CONCLUSION

    As you can clearly see from the charts even though the NH-L12Sx77 did a good job keeping the 3930k CPU cool even under stress the same didn't really apply for the NH-L9x65 chromax.black. Yes, in a controlled environment with the ambient temperature sitting at 22-23 degrees Celsius it did manage to keep the CPU under 80 degrees but even that isn’t what I’d call an acceptable result, not when newer CPU models can get considerably hotter (although to be 100% fair, this model is not meant for CPUs with a TDP surpassing 100W so do keep that in mind). Needless to say, Noctua stays true to their whisper quiet solutions and so both coolers were very quiet, even when stressed (fans at 100% speed). What stands out most especially with the NH-L9x65 chromax.black (aside its tiny size) is of course build quality (due to its size and design the NH-L12Sx77 may not look as sturdy, although it is) and there Noctua is once again second to none.

    Currently the NH-L12Sx77 CPU cooler retails for USD74.90 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 88.46Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de) whereas the NH-L9x65 chromax.black retails for USD99.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 72.94Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de). Strangely enough even though the former costs less on the other side of the Atlantic the latter costs more so price is somewhat of an issue. Cost aside however you just can’t go wrong with any of these two CPU coolers, performance is very good (always for their size), their fans are pretty much inaudible (you can also add a 2^nd fan on the NH-L12Sx77 in push and pull if it fits in your case), both offer zero clearance issues and last but not least build quality is great so the Golden award for both is in order.

PROS

- Excellent Build Quality
- Good Cooling Efficiency (NH-L12Sx77)
- All Black Model (NH-L9x65 chromax.black)
- Low Profile (77mm / 65mm)
- Tiny Size (NH-L9x65 chromax.black)
- Zero Interference (RAM)
- 2 Fans In Push And Pull (NH-L12Sx77)
- Low Noise Levels
- 6 Year Warranty

CONS

- Overall Cooling Efficiency (NH-L9x65 chromax.black)
- Price (For Some)