The Noctua NH-L9a sereis of CPU coolers are probably one of the most popular compact coolers on the market. So today, we will be taking a look at a refreshed version of the original NH-L9a – the NH-L9a-AM5 chromax.black which is dessigned for the AM5 processors. The cooler includes a brand-new mounting kit and some other little changes, but I won’t share everything in the introduction. You have to read our review to find out how much more has to offer the latest Noctua CPU cooler.
In the review, we will present both versions, a classic silver/ Noctua-brown, and the chromax.black version, so black. Tests will focus on the latest AMD platform with Ryzen 5 7600 CPU, so a perfect match for the NH-L9a-AM5.
Let’s begin with the specifications and features of the new Noctua coolers.
The NH-L9a-AM5 is the latest, AM5-specific revision of Noctua’s award-winning NH-L9a low-profile CPU cooler for AMD Ryzen based HTPCs and Small Form Factor (SFF) systems. At a height of only 37mm, the NH-L9a is ideal for extremely slim cases and, due to its small footprint, it provides 100% RAM and PCIe compatibility as well as easy access to near-socket connectors even on tightly packed mini-ITX motherboards. The custom-designed SecuFirm2™ mounting system for the AM5 socket makes installation a breeze and, thanks to the highly optimised NF-A9x14 92mm fan that supports fully automatic speed control via PWM, the NH-L9a-AM5 runs remarkably quietly. Topped off with Noctua’s renowned NT-H1 thermal compound, the NH-L9a-AM5 combines everything users have come to expect from Noctua’s larger coolers into a super-compact, premium-quality package for ITX and HTPC builds with AMD AM5 processors.
New revision for AMD’s AM5 (LGA1718) socket
Since the original NH-L9a coolers for AM3 and AM4 have received more than 100 awards and recommendations from international hardware websites and magazines, the new AM5 revision builds on the same proven heatsink design to provide excellent low-profile cooling performance for AMD’s latest Ryzen processors.
Award-winning NH-L9a cooler
Tens of thousands of enthusiast users all over the world swear by the NH-L9a’s quality and performance. Recommended by more than 100 international hardware websites and magazines, it is renowned as being one of the best low-profile coolers on the market.
37mm low profile
Due to the slim 23mm heatsink and the NF-A9x14 low profile fan that measures only 14mm in thickness, the NH-L9 stands a mere 37mm tall, which makes it ideal for use in compact HTPCs or Small Form Factor cases that offer minimum clearance for CPU coolers.
100% RAM compatibility
The NH-L9a-AM5 has a compact footprint that fully complies with the socket keep-out zones specified by AMD. This means that neither the heatsink nor the fan overhang the RAM, so the cooler provides easy access to the slots and is fully compatible with tall memory modules.
100% compatibility with PCIe cards
Some AMD-based mini-ITX motherboards have the PCIe slot located close to the CPU socket zone. While larger coolers that exceed this zone may block the PCIe slot, the compact-sized NH-L9a-AM5 provides full compatibility with PCIe cards.
Easy access to near-socket connectors
Many low-profile coolers use larger fans or heatsinks in order to achieve sufficient performance, but by protruding over the socket zone, they make it difficult or even impossible to reach near-socket connectors on tightly packed ITX motherboards. Thanks to its compact footprint, the NH-L9a-AM5 provides easy access to all connectors and components.
NF-A9x14 PWM premium fan
The highly optimised, award-winning NF-A9x14 premium fan features Noctua’s proprietary AAO frame as well as sophisticated aerodynamic design measures. Supporting PWM for fully automatic speed control, the NF-A9x14 allows the NH-L9a to stay remarkably quiet.
Optional NA-FD1 fan duct
The optional NA-FD1 fan duct kit allows for bridging the gap between the cooler and perforated side panels of Small Form Factor cases. This enables the cooler to draw in fresh air from the outside through the perforated panel, which can, depending on the setup, improve CPU temperatures by as much as 5°C or more.
Low-Noise Adaptor
Allowing the maximum speed of the NF-A9x14 PWM fan to be reduced from 2500 to 1800rpm, the included Low-Noise Adaptor (LNA) makes it possible to achieve near-silent setups with suitable CPUs/APUs that only create smaller heat loads.
Custom-designed SecuFirm2™ mounting for AM5
The NH-L9a-AM5 comes with a custom-designed SecuFirm2™ mounting system for AM5 (LGA1718). Allowing the heatsink to be fixed from the back of the motherboard through the holes of the stock backplate, it makes installation easier than ever, all while maintaining the trusted SecuFirm2™ quality.
Optional SecuFirm2™ mounting kit for AMD AM4
While the NH-L9a-AM5 includes mounting hardware for the latest AM5 socket, it can be retrofitted to AM4 motherboards using the optional NM-AM4-L9aL9i mounting kit, which can be ordered on Noctua’s website free of charge.
NT-H1 thermal compound
Noctua’s much-acclaimed NT-H1 is a pro-grade TIM solution that provides minimum thermal resistance, excellent ease of use and outstanding reliability. Chosen again and again by overclockers and enthusiast users worldwide, it has established itself as a benchmark for premium-quality thermal compounds.
chromax.black design
The NH-L9a-AM5 chromax.black is black from head to toe: Featuring a black coated heatsink, a black fan with black anti-vibration pads, black fan screws and black mounting parts, it’s right at home in all-black builds and easy to integrate with other colour schemes.
Soldered interface between heatpipes and fins
With many heatsinks, the fins are press-fitted to the heatpipes. Due to the different thermal expansion coefficients of copper and aluminium, this fit can loosen over years of thermal cycling, which may lead to reduced performance. By contrast, the NH-L9a’s fins are soldered to the heatpipes in order to guarantee a superior thermal interface that doesn’t deteriorate even after many years of usage.
6-year manufacturer’s warranty
Noctua products are renowned for their impeccable quality and outstanding longevity. Like all Noctua fans, the supplied NF-A9x14 features an MTTF rating of more than 150.000 hours and the entire NH-L9a package comes with a full 6-year manufacturer’s warranty.
You can buy the Noctua NH-L9a-AM5 chromax.black
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