NH-U12S chromax.black

Great price for an amazing quality cooler. Easy to mount with clear instructions. Immediately cooled my cpu down to beautiful temperatures as well as being extremely quiet and efficient.

This cooler is made by Noctua. This is my first purchase from them, and they live up the their reputation for excellent quality and performance! I was using the stock AMD cooler (Wraith?) that came with my Ryzen 3600. While the stock cooler was adequate for simple tasks such as word processing or the Internet, it fell short for intensive tasks such as video encoding. Starting an encode would immediately shoot temperatures up to 95°C and stay there, severely throttling the CPU. After installing this cooler (it comes with a tube of Noctua's own quality NT-H1 thermal paste) and a fan curve adjustment to accommodate the greater cooling performance, the CPU temperatures are much lower and the computer is much quieter! Idle temperatures are about 32°–36°C. Testing the performance with some video encoding, temperatures where at 70°–75° after an hour and the CPU never throttled once—Full boost throughout the entire process! Mounting the cooler was simple and straightforward with excellent instructions and diagrams. All necessary parts are included in the box. The AMD and Intel components are separate to avoid mixing them up. Extra mounting pads and brackets where provided in case you wanted to install a second fan in a push/pull configuration. The black color looks great, as black goes with everything! (No, I am not just saying that because the rest of my build is black as well.) I also used the included paste to reapply the thermal compound on my PS4 Pro, with more left over for future applications as well! Overall, Noctua has earned a costumer in me and a spot on my recommendation list.

As Most people that are currently buying this are most likely fans of Linus Tech Tips on YouTube, the LTT edition is pretty sweet in my opinion, the additional orange anti-vibration pads and the LTT stickers and badge are great. This is my first time reviewing a product that i have purchased on amazon and i felt that i needed to do just that, because this cooler aside from being the LTT edition, is the best CPU cooler that i personally have ever bought. i have built a couple of computers before and i'm not one of the ones who goes for all the overclocking and max speed that some people will do. i put this NH-U12S Chromax Black on my computer that i built in 2016, a Gigabyte 990FX ATX Motherboard with an AMD FX6350 Black Edition processor, in a Corsair Carbide Air 540 case. Unlike most of the recent CPU's that have came out in the last year or so that only use 65 to 90 Watts of power, the FX6350 is rated at 125 watts, and therefore gets quite toasty under full load. as of writing this i have been working my CPU to the max pretty frequently lately as i have found the joy in having my own Plex Server and using my PC to rip and encode my collection of old dvd's. with the stock cooler that came with my CPU, sitting there just idle (nothing running) it was staying around the 50C (122F) range , when running Handbrake to encode video, all cores on the CPU at 99% load, i was getting temps in the 80C - 90C (176F-195F) range and a max of 95C (203F) a couple of times on really long encodes. after installing the NH-U12S Chromax Black, i can't say enough about how well this thing works, it cut my CPU temps far more than i was expecting, now at idle running right around the 24C (75F) mark and i have seen it dip to 19C (66F) once. Now running Handbrake to do the same encode jobs i have not seen the CPU get past 50C (122F) at all. All of this is with what came in the box, no extra fan or anything just the 1 that came with it, and did i mention that this thing is stupidly quiet as well? i have my PC about 2 feet from me and it is about chest level when sitting in a chair and i can't hear it at all even when computer is under load. For my next PC build or for a friend/family member build, i will definitely be buying more Noctua Products, if the NH-U12S Chromax Black is still available at that time i will be buying another one hands down. hopefully this review is helpful to someone trying to make a decision

I purchased this cooler to cool an AMD Ryzen R5 3600 in a Fractal Design Meshify C case. The stock cooler for the 3600 is anemic (and loud) and the goal for this build was quiet operation. After reading a bunch of reviews, I opted for this cooler (even though it was more expensive than some of the Scythe options I was looking at and I love Scythe products) as the black color would look nice in the case and the emphasis in reviews on how silent it operated. The install was extremely easy. The only complaint I have is that you have to remove the fan from the cooling tower to install it; in contrast I can pull and install my Scythe Fuma 2 without having to do so (though I often remove the middle fan for ease when blowing apart my build for various reasons). I found the spring clips on the Noctua for securing fan to be a bit more temperamental than Scythe's, but no so much that it warrants giving this cooler anything less than 5 stars. The cooler comes with Noctua's NT-H1 thermal paste, which is my go-to paste for my builds, so that's a nice feature if you don't already have a syringe of this lying around (and would set you back about $13 US to buy separately). The real proof of what a gem this cooler is appears when you first power on your system. The fan spins to life without so much as a whisper. Even under load you can barely notice it running. I repeatedly had to look at the cooler to make sure the fan was spinning (the case fans are also very quiet as is the EVGA 2060 SC Ultra GPU in the case). I was very impressed at the noise level. What's even more astonishing is how effective this thin tower, single fan cooler is at cooling the CPU at such a low noise level. Noctua really knows what they are doing with their cooler and fan designs. The recipient absolutely loves the performance and noise level of the build as well as the aesthetics of the components (cooler included), so thanks for making me look good, Noctua!

I bought this to replace the stock cooler for the i7 9700f that came in my prebuilt. The product was packaged beautifully, with a small box for mounting hardware, thermal paste and a few other accessories in the top. There was a large box containing the cooler itself in the bottom. (edited) The installation took about 2 hours (mind you, I am new at upgrading computers) and would have taken a lot less time if I had realized initially that the back panel of my PC case was removable and had a cutout allowing me to access the rear of my motherboard. Noctua provides very well written and clear instructions for how to mount this cooler. In the box, you will find instructions for both Intel and AMD platforms. If you're building a system and you know what you're doing, it'll probably take no more than 10-15 minutes for you to put this cooler in. If you're swapping a cooler like me and have no clue what to do, you'll get by with the instructions in 1-2 hours, maybe faster. (edited) As for noise, when my system is idling, I don't hear this cooler at all. At full load, it ramps up to about 1200RPM, but the noise level remains minimal and it is certainly a huge improvement over my original cooler. Sound tests show it peaking at around 30 decibels, whereas my old cooler would top out around 55. The performance of this cooler is beyond anything I could have expected. My CPU used to idle at around 55C and would heat up to 88+ with my old stock cooler. Thanks to the NHU 12 S I am now seeing idle temps at 33C and peak temps no higher than 55. Overall , my system feels much more stable thanks to this upgrade. Lastly, this cooler is absolutely gorgeous. I've made a few upgrades since purchasing my prebuilt and I think it really pulls them all together. I did make the mistake of not measuring the inside of my case, however, and I failed to account for the raised position of the body of the cooler over the CPU. The heatsink has a couple of protrusions on the top of it which have prevented me from being able to place the glass panel back onto my case once I finished swapping coolers. My case is 19.61" x 7.28" x 16.57", so if your case has a similar width 7.28", you might want to consider buying the smaller NHU 9S cooler.

The Noctua NH-U12S chromax.Black is a top-tier 120mm single-tower CPU cooler that not only excels in cooling performance but also adds a touch of elegance to any desktop setup. This cooler has far surpassed my expectations, providing outstanding cooling capabilities with a sleek black design that complements my desktop aesthetics. The standout feature of the Noctua NH-U12S chromax.Black is its exceptional cooling performance. The single-tower design, coupled with the 120mm NF-F12 PWM fan, efficiently dissipates heat from the CPU, ensuring optimal operating temperatures even during demanding tasks and heavy workloads. The sleek black color scheme elevates the overall look of my desktop build. The chromax.Black design adds a touch of sophistication and seamlessly blends into various themed builds, enhancing the overall aesthetics of my system. The NH-U12S chromax.Black is compatible with a wide range of motherboards and memory modules, providing sufficient clearance for tall RAM modules and ensuring ease of installation. The SecuFirm2 mounting system offers a hassle-free and secure installation process, reducing the risk of damage during setup. I appreciate the low noise level of the NF-F12 PWM fan, even at maximum speeds. This ensures a quiet and undisturbed computing experience, even during intensive tasks. Noctua is renowned for its high-quality cooling solutions, and the NH-U12S chromax.Black is no exception. The cooler is built with precision and premium materials, ensuring reliability and durability. In conclusion, the Noctua NH-U12S chromax.Black CPU cooler is a top-notch cooling solution that not only delivers exceptional performance but also enhances the visual appeal of any desktop setup. Its outstanding cooling capabilities, sleek black design, and quiet operation make it the perfect choice for enthusiasts and gamers alike. If you're looking for a high-performance CPU cooler with a touch of elegance, the Noctua NH-U12S chromax.Black is the ultimate option. I highly recommend this CPU cooler for its outstanding performance and the stylish aesthetics it brings to my desktop build!

I bought this to upgrade my Noctua NH-D9L. My 92mm cooler was doing fine but I wanted to get the temps down a little more without going the water cooler route so I thought this 120mm unit and two fans would do the trick. As with all other Noctua products, the packaging was excellent and the quality of the cooler and fan were first rate. Installation was simple and straight forward provided you have access to the back of your PC in order to install the bracket. I didn't use the thermal paste provided, not that it is bad at all, but I use a different higher end brand to get maximum performance. So the reason for my uncertainty about the NH-U12 is my temps have gone down, but not a significant amount (on average 2 degrees at idle and 4 degrees during load). Maybe my expectations were too high. I'm not certain. I thought I could get at least 5 to as much as 10 degrees lower. That could have been reaching a bit. I will say I'm getting 35 degrees at idle and a high of 62 degrees at load, so that's not terrible by any means. Also on the plus side, the fans are quiet (I added an additional fan) and the unit looks great in my gaming computer. I love the black finish! So as long as you have nominal expectations regarding temps and you're not thinking you can get near AIO water cooling numbers, I'd say you'd be happy. For me, I'm going to give it some time and determine whether the NH-U12 will be enough or if I need to go the AIO route.

I have been a system builder for over 10 years now. I have been suggesting AIO liquid coolers for my customers for many years now because it they always were better performing then fan coolers. My mind has been changed with this cooler! For a fraction of the prices, this cooler is hands down better then several top AIO coolers I have installed and is right on par with many of the higher end AIO coolers. I just recently did a build with a Ryzen 9 5900X where the AIO Corsair Cooler I had originally picked out would not fit in the case due to the motherboard heat sinks headers being to large. So I was forced to look into other cooling options for the CPU. I have red many positive reviews on Noctua fan coolers, but hated the brown and white color scheme. When I discovered they started making an all black fan, I pounced on this model, and I am amazed at the performance. While running Prime95 in stress test mode, pushing the CPU to 100% for over an hour straight, this cooler paired with the thermal paste that comes with it is hands down a beast! While I did see temps spike to 90c at random times (normal for these Ryzen 9 CPUs), they never stayed there for any longer then 10 seconds, and the average temp under full load through out that hour was 76c. I have had AIO coolers that couldn't hold the temps under 79c during stress testing. The mounting system for Ryzen CPUs is one of the easiest installs I have encountered, and it is tight/snug on the CPU. The heat pipes and cold plate are obviously made well, as it had no issues pulling the heat off. And this is without a second fan doing the push/pull methods. There is just the one fan on it. These temps might be even lower if you opt in for the second fan on the other side of the fins. I have never suggested fan coolers for the higher end Ryzen builds I do. That is no longer the case. This will be my go to cooling option for builds going forward.