Test Setup
We tested the Noctua NH-L9i using our Asus Z170M Plus mATX motherboard. We tested a stock configuration only, 4.0Ghz to 4.20Ghz with Turbo.
The Noctua NH-L9i will normally be installed in low power and stock configurations, we see no reason to test an overclocked setup, and we think the little Noctua NH-L9i would be maxxed out anyway.
| Test Platform | i7 LGA1151 |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 10 Pro 64-bit |
| Processor | Intel i7-6700K |
| Motherboard | Asus Z170M Plus |
| Graphics | MSI GTX 970 GAMING Twin Frozr V |
| Memory | 16Gb Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4 2666Mhz |
| Drives | Crucial MX200 500Gb |
| PSU | EVGA 850W SuperNOVA G2 |
| Chassis | Lian-Li PC-T60 Test Bench |
We use a standardized set of software for both load test and temperature capture;
- HWiNFO64
- AIDA64 Engineer
We record idle temperature and sound performance. We ran the AIDA64 Engineer stability test in 30 minute batches and recorded the results. We used the Core Max result as there was typically a variance across the cores of a couple of degrees.
We only selected the cache, FPU and CPU tests, so no other component would generate impacting heat during the tests. We always “run in” our CPU cooler installations, essential to maximizing the performance of the cooler before testing begins.
Noctua NH-L9i L-Type Low-Profile CPU Cooler Review
Package - 9.3
Performance - 8.5
Price - 8
Consumer Experience - 9
8.7
Ok, so putting a dedicated mITX low-profile CPU cooler up against a serious desktop processor is a little out of context, but we managed to squeeze the Noctua NH-L9i L-Type Low-Profile CPU cooler into this window of performance, just. What does this mean? Well, you have your CPU limit for this CPU cooler, any further and you are in real thermal trouble. Any less of a CPU thermal design power (TDP) implementation, and you've got a great cooler.