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

Conclusion

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.

Conclusion

Noctua NH-U9S chromax.black is a very solid cooler with a quiet fan and perfect build quality. It also offers a luxurious appearance, a six-year warranty, but unfortunately also a high price tag. The addition of a second fan leads to a measurable drop in temperature, however, this will of course increase the already high cost of the cooler. The overall noise level will also increase slightly. Another minor complication is the total height of 125 mm. It is therefore not a very compact cooler for SFF builds, where low coolers with a total height of about 50 to 70 mm are usually installed.

This cooler is simply designed for a narrow market segment. In terms of dimensions, it fits beautifully in cases such as the Streacom DA2, Ncase M1 or Coolermaster NR200. So if you require a cooler with a maximum height of less than 130 mm, and at the same time the visual impact of the cooler on the rest of the build is important for you, you like quiet operation and you the price is not a big thing for you, then the NH-U9S chromax.black is certainly a suitable candidate for cooler in your rig. Apart from the really high price tag, the cooler has nothing crucial to be blamed for. And that’s why it’s taking home our Approved award.

• Contents
• Key features
• Methodology of measurement and test results
• Conclusion