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

Product Information

However, taking into account the design, already at this stage it is possible to “assume” that the additional fan, will add very little, if any. To keep our NH-D12L in perfect condition, it is fully enclosed with multiple layers of thick cardboard. When modern CPUs use their turbo modes, they can (depending on the configuration of the UEFI BIOS) dissipate much more heat than indicated by the manufacturer’s TDP (Thermal Design Power) specification.

Supporting Intel LGA1700 (LGA17xx family), LGA1200, LGA115x (LGA1150, LGA1151, LGA1155, LGA1156) and LGA20xx (LGA2066, LGA2011-0, LGA2011-3), as well as AMD AM4 and AM5, the SecuFirm2 mounting included with the NH-D12L is straightforward to install, provides perfect contact pressure and will stand the test of time even under heavy use.

As well, you will see the AMD upcoming AM5 socket mentioned, which is because it shares the same mounting mechanism as the current AM4 socket. When installing a second NF-A12x25r, for which additional brackets are included in the kit, 3 RAM slots close to the socket will be blocked.

In the case of Intel platforms, an in-box backplate is used for the rear side of the board, in the case of AMD – you should use “native” motherboard backplate. 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. Airflow through the passive part of the heatsink is provided by a modified version of the NF-A12x25 fan. Due to its asymmetric design, the NH-D12L does not overhang the RAM slots on Intel LGA1851/LGA1700/LGA1200/LGA115x and AMD AM4/AM5 based motherboards, which ensures easy access to the modules and 100% compatibility with DIMMs that feature tall heat-spreaders or RGB lighting.In a smaller portion of the hardware box, we get a screwdriver tucked down the side and other accessories to go over. If you require an upgrade kit for a future socket and the cooler supports it, Noctua will almost always get you one for free.

We also see the groove at the leading and trailing edges of each array, which means you could use three fans, although you would need one extra set of clips, as the cooler ships with two sets of fan clips. I still appreciate the fact Noctua is one of the few manufacturers that send their products in their own boxes. Unfortunately, mainboard manufacturers tend to change certain components and heatsinks without pointing it out by using corresponding revision names. The deep grooves are semi-circular in their cuts, while the center of the surface is slightly higher than the edges for added mounting pressure. Opening it up, we can see the mounting options covering the ever-growing list of Intel and AMD sockets, as seen in the specifications above.What follows is the mindset of this being a much more compact entry, especially concerning height, than most, if not all, of Noctua's direct competition with the introduction of this solution. With the Noctua NH-D12L, we have another cooler in review and examine how well it copes with the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X. g. NH-D15 or NH-U14S TR4-SP3) may overhang the RAM slots and that this can cause compatibility issues if RAM modules taller than 32mm are used. Solderless radiators lose efficiency over the years due to the different coefficient of thermal expansion of aluminum sheets and copper heat pipes. However, it must be noted that the second fan will usually sit on top of either the RAM or I/O panel and thereby increase the total height beyond 145mm.