Review: Noctua NH-L12 Low Profile CPU Cooler

Posted by Dexter K.

Sunday, 15 April 2012 23:23

Article Index
Review: Noctua NH-L12 Low Profile CPU Cooler
Specifications and Features
A Closer Look, Photos and Pictures
Testing and Results
Verdict and Conclusion

Page 1 of 5

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Introduction

The last Noctua heatsink I reviewed was the biggest air heatsink I have ever seen. Noctua has sent a heatsink that is not the smallest I have seen, but is meant to be used in an HTPC enviornment.

That heatsink is the Noctua NH-L12, which is roughly half the size of a NH-D14 (even smaller if you want to get down to it).

Today we will be slapping it onto the same brutal testing rig that has been used in all of the other socket 2011 heatsink reviews. Lets see if this little thing can pack a huge punch for its size.

If you have not heard of Noctua before, here is a little information about them:

"Designed in Austria, Noctua's premium cooling components are internationally renowned for their superb quietness, exceptional performance and thoroughgoing quality. Having received more than 1000 awards and recommendations from leading hardware websites and magazines, Noctua's fans and heatsinks are chosen by more than a hundred thousand satisfied customers around the globe."

Source: Noctua.at

P1013682

Just like all of the other heatsinks we have tested on the 2011 socket this heatsink is going to try and cool a big warm 3930k hex-core processor. Dumping out 130w of heat at stock speeds, this little HTPC heatsink is going to have its work cut out for it.

For overclocked tests the processor was overclocked to 4.5ghz at 1.41v.