Turbo was enabled for the stock tests as we always do, this will take the 4.0Ghz to 4.20Ghz during the stress test.
BIOS Setting
We used the default PWM setting for the testing. The fan profile is bottom middle of the screenshot.
Sound Level Testing
We used a standard generic digital sound level meter at 15 inches. It is important to note we used the Lian-Li PC-T60 Test Bench for testing which is an open chassis. This means you are hearing the CPU coolers fan unobstructed.
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.