Austrian company has closely collaborated with the Austrian Institute of Heat Transfer and Fans since its inception in 2005, showcasing new innovations in cooling systems for PC components at major Hi-Tech exhibitions. However, these cooling systems unfortunately do not always reach mass production. It's hard to say why that is, but the company rarely delights its fans with new products.
However, last month Noctua released a completely new CPU cooler. Although its name changed by just one letter compared to its predecessors, looks like a breath of fresh air in the seriously stagnated air cooling segment for CPUs, where recent trends in 'development' are often limited to lighting up fans and other cooler components.
Let's systematically and thoroughly review this novelty and test it against competitors.
Technical Specifications and Pricing
We will present the cooler's technical specifications in a table comparing them with those of its predecessor – the model .
| Specification Name | Noctua NH-U12A | Noctua NH-U12S |
| Cooler dimensions (H × W × D), fan size, mm | 158 × 125 × 112 | 158 × 125 × 71 |
| (120 × 120 × 25, 2 pcs.) | (120 × 120 × 25) | |
| Total weight, g | 1220 (760 – radiator) | 755 (580 – radiator) |
| Radiator material and construction | Nickel-plated tower design made of aluminum plates with 7 copper heat pipes, 6 mm in diameter, passing through a copper base | Nickel-plated tower design made of aluminum plates with 5 copper heat pipes, 6 mm in diameter, passing through a copper base |
| Number of radiator fins, pcs. | 50 | 50 |
| Thickness of radiator fins, mm | 0,45 | 0,40 |
| Distance between fins, mm | 1,8 | 1,75 |
| Calculated radiator area, cm² | 6 860 | 5 570 |
| Thermal resistance, °C/W | n/a | n/a |
| Fan type and model | Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM (2 pcs.) | Noctua NF-F12 PWM |
| Fan rotation speed, RPM | 450–2000 (±10%) 450–1700 (±10%) L.N.A. | 300–1500 (±10%) 300–1200 (±10%) L.N.A. |
| Airflow, CFM | 60.1 (max.) 49.8 (max.) L.N.A. | 55.0 (max.) 43.8 (max.) L.N.A. |
| Noise level, dBA | 22.6 (max.) 18.8 (max.) L.N.A. | 22.4 (max.) 18.6 (max.) L.N.A. |
| Static pressure, mm H2O | 2.34 (max.) 1.65 (max.) L.N.A. | 2.61 (max.) 1.83 (max.) L.N.A. |
| Number and type of fan bearings | ||
| Fan mean time to failure, hours/years | 150,000 / >17 | 150,000 / >17 |
| Nominal/start voltage of the fan, V | 12 / 4,5 | 12 / 4,4 |
| Fan current, A | 0,14 | 0,05 |
| Declared/measured power consumption of the fan, W | 1,68 / 1,51 | 0.60 / n/a |
| Compatibility with processors with sockets | Intel LGA115x/2011(v3)/2066 AMD Socket AM2(+)/AM3(+)/AM4/FM1/FM2(+) | Intel LGA775/115x/2011(v3)/2066 AMD Socket AM2(+)/AM3(+)/FM1/FM2(+) |
| Maximum CPU TDP level, W | n/a | n/a |
| Additional (features) | Two PWM-controlled fans, two L.N.A adapters, Noctua NT-H1 thermal paste 3.5g | PWM fan, L.N.A adapter, Noctua NT-H1 thermal paste 3.5g |
| Warranty period, years | 6 | 6 |
| Recommended price, $ | 99,9 | 65 |
Packaging and contents;
The design of the boxes in which Noctua coolers are shipped has not changed, perhaps since they first appeared on the market. Only slight changes in color have occurred, but overall, the boxes remain the same as before. And the Noctua NH-U12A is no exception: we have a medium-sized package, designed in brown and white tones.
Each side of the package is filled with useful information, starting with technical specifications and key features, and ending with warranty obligations. There is also a block of text in Russian. It can be concluded that Noctua considers the Russian market one of its priorities.
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In terms of reliability, the box also raises no questions. Inside the main packaging is a disassemblable cardboard shell, securing the heatsink with fans.
As for the accessories, they are packed in a flat box with each component marked on its front side.
Inside, you can find a reinforcing plate for the back of the motherboard, two pairs of steel guides, sets of screws, spacers, and washers, adapters and instructions, as well as thermal paste. in a syringe weighing 3.5 grams.
All products from the Austrian Noctua are produced in Taiwan. Premium cooling systems come with a six-year warranty. The declared price of the Noctua NH-U12A is $99.9, which is quite strange, as even the flagship with a dual-tower heatsink can be purchased cheaper. Perhaps the new product is more effective and quieter than its older brother? We will find out soon.
Design features
The design of the Noctua NH-U12A hasn't changed compared to its predecessor – the NH-U12S. The most noticeable difference is the doubled number of fans and the fans themselves, along with a slight increase in the thickness of the cooler. Otherwise, it remains the same tall cooler with medium dimensions featuring an aluminum radiator mounted on heat pipes.
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Nevertheless, there are quite enough changes in the cooler's design. However, let's first note that the height and width of the cooler remain the same: 158 mm and 125 mm, respectively. The thickness has increased from 71 mm to 112 mm, not just due to the additional fan, as the radiator of the NH-U12A has grown in thickness from 41 mm to 58 mm compared to the NH-U12S.
The weight of the cooler has also increased, now totaling 1220 grams, with the radiator alone weighing 760 grams. In the previous version of this model, the radiator weighed 580 grams.
Overall, the cooler's design has not changed. It is a classic 'tower' with an aluminum radiator, clamped like in a vise between two 120 mm fans.
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The increased thickness of the radiator was supposed to prevent the installation of RAM modules with high heatsinks in the adjacent slots on the motherboard. However, the Austrian engineers moved the radiator forward in the airflow path to avoid this issue. This is clearly visible when looking at the cooler from the side.
It should also be noted that the sides of the radiator are practically completely covered by the bent-down ends of the fins.
The total number of aluminum fins in the radiator is 50. Each fin is tightly secured onto the heat pipes, and all junctions are soldered. The spacing between the fins is 1.75-1.85 mm, while the thickness of each fin is 0.45 mm. Overall, it can be said that the radiator is quite dense, but at the ends of its fins, there are protrusions and notches that are intended to reduce air resistance from the fans and enhance the radiator's efficiency at low speeds.
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The dimensions of each fin are 120 × 58 mm, and the calculated area of the radiator is 6860 cm². This is 23.2% larger than that of the NH-U12S radiator, but still far from true super coolers, whose radiators have an area of about 11000 cm². How the NH-U12A plans to compete with them is still unclear.
In addition to the new radiator with an increased surface area, the NH-U12A features seven 6mm heat pipes compared to five in the NH-U12S. They penetrate the radiator from each side with two distinctive ovals formed by the six pipes, while the ends of the seventh heat pipe are positioned immediately after the last pipe in the airflow direction.
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It is noteworthy that the three central heat pipes, which are expected to handle the maximum thermal load, are spaced apart as much as possible, and the following pair of heat pipes is also situated at a considerable distance from each other.
With this design, the developers aimed to ensure the most even distribution of the thermal flow across the radiator fins. Additionally, it is worth mentioning that at the points where the heat pipes contact the plates, 1.5mm 'necks' and signs of careful soldering are visible.
At the base of the cooler lies a copper-nickel plated plate with grooves for each heat pipe. All pipes are laid in these grooves with a 0.5mm distance between them, and the minimum thickness of the plate beneath them does not exceed 2.0mm. Of course, solder is also used here. The dimensions of the base contact plate are 48 × 48 mm. The quality of its machining can be described as exemplary.
But the most important thing is that the contact surface of the base of our Noctua NH-U12A sample is exceptionally flat. However, the convexity of the heat spreader of our test processor with LGA2066 design did not allow for perfect imprints.
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For the new radiator, Noctua decided on new fans, replacing the single in the NH-U12S with a pair of recently released . As is often the case with the Austrian company, the fans are extremely high-tech and perfectly executed. They feature a nine-blade impeller in a brown color with sickle-shaped blades and a good dozen of Noctua's proprietary technologies, as well as a frame in a milk-like color with brown silicone corners.
One can have any opinion about the color scheme of Noctua fans, but it cannot be denied that they are always at the forefront of modern technologies. The new NF-A12x25 PWM is no exception, featuring an impeller made from a new liquid crystal polymer of high density. This was done so that the impeller would not "stretch" over time, as there is only a 0.5 mm gap between the edge of the impeller and the frame in this model. This is at least three times smaller than that of the overwhelming majority of other fans, including all previous Noctua models. Moreover, this innovative material is less prone to vibrations, meaning these fans should operate at a lower noise level. The only downside to the NF-A12x25 PWM is its very high price ($29.9), and since the Noctua NH-U12A has two of these fans, the reason for this cooler being more expensive than other cooling systems labeled "super" is clear.
As for the technical specifications, the fan speed controlled by pulse width modulation should range from 450 to 2000 RPM, and when connected to the L.N.A. adapter, the upper speed limit is "cut" down to 1700 RPM. The maximum airflow of each fan can reach 60.1 CFM, static pressure is 2.34 mm H2O, and the noise level is 22.6 dBA.
The fans use proprietary bearings with a rated lifespan of 150,000 hours or more than 17 years of continuous operation. In addition to their durability, the fans are also energy-efficient: with a stated power consumption of 1.68 W at maximum speed, each fan consumed no more than 1.5 W, which is an outstanding figure for 2000 RPM.
The starting voltage of the fans was also low, at just 4.5 V.
To minimize vibration transfer to the radiator, very soft silicone corners are installed at each corner of the fans' frames.
The fans themselves are secured to the radiator with a pair of wire clips.
However, the fan cables in the synthetic sheath are quite short, measuring 195 mm in length. This is only enough to connect the fan to the nearest socket on the motherboard, and not every motherboard model has a couple of such sockets close to the CPU socket. But this is probably the only inconvenience when installing and connecting Noctua NH-U12A fans.
Compatibility and installation
The Noctua NH-U12A is compatible with Intel processors of the LGA2011/2066/115x configuration and AMD processors in the Socket AM2(+)/AM3(+)/AM4/FM1/FM2(+) format. Considering the relatively large base area of the cooler and its cost, it's strange not to see AMD Socket TR4 listed, but it's worth noting that Noctua has special cooler models for such sockets.
The cooling system is installed using the proprietary SecuFirm2 mounting system, which is equipped on most models from the Austrian company. The installation procedure for each supported socket is detailed. . We installed the cooler on a motherboard with an LGA2066 socket, for which bolts with double-thread screws are screwed into the holes of the socket's mounting plate.
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Then, two steel plates, secured with knurled nuts, are attached to these bolts.
After that, the heatsink is placed on the processor and is tightened on both wide sides to these plates with spring-loaded screws.
At this stage, it is essential to ensure even pressure of the heatsink against the CPU's heat spreader and remember to apply thermal paste.
The distance from the bottom plate of the Noctua NH-U12A to the motherboard is 44 mm, and the fans can be mounted slightly higher.
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However, the advantage of the Noctua NH-U12A is that its heatsink is offset forward on the heat pipes, so on most motherboards, the cooler shouldn't interfere with the installation of memory modules with high heatsinks. Although issues may still arise on boards with quad-channel memory.
After installation on the processor, the cooler's height reached 162 mm, making it compatible with all ATX form factor PC cases, unlike most super coolers.
Inside the PC case, the Noctua NH-U12A looks unusual, and finding a suitable interior for it will be quite challenging. Therefore, if the design of the case and its components is not of utmost importance to you, Noctua's products may not be the ideal option in this regard.
Source: 3dnews.ru
