Sound Level Testing
We used a standard generic digital sound level meter at 15 inches. It is important to note we use the MicroCool Banchetto 101 Chassis for testing which is an open chassis. This means you are hearing the CPU cooler’s fan unobstructed. If you place any fan or cooler in an enclosed chassis, the sound results should be quieter in most situations.
Thermal Paste
We use Arctic MX-2 for all heatsink cooler tests and in fact, we use it for all builds, test or otherwise. We run the AIDA64 Engineer stability test as our burn-in programme for thermal paste, which allows the paste to spread out and share the love across the mating surfaces. It is worth doing, we always notice a drop in temperatures even after only 30 minutes of burn-in.
For stock performance, it’s very good. It’s the best of the more modern coolers we have been testing on the Intel 8700K, not really a big list of competitors, but it’s still at the top!
Noctua NH-U12S CPU Cooler Review
Package - 8.5
Performance - 7
Price - 7
Consumer Experience - 7.5
7.5
The Noctua NH-U12S is another Noctua cooler we cannot really fault, other than as an overclocker. It's up to the usual Noctua standards, and if you buy this product, it will feel like a premier purchase, but it's not going to allow for much room in overclocking. With all that said, if you buy this now, and add a second fan later, it may be a good way to get a decent heatsink and fan on a budget and add a fan when you have the cash.