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Please note that the NH-U9 TR4-SP3 is a dedicated version for the AMD sTRX4/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-U series
The NH-U9 TR4-SP3 stems from Noctua's award-winning NH-U9 series. First introduced in 2005, the NH-U series has become a standard choice for premium quality quiet CPU coolers and won more than 1000 awards and recommendations from leading international hardware websites and magazines.
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Tailored custom version for sTRX4/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 sTRX4/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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Compact 92mm size for best compatibility
Thanks to a total width of only 95mm, the NH-U9 TR4-SP3 provides 100% PCIe clearance and never overhangs the top PCIe x16 slot. At the same time, its height of only 125mm allows it to fit smaller cases and most 4U size rack-mount enclosures.
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Dual NF-A9 PWM fans
The NH-U9 TR4-SP3 is equipped with two of Noctua’s award-winning NF-A9 PWM 92mm fans. This push/pull dual fan configuration allows it to achieve a level of quiet cooling performance that is remarkable for such a compact cooler and comes close to the bigger NH-U12S TR4-SP3.
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PWM support and Low-Noise Adaptors
The NF-A9 premium fans supplied with the NH-U9 TR4-SP3 support PWM for convenient automatic speed control through the motherboard. In addition, the maximum fan speed can be reduced from 2000 to 1550rpm using the supplied Low-Noise Adaptors for even quieter operation.
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SecuFirm2™ mounting system for sTRX4/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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NT-H1 thermal compound
Noctua's much-acclaimed NT-H1 is a well proven pro-grade TIM solution that provides minimum thermal resistance, excellent ease-of-use and outstanding reliability, which makes it suitable for use in professional server and workstation environments.
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6-year manufacturer’s warranty
Noctua products are renowned for their impeccable quality and outstanding longevity. Like all Noctua fans, the supplied NF-A9’s feature an MTTF rating of more than 150,000 hours and the entire NH-U9 TR4-SP3 package comes with a full 6-year manufacturer’s warranty.
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Notes and warnings
Please note that the NH-U9 TR4-SP3 is a dedicated version for the AMD sTRX4/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 sTRX4, TR4, SP3
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Height (without fan)
125 mm
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Width (without fan)
95 mm
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Depth (without fan)
71 mm
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Weight (without fan)
660 g
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Height (with fan)
125 mm
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Width (with fan)
95 mm
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Depth (with fan)
120 mm
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Weight (with fan)
895 g
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Material
Copper (base and heat-pipes), aluminium (cooling fins), soldered joints & nickel plating
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Max. TDP
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Fan compatibility
2x 92x92x25mm
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Scope of delivery
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6 Years
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Model
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Bearing
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Max. rotational speed (+/- 10%)
2000 RPM
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Max. rotational speed with L.N.A. (+/- 10%)
1550 RPM
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Min. rotational speed (PWM, +/-20%)
400 RPM
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78,9 m³/h
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Max. acoustical noise
22,8 dB(A)
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Max. acoustical noise with L.N.A.
16,3 dB(A)
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Input power
1,2 W
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Voltage range
12 V
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MTTF
> 150.000 h
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NH-U9 TR4-SP3 Review
Noctua served up a trio of great performing air coolers designed specifically for AMD’s flagship processors, Threadripper, and its server equivalent, Epyc. As we begin to see market additions for slimmer workstation chassis and smaller enthusiast motherboards to support the TR4 and SP3 sockets, the need to have a high-performance, compact cooling solution continues to grow. The fact that the NH-U9 TR4-SP3 performs like coolers much larger is both brilliant and promising.
Noctua has shown that excellent air cooling does not require a massive cooling tower to be affixed within a PC case in order to achieve overclocking goals. This cooler steps in as The Little Engine That Could by doing the same job just as well, or even better, than larger cooling options on the market.
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Test verdict: "The NH-U9 TR4-SP3 should most definitely reside on any builder’s list for a compact Threadripper build." (Garrett Carver, Tom's Hardware)
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NH-U9 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-U9 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-U9 TR4-SP3 Review
So why would you get anything other than the NH-U14S for performance or Wraith Ripper for looks? Well the NH-U9 is just there to give an option to small form factor builds and it makes me very happy that they provide that option. It’s the NH-U12S that ends up being the odd man out. The NH-U14S isn’t much larger but the performance difference between the two in both cooling and noise levels is impressive. I love the NH-U12S normally as a real-world “standard” size tower cooler. But if you are going Threadripper, you might as well go with the NH-U14S assuming you can fit the additional height.
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Test verdict: "The end result was that you have options even if you don’t want to water-cool your Threadripper build... with one of these coolers you get exactly what you expect for as long as the fan works, and if that happens it is an easy fix... all three of the Noctua coolers have an impressive 6-year warranty. " (Wes Compton, LanOC.org)
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NH-U9 TR4-SP3 Review
Jak vidíte, uchladit moderní multijádrové procesory dá docela práci a klasické vzduchové chladiče zde už ukazují své limity. A to RYZEN 2950X není zdaleka nejvýhřevnější procesor na trhu, to Core i9 dokáže topit ještě mnohem více. Takže ano, všechny chladiče včetně malé 92mm NOCTUA U9 jsou běžně použitelné i pro tenhle čip a uchladí ho tiše i v maximální zátěži!
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Test verdict: "Pokud tedy máte z nějakého důvodu málo místa tam, kam se snažíte X399 a ThreadRipper nacpat a U14S se vám nevejde, jsou U12S a U9 určitě možnosti. Zejména U9 se vejde do klasických racků a vzhledem k rozměrům docela překvapí, že je vůbec schopna tohle uchladit a stále ještě s přijatelnou nízkou hlučností." (Jan Stach, DDWorld.cz)
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NH-U9 TR4-SP3 Review
Nie liczcie tutaj na wysoką wydajność, ale na taką, która zapewni bezproblemowe działanie procesora. Także sama kultura pracy na maksymalnych obrotach mogłaby być lepsza – na mniejszych jest już dobrze. Chłodzenie jest też znakomicie wykonane i posiada prosty montaż czy fajne dodatki. Polecam je dla osób, które składają komputer w mniejszej obudowie i nie mają miejsca dla większych chłodzeń. Wtedy też Noctua NH-U9 TR4-SP3 świetnie się sprawdzi.
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Test verdict: "Polecam je dla osób, które składają komputer w mniejszej obudowie i nie mają miejsca dla większych chłodzeń. Wtedy też Noctua NH-U9 TR4-SP3 świetnie się sprawdzi."
(Michał Andruszkiewicz, WhatNext.pl)
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NH-U9 TR4-SP3 Review
There are so few coolers on the market for the Threadripper platform, it’s even easier to say that Noctua is the best air cooling you can find. Depends on the PC and other components we can choose one of the three coolers. The NH-U9 TR4-SP3 is the smallest but also great performing cooler from the TR4 line. It performs well but its high-quality design also helps to keep low noise. I was surprised how well this cooler works comparing to higher models as we are used seeing the best coolers with 120 or 140mm fans while here we have quite small, 92mm fans.
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Test verdict: "Noctua NH-U9 TR4-SP3 seems the perfect cooler for all users who wish to use top-performing AMD platform and have limited space." (Bartosz Waluk, FunkyKit.com)
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NH-U9 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-U9 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-U9 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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You can either buy from our local sales partners or directly from us via our official Amazon and eBay stores:
- INSTRUCTIONS AND INFORMATION SHEETS (PDF)
- FAQs
- MAINBOARD COMPATIBILITY
- CASE COMPATIBILITY
- CPU COMPATIBILITY
FAQs
I'm experiencing fan speed issues with my motherboard from Supermicro, what can I do?
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?
Can I install a Noctua cooler in my system from Acer, Dell, HP or Lenovo?
Which sockets are supported or can be supported using upgrade kits?
How should I clean my Noctua cooler?
Can I upgrade my existing Noctua cooler to socket TR4 or SP3?
Can Noctua TR4-SP3 coolers be used on the sTRX4 socket?
Is it possible to use the cooler with vertical graphic cards?
Which Noctua coolers are compatible with Ryzen Threadripper 2?
Even with a high-end cooler, the performance is not what I would expect, what can I do?
Which Noctua fan or CPU cooler should I buy? How to choose the right model?
After some time of prolonged full load, the CPU clock starts to drop off to very low values intermittently, is the cooler insufficient?
Internal tests at Noctua have shown that not all motherboards on the market are able to power the 250W models at prolonged full CPU load without the VRM running into thermal throttling. In case you experience the behavior described above please, check the VRM temperature (e.g. via HWinfo) and provide additional cooling to this area. In doubt, please contact your motherboard manufacturer for further information.
I'm experiencing fan speed issues with my motherboard from Supermicro, what can I do?
The BIOS of many motherboard models from Supermicro expects a certain minimum fan speed (usually 600 or 700rpm), which is higher than the minimum fan speed that can be achieved with Noctua's PWM fan models. The BIOS may interpret the low minimum RPM of Noctua fans as a fan error and thus try to run the fan at 100% for a short period before going back to automatic control. This can result in oscillating fan speeds and fan speed warnings in the BIOS or the fan management console.
Unfortunately there is usually no option to set a lower minimum value in the BIOS that would suit the low minimum speed of Noctua PWM fans. The issue can thus only be resolved by either disabling automatic fan speed control in BIOS, which will cause the fans to run at a constant speed, by using 3rd party tools like IPMItool or IPMIutil, or by requesting a modified BIOS file from Supermicro, which takes the minimum fan speed of Noctua fans into account (charges might apply). Please note that any modifications performed with 3rd party tools are done at your own risk and that Noctua can not be held responsible for any possible issues.
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?
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?
My case supports CPU coolers of up to XXXmm height, which model should I choose?
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.
What Thermal Design Power (TDP) is this cooler recommended for and how much Watt (W) of heat can it dissipate?
Which sockets are supported or can be supported using upgrade kits?
How should I clean my Noctua 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.
Can I upgrade my existing Noctua cooler to socket TR4 or SP3?
Can Noctua TR4-SP3 coolers be used on the sTRX4 socket?
Is it possible to use the cooler with vertical graphic cards?
Which Noctua coolers are compatible with Ryzen Threadripper 2?
Even with a high-end cooler, the performance is not what I would expect, what can I do?
Secondly, processors emitting heat-loads of 180-250W or even more (with Turbo Boost) create more challenges for case ventilation than lower power mainstream CPUs as it is very difficult to remove so much heat from the chassis. For best performance, it is crucial that sufficient amounts of fresh air can enter the chassis and that warm air leaves the chassis as fast as possible.
Internal testing at Noctua has shown that many PC cases are rather restrictive when it comes to air intake and exhaust due to dampening materials, doors, covers or a rather closed design approach in general. Increasing the number of system fans can help to a certain degree but will not provide much improvement if intakes and outlets are too resistive. The best cooling results are to be expected from cases which use a rather open approach (e.g. mesh walls and intakes). Unfortunately, Noctua cannot provide detailed recommendations for individual system configurations as there are too many options and variables available to give general recommendations. Please refer to general case cooling guidelines such as this one for information how to setup the airflow inside your case.
Which Noctua fan or CPU cooler should I buy? How to choose the right model?
Do you have a question concerning one of our products? Please use this form to pose a question!