Key features
The Noctua NH-U12A is a cooler that has previously proven that with a little effort, it is possible to offer the performance of high-end dual-tower coolers in a more compact design. However, the last time I tested it, I was still using the older methodology, so with the release of the chromax.black version, there’s an ideal opportunity to conduct new tests. The question also remains whether the NF-U12A chromax.black can justify its high price tag.
Conclusion and evaluation
It is safe to say that the Noctua NH-U12A cooler delivers on its promise. That is, to offer high cooling effectiveness that matches high-end coolers without having to use an oversized heatsink and/or large fans. There is absolutely nothing to complain about the build quality, and it is practically unnecessary to go over the qualities of the A12x25 fans used. There is nothing major missing in the accessories and the six-year warranty is already a standard for Noctua coolers.
Out of curiosity, I also tested the cooler without the rear fan, which resulted in a slight increase in temperatures, but the difference was not dramatic. So de facto, when you get this cooler you get an extra high-end fan that you can use elsewhere in the build.
The only real problem with this cooler is its really high price. The production of A12x25 fans from LCP is unfortunately not cheap and two of these fans make practically more than half of the total price of this cooler. Somewhat paradoxically, the U12A is matched by the recently released D12L cooler from the same manufacturer, which also offers a height of under 150 millimeters for compact builds. However, the U12A never aspired to be the winner in the “good price/performance ratio” category. However, it is clearly a top-notch cooler that offers high cooling effectiveness and excellent build quality.
English translation and edit by Jozef Dudáš
| Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black |
| + Excellent cooling effectiveness |
| + Perfect build quality |
| + Top-notch quality fans |
| + Up to six-years of warranty |
| - Very high price |
- Contents
- Key features
- Measurement methodology
- Results – 36 dBA
- Results – 39 dBA
- Results – 42 dBA
- Results – maximum speed
- Conclusion and evaluation
“but at 50–60 % of maximum speed it is a very quiet fan that you will be virtually unaware of”
absolutely not, it becomes clearly audible at around 600-650RPM, which admittedly is impressive and provides the best performance at this noise level across all 120mm fans on the market, but is far from your claims