- Review -

04.12.2013 [H]ardOCP

Just like that we have a new performance king. The NH-U14S is able to take the top spot in both of our performance tests. It beat out the much larger and dual fan Dark Rock Pro 2 while only using one fan in a much smaller size. Noctua has a winner on its hands so far but let’s look a little closer and see if all this performance comes at the expense of our ears. [...] Let’s get one thing out of the way. Noctua has never been a value brand. The premium price tag of the NH-U14S is backed up by extra attention to detail in the installation process and added accessories, but the crowning jewel is its top tier performance. The included fan is also engineered to be quiet without sacrificing performance which is always a great plus. It is nuances such as these that separate Noctua from the rest of the pack and contribute to the premium feel of its coolers. The NH-U14S is not an inexpensive cooler but this is a case where you absolutely pay top dollar for what you get. In a world where you have air cooler prices encroaching on All-in-One water cooling prices, with the NH-U14S you also have air cooling performance encroaching on AIO water cooling performance.

"The Noctua NH-U14S impressed us with each test we subjected it to. The NH-U14S is an elegant powerhouse that’s able to handle high heat loads while operating in a quiet envelope. Noctua has a winner on the hands with the NH-U14S [...]. With its game changing performance and low noise output we are happy to award the Noctua NH-U14S the [H]ardOCP Editor’s Choice Gold Award." (Marc Adams, [H]ardOCP)