Noctua NH-U12A chromax.Black, 120mm Single-Tower CPU Cooler (Black)

This review is for Noctua NH-U12A chromax.Black, 120mm Single-Tower CPU Cooler (Black).When I finished putting my new build together, the wraith prism ended up being insufficient for the amount of heat the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X creates. I was seeing temperatures of around 83c to 87c (181.4F to 188.6F) whenever I turned on any game. Turn on a web browser and it would go up to around 76c (168.8F) in a room that's around 21c (69.8F) typically. At the time that I am writing this, I have BDO (Black Desert Online) running in the background, multiple browser tabs and Discord running - my CPU temperature is sitting around 68c to 74c (154.4F to 165.2F). That is a major difference in temperature from the Wraith Prism, especially since these newer CPUs are generally known to run hot. In terms of my case fan setup, I have three in front for intake, one at the back and two at the top for exhaust.I know the aesthetic might not be the best looking for everyone since some people absolutely love fan halos - I assume you might be able to buy fan halos to put on it and fix that issue, however - my RAM has RGB lighting which projects nicely on the intake fan so it creates this kind of very light, pastel look to it. If you go for the classic brown Noctua, there are some incredibly clean and aesthetically pleasing builds I've seen using them that I would advise looking up if your worry isn't only functionality but aesthetic.In terms of noise level - I have very sensitive ears and I don't hear anything from it - the fan noise I do hear is from my case fans instead, which aren't Noctua brand, they're some rather generic fans that came with this case.In terms of installation - it was incredibly smooth. I went with U12A because of the amount of clearance my computer has for the tower and my intake fan had to be lifted a little due to where the RAM sits which is perfectly fine to do. The fans have little clips that just clip onto and hug the radiator so they are extremely easy to adjust if needed.My advice for anyone considering a Noctua brand air cooler:• Know the TDP of your CPU, it might be overkill for something with 65W for example but if you are looking to upgrade your CPU its a really good deal. How you use your computer is also a contributing factor to the amount of heat output - so do your research depending on how intense or complex the work you plan to do is, it could pull a lot more power and thus generate a lot more heat and maybe air cooling isn't enough to keep up with the heat output.• Consider things like the average temperature of the room you do or will have the computer in, your build layout, the case size, case air flow, and the type of case fans you are using and/or plan to use.• Compatibility & Clearance. You are able to check via Noctua's website if their coolers are compatible with your Motherboard, Case (not all cases are listed, but they have a formula to help you figure it out if need be), CPU, and RAM.• Make sure you triple check your information on clearance to make sure you buy the appropriate Noctua to suit your needs.To whoever buys a Noctua brand cooler, enjoy! They come with a 6 year warranty too - which makes it feel like a better and safer product to purchase considering most computer components will generally start to have issues between 3 to 5 years down the line, and in the case of just so happening to get a faulty unit. As a consumer I know how daunting it could be when you are in the market for computer components given the amount of choices we have - and when you see a product with x amount of awards and good reviews it really makes you think about if it really is good - especially considering certain companies just buy good reviews. I typically never leave reviews because I also am one of the consumers that prefers to do my own research instead of just trusting and hoping that the product reviews are indeed legitimate. However, I am thoroughly pleased with this product and hope by leaving a review I can help anyone who cares for informative reviews and is like me; Prefers air cooling and has gotten a CPU that for the first time just any cooler isn't good enough for gaming.This is my first Noctua brand CPU cooler, but the second one I've purchased. The first one I purchased was a NH-D15 for a family member's build, he however has a full tower, so he has a lot more clearance to work with than I do with my mid tower and it works like a charm for him as well. However, in his case he had swapped from an AIO that was dead/dying - so I'm sure he would have seen a difference in his temperatures regardless of what he got as long as it wasn't defective.

I've purchased prior versions of this heatsinks for earlier builds, as well as two of the newest models for my most recent builds, and these heatsinks are phenomenal. Quiet, efficient, easy to assemble, and if you have a glass panel to view the interior of your computer chassis, they look phenomenal as well.

So good I am gonna buy another for my other rig. Silent, cools impressively. I have had liquid cooled in pc's for years always have issues with the pump going out or the setup eventually leaking. This thing is as good if not better then the auto's I have used and quieter. I can't even hear it.

Just finished building a new PC. I use my computer for office work during the day and gaming in the evening. I went with a Ryzen 7800x3D and an MSI 4090 Slim. For cooling, I used this U12A with a combination of Noctua 120mm (exhaust) and 140mm (intake) case fans.This is my first time using Noctua parts and I am impressed! My wife commented that the hum of my monitor is now louder than my PC , and that is not an exaggeration. It is absolutely silent during anything less than gaming. And, even then, it's MUCH quieter than my old PC which used an AIO cooler.Temps are good, too. As I write this, my average CPU reading is 32.3c. The average while gaming is around 60-65c. (The CPU's thermal limit is 89c.)I looked into different Noctua coolers before deciding on the U12A. Here's why I chose this cooler:First, the D15 G2 is just too big/overkill for this Ryzen CPU, and would take up a lot of space in my case unnecessarily. I considered the D15S, thinking I could use it down the line with other processors that might need more cooling. But Noctua is scheduled to release a new, updated D15S G2 in 1-2 years, so the current version wouldn't be as "future proof" as I originally thought. I almost settled on using the smaller U12S. However, after researching the U12A, I realized that with only one fan it would be more than enough for my needs.This cooler comes with two Noctua A12x25 chromax fans, which are identical to the case fans they sell. Only using one to push air through the fins, instead of the stock push/pull configuration, means I had an extra fan for my case. Considering the MSRP of that fan at the time of this review, that saved me $39.99 and made the U12A a no-brainer. It's the cheapest option, considering that savings; it's more than enough for my current CPU, so I could use it with more power hungry ones in the future; and it isn't too big, so I have plenty of room in my case. Overall, I'm very happy with this choice.If you're using a glass case, I'd recommend checking out the optional covers (Noctua part NA-HC7 or NA-HC8). It just clips on and makes the cooler look better, in my opinion. But that's purely for aesthetics.

I've had this for nearly two years. Really quiet, compact, and super effective. It's kept my PC cool even on the hottest, most humid of days. I like the understated black design. Modern and sleek with fast fans. Never had a single issue with this. Going forward in any build, I'd give this first consideration over any of their competitors.

The best way to keep your CPU cool!