INTRODUCTION

   Ever since i started building my own PC's back in the late 90's I’ve always used either large midi towers or full/super towers. The reasoning behind this has always been very simple, i just needed plenty of space for the largest hardware components available and also to easy install/remove them. On top of that i always wanted optimal airflow levels something which was easily achieved with the addition of extra fans so that too was important. Still, there's no denying that space is not something all people have in abundance (as a matter of fact i didn't either back then) so it's no surprise that many choose to build compact mATX and mITX systems. Interior space being an issue however for both mATX and mITX PC cases usually means limited room for a CPU cooler and that's exactly what Noctua is addressing with their latest NH-D12L model.

   Designed in Austria, Noctua’s premium cooling components are internationally renowned for their superb quietness, exceptional performance and thoroughgoing quality. Having received more than 6000 awards and recommendations from leading hardware websites and magazines, Noctua’s fans and heatsinks are serving hundreds of thousands of satisfied customers around the globe.

   The brand new Noctua NH-D12L may be just 145mm tall but it follows the typical U-type dual-tower (sandwich) design and so it's made out of two aluminum heatsinks connected by a total of five, 6mm all-copper nickel plated heatpipes (soldered with the main body of the heatsink for optimal performance). Each of the two heatsinks sports a total of 38 aluminum fins (76 fins in total, all closed on both sides) and as for the base it's made out of copper and is also nickel plated. As for fan Noctua this time over has used one of their round frame NF-A12x25r models which can spin up to 2000RPM to produce 60.1CFM of airflow with just 22.6dBA of noise. Needless to say, the NH-D12L can be paired with a 2nd fan in push & pull configuration (a second NF-A12x25r model was used in this review) and in terms of warranty Noctua covers the NH-D12L with a 6-year limited one.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

As with most boxes by Noctua at the front we find a partial product picture, their logo and the main product features.

The product specifications are placed on the right side of the box while the features are located on the left.

A few words about the product are printed at the rear in 9 languages.

Once again both the bundle and the cooler itself are placed inside cardboard boxes.

Along with the NH-D12L (the NF-A12x25r fan is pre-mounted) inside the box you'll also find an NT-H2 thermal paste tube, low noise adapter, long Philips screwdriver, 2 fan clips, metal case badge, backplate, installation instructions (2 manuals) and all the necessary bits and pieces to mount the cooler onto Intel LGA 1150/1151/1155/1156/1200/1700/2011/2011-3/2066 and AMD AM4/AM5 compatible mainboards.

THE NH-D12L

With the NF-A12x25r fan installed the NH-D12L weighs 890g and measures 145mm in height, 125mm in width and 113mm in length.

Taking a look from the top we see that Noctua has placed their name and logo on both the heatsinks and the fan.

Each of the two heatsinks has a total of 38 aluminum fins evenly spaced and closed from the sides (for optimal airflow levels).

The NF-A12x25r is an 120mm round frame fan which as mentioned earlier can achieve speeds of 2000RPM to produce 60.1CFM of airflow with just 22.6dBA of noise.

Worth pointing out is that in order for the NH-D12L to be a zero clearance model (with RAM modules) the front heatsink is smaller than the rear (without the fan the NH-D12L weighs 700g).

All five 6mm thick copper nickel plated heatpipes pass through all 76 aluminum fins.

The copper base is nickel plated but doesn't feature a mirror like finish (polished).

Above you can see the NH-D12L with two NF-A12x25r fans in push and pull (the front fan position will depend on the height of your RAM modules).

TEST BED

TESTING METHODOLOGY

   We always take things quite seriously when it comes to work so just like with the previous LGA1366 database we will not be testing each CPU Cooler on its own and with different ambient temperature levels and thus we can actually have yet another valid CPU Cooler database. Testing a CPU Cooler automatically means that you need to know where it stands against the immediate competition and to accomplish that we have spent both money and time through the years, something that we plan to continue to do so in order to get the most accurate results for the end consumers who read these lines. Every CPU cooler in this database is tested with the bundled 140mm/120mm/92mm/80mm fans while working at both idle speed and 100% of their speeds for all the temperature tests. CPU Coolers that do not come bundled with a fan/s are measured using a Noctua fan (size dependent on the model) to test for the temperature tests but due to the lack of a stock fan dBA level tests are obviously skipped. Single (120/140mm) watercooling solutions are tested with the radiator mounted at the rear of our test rig while dual/triple/quad (240/260/280/360/420/480/560mm) solutions with the radiator mounted at the top. For the dBA tests every cooler in the database was measured both while on idle mode or with the fan controller in the minimum setting and while on extreme load or with the fan controller all the way to the highest possible setting (PWM fans do that on their own without our intervention). Every single test takes place in a temperature controlled room of 23 degrees Celsius Ambient Temp with the help of two AC units placed diagonally inside the room. The Noctua NT-H1 thermal paste is used with every CPU Cooler in our latest LGA2011 database (although initially this was not the plan, we had to change things to get the most accurate results). Finally, it's very important to point out that just because a CPU Cooler is better than another when tested with our test rig that does not necessarily mean that the same performance differences will apply 100% for other CPU models and in other situations (such as different ambient temps and system configurations).

   To successfully record the load temperatures, we use the latest OCCT application for around 6-10 minutes to push the processor to its limits and after that is done and the temperatures are recorded, we wait for about 10-20 minutes for the CPU to cool down and record the idle temperatures. This is done to allow time for the thermal conductive material to achieve the optimal performance level. Same procedure is then repeated with the Passmark BurnIn Test as a failsafe just in case the OCCT results are wrong. This procedure is more time consuming than the usual peltier/thermometer tests but this way not only can we deliver real world results to our readers based on real CPUs but we can also triple check the results using a variety of programs. Last but not least the temperatures were recorded using both the latest versions of AIDA64 and RealTemp while the noise level tests are performed using a high precision ExTech HD600 Decibel Meter placed about 10-15cm above the CPU Cooler. Still although the same testing procedure applies to all units do take into consideration that unlike the official numbers which are measured in special noise isolated labs with just the fans here, we also have both the rest of the cooler and the rest of the system (although all system fans are turned off when recording noise levels).

TEST RESULTS

CONCLUSION

   Having reviewed pretty much every single CPU cooler released by Noctua to date (at least for the consumer market) means that I know all too well that their products deliver on 3 things, cooling efficiency, build quality and noise levels. Now the NH-D12L may not be their highest performance model but it’s meant to deliver almost excellent cooling efficiency to compact mATX and mITX systems (even some rackmounts) and well, it does just that. Of course, even with a height of just 145mm the NH-D12L might still be too tall for some cases so I do recommend double checking before you finalize your purchase. Performance and size aside the NH-D12L delivers very good noise level results, even with two NF-A12x25r fans in push and pull configuration. Just like with every other Noctua CPU cooler mounting the NH-D12L onto your motherboard is very easy, attach the two brackets according to the socket, remove the NF-A12x25r fan from the cooler and then tight the screws onto the two brackets, that’s it.

   Noctua CPU coolers have long since been considered by the entire PC community as top notch so the NH-D12L’s retail price of USD89.95 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and 99.90Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de) is nothing out of the ordinary (the 2^nd NF-A12x25r fan will set you back an extra USD29.95/32.9Euros). For that you’re not only getting near excellent cooling efficiency but also superb build quality, low noise levels and a CPU cooler small enough to fit in mATX and mITX cases so the Golden Award is well deserved.

PROS

- Excellent Build Quality
- Compact (145mm / Zero Clearance Issues)
- Near Excellent Cooling Efficiency (Especially For Its Size)
- Dual Fan Solution
- Noise Levels
- Easy Installation
- 6 Year Limited Warranty

CONS

- Price (For Some)
- 145mm Tall (Might Still Be Too Tall For Some Cases)