How do the NH-U12A, NH-U12S, NH-U12S redux and NH-D12L compare? Which one to choose.

How do the NH-U12A, NH-U12S, NH-U12S redux and NH-D12L compare? Which one to choose?

Offering a perfect combination of strong cooling performance, outstanding quietness of operation as well as excellent case, RAM and PCIe compatibility, the NH-U12S has been among Noctua’s most popular CPU cooler models for many years. It’s a great default choice for customers who are looking for a well-rounded, signature Noctua solution and don’t require the extra performance headroom of the NH-U12A or the lower height of the NH-D12L. The chromax editions are identical to the regular version, except for their black colour.

The NH-U12S redux is a streamlined, more affordable version of the NH-U12S. As such, it is perfect for users who are looking for a highly compatible, no-frills 120mm cooler that doesn’t break the bank. Its raw cooling performance is on the same level as the regular NH-U12S with both models scoring a Noctua Standardised Performance Rating (NSPR) of 129 points. However, the NF-F12 fan of the regular NH-U12S is 2.7dB(A) quieter than the NF-P12 redux-1700 PWM fan of the NH-U12S redux (22.4 vs. 25.1 dB(A)).

Users who want the absolute best performance/noise efficiency in the 120mm class and don’t mind investing a bit more should go with the premium class NH-U12A: With an NSPR of 169 points and its dual state-of-the-art NF-A12x25 PWM fans running around 2.5dB(A) quieter than the NF-P12 redux-1700 PWM fan of the NH-U12S redux, the NH-U12A provides a significantly higher level of performance/noise efficiency that can rival many 140mm coolers.

Unlike the NH-U12S redux, the NH-D12L, NH-U12A and regular NH-U12S feature Noctua’s premium grade soldered interface between the heatpipes and the fins. They also include Low-Noise Adaptors a tube of NT-H1 thermal paste for several applications whereas the NH-U12S redux comes with NT-H1 pre-applied. While the NH-U12A is shipped with two fans and the regular NH-U12S as well as the NH-D12L includes clips for installing a second fan, the NH-U12S redux can only be upgraded using the optional NA-FK1.