Noctua nh-l12s comment | PC game player
NOCTUA NH-L12s is an impressive thing. Four tropical, a radiator and a slender fan can keep the modern processor cool. Of course, high-end 14-generation processors are a bit sticky-fuel cooler is enough to accommodate these coolers-but for modern small-sized PCs, this is sufficient cooling. This is exactly what I built.
NH-L12 is a known quantity-it can have been used for many years. However, this is still a solid choice for the mini game PC in 2025. If there is no bankruptcy …
I have launched two test systems for this cooler: one is equipped with Intel Core i7 14700K; the other is AMD Ryzen 7 9700X. The former is the usually test bed we usually use for cooler review-no case fan can help the cooler. The chip needs sufficient cooling so that it can be drawn to 253W high power. Cooling-although it is prepared to be mild in this comment, why do I seize 9700 times the shelf for my mini PC. This AMD chip is only running in the form of 65 W TDP, which is very good for small size.
The cooler itself consists of a nickel -plated copper thermal tube and a plate connected to an aluminum heat. As I mentioned, there are four tropical pipes, which are all running the full length and through the heat sink.
NH-L12s specification
aspect: 70 x 128 x 146 mm
Gongyang removal: 48 mm (fans at the top), 35 mm (internal fan installation)
Mainboard gap: 66 mm (the center of the board to the thermal pipe)
fan: 1X NOCTUA NF-A12X15 PWM
MAX FAN RPM: 1,850 (1,400, including low noise adapter)
price: $ 65/64
The cooler has a fan and a Noctua NF-A12X15 PWM. This is the width and height of the conventional case fan, which can reach 1850 RPM, but it is thinner than most people. This allows settings in one of the two ways: the top of the radiator or a sandwich between the plate and the radiator. The former is a better choice, because it leaves a 48mm gap for the system RAM, while the latter only provides 35 mm.
First, install. This is relatively simple on the open Intel bench. Noctua contains a metal backplate in the box, suitable for a series of Intel sockets, including its latest LGA1851, and the LGA1700 I am using. After fixing, the legs pass through the motherboard, and I can connect some large pads, brackets and screws there. Immediately go all out, and then resolutely attach it is a touch, but Ol’jacob cannot cope. For those familiar people, this is the same as the installation method used in many NOCTUA air cooler.
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Then use a little hot paste (more like a small pen), and then the cooler is sitting on the bracket, and there is a pair of spring screws to help the tension tension on the cpu’s thermal radiator (IHS) on average.
The rest is to insert the fan into the CPU fan header with a 21.5 cm long PWM cable. The box also includes a low noise adapter with a size of 10.5 cm and poured the fan to 1,400 RPM. You don’t need to use a adapter, because the fan is not particularly loud most of the time, but there is a certain degree of personal preference here.
Let’s talk about performances. Considering its small regulations, the cooler fought a good battle with 14700K. When performing a stress test of the 3DMark steel nomadic base test, the chip reaches the maximum temperature of 92 ° C. Only 86 ° C is performed in Metro Exodus Exoded Edition. It is true that this is not very good according to the standards of most liquid or larger air cooler, but the fact is not a deep impression on the popular streaming device.
However, when you push 14700K to X264 or Cinebench R23, the NH-L12s began to collapse. The chip has reached 100 ° C in both benchmark tests, which is fascinating the popular festival flowers, which means that the lack of sufficient cooling is limited to PC performance. That’s not very good.
However, as I mentioned earlier, I suggest that this is not a CPU/cooler combination. If our cooling test is not needed, I will not match them. Therefore, in order to conduct a more realistic test, I paired NH-L12 with Ryzen 7 9700X and inserted it into a fractal Terra chassis. This is more of its natural habitat.
I need to turn the fan installation in this case. This is easy to do, although this has left me less RAM space, which really means that my cooler is in contact with the edge of the motherboard IO. The motherboard is Asus Rog Strix X870-I game wifi. This is a problem. The height of the cooler is only 70 mm, including the fan between the board and the heat link, which is impressive and provides a RAM removal of about 35 mm. This is almost enough space to accommodate low -key ram sticks without fancy fantasies.
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If you buy …
D You have a AMD Ryzen 7000/9000 series processor: This cooler works well in one of AMD’s latest chips. I know, I tried it. Although it should work with Intel’s more powerful core super processor.
Don’t buy …
或 You have big rams or short -fat motherboards: The RAM gap on the cooler is tight, especially in the most compact form, only 35 mm. The gap between the thermal pipe and the motherboard IO may also become a bit sticky. Measure twice and install once-or similar things.
A warning: I decided to perform the PNY XLR8 game in the test machine 32 GB DDR5-6200. These are the measured value of 34.87 mm high through my group of IFIXIT card ruler. This is under the 35mm required, although even in the second slot away from the CPU, there are some contact between the cooler and the closest DIMM. Both were finally sitting beautifully, although a little pressure was applied on one side of a DIMM.
NH-L12s handled 9700X very well. In the game, its maximum temperature is only 76 ° C. At a stronger load (such as Handbrake and CineBench R24), it has reached 79 ° C. This is not only the praise of the NOCTUA compact cooler. The amount of the cooler is only compared with the other 1x 120 mm fan installed in Terra. The airflow of AMD’s 9000 series processors is only medium.
Even if there are additional fans in the differential design table, and the box is sitting on my table, the NH-L12s will not be too large.
Small models are often illegal (paying), and NH-L12s does have a high-priced label, considering its figure. It will allow you to return $ 65/£ 64. If you want a cheap air cooler, we will also have suggestions for other budget air coolers. Similarly, NOCTUA has made a higher variant called NH-L12SX77, which has two additional heat pipes to increase cooling potential, although because its height is 77 mm (NH-L12S IS is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is is. The greater compatibility problem is only 70 mm).
However, even in view of other units, this compact cooler has something to say. It spans the thin line between the cooling potential and the size. This is very suitable for one of AMD’s latest processors (at least a lower wattage), and as proved by the tests, you don’t actually need to provide more than it provides.
