Introduction
For our first CPU Cooler review this year we have another Noctua product. We are going to have a look at the Noctua NH-L12S, the successor to the award-winning NH-L12. The NH-L12S is a low profile cooler with a 120mm fan, up from the 92mm fan on the NH-L12, four heat pipes with Copper (base and heat-pipes), aluminium (cooling fins), and soldered joints & nickel plating. It’s aimed at the HTPC and Small Form Factor market, or even a Home Server if you need decent and quiet cooling.
The NH-L12S is supplied with Noctua’s patented SecuFirm2 mounting system too and is presented in the typical Noctua way, including the beige fans which set Noctua apart from the rest of the Cooling market.
We’ve had this for a while and retested due to the recent Intel bugs, just in case any of the issues invalidated the results and would like to thank Noctua for their understanding.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Model | NH-L12S |
| Socket compatibility | Intel LGA2066, LGA2011-0 & LGA2011-3 (Square ILM), LGA1156, LGA1155, LGA1151, LGA1150 AMD AM2, AM2+, AM3, AM3+, AM4, FM1, FM2, FM2+ (backplate required) |
| Dimension (with fan) | 70 x 128 x 146mm (HxWxD) |
| Weight (with fan) | 520g |
| Heat pipes | 6mm heatpipe x 4 units |
| Base | Copper |
| RAM Height Limit | Restricted (Adjustable) |
| Fan | NF-A12x15 PWM |
| Fan Dimension | 120 x 120 x 15mm |
| Fan Rated Speed | 450 - 1850 RPM (PWM-controlled) |
| Fan Noise Level | 16.8 - 23.9 dB(A) |
| Fan Air Flow | 70.8 m³/h - 94.2 m³/h |
| Fan Air Pressure | 0,9 mm - 1,53 mm H₂O |
| Fan MTTF | > 150.000 h |
The Noctua NH-L12S is a low profile CPU Cooler with a couple of fan options, including dual fans, when makes for some interesting setup options.
Noctua NH-L12S CPU Cooler Review
Package - 9
Performance - 8.5
Price - 8
Consumer Experience - 9
8.6
So, where do we stand with the Noctua NH-L12S CPU Cooler? We tend to keep a solid performer without going over the top for sound installed for all our tests until the next cooler comes along. This time it was the Cryorig H5 Universal, a good Cryorig offering. When we installed the NH-L12S and powered it on, there was a noticeable quiet in the air, it was not a perceptible sound coming from the fan unless you got up close.