heading
Le NH-L12S est un ventirad silencieux de taille réduite spécifiquement conçu pour les environnements Small Form Factor et HTPC. S’il offre une performance de premier ordre dans sa catégorie, il n’est néanmoins pas indiqué pour l’overclocking et exige une certaine prudence avec les CPU dépassant une TDP (Thermal Design Power) de 95W. Merci de consulter le liste de compatibilité CPU et guide TDP afin de déterminer si votre CPU est compatible avec le NH-L12S. |
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Basé sur le célèbre NH-L12
Avec plus de 200 prix et recommandations de la part de la Presse et des media internationaux spécialisés, le NH-L12 est devenu une référence incontournable dans l’univers des ventirads 120mm puissants de faible hauteur. Pourvu du nouveau ventilateur NF-A12x15, la dernière version (nommée “S”) offre une meilleure flexibilité ainsi qu’une performance accrue en montage « faible hauteur ».
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Montage « faible hauteur»
Quand le ventilateur NF-A12x15 est installé sous le dissipateur, le NH-L12S occupe une hauteur de seulement 70mm. Le ventilateur peut être installé dans les deux sens, offrant au choix un flux d’air ascendant ou descendant en fonction de la logique de circulation d’air de votre boîtier.
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Montage « grand espace »
L’installation du ventilateur NF-A12x15 au sommet du dissipateur permet de laisser un espace aéré plus conséquent sous l’empilement d’ailettes. Ce type de montage offre une parfaite compatibilité avec modules de RAM équipés de dissipateurs thermiques hauts de 48mm ainsi qu’avec les dissipateurs de sockets.
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Ventilateur faible hauteur premium 120mm NF-A12x15
Bénéficiant d’optimisations aérodynamiques avancées telles que les Flow Acceleration Channels, le NF-A12x15 est un ventilateur haut de gamme de faible hauteur au format 120mm. Grâce à l’efficacité hors pair de ce dernier, le NH-L12S offre un niveau de performance amélioré par rapport au précédent modèle qui était équipé d’un ventilateur 92mm.
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Compatibilité PWM et Adaptateur Faible bruit (L.N.A.)
Le ventilateur haut de gamme NF-A12x15 fourni avec le NH-L12S est compatible PWM et bénéficie donc avantageusement d’un pilotage automatique de la vitesse via la carte mère. De plus, et afin de réduire encore les émissions sonores, la vitesse maximale peut être plafonnée de 1850 à 1400 tr./min. grâce au branchement de l’adaptateur faible bruit fourni.
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Compatibilité avec les ventilateurs 120x25mm
Les agrafes de fixation fournies avec le NH-L12S ne fonctionnent pas uniquement avec le ventilateur faible hauteur NF-A12x15 et peuvent permettre d’installer des modèles de ventilateurs hauts de 25mm. Les utilisateurs possédant plus d’espace dans leur boîtier pourront dès lors accroître les performances de leur ventirad en y associant un ventilateur 120x25mm standard (ceci aura pour effet d’augmenter la hauteur totale soit 95mm).
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Système de fixation SecuFirm2™
Les systèmes de fixation Noctua SecuFirm2™ en sont venus à incarner la qualité, la sécurité et la facilité de montage. Compatible avec les Intel LGA115x (LGA1150, LGA1151, LGA1155, LGA1156), LGA2011(LGA2011-0 & LGA2011-3), LGA2066 et AMD (AM2, AM2+, AM3, AM3+, AM4, FM1, FM2, FM2+), le système SecuFirm2™ fourni avec le NH-L12S est la garantie d'une pression de contact parfaite et d'une facilité d'installation sur tous les sockets actuels.
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Compatibilité avec les sockets anciens et futurs
Répondant au standard ouvert SecuFirm™, le NH-C14S peut devenir compatible avec les anciens LGA1366 et LGA775 grâce à l'utilisation du kit de montage optionnel NM-I3 qui est gracieusement fourni par Noctua. Sauf en cas d'impossibilité technique, Noctua fournira par ailleurs des kits d'adaptation pour les futurs sockets.
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Pâte thermique NT-H1
La célèbre NT-H1 de Noctua est une solution professionnelle TIM offrant une résistance thermique minimale, une grande facilité d’application et une fiabilité hors pair. Sans cesse plébiscité par les adeptes de l’overclocking et les utilisateurs passionnés, ce produit est devenu LA référence incontestée des composés thermiques premium.
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Garantie fabricant de 6 ans
Les produits Noctua ont gagné une solide réputation grâce à une qualité et une longévité exceptionnelles. Tout comme l’ensemble des ventilateurs Noctua, le NF-A12x15 bénéficie d’un MTTF de plus de 150 000 heures de test et le pack NH-L12S est assorti d’une garantie fabricant de 6 ans.
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Notes and warnings
Le NH-L12S est un ventirad silencieux de taille réduite spécifiquement conçu pour les environnements Small Form Factor et HTPC. S’il offre une performance de premier ordre dans sa catégorie, il n’est néanmoins pas indiqué pour l’overclocking et exige une certaine prudence avec les CPU dépassant une TDP (Thermal Design Power) de 95W. Merci de consulter le liste de compatibilité CPU et guide TDP afin de déterminer si votre CPU est compatible avec le NH-L12S.
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Intel LGA2066, LGA2011-0 & LGA2011-3 (Square ILM), LGA1156, LGA1155, LGA1151, LGA1150 & AMD AM2, AM2+, AM3, AM3+, AM4, FM1, FM2, FM2+ (backplate requis)
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Hauteur (ventilateur non compris)
70 mm
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Largeur (ventilateur non compris)
128 mm
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Profondeur (ventilateur non compris)
146 mm
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Hauteur (ventilateur compris)
70 mm
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Largeur (ventilateur compris)
128 mm
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Profondeur (ventilateur compris)
146 mm
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Poids (ventilateur non compris)
390 g
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Poids (ventilateur/s compris)
520 g
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Matériau
cuivre (fond et caloducs), aluminium (plaques de refroidissement), soudé & nickelé
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TDP max.
voir guide TDP
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Dimensions du ventilateur
120x120x15 & 120x120x25
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Volume de livraison
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Garantie
6 ans
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Modèle
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Type roulements
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Vitesse de rotation max. (+/-10%)
1850 RPM
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Vitesse de rotation avec L.N.A. max. (+/-10%)
1400 RPM
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Vitesse de rotation min. (PWM, +/-20%)
450 RPM
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94,2 m³/h
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Niveau sonore max.
23,9 dB(A)
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Niveau sonore avec L.N.A. max.
16,8 dB(A)
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Puissance consommée
1,56 W
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Tension
12 V
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MTTF
> 150.000 h
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SecuFirm2™ Intel LGA115x installation
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SecuFirm2™ Intel LGA2011 installation
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SecuFirm2™ AMD AM4 installation
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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-L12S test
La qualité de fabrication tout autant que la finition sont une priorité chez Noctua, ce qui permet à la marque de garantir ses produits sur 6 ans et le NH-L12S ne déroge pas à la règle.
Le bundle est toujours aussi bien fourni avec notamment la seringue de pâte thermique NT-H1, le tournevis cruciforme et un adaptateur LNA qui va limiter la vitesse de rotation maximale à 1400 tr/min au lieu des 1850 tr/min du NF-A12x15.
Sans oublier une compatibilité à l’ensemble des Sockets dont le dernier en date avec le Socket AM4.
Bien que le texte soit en anglais, la notice de montage est très claire et il est fort simple d’installer le NH-L12S sur la carte mère. Une simplicité qui perdure depuis un bon moment chez Noctua et quand cela rime avec l’efficacité pourquoi changer de processus.
Nous pouvons sans problème monter le ventirad avec la ventilateur en place sous le plateau du radiateur.
La présence du NF-A12x15 favorise le faible niveau sonore du NH-L12S. Ce n’est qu’en le poussant au maximum qu’il se fera entendre, mais cela reste discret voire même cela se fond dans le bruit ambiant du boitier.
Du coté des performances de refroidissement, les résultats sont tout à fait convenables ne laissant que deux petits degrés face à son homologue au format tour qu’est le NH-U12S. Ce qui est fort appréciable c’est que même à faible vitesse, le ventirad ne décroche pas.
Certes dès que le processeur est overclocké, il est un peu moins performant mais continue à faire son job dans de bonnes conditions. Mais comme Noctua l’a spécifié sur son site, ce n’est pas son terrain de prédilection.
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Verdict du test: "70 mm : tel est le principal argument du Noctua NH-L12S.
Avec une telle hauteur, il pourra se glisser dans une très grande majorité des boîtiers HTPC ou mini boîtiers SFF, dont notamment certains où le bloc d’alimentation est positionné juste au-dessus du Socket." (Bertrand Curras, modding.fr)
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NH-L12S test
Taking everything into consideration, we’ve been impressed beyond belief with the Noctua NH-L12S, by all means, the heatsink should not have handled a 130W CPU, one of the most power-hungry CPUs of recent years, at that.
The acoustics took a bit of a hit when fully stressed, but this situation is completely artificial and shows an extreme “worst case scenario.” It’s not really representative of what the cooler is designed to do, so we can’t be too critical.
Regarding its compact size, the CPU cooler should fit within most small-form-factor machines making this ideal for HTPCs and small gaming desktops. Speaking of which, if your PC features a tempered glass or Perspex side panel, you may not find the brown fan to be all that appealing.
Noctua’s reputation of producing class-leading cooling equipment has yet again made an appearance, with the NH-L12S going above and beyond what was expected of it and holding its own. In anything other than stress tests and constant, intensive workloads, the heatsink would be capable of removing that heat.
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Verdict du test: "If you require a small, compact cooler from a reputable, well-known manufacturer, with performance to boot, the Noctua NH-L12S will not disappoint. Guaranteed." (Matthew Hodgson, Vortez.net)
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NH-L12S test
Noctua selbst ist bei der Charakterisierung des NH-L12S eher zurückhaltend. Der Kühler wird speziell für SFF- und HTPC-Gehäuse und Prozessoren mit maximal 95 Watt TDP sowie den Betrieb mit Standardtakt empfohlen. Und natürlich bietet sich der flache Top-Blow-Kühler in erster Linie für solche Einsatzzwecke an. Doch gerade mit Blick auf die Kühlleistung kann er durchaus überraschen.
Weil Noctua die beiden Lüfter des Vorgängers durch einen einzelnen, aber besonders schmalen 120-mm-Lüfter ersetzt, ist der NH-L12S bemerkenswert vielseitig. Je nach Bedarf kann er ober- oder unterhalb der Kühlrippen montiert werden. So bleibt etwas mehr Platz für Speicher. Der Serienlüfter überzeugt mit einem breiten Drehzahlbereich und dem flüsterleisen Betrieb im unteren Drehzahlbereich. Selbst bei Maximaldrehzahl bleibt die Lautstärke aber noch in einem relativ vertretbaren Rahmen.
Schon mit dem flachen Serienlüfter kühlt der NH-L12S ganz respektabel und besser als manches ähnlich aufgebaute Konkurrenzmodell. Die Kontrollmessungen mit unserem Noctua-Referenzlüfter zeigen aber, dass die Kühlleistung durch Lüfter normaler Bauhöhe sogar noch gesteigert werden kann. Insgesamt hat der Top-Blow-Kühler kein Problem damit, den Core i7-4790K auf Standardtakt zu kühlen - und das auch mit moderater Drehzahl und geringer Lautstärke.
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Verdict du test: "Wer einen platzsparenden und hochwertigen Top-Blow-Kühler mit vergleichsweise guter Kühlleistung sucht, der ist beim Noctua NH-L12S genau richtig. Weil wir zudem kaum Kritikpunkte haben, verdient er sich auch unseren Excellent-Hardware-Award." (Philipp Moosdorf, Hardwareluxx.de)
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NH-L12S test
Η κατασκευάστρια, με την NH L12S, επιχειρεί να απαντήσει σε ένα πολύ συγκεκριμένο και δύσκολο πρόβλημα:
Πώς, με το ελάχιστο δυνατό ύψος, θα παρέχει ικανοποιητική ψύξη, τόσο, σε ένα επεξεργαστή μέσης ισχύος , όσο και στα περιμετρικά του socket εξαρτήματα.
Πρώτο βήμα στη λύση είναι ο νέος ανεμιστήρας των 120mm, ο οποίος παρά το μόλις 15mm πάχος του, αποδεικνύεται αυτό που ακριβώς χρειάζονται για να αποβάλουν τη σχεδιασμένη θερμική ισχύ, τα περιορισμένα σε μόλις 20mm ύψος πτερύγια.
Δεύτερο βήμα, τα ίδια τα heat pipes, τα οποία, τόσο με την καλή εκμετάλλευση της επιφάνειας του ψυκτικού σώματος της ψύκτρας, όσο και με την εντυπωσιακά χαμηλή θερμοκρασία ενεργοποίησής τους (η ψύκτρα ήδη από τους ~23 oC αρχίζει να λειτουργεί! ), δίνουν στην ψύκτρα ένα εξαιρετικό συνδυασμό μεγέθους και θερμικού αποτελέσματος!
Σε αυτό το τεχνικό υπόβαθρο προστίθεται ένα εξαιρετικό σύστημα στήριξης και η γνωστή κορυφαία ποιότητα κατασκευής και ο ευτυχής κάτοχος έχει μια ψύκτρα που χωρά άνετα στο -ακόμα και μικρό- HTPC / PC του, αλλά δεν μένει εκεί, καθώς οι μεγάλες διαφορές βρίσκονται στις αισθητά χαμηλότερες θερμοκρασίες και κυρίως στον πολύ χαμηλότερο θόρυβο!
Εκείνος όμως που πραγματικά θα βρει στην Noctua NH L12S την ιδανική λύση, είναι ο απαιτητικός χρήστης που θέλει το μικρό-μεσαίο σύστημά του, να είναι αθόρυβο στην πράξη και όχι στα "χαρτιά"! Αυτός, εκμεταλλευόμενος τον εξαιρετικό ανεμιστήρα θα έχει το dead silent που επιθυμεί, χωρίς να υπονομεύει το σύστημά του με αυξημένες θερμοκρασίες!
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Verdict du test: "Αν έχετε ένα HTPC, ή ένα μέσης ισχύος PC και ψάχνετε για νέα αθόρυβη και αποτελεσματική ψύκτρα, εξετάστε τη πρόταση της Noctua, κατά πάσα πιθανότητα η αναζήτησή σας ολοκληρώνεται στην NH L12S !" (Stelios Petousakis, TheLab.gr)
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NH-L12S test
Il Noctua NH-L9a AM4 ha centrato in pieno lo scopo per il quale è stato progettato, ovvero quello di garantire un'efficiente dissipazione nei sistemi compatti come server, workstation e HTPC estremamente compatti. Ci troviamo di fronte ad un dissipatore ad aria di fascia alta dal costo di circa 40€.
Pro:
Eccellente qualità costruttiva e materiali;
Design semplice ed estremamente compatto per la massima compatibilità;
Ottima ventola in dotazione (NF-A9x14 PWM);
Massima silenziosità;
Buone prestazioni (certificazione per l’utilizzo in abbinamento a CPU con TDP massimo di 65W);
Bundle completo;
Generosa base di contatto in rame nichelato;
Tecnologie proprietarie di altissimo livello;
6 ani di garanzia;
Facilità d'installazione grazie alla variante custom del sistema di montaggio proprietario SecuFirm2 (esclusivamente su piattaforma AMD AM4).
Contro:
Nulla da segnalare.
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Il Noctua NH-L12S è nientemeno che una versione revisionata del pluripremiato NH-L12, da tempo sul mercato. Al pari del predecessore anche questo nuovo modello sfrutta un design “Type-L” con heatpipes appositamente lavorate e sagomate in maniera da ricreare una forma ad “U” orizzontale, aspetto che lo rende estremamente compatto ed idoneo all’utilizzo anche all’interno di sistemi dal fattore di forma ridotto, come ad esempio gli HTPC, senza per questo rinunciare ad ottime performance in termini di dissipazione del calore (il produttore ne certifica l’uso in abbinamento a microprocessori con TDP massimo pari a 95W).
A differenza del più piccolo L9a AM4 viene garantita la piena compatibilità con tutte le più diffuse piattaforme Intel (LGA-115x e LGA-20xx) e AMD (AMx e FMx), comprendendo tutto il necessario per procedere all’installazione. Il prezzo di listino si attesta sui 50€ IVA compresa, risultando interessante vista la sua qualità e le sue più che soddisfacenti prestazioni.
Pro:
Eccellente qualità costruttiva e materiali;
Design compatto (basato sul pluripremiato NH-L12) per la massima compatibilità;
Compatibilità garantita con le più diffuse piattaforme Intel (LGA-115x/LGA-20xx) e AMD (AMx/FMx);
Ottima ventola in dotazione (NF-A12x15 PWM);
Massima silenziosità;
Buone prestazioni (certificazione per l’utilizzo in abbinamento a CPU con TDP massimo di 95W);
Bundle completo;
Generosa base di contatto in rame nichelato;
Tecnologie proprietarie di altissimo livello;
6 ani di garanzia;
Facilità d'installazione grazie al sistema di montaggio proprietario SecuFirm2.
Contro:
Nulla da segnalare.
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Verdict du test: "Noctua ci ha abituati a prodotti contraddistinti da un rapporto tra qualità e prestazioni senza eguali, indiscutibilmente ai vertici del settore. Non fanno ovviamente eccezione le ultime soluzioni di raffreddamento ad aria a basso profilo recentemente presentate e osservate nel corso di questo articolo, espressamente pensate per l’utilizzo all’interno di sistemi di dimensioni estremamente compatte, nelle quali l’ingombro della soluzione di raffreddamento ricopre un ruolo di fondamentale importanza, al pari delle performance dissipanti e della rumorosità." (Antonio Delli Santi, hwlegend.com)
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NH-L12S test
NOCTUA L9A AM4 představuje maximální kompaktnost. Není sice výkonově a hlučností lepší než BOX Wraith SPIRE chladič, který dnes AMD používá, ale je ještě menší, a hlavně 2x nižší, což se může někomu hodit. I když i v malých skříních je obvykle místa dost i na těch 85mm, co má stále poměrně nízký Wraith Spire. L9a-AM4 je v podstatě extrémní řešení, kde jde o co nejmenší rozměry při solidním výkonu i nízké hlučnosti a maximálně kvalitním zpracování. Za to prostě platíte.
NOCTUA L12S pak představuje velmi výkonné a velmi kompaktní řešení, kde když můžete, tak s ventilátorem zespodu a 70mm na výšku je skvělým chladičem do ITX sestav. Samozřejmě při špičkovém zpracování a nízké hlučnosti. Cena pak není vůbec špatná a celkově je to jeden z nejzajímavějších klasických nízko-profilových chladičů na trhu.
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Verdict du test: "Cena pak není vůbec špatná a celkově je to jeden z nejzajímavějších klasických nízko-profilových chladičů na trhu. Ocenění tedy zasloužené." (Jan Stach, DDWorld.cz)
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NH-L12S test
Dans notre test nous avons utilisé un processeur avec un TDP dans les limites hautes préconisées par Noctua, il s'en sort très bien, nous avons même été en mesure de pousser notre processeur en overclocking et dans ce cas nous sommes bien hors des limites fixées par Noctua.
la position du ventilateur n'a que peu de conséquences sur l'efficacité du ventirad.
La discrétion est de mise sauf peut être en usage extrême, nous ne le critiquerons pas la dessus car ce n'est pas sa destination.
Noctua NH L12SLe montage est simple et très détaillé, la compatibilité est assurée sur les sockets du moment, il n'y a pas d'incompatibilité notoire sauf évidemment les barrettes mémoire, deux montages du ventilateur sont donc possibles.
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Verdict du test: "Le Noctua NH-L12S est un ventirad de très bon niveau, il a été conçu à la base pour dissiper du mieux possible avec un niveau sonore réduit et un encombrement minimum pour être installé dans un mini-boîtier, pari réussi." (Philippe Vautier, 59hardware.net)
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NH-L12S test
I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised with the performance of both these coolers. Even though the NH-L9a-AM4 was unable to tame a 3.7 GHz overclock, I did not expect it to be able to hold it at all. The fact that it didn’t immediately throttle – it took over three minutes – was pretty epic. The NH-L12S did fare a lot better, and was able to keep the chip cool in both the stock and OC circumstances. Both coolers represent Noctua at their finest. I’ve never known a fan or cooler from Noctua to be underwhelming in terms of performance or their overall design. As we all know, their color scheme is one which you’ll either love or you’ll hate, but I do value them as a company for sticking to their roots and letting the performance speak for itself. Anyhow, both coolers are perfectly capable of styling up your rig whilst making minimal noise. Both the NH-L12S and NH-L9a-AM4 remained next to whisper quiet throughout the testing that I put them through, even under 100% load.
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Verdict du test: "As always, Noctua offers an excellent option for cooling, especially in the SFF market." (Brendan van Varik, PureOverclock.com)
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NH-L12S test
The NH-L12S is one more great cooler from Noctua. It’s a bit different than we used to see but for sure will find users interested in this type of design. If you wish to use the cooler in low profile mode then I recommend to use low profile memory kit as taller memory heatsinks won’t let to install the fan. In our tests we had to install the fan on the top what is not changing cooler’s performance much but let to install tall memory modules like Ballistix Elite or G.Skill Trident Z. Noctua is offering six-year warranty on the NH-L12S what is also not a surprise as every Noctua cooler has the same warranty and it’s the best option on the market.
We had no issues with installation on the mini ITX motherboard and also performance of the cooler was high in all tests. Even less advanced users won’t have any issues with installation of NH-L12S on any platform.
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Verdict du test: "If you are looking for low profile but at the same time well performing CPU cooler for your exceptional small PC then Noctua NH-L12S is the cooler for you. The are not many competitive products on the market which are offering so good performance and top quality but also 6 year warranty." (Bartosz Waluk, FunkyKit.com)
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NH-L12S test
La metodología para tomar las temperaturas es muy simple: encendemos el equipo y tras 10 minutos de funcionamiento iniciamos el software OCCT 4.5.0, el cual ejecutamos durante 30 minutos consecutivos, obteniendo a la finalización una gráfica con la temperatura mínima y máxima alcanzada por el procesador: Medimos en IDLE una temperatura mínima de 29ºC tras 10 minutos de tener encendido el equipo, llegando a una temperatura máxima de 38.9ºC en el minuto 28 de la prueba. La temperatura es realmente fantástica y dice mucho del buen hacer tanto del buen funcionamiento de Ryzen como del cooler, manteniendo muy alejado de la temperatura máxima de utilización que es de unos 75ºC, aunque no se debería de pasar como mucho de los 65ºC.
En cuanto a sonoridad, sólo podemos alabar el buen funcionamiento del ventilador, que ni a máximas revoluciones es molesto, recordemos que tan sólo produce 23.9 dB(A).
Vemos que en IDLE la temperatura de 29ºC es la segunda mejor de los coolers comparados, mientras que en FULL con los 38.9ºC que obtuvimos es el 3º mejor en esta medición.
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Verdict du test: "El modelo Noctua NH-L12S es ideal para la refrigeración de un sistema HTPC por sus reducidas dimensiones y baja sonoridad, amén de unas prestaciones notables. Es muy sencillo de instalar y el bundle incluido como es habitual en Noctua es muy abundante." (Jose Luis Fernandez, Razorman.net)
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NM-I3 Mounting-Kit
- Le kit de montage NM-I3 SecuFirm2™ rend les radiateurs de processeurs Noctua compatibles avec les sockets Intel LGA775 & LGA1366.

FAQs
Is it possible to use the cooler with vertical graphic cards?
How big is the NH-L12S and how much clearance does it provide?
Pourquoi le fond du refroidisseur Noctua n'est-il pas brillanté et poli ?
How much torque should be applied when tightening the screws of a Noctua CPU cooler?
Which Noctua CPU coolers are compatible with AMD AM4 (Ryzen)?
Which Noctua CPU coolers are compatible with Intel LGA2066?
Can I upgrade my existing Noctua cooler to socket TR4 or SP3?
How much RAM clearance does the NH-L12S provide?
I'm experiencing fan speed issues with my motherboard from Supermicro, what can I do?
I get a CPU fan error using my Noctua PWM fan, is it faulty?
My Noctua PWM fan starts to spin when the PC boots but then stops, what is wrong?
My Noctua PWM fan runs at a much higher minimum speed than advertised, what is wrong?
Can I keep using the backplate / mounting system of my previous Noctua cooler for my new one?
I have difficulties installing the cooler, can you help?
My case supports CPU coolers of up to XXXmm height, which model should I choose?
In which orientation should top-flow coolers (NH-C series, NH-L12) be installed?
How can I check whether my case is wide/high enough for the cooler?
How to remove the base protection cover?
Does the mounting-system support LGA2011 based Xeon CPUs?
How should I clean my Noctua cooler?
Why is the cooler’s contact surface slightly convex?
Is the cooler compatible with LGA775 and LGA1366?
I’ve used all the NT-H1 thermal compound that came with the cooler, can you send me more?
Which sockets are supported or can be supported using upgrade kits?
Can I install a Noctua cooler in my system from Acer, Dell, HP or Lenovo?
Why doesn't the supplied backplate fit my LGA2066 / LGA2011 motherboard?
Which Noctua fan or CPU cooler should I buy? How to choose the right model?
Is it possible to use the cooler with vertical graphic cards?
How big is the NH-L12S and how much clearance does it provide?

Pourquoi le fond du refroidisseur Noctua n'est-il pas brillanté et poli ?
How much torque should be applied when tightening the screws of a Noctua CPU cooler?
Screw type | Max. torque |
---|---|
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 |
Which Noctua CPU coolers are compatible with AMD AM4 (Ryzen)?
NH-D15 SE-AM4
NH-U12S SE-AM4
NH-L12S
NH-L9x65 SE-AM4
NH-L9a-AM4
The following models can be made compatible with the AM4 socket free of charge using the NM-AM4 upgrade-kit:
NH-C12P
NH-C12P SE14
NH-C14
NH-C14S
NH-D14
NH-D14 SE2011
NH-D15
NH-D15S
NH-D9L
NH-L12
NH-L9x65
NH-U12
NH-U12F
NH-U12P
NH-U12P SE1366
NH-U12P SE2
NH-U9
NH-U9B
NH-U9B SE2
NH-U9F
The following models can be made compatible with the AM4 socket free of charge using the NM-AM4-UxS upgrade-kit:
NH-U14S
NH-U12S
NH-U9S
The following models can be made compatible with the AM4 socket free of charge using the NM-AM4-L9aL9i upgrade-kit:
NH-L9a
NH-L9i
The following models can be made compatible with the AM4 socket using the NM-AM4 upgrade-kit but are not eligible for Noctua‘s free mounting offer, so users have to purchase the kit at local resellers:
NH-U12DO (Note that the A3 version is not compatible!)
NH-U12DX
NH-U12DX 1366
NH-U12DX i4
NH-U9DX i4
NH-U9DX 1366
NH-U9DO (Note that the A3 version is not compatible!)
The following models are not compatible with the AM4 socket and can not be upgraded:
NH-U14S TR4-SP3
NH-U12S TR4-SP3
NH-U9 TR4-SP3
NH-U12DO A3
NH-U9 DO A3
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.
My unlocked Intel CPU is running too hot although my heatsink supports the specified TDP, what's the problem?
- the TDP limits are extended or disabled in the motherboards' BIOS.
- the motherboard applies automatic overclocking by default, e.g. by raising the supply voltage of the CPU and using higher Turbo-Mode multipliers.
- some software creates untypical loads, e.g. Prime95 with AVX2 support and a) and/or b) apply.
This can lead to temperature issues, especially when using smaller coolers or compact cases.
The actual power draw of the processor can be monitored with software provided by the motherboard vendor or with 3rd party tools like HWInfo or HWMonitor.
If you encounter temperature issues (>90°C) and notice a higher than specified power draw, please ensure that no automatic overclocking is applied and limit the TDP to the specified value by choosing appropriate BIOS settings.
For Kaby Lake CPUs, it may also help to lower the CPU clock speed for applications that heavily use the AVX instruction set, which can lead to higher loads and power draw. This option is usually referred to as “AVX offset” and makes it possible to lower the multiplier specifically for AVX based applications without reducing performance when using other instruction sets. Depending on the quality of the CPU and the programs being used, a reduction of 2-3 steps usually gives very good results.
Please contact your motherboard vendor for details if you have trouble finding the appropriate settings in the BIOS.
All our TDP recommendations are based on thorough testing with the default values specified by Intel using popular applications such as Asus Realbench and prime95. Please note, however, that prime95 creates a particularly high load that goes beyond typical application scenarios and this leads to elevated temperatures. We thus recommend using other programs such as Realbench for checking the stability and temperatures of the CPU in realistic scenarios.
Which Noctua CPU coolers are compatible with Intel LGA2066?
Due to the heatsink mounting mechanism being identical on LGA2011 and LGA2066, Noctua’s SecuFirm2™ mounting systems for LGA2011 also support Intel’s upcoming ‘Basin Falls’ X299 HEDT (High End Desktop) platform for ‘Skylake-X’ and ‘Kaby Lake-X’ processors. Most current Noctua coolers already include SecuFirm2™ mounting systems for LGA2011 and can thus be used on LGA2066 motherboards without any upgrades or modifications.
The following models include a mounting-kit for socket LGA2011/2066 and are thus compatible out of the box:
NH-C14S
NH-D14 SE2011
NH-D15
NH-D15S
NH-D9L
NH-L12
NH-L9x65
NH-U12S
NH-U12DX i4
NH-U14S
NH-U9DX i4
NH-U9S
The following models can be made compatible with the LGA2011/LGA2066 sockets free of charge using the NM-I2011 upgrade-kit:
NH-C12P
NH-C12P SE14
NH-C14
NH-D14
NH-D15 SE-AM4
NH-U12S SE-AM4
NH-L9x65 SE-AM4
NH-U12
NH-U12F
NH-U12P
NH-U12P SE1366
NH-U12P SE2
NH-U9
NH-U9B
NH-U9B SE2
NH-U9F
The following models can be made compatible with the LGA2011/LGA2066 sockets using the NM-I2011 upgrade-kit but are not eligible for Noctua‘s free mounting offer, so users have to purchase the kit at local resellers:
NH-U12DO (Note that the A3 version is not compatible!)
NH-U12DX
NH-U12DX 1366
NH-U9DX 1366
NH-U9DO (Note that the A3 version is not compatible!)
The following models are not compatible with the LGA2011/LGA2066 sockets and can not be upgraded:
NH-L9a
NH-L9i
NH-U12DO A3
NH-U9DO A3
Can I upgrade my existing Noctua cooler to socket TR4 or SP3?
How much RAM clearance does the NH-L12S provide?
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 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 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, or by requesting a modified BIOS file from Supermicro, which takes the minimum fan speed of Noctua fans into account (charges might apply).
I get a CPU fan error using my Noctua PWM fan, is it faulty?
My Noctua PWM fan starts to spin when the PC boots but then stops, what is wrong?

Note that mainboard manufacturers use different terms to indicate that Pin 4 is not being used for PWM control (e.g. “+5V”, “VCC” or “NC”), but if one of these terms is used, you can be sure that the fan header does not support PWM. If Pin 4 is described as “Speed Control” or “PWM” or the like, you can be sure that the fan header supports PWM.
Unfortunately, the description of Pin 2 is not always a clear indication as some manufacturers use terms such as “Fan PWR” or “Power” for both types of fan headers. However, if Pin 2 is described as “Speed Control”, you can also be sure that the fan header does not support PWM based speed control. If Pin 2 is described as “+12V”, this is a clear indication that the fan header supports PWM.
Please also note that in some cases, the descriptions of the pin layouts in the mainboard manuals may not be correct and some models actually allow you to switch the fan headers from voltage control mode to PWM control mode in the BIOS even though the pin descriptions do not indicate PWM support. We thus recommend to look for these options in the BIOS before taking other measures. In case of doubt, please contact your mainboard manufacturer.
To resolve the issue, you can:
Choose a higher fan speed profile in the BIOS (e.g. „normal“ instead of „silent“, etc.) or deactivate automatic fan speed control and use a Low-Noise Adaptor instead.
Use the mainboard‘s fan speed control software or 3rd party tools like Speedfan to regulate the fan speed. Unlike BIOS based fan speed control, the supplied software usually checks whether the fan has stopped and increases voltage accordingly or at least offer more options to set up the fan properly.
If your mainboard features other 4-pin fan headers that use PWM for speed control, you can run multiple fans from these headers using Y-split cables. Make sure not to exceed the specified maximum power draw of the fan headers (usually 10-12W) though.
My Noctua PWM fan runs at a much higher minimum speed than advertised, what is wrong?
- Many mainboards do not go below 40%, 50% or even 60% PWM duty cycle on case fan headers. Please refer to your mainboard manual to verify whether the fan header actually goes down to 20% duty cycle. If that's not the case, in some cases you can use the fan speed control software supplied with your mainboard to overcome these limitations and reduce the fan speed even further. However, 3rd party tools like SpeedFan offer greater flexibility and better options to work around the limitations imposed by the mainboard vendors.
- Some mainboards feature 4-pin fan headers that actually don‘t use a PWM signal on Pin 4 to control the fan speed but rather reduce the voltage on Pin 2 (like a standard 3-pin fan header). As the fan speed at minimum voltage is usually higher than the speed at 20% PWM duty cycle, the fan can not reach as low minimum speeds under voltage control as under PWM control. Please refer to your mainboard manual to check whether or not your mainboard has 4-pin fan headers that control the fan speed by reducing voltage on Pin 2 rather than by changing the PWM duty cycle on Pin 4:
Note that mainboard manufacturers use different terms to indicate that Pin 4 is not being used for PWM control (e.g. “+5V”, “VCC” or “NC”), but if one of these terms is used, you can be sure that the fan header does not support PWM. If Pin 4 is described as “Speed Control” or “PWM” or the like, you can be sure that the fan header supports PWM.
Unfortunately, the description of Pin 2 is not always a clear indication as some manufacturers use terms such as “Fan PWR” or “Power” for both types of fan headers. However, if Pin 2 is described as “Speed Control”, you can also be sure that the fan header does not support PWM based speed control. If Pin 2 is described as “+12V”, this is a clear indication that the fan header supports PWM.
Please also note that in some cases, the descriptions of the pin layouts in the mainboard manuals may not be correct and some models actually allow you to switch the fan headers from voltage control mode to PWM control mode in the BIOS even though the pin descriptions do not indicate PWM support. We thus recommend to look for these options in the BIOS before taking other measures. In case of doubt, please contact your mainboard manufacturer.
If your mainboard features other 4-pin fan headers that use PWM for speed control, you can run multiple fans from these headers using Y-split cables. Make sure not to exceed the specified maximum power draw of the fan headers (usually 10-12W) though.
Can I keep using the backplate / mounting system of my previous Noctua cooler for my new one?
I have difficulties installing the cooler, can you help?
My case supports CPU coolers of up to XXXmm height, which model should I choose?
In which orientation should top-flow coolers (NH-C series, NH-L12) be installed?

How can I check whether my case is wide/high enough for the cooler?
How to remove the base protection cover?
The base of Noctua CPU coolers is made from hard-wearing nickel plated copper, so there's nothing to worry about if you buy a Noctua cooler from second hand or if your cooler didn't come with a protection cover. Please proceed with the installation as explained in the manual.
You can simply remove the cover as shown below:

Does the mounting-system support LGA2011 based Xeon CPUs?

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.
Why is the cooler’s contact surface slightly convex?
Is the cooler compatible with LGA775 and LGA1366?
I’ve used all the NT-H1 thermal compound that came with the cooler, can you send me more?
Which sockets are supported or can be supported using upgrade kits?
Is it a problem that the CPU heatspreader is not covered completely by the heatsinkbase on LGA2011-3?
What Thermal Design Power (TDP) is this cooler recommended for and how much Watt (W) of heat can it dissipate?
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.
Why doesn't the supplied backplate fit my LGA2066 / LGA2011 motherboard?
Which Noctua fan or CPU cooler should I buy? How to choose the right model?
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