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Continuing the legacy of Noctua’s classic NH-U-series, which has received more than a thousand awards and recommendations from international hardware websites and magazines, the NH-U12S has become a benchmark for slim, highly compatible 120mm single tower coolers. The TR4-SP3 version is a tailored custom model for AMD’s TR4/SP3 platform (Ryzen Threadripper / Epyc) and features a larger contact surface as well as the latest SecuFirm2™ mounting system for socket TR4/SP3. Topped off with the renowned quiet NF-F12 PWM 120mm fan, Noctua’s proven NT-H1 thermal compound and a full 6-year manufacturer’s warranty, the NH-U12S TR4-SP3 forms a complete premium-quality solution that combines outstanding performance, superb acoustics and excellent compatibility for high-end TR4/SP3 systems.
| Please note that the NH-U12S TR4-SP3 is a dedicated version for the AMD TR4/SP3 socket. Due to its customised larger base, it cannot be used on any other sockets and is incompatible with Noctua’s standard mounting kits. |
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Award-winning NH-U12S cooler
Tens of thousands of enthusiast users all over the world swear by the NH-U12S’ quality and performance. Recommended by more than 200 international hardware websites and magazines, it is renowned as being one of the best 120mm coolers on the market.
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Tailored custom version for TR4/SP3 (Ryzen Threadripper / Epyc)
At 70x56mm, the copper contact surface of the TR4-SP3 version is more than double the size of the standard model. Tailored to fit the enormous integrated heat-spreaders (IHS) of AMD’s TR4/SP3-based processors, this customised design allows for an optimal heat flow from the CPU over the base to the heatpipes and on to the cooling fins.
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120mm size for excellent performance and compatibility
With five heatpipes and the powerful NF-F12 120mm fan, the NH-U12S achieves outstanding cooling performance while maintaining excellent compatibility: At 158mm height and 125mm width, it is short enough to fit most modern tower cases and stays clear of the top PCIe slot on most motherboards.
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NF-F12 120mm Focused Flow™ fan
Recommended by more than 150 hardware publications and thousands of enthusiasts world-wide, the Noctua's premium quality NF-F12 Focused Flow™ 120mm fan is renowned to combine superb static pressure, excellent heatsink performance and surprising quietness of operation.
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Anti-vibration pads and fan-clips for second NF-F12 (optional)
For users who want to achieve even better performance by adding a second, optional NF-F12 fan to create a push/pull setup, the NH-U12S includes fan clips and an extra set of custom-designed anti-vibration pads that allow to off-set the rear fan by 5mm to improve acoustics in dual-fan mode.
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SecuFirm2™ mounting system for TR4/SP3
Noctua’s SecuFirm2™ mounting systems have become synonymous with quality, safety and ease of use. The TR4-SP3 variant has been completely custom-designed for the new socket and is particularly easy to install: Put on the heatsink, fix the four spring-loaded screws and you’re done!
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Offset mounting options for better PCIe clearance
In order to assure optimal compatibility with SLI and CrossFire multi-GPU setups, the SecuFirm2™ mounting for TR4/SP3 makes it possible to offset the cooler by 3 or 6mm towards the upper edge of the motherboard, thereby increasing clearance of the top PCIe slot.
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NT-H1 thermal compound
Having received more than 100 awards and recommendations from hardware journalists around the world, Noctua's NT-H1 is a proven professional grade TIM solution that provides minimum thermal resistance, excellent ease of use and outstanding reliability.
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Notes and warnings
Please note that the NH-U12S TR4-SP3 is a dedicated version for the AMD TR4/SP3 socket. Due to its customised larger base, it cannot be used on any other sockets and is incompatible with Noctua’s standard mounting kits.
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AMD TR4 & SP3
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Height (without fan)
158 mm
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Width (without fan)
125 mm
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Depth (without fan)
45 mm
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Height (with fan)
158 mm
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Width (with fan)
125 mm
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Depth (with fan)
71 mm
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Weight (without fan)
695 g
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Weight (with fan/s)
870 g
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Material
Copper (base and heat-pipes), aluminium (cooling fins), soldered joints & nickel plating
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Max. TDP
see TDP guide
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Fan compatibility
120x120x25
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Scope of delivery
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Warranty
6 Years
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Model
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Bearing
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Max. Rotational Speed (+/- 10%)
1500 RPM
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Max. Rotational Speed with L.N.A. (+/- 10%)
1200 RPM
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Min. Rotational Speed (PWM, +/-20%)
300 RPM
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93,4 m³/h
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Max. Acoustical Noise
22,4 dB(A)
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Max. Acoustical Noise with L.N.A.
18,6 dB(A)
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Input Power
0,6 W
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Voltage Range
12 V
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MTTF
> 150.000 h
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SecuFirm2™ AMD TR4/SP3 installation
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Video Reviews
The following video reviews have not been created by Noctua. Responsibility for the information and views expressed in the videos lies entirely with the authors.
The following video reviews have not been created by Noctua. Responsibility for the information and views expressed in the videos lies entirely with the authors.
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NH-U12S TR4-SP3 Review
Inutile de régler votre poste, ceci n'est pas une hallucination. La grosse surprise nous vient d'un système de refroidissement par air de chez Noctua, qui se positionne comme l'un des plus endurant sur notre Threadripper 1920X. Le NH-U14S TR4-SP3 survole le débat en aircooling et enterre quasiment tout le panel de kits AIO. [...] Le candidat à disposer du meilleur ratio performances/bruit est le NH-U14S TR4-SP3 de Noctua, encore lui. Il se fera largement entendre lorsqu'il sera sollicité au maximum de ses capacités, mais reste toutefois dans une tranche raisonnable.
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Test verdict: "Le NH-U14S TR4-SP3 remporte notre coup de coeur, offrant le meilleur ratio performances/nuisances/prix du panel. Si l'overclocking ne vous intéresse pas, le NH-U12S TR4-SP3 est parfaitement adapté à l'usage." (Thierry Comtesse, Le Comptoir du Hardware)
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NH-U12S TR4-SP3 Review
The results from this benchmark were rather shocking as the Thermaltake Floe Triple Riing RGB 360 TT Premium Edition ($199.99 shipped) AIO CPU liquid cooler didn’t blow the Noctua coolers out of the water. The Thermaltake Floe Triple Riing RGB 360 had the lowest idle temperature by 1C, but the load temps were nearly 2C higher than the Noctua NH-U14S. These Noctua air coolers do a pretty good job!
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Test verdict: "It is shocking how well these three high-end heatsinks from Noctua handle AMD’s TR4 and SP3 sockets for their latest Ryzen Threadripper (X399) and EPYC platforms." (Nathan Kirsch, LegitReviews.com)
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NH-U12S TR4-SP3 Review
Bei dem Temperaturen zeigt sich die All-in-One-Wasserkühlung nur für wenige Minuten überlegen, denn das Wasser zu erhitzen braucht seine Zeit. Nach 30 Minuten Last mit Prime95 steht ein Patt mit dem NH-U14S zu Papier. So lange die AiO braucht um auf Touren zu kommen, so lange braucht sie im Anschluss auch wieder um ruhiger zu werden: Ein Luftkühler hat nach wenigen Sekunden im Leerlauf die Drehzahl bereits wieder abgesenkt, weil die CPU nur noch minimale Abwärme erzeugt, bei der AiO dauert das länger.
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Test verdict: "Als potentiell erste erhältliche Luftkühler für AMDs neuer Threadripper-Plattform machen Noctua NH-U14S, -U12S und -U9 für Sockel TR4 eine sehr gute Figur. Das Topmodell NH-U14S schlägt bei der Temperatur sogar eine 200 US-Dollar teure AiO-Wasserkühlung von Thermaltake mit großem 360er-Radiator." (Volker Rißka, ComputerBase.de)
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NH-U12S TR4-SP3 Review
You probably will already have noticed it, but the U12S and U14S managed to cool better than the Kraken X40 LCS cooler, especially the U14S crunches down the cooling numbers. That's impressive, but also wasn't a very likely thing to happen. Here's my thought on that, it's the full cover heat block on the Noctua coolers that draw every Watt of heat they can deal with until they run out of capacity. Even tweaked with 16 cores at 100% stress / 1.38V the U14S managed to stay four degrees cooler compared to that Kraken X40 LCS unit, which is a lot in the cooling arena. Now of course, once you go pro with liquid cooling and bigger radiators, the dynamics will shift. But none-the-less this was very impressive to see.
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Test verdict: "So there you have it, overall we feel the Noctua U12S and NH-U14S coolers are very nice, the looks are a matter of taste, the performance winner, however, is the NH-U14S TR4/SP3." (Hilbert Hagedoorn, Guru3D.com)
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NH-U12S TR4-SP3 Review
Wie man anhand der Messungen klar erkennen kann ist Fläche Trumpf und dementsprechend reihen sich die Kühler auch ein. Während bei unserer getesteten Mindestdrehzahl von 600 Umdrehungen alle Kühler in das Limit laufen, sehen die Werte ab 900 Umdrehungen zumindest schon einmal für den Noctua NH-U14S sehr gut aus.
Ab 1200 Umdrehungen kommt auch der NH-U12S in Fahrt und kühlt den Prozessor adäquat ohne in das Limit zu laufen. Der Noctua NH-U9 konnte bei unserem Testsetup erst auf maximaler Drehzahl den Threadripper auf Temperatur halten.
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Test verdict: "Der Noctua NH-U12S TR4-SP3 konnte aufgrund seiner größeren Kühlfläche auch den leicht übertakteten Threadripper auf 3750Mhz adäquat kühlen. Im Standardbetrieb in Kombination mit seinem Lüfter bleibt der U12S auch etwas leiser als sein kleiner Bruder. Grund genug den U12-S mit unserem Gold Award auszustatten." (Markus Lakner, Hardwaremax.net)
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NH-U12S TR4-SP3 Review |
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Test verdict: "The Noctua ran a few degrees cooler, so we have to award it the win by technical knockout!" (Linus Sebastian, Linus Tech Tips)
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NH-U12S TR4-SP3 Review
Voor wat overclockwerk richting de praktische limiet van de meeste Ryzen CPU’s (3,9-4,0 GHz) lijkt de NH-U14S de meest logische, want die is niet alleen nipt wat koeler op stock speeds maar neemt ook een grotere voorsprong wanneer het voltage omhoog gaat; de NH-U9S loopt met een voltage van 1,3-1,35V duidelijk verder op en een behuizing met degelijke airflow lijkt dan wel het uitgangspunt. Ook met het oog op een nog wat warmere Threadripper 1950X met OC lijkt de NH-U14S wel het pad om te volgen; de andere twee kunnen het zeker ook, maar als de verwachting dan is dat het prijsverschil erg beperkt blijkt tussen de NH-U14S en de NH-U12S terwijl we al over minimaal 1200 euro aan CPU en moederbord praten dan lijkt dat mij eigenlijk geen overweging meer. Aan de andere kant zien we ook voldoende potentie dat een NH-U12S en zelfs de NH-U9S op een 1950X geen problemen gaan hebben als je ze niet hard op hun staart gaat trappen, dus wanneer de hoogte in je case beperkt is is het fijn te weten dat er tenminste twee compactere torens zijn die zo’n CPU wel bijbenen. Wellicht zelfs dat er dan alsnog wat OC ruimte in blijkt te zitten, iets wat ik vooraf als onmogelijk had geschat.
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Test verdict: "Hoe dan ook, ik ben heel erg positief verrast door alle drie de koelers op deze toch hele dikke CPU. Threadripper bouwers hoeven zich volgens mij geen zorgen te maken met oplossingen als dit tot hun beschikking." (Stephan Overbeeke, TechTesters)
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NH-U12S TR4-SP3 Review
The NH-U9S TR4-SP3 in the Threadripper 1950X system continues running excellent and since this EPYC processor comparison have continued using the NH-U9S TR4-SP3 to cool the EPYC 7551 and throughout the dozens of hours of benchmarks run, have not encountered any situation yet where it's running into any reported thermal throttling or where the k10temp driver even reports a temperature above 60 degrees.
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Test verdict: "All three TR4-SP3 heatsinks had no problem keeping cool the EPYC 7551 and thus shouldn't have any issues with any of the other EPYC processors nor the Threadripper CPUs." (Michael Larabel, Phoronix.com)
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NH-U12S TR4-SP3 Review
เพราะฉะนั้น ใครที่กำลังมองหาฮีตซิงค์สำหรับซีพียู AMD Ryzen Threadripper และต้องการฮีตซิงค์ที่หน้าสัมผัสกว้าง พร้อมพัดลมขนาดใหญ่จุใจ ไม่ว่าจะโอเวอร์คล็อกซีพียู หรือนำไปขุดเหมือง ก็ระบายความร้อนได้สบายหายห่วง ขอแนะนำเจ้า Noctua NH-U12S TR4-SP3 แล้วคุณจะไม่ผิดหวัง และพิเศษ Noctua ยังรับประกันสินค้าเต็มถึง 6 ปีเลยทีเดียว !!
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Test verdict: "จากการใช้งานที่ผ่านมานะครับ Noctua NH-U12S TR4-SP3 มีประสิทธิภาพในการระบายความร้อนได้ดี เนื่องจากมีหน้าสัมผัสซีพียูที่กว้าง พร้อมด้วยแผงอะลูมิเนียม และพัดลมที่มีขนาด 120 มิลลิเมตร อีกทั้งทางผู้ผลิตยังได้แถมสาย Low-noise adapter มาให้ด้วย ช่วยให้พัดลมทำงานได้อย่างเงียบเชียบ ไม่เกิดเสียงรบกวนในระหว่างเล่นคอมพิวเตอร์ครับ" (Noppon Maleerutmongkol, ExtremePC.in.th)
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NH-U12S TR4-SP3 Review
Durch die größere Fläche und auch den größeren Lüfter kann sich der Noctua NH-U12S TR4-SP3 schon ein gutes Stück vom kleineren Bruder absetzen. Auch wenn Noctua selber auch hier kein OC empfielt, scheinen die Leistungsreserven allerdings schon wesentlich höher ausfallen. Und das, obwohl eine Heatpipe weniger zum Einsatz kommt. Erstaunlich. Ansonsten bleibt auch bei diesem österreichischen Kühler zu sagen, dass die Verarbeitung auf einem Top Niveau ist. Die Montage ist auch hier gut umgesetzt und stellt auch ungeübte Hände nicht auf die Probe. Der Lüfter gefällt auch sehr gut. Bei knapp 1000 U/min läuft er an der Grenze zum Silent-Betrieb. Etwas weiter unten wird auch er beinahe unhörbar. Schnallt man einen weiteren optionalen Lüfter auf, so erhält man einen leisen und dennoch starken Kühler.
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Test verdict: "Die gute Kühlleistung ist zwar ein wichtiger bzw. der wichtigste Punk eines Kühlers, aber auch die Lautstärke spielt in den meisten Systemen eine sehr wichtige Rolle. Und hier kann der NH-U12S besonders glänzen. Denn der Lüfter läuft sehr ruhig und ist bei niedrigen Drehzahlen kaum zu hören. Daher erhält er den Silent-Award." (Henrik Potzler, HW-Journal.de)
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NA-HC1 chromax.black.swap
- chromax.black.swap edition heatsink cover with swappable inlays (red, blue, green, yellow, black, white)
- Compatible with Noctua NH-U12S, NH-U12S TR4-SP3 and NH-U12S SE-AM4 heatsinks
- Ideal for matching with Noctua’s industrialPPC or chromax line fans and anti-vibration pads
NA-SYC1 chromax.black
- 3x NA-YC1 chromax.black y-cables for running two fans on one fan header
- 4-pin connector supports both 3-pin and 4-pin fans
- Black sleeving: ideal for creating PC builds with neat, focused aesthetics
NA-SEC1 chromax.yellow
- 4x NA-EC1 chromax.yellow 30cm extension cables
- 4-pin connector supports both 3-pin and 4-pin fans
- Yellow sleeving: ideal for creating PC builds with neat, focused aesthetics
NA-SEC1 chromax.white
- 4x NA-EC1 chromax.white 30cm extension cables
- 4-pin connector supports both 3-pin and 4-pin fans
- White sleeving: ideal for creating PC builds with neat, focused aesthetics
NA-SEC1 chromax.red
- 4x NA-EC1 chromax.red 30cm extension cables
- 4-pin connector supports both 3-pin and 4-pin fans
- Red sleeving: ideal for creating PC builds with neat, focused aesthetics
NA-SEC1 chromax.green
- 4x NA-EC1 chromax.green 30cm extension cables
- 4-pin connector supports both 3-pin and 4-pin fans
- Green sleeving: ideal for creating PC builds with neat, focused aesthetics
NA-SEC1 chromax.blue
- 4x NA-EC1 chromax.blue 30cm extension cables
- 4-pin connector supports both 3-pin and 4-pin fans
- Blue sleeving: ideal for creating PC builds with neat, focused aesthetics
NA-SEC1 chromax.black
- 4x NA-EC1 chromax.black 30cm extension cables
- 4-pin connector supports both 3-pin and 4-pin fans
- Black sleeving: ideal for creating PC builds with neat, focused aesthetics
NA-HC2 chromax.black
- chromax.black edition heatsink cover
- Compatible with Noctua NH-U12S, NH-U12S TR4-SP3 and NH-U12S SE-AM4 heatsinks
- Ideal for matching with Noctua’s industrialPPC or chromax line fans and anti-vibration pads
NA-HC2 chromax.white
- chromax.white edition heatsink cover
- Compatible with Noctua NH-U12S, NH-U12S TR4-SP3 and NH-U12S SE-AM4 heatsinks
- Ideal for matching with Noctua’s industrialPPC or chromax line fans and anti-vibration pads
NF-F12 PWM chromax.black.swap
- 120x120x25mm
- 4-pin PWM, 1500rpm max.
- Focused Flow™ System
- chromax.black.swap edition
NA-SYC1 chromax.yellow
- 3x NA-YC1 chromax.yellow y-cables for running two fans on one fan header
- 4-pin connector supports both 3-pin and 4-pin fans
- Yellow sleeving: ideal for creating PC builds with neat, focused aesthetics
NA-SYC1 chromax.white
- 3x NA-YC1 chromax.white y-cables for running two fans on one fan header
- 4-pin connector supports both 3-pin and 4-pin fans
- White sleeving: ideal for creating PC builds with neat, focused aesthetics
NA-SYC1 chromax.green
- 3x NA-YC1 chromax.green y-cables for running two fans on one fan header
- 4-pin connector supports both 3-pin and 4-pin fans
- Green sleeving: ideal for creating PC builds with neat, focused aesthetics
NA-SYC1 chromax.red
- 3x NA-YC1 chromax.red y-cables for running two fans on one fan header
- 4-pin connector supports both 3-pin and 4-pin fans
- Red sleeving: ideal for creating PC builds with neat, focused aesthetics
NA-SYC1 chromax.blue
- 3x NA-YC1 chromax.blue y-cables for running two fans on one fan header
- 4-pin connector supports both 3-pin and 4-pin fans
- Blue sleeving: ideal for creating PC builds with neat, focused aesthetics
Installation Manual (PDF)
Information Sheet (PDF)
FAQs
How big is the NH-U12S and how much clearance does it provide for RAM and chipset coolers?
Is it possible to use the cooler with vertical graphic cards?
Can I upgrade my existing Noctua cooler to socket TR4 or SP3?
Can I install a Noctua cooler in my system from Acer, Dell, HP or Lenovo?
How much torque should be applied when tightening the screws of a Noctua CPU cooler?
I have difficulties installing the cooler, can you help?
My case supports CPU coolers of up to XXXmm height, which model should I choose?
How should I clean my Noctua cooler?
Should I take the cooler off before transporting my system?
Which Noctua fan or CPU cooler should I buy? How to choose the right model?
How big is the NH-U12S and how much clearance does it provide for RAM and chipset coolers?
Please refer to the following drawing for the exact measurements and clearance for RAM and chipset coolers:
Is it possible to use the cooler with vertical graphic cards?
Depending on the chassis, card and motherboard being used, installing PCIe cards in a vertical position using riser cards may cause compatibility issues with CPU coolers. Whether there will be a problem or not depends on the exact position of the card (which is determined by the PC case and/or optional vertical GPU holder bracket), the width of the card as well as the position of the CPU socket on the motherboard. In order to verify that there is sufficient space for the cooler, please measure the distance between the centre of the CPU socket and the top of the PCI card in order to make sure that the cooler fits.
Can I upgrade my existing Noctua cooler to socket TR4 or SP3?
Unfortunately, it is not possible to upgrade existing Noctua heatsinks to support the AMD TR4 and SP3 sockets for Ryzen Threadripper (X399) and Epyc CPUs. TR4/SP3 CPUs have much bigger heatspreaders (as compared to e.g. LGA2066 or AM4 processors) and the contact surfaces of standard Noctua heatsinks would cover only about half of these heatspreaders, which would result in insufficient cooling performance. On top of that, the heatpipes of bigger cooler models like the NH-D15 or NH-D15S would completely block the RAM slots on many TR4/SP3 motherboards. For this reason, Noctua has introduced the new NH-U14S TR4-SP3, NH-U12S TR4-SP3 and NH-U9 TR4-SP3 cooler models that feature bigger contact surfaces and have been tailored to fit TR4 and SP3 systems. Please choose these models for AMD Ryzen Threadripper and Epyc systems.
Can I install a Noctua cooler in my system from Acer, Dell, HP or Lenovo?
Systems from Acer, Apple, Dell, HP, Lenovo or other major brands often use motherboards which differ slightly from the specifications issued by Intel and AMD. While those changes are usually subtle, they can lead to compatibility issues with coolers that were built to comply with these specifications.
Even in case the cooler is mechanically compatible and can be installed, other issues can occur, e.g. proprietary fan connectors, BIOS errors due to a low fan speed, shutdowns, etc. Some of these problems can be avoided with some technical knowledge, but especially BIOS related issues can often not be resolved.
Due to the large number of possible issues that cannot be resolved with different mounting parts alone, Noctua does not officially support systems from Acer, Apple, Dell, HP, Lenovo or other major brands.
How can I determine if the motherboard’s UEFI BIOS is overclocking my processor by default and deactivate this automatic overclocking?
Most motherboard vendors allow their overclocking-enabled products (e.g. those with Intels X- or Z-series chipsets) to run the processor at increased clock speeds by default, without requiring any user action at all. Since TDP (Thermal Design Power) limits are usually also disabled by default, this leads to the CPU exceeding the rated TDP to a varying degree, depending on the used applications and their workloads. Due to the increased heat output of the CPU, you may see higher CPU temperatures than expected.
In order to find out if your motherboard is overclocking your processor by default, please enter the UEFI BIOS and select the “advanced” or “overclocking” menu. There you should be able to find options such as “MultiCore Enhancement” (options: enabled/disabled), “CPU Ratio Apply Mode” (options: all/per core) or similar. To disable the automatic overclocking, adjust the settings either to “disabled” or “per core” and make sure that the individual multipliers match the original specifications.
In doubt, please contact your motherboard vendor for detailed instructions on how to disable this feature.
How much torque should be applied when tightening the screws of a Noctua CPU cooler?
All screws should be tightened gently until they stop without using excessive force. Please do not exceed the following values for maximum tightening torque:
| Screw type | Max. torque |
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| NM-SSC1 screws for fixing the fastening brackets to the base of the heatsink | 0.5 Nm |
| NM-ITS1 thumb screws for fixing Intel mounting bars | 0.5 Nm |
| NM-ALS1 screws for fixing AMD mounting bars | 0.6 Nm |
| Spring-loaded screws for fixing the heatsink to the mounting bars | 0.6 Nm |
I have difficulties installing the cooler, can you help?
Please refer to the installation manual and our video installation guides for detailed instructions on how to install the cooler.
My case supports CPU coolers of up to XXXmm height, which model should I choose?
Please refer to our TDP guide in order to select the cooler that offers the best cooling performance at a given height.
What Thermal Design Power (TDP) is this cooler recommended for and how much Watt (W) of heat can it dissipate?
Please refer to our TDP guide for information on maximum recommended TDP and heat dissipation.
How should I clean my Noctua cooler?
Dust: Fans and heatsinks inside computer cases tend to accumulate dust over longer periods of usage. In order to maintain maximum performance, please clean your fan and heatsink regularly. For cleaning, please first remove the fan from the heatsink and clean it using a duster, slightly moist tissue or canned air. Please be careful not to use too much force in order to prevent any damage to the fan. Please do not use a vacuum cleaner as this may apply excessive force to the fan and do not put the fan under running water as water residues inside the motor may lead to short circuits. Please also note that the fan is not designed to be taken apart by the user. Removing the impeller from the frame will break the sealing of the bearing and results in a loss of warranty. Before reinstalling the fan, clean the heatsink itself with a duster or vacuum cleaner. Do not use water
to clean the cooler. Finally put the fan back on and connect it to your motherboard fan header or fan controller.
Thermal paste residues: Whenever you take off the heatsink from the CPU, we recommend to clean the CPU as well as the base of the cooler before re-applying thermal paste and re-installing the cooler. You can either just wipe the base and the CPU clean with a dry, lint-free tissue or, for more thorough cleaning, use a lint-free tissue moistened with either a mild solution of washing-up liquid or isopropyl alcohol. Do not put the cooler or CPU under running water. Note that both the base of the heatsink and the CPU should be dry, free from residues of thermal compound and free from grease before re-applying thermal paste and re-installing the cooler.
Thermal paste residues: Whenever you take off the heatsink from the CPU, we recommend to clean the CPU as well as the base of the cooler before re-applying thermal paste and re-installing the cooler. You can either just wipe the base and the CPU clean with a dry, lint-free tissue or, for more thorough cleaning, use a lint-free tissue moistened with either a mild solution of washing-up liquid or isopropyl alcohol. Do not put the cooler or CPU under running water. Note that both the base of the heatsink and the CPU should be dry, free from residues of thermal compound and free from grease before re-applying thermal paste and re-installing the cooler.
Should I take the cooler off before transporting my system?
As it is not possible to reliably calculate or control the forces that act upon a system during transport (e.g. in shipping), we generally recommend, for safety reasons, taking the fan off the heatsink in order to reduce the weight below 700g. Noctua cannot be held responsible for any damage that may arise due to excessive stress during transport if you keep the fan installed.
Which Noctua fan or CPU cooler should I buy? How to choose the right model?
Not sure which Noctua product to buy? Our detailed buying guides for fans and CPU coolers help you to choose the model that works best for you.
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