits for all current CPU sockets except TR4/sTRX4 are complemented by a second set of clips for mounting an additional fan and an adapter to reduce the maximum fan speed. Noctua NH-D12L is notable for its small height, only 145 mm in total while supporting standard 120 mm fans. The NH-D12L is a low-height 120mm class CPU cooler that has been conceived to combine outstanding quiet cooling performance with superior case compatibility.Up to this point the Core i9 12900K was being cooled by a Noctua NH-U9S with a dual fan configuration due to 4U height requirements not allowing a larger heatsink/fan.

Topped off with the renowned SecuFirm2 mounting system, Noctua’s award-winning NT-H1 thermal compound and a 6-year manufacturer’s warranty, the NH-D12L is the perfect choice for applications that require serious cooling performance but cannot fit the larger NH-U12A. In the accessories box, we have many mounting parts for both AMD and Intel, including a backplate, arms, screws, nuts, and washers. Otherwise, more documentation is included in the accessory box, including installation and warranty information. While the fans can be moved upwards to increase RAM clearance, this will increase the total height of the cooler and thus requires additional clearance inside the chassis.Phoronix Premium allows ad-free access to the site, multi-page articles on a single page, and other features while supporting this site's continued operations. The NH-D12L has a shorter stature of just 145mm and bridges the gap between the 120mm and 92mm models on offer from Noctua. Unlike other cooler manufacturers, Noctua does not directly indicate in watts how powerful a processor the cooler can handle. When it comes to high-performance air coolers in the PC sector, Noctua is a household name for most people, because the manufacturer has been supplying very high-quality and high-performance coolers for years.

As a rule of thumb, if the fan overhangs the RAM, the maximum CPU cooler height specification of the case must be at least the size of the fan plus the height of the RAM minus 7mm (accounting for the height of the socket and CPU). I was already interested in technology from an early age, and I was able to study for my dream job as an IT Systems Electronics Engineer.It is difficult for NH-D12L to compete with the full-size models, nevertheless, its key advantage is compactness. Chosen again and again by overclockers and enthusiast users worldwide, it has established itself as a benchmark for premium-quality thermal compounds. If you have the room, you can also locate the larger and somewhat stronger Noctua NH-D15, or for a little less money, the be silent! Valkyrie’s previous coolers have not fared badly in absolute numbers at all, hopefully this trend will continue in today’s article. While that holds some merit, it comes down to fitment and thermal results, we would mention low noise, but that is something Noctua does anyways, and of course, the cost is a major concern.