Noctua NH-U9S chromax.black – Small, quiet and very expensive

The NH-U9S chromax.black cooler is a new addition to the Noctua Chromax series. Although the original version of the cooler has been on the market for several years, the typically brown-beige color design of the fan may not suit everyone’s liking. Chromax series coolers solve this problem with a matte black finish from the fan to the last screw. However, the question remains whether this surface treatment does not have a negative effect on the efficiency.

Key features of the cooler

The design of the NH-U9S chromax.black is very similar to other coolers from Noctua. Five 6-millimeter heatpipes run from the massive copper base, to which a total of forty-three aluminum fins in a dense bundle are soldered. The entire cooler has a matte black finish except for the nickel-plated contact surface of the base. Really up to the last screw. Of course, the fan is also all black, including anti-vibration pads. The upper fin of the cooler is inconspicuously decorated with the embossed manufacturer’s logo. The cooler has an asymmetrical design, so it does not interfere with DIMM memory slots, and due to its width, you do not have to deal with a potential conflict with the first PCI Express slot on the motherboard.

The package of this cooler contains all the usual things we are used to from Noctua. The mounting system for both Intel and AMD sockets is also available in the same black color as the rest of the cooler. You will also find several small brochures with clear instructions for installing the cooler. The iconic screwdriver and a tube of Noctua NT-H1 thermal paste are also included. It’s a pity that Noctua doesn’t pack a newer and better NT-H2 paste even with these new premium coolers. The accessories also include an adapter to limit the maximum fan speed and a second set of clips to attach another fan at the back of the cooler. However, a bit incomprehensibly, there is no splitter for connecting two fans to one connector on the motherboard.

This cooler, like most Noctua coolers, uses the long-proven and user-friendly Noctua SecuFirm2 system. Personally, I consider it a kind of standard for the simplicity of assembly systems. Regardless of the type of socket, mounting and attaching the cooler are very easy tasks that should not cause you the slightest difficulty. There is simply nothing to complain about here.

Cooler and fan specs

Interestingly, I compared this cooler to its bigger brothers from the same manufacturer. Although it is the lowest and narrowest of the whole group, it catches up to this deficit with its depth. Naturally, this is due to the increase in the total area of the fins for better exchange of waste heat with the surrounding air.

Although the NF-A9 PWM is only a 92 mm cooler, its specifications are still quite impressive. In particular, the value of static pressure is pleasantly high. The maximum air flow is also not bad at all considering the dimensions.