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Noctua NH-U12P Low Noise Heatsink Review
Noctua NH-U12P Low Noise Heatsink Review
  86%   
Abstract: Noctua's NH-U12P heatsink in one of the few models to breakthrough the low noise handicap and actually perform like a high performance heatsink.

 Manufacturer  Category  Published  Author 
Noctua   Cooling / Heatsinks   Dec 02, 2007   Max Page  

Home > Reviews > Page: Intel LGA775 Final Heatsink Temperature Comparisons

FrostyTech Mk.II Synthetic Thermal Heatsink Test Results
Intel Pentium D / Extreme Edition & Quad Core class heatsinks tested at 150W
Intel Core 2 Duo / Pentium 4 / Celeron class heatsinks tested at 85W

Results based on readings from a 30x30mm copper interface die with 150W and 85W heat loads applied on the LGA775 version of the Mk.II Test Platform. Temperature results listed for each heatsink were calculated by determining the rise over ambient temperatures at time of test. Information on Frostytech's test methodology is available here.
Socket 775 compatible CPU heatsinks
manufacturer: model no.: fan speed: 150w
thermal test* (°c)
85w
thermal test (°c)
noise level (dba)

Thermalright Ultra 120 17.8 10.6 53.7
3Rsystem Iceage 120 high 18.2 12.1 47.9
Apack Zerotherm BTF92 OC Ed high 19.0 11.2 53.6
Zalman CNPS9700 LED high 19.0 10.4

56.5

Scythe Infinity SCINF-1000 19.4 10.7 37.8
Tuniq Tower 120 high 19.6 12.2 51.6
Thermalright Ultra-90 high 19.6 13.0 56.2
Enzotech Ultra-X high 20.0 8.5 59.1
Noctua NH-U12P high

21.3

13.4 40.7
Apack Zerotherm BTF90 21.8 12.7 52.1
Xigmatek HDT-S963 high 21.9 13.7 50.2
Akasa AK-965 high 22.2 13.8 48.1
Apack Zerotherm BTF80 22.8 13.9 51.9
Cooljag Falcon 92-AL high 23.2 14.2 52.1
Rosewill RCX-Z3 high 23.3 14.0 58.6
Noctua NH-U12P (black speed reducer) low 23.4 14.8 34.6
Coolink Silentator high 23.5 16.4 41.2
Scythe Mine Rev. B 23.6 15.0 36.8
Cooljag Falcon 92-Cu high 23.6 14.8 52.8
Akasa AK-920 high 24.3 14.1 52.9
Asus Arctic Square high 24.9 14.9 44.9
Noctua NH-U12P (blue speed reducer) low 25.3 14.9 32.1
Akasa AK-922 (EVObue) high 25.5 15.4 60.3
Coolermaster Aquagate Mini R80 high 25.7 16.2 59.2
Auras SLC-747 high 27.9 25.7 52.2
Scythe Andy Samuri Master SCASM-1000 28.4 15.1 38.4
Thermalfly F1-IACSHA high 29.0 18.3 60.4
nPowertek TTIC NPH1000 29.3 16.8 47.5
Thermalfly I75DUB high 29.5

16.8

68.5
Zalman CNPS9500 AT 29.6 17.3 53.3
Alpha Novatech PRE9060M92P high 29.9 18.5 51.5
Scythe Kama Cross 30.0 18.8 40.0
Akasa AK-961 30.0 18.7

60.7

Rosewill RCX-Z2-EX high 30.1 18.7 45.9
nPowertek NPH-775-1 30.1 18.8 50.1
Sunon Waturbo 30.6 18.3 57.5
Apack CF800 high 31.4 20.7 48.4
Thermaltake Jungle512 high 31.6 20.4 60.8
Coolage Frozen Orb F0-Z924AL high 32.0 19.9 48.9
Xigmatek AIO-S80DP high 32.4 21.4 55.0
Scythe Katana II 32.5 18.6 37.9
Rosewill RCX-Z2

32.6

19.3 59.9
Zalman CNPS7700-Cu high 32.9 19.7 50.7
Apack CF900 high 32.9 20.3 48.3
Evercool PT02-9232CP 33.3 19.9 63.3
Zalman CNPS7700-Cu LED high 33.5 20.6 49.8
Intel Stock Pentium D high 33.8 20.7 47.5
nPowerTek SF775-2 high 34.7 21.1 64.6
Akasa AK-960E 36.1 21.4 56.3
Zalman CNPS7500-Cu LED high 36.4 22.9 50.9
Thermalfly I75DUH 37.8 22.8 48.7
Akasa AK-975CU high 38.4 23.0 47.7
Cooljag OAK-H high 38.5 22.9 55.7
Cooljag OAK-H2 high 38.6 24.1 55.6
LS Cable SHS-T700 38.7 22.8 48.5
Intel Stock Core 2 Duo 49.2 29.0 36.7
Glacialtech Igloo 5062 Cu Light 50.6 29.7 45.2
Glacialtech Igloo 5057 E 58.5 36.1 53.4
Spire Fourier IV SP607B3-C 63.6 18.7 60.2
Cooljag OAK-H low 95.3 54.5 29.5
150w
thermal test (°c)
85w
thermal test (°c)
noise level (dba)
*heatsinks are ranked according to the 150w thermal test results column (rise over ambient temp.). low temperatures with low noise levels are considered best. for reference heatsinks with variable-speed fans, only the high speed (12v) fan test result is included in the comparison sheet; more detailed results reside in each specific heatsink review.

intel processors vary in power output between single and multi-core models, so frostytech tests heatsinks with two thermal loads that represent the upper limit of each cpu family, 150w and 85w. with a 150w heat load applied by the intel lga775 version of frostytech's synthetic thermal test platform, the Noctua NH-U12P heatsink maintains a temperature of 21.3°C over ambient, with 40.7dBA noise. Noctua's NH-U12P heatsink was then tested with a 85W heat load, resulting in a low 13.4°C rise over ambient temperature.

The black fan speed reducer is up first, and as we already know it keeps noise to about 34.6dBA. At this fan speed on the 150W synthetic test platform, the Noctua NH-U12P heatsink held steady at 23.4°C over ambient. Next was the 85W head load test, where temperatures stayed at 14.8°C over ambient. For the blue fan speed reducer, the 150W and 85W tests saw temperature rise to 25.3°C and 14.9°C respectively. Noise levels remained constant at 32.1dBA.

These results reaffirm Noctua's position as a maker of great low noise heatsinks for Intel and AMD processors.

The Noctua NH-U12P heatsink in particular, with its NF-P12 fan, runs very quiet at full speed and maintains temperatures that keep it in with the top 10 AMD & Intel heatsinks.

Noctua's NH-U12P is certainly a big heatsink, and that will keep it out of a lot of compact PC chassis which could otherwise use a good quiet heatsink. That's the nature of the beast I suppose. From what we've seen here, it is possible to drastically reduce the noise output with the two supplied fan speed reducers. However, I'd stick to the black one if you find 40dBA to loud; it gives the best reduction in noise with the least impact to cooling capacity on either AMD or Intel platforms. The blue speed reducer will make things quieter, but temperatures rose by an average of 4-5°C as a result. In any case, Noctua have produced a very nice low noise heatsink here. Recommended.

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 Previous Page ° Heat Sink Review Index  

Table of Contents:

 1:  Noctua NH-U12P Low Noise Heatsink Review
 2:  360° View - Noctua NH-U12P Heatsink
 3:  Acoustic Comparisons and Base Surface Quality
 4:  AMD K8 Heatsink Temperature Comparisons
 5: — Intel LGA775 Final Heatsink Temperature Comparisons

List all Noctua heat sinks that Frostytech tested?

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