Installation
We installed the Noctua NH-L12S on a Gigabyte Z370 AORUS Ultra Gaming motherboard. We’ve also taken the opportunity to test this cooler on the new Intel i7-8700K, Intel’s CPU getting a lot of limelight just now. Oh, and we’ve left the lighting off when we took some pictures, the Gigabyte Z370 AORUS Ultra Gaming motherboard puts on a light show of its own!
The Gigabyte Z370 AORUS Ultra Gaming motherboard has some raised heatsinks, which should challenge the NH-L12S and other low profile CPU Coolers, at least if they have a larger fan size.
However, the installation was fine, the clearance above the memory and heatsinks is just about perfect, using standard height memory and the NH-L12S clears the GPU and heatsinks just fine. All while being in Low Profile Mode, with the fan mounted on the underside of the CPU Coolers heatsink.
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.