Noctua NH-U9S chromax.black CPU Cooler Review

Recently Noctua released two new CPU coolers from the chromax.black series, and of course … we will take a look at both of them. The first one will be the NH-U9S, which is a refreshed version of the already well-known cooler. The second one is the NH-D15S, which is also another well-known cooler but now offers improved compatibility. We will publish a review on the NH-D15S soon … but for now, let’s focus on the NH-D9S chromax.black.

All Noctua coolers deliver top quality, so we expect the same from the NH-U9S. Let’s start with the specifications and features and later I will tell you some more about the performance.

The NH-U9S chromax.black is an all-black version of Noctua’s award-winning NH-U9S premium-quality quiet CPU cooler. Thanks to the same proven compact 92mm tower heatsink design and NF-A9 PWM fan, it stays true to the NH-U9S’s successful formula of fusing strong cooling performance with excellent quietness of operation and outstanding RAM, case and PCIe compatibility. At the same time, the chromax.black version with its black fan and black coated heatsink combines these assets with a sleek stealth look. Topped off with the renowned SecuFirm2™ multi-socket mounting system, Noctua’s enthusiast-grade NT-H1 thermal compound and a full 6-year manufacturer’s warranty, the NH-U9S chromax.black is a premium choice for customers who seek a compact, highly compatible 92mm heatsink that looks just as great as it cools.

Award-winning NH-U9S cooler

Tens of thousands of enthusiast users all over the world swear by the NH-U9S’s quality and performance. Recommended by more than 100 international hardware websites and magazines, it is renowned as being one of the best 92mm coolers on the market.

chromax.black design

The NH-U9S chromax.black is black from head to toe: Featuring a black coated heatsink, a black fan with black anti-vibration pads, black fan clips, and black mounting parts, it is right at home in all-black builds and easy to integrate with other colour schemes.

Colour-customisable

Using the optional NA-SAVP5 anti-vibration pads (available in black, blue, green, red, yellow, white), the NH-U9S chromax.black can be fully customised to fit popular build colour schemes such as black and red or black and white.

100% RAM compatibility

With its 95x95mm footprint, the NH-U9S does not overhang the RAM slots on current Intel and most AMD mainboards. This gives the user full access to the memory modules and guarantees 100% compatibility with tall RGB modules, large heatspreaders, or optional memory fans.

100% compatibility with PCIe cards on mini-ITX

Many mini-ITX motherboards have the PCIe slot sitting close to the socket zone. While larger coolers that exceed this zone are likely to block the PCIe slot, the 95x95xmm sized NH-U9S provides full compatibility with PCIe cards, be it on ATX, microATX, or ITX.

NF-A9 premium fan

The highly optimised features Noctua’s proprietary AAO frame as well as sophisticated aerodynamic design measures such as Flow Acceleration Channels, which allows it to further improve the renowned efficiency of Noctua’s previous 92mm models and contributes to the NH-U9S’ superior cooling performance.

Dual fan ready

The NH-U9S chromax.black includes an extra set of fan mounting clips for users who want to achieve even better cooling performance by adding a second, optional NF-A9 PWM chromax.black.swap fan in order to create a push/pull setup.

SecuFirm2™ multi-socket mounting system

Noctua’s SecuFirm2™ mounting systems have become synonymous with quality, safety, and easy installation. Supporting Intel LGA115x (LGA1150, LGA1151, LGA1155, LGA1156, LGA1200) and LGA20xx (LGA2066, LGA2011-0, LGA2011-3), as well as AMD AM4, AM3(+), AM2(+), FM2(+) and FM1, the SecuFirm2™ mounting included with the NH-U9S is straightforward to install, provides perfect contact pressure and will stand the test of time even under heavy use.

Compatibility with past and future sockets

Thanks to Noctua’s SecuFirm™ ecosystem, the NH-U9S can be made compatible with the older LGA1366 and LGA775 sockets using the optional NM-I3 mounting kit, which is provided free of charge. If technically possible, Noctua will also provide upgrade kits for future sockets, which makes the NH-U9S a safe long-term investment.

NT-H1 thermal compound

Having received more than 100 awards and recommendations from hardware journalists around the world, Noctua’s NT-H1 is a proven professional grade TIM solution that provides minimum thermal resistance, excellent ease of use, and outstanding reliability.

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 aluminum, this fit can loosen over years of thermal cycling, which may lead to reduced performance. By contrast, the NH-U9S’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. True to this legacy, the NH-U9S heatsink is built to last, and, like all Noctua fans, the supplied NF-A9 units feature an MTTF rating of more than 150,000 hours. The entire package comes with a full 6-year manufacturer’s warranty.

You can buy the Noctua NH-U9S chromax.black CPU Cooler for around $64.90 from Amazon – https://amzn.to/3qh2ydx

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