Testing
The following system was used to test the cooler:
– Processor: Intel i9 9900K @ 4.9GHz
– Motherboard: ASRock Z390 Phantom Gaming X
– RAM: Ballistix Tactical Tracer 16GB DDR4 @ 2666MHz
– GPU: MSI GeForce RTX 2070 Super Gaming X Trio
– SSD: Crucial MX500
– HDD: WD 1 TB Blue
– PSU: Seasonic Snow Silent 750W Platinum
– Case: Phanteks Enthoo Luxe White
– Thermal compound: Noctua NT-H2
Software used for testing the cooler:
– AIDA64 Extreme Version: 6.20.5300
– Intel Burn Test v2.54
– Prime95 29.1
The cooler was tested with the CPU at the stock Max Boost Clock frequency of around 4.9GHz. The RAM memory was used at its default frequency of 2666MHz. The included fan(s) have been used at their maximum speed.
The room temperature was approximately 26°C (78°F), with 2°C margin of error.
The idle test consists of the CPU sitting idle at the desktop for 30 minutes, the temperature was measured at the end of the test.
The settings of the software used are the following:
Intel Burn Test v2.54 – Stress level: Maximum
Prime95 29.1- small FFT
AIDA64 Extreme Version – FPU Benchmark & Temperature monitoring.
Each test was conducted for 40 minutes.
Idle
Full Load – IntelBurnTestV2
Full Load – AIDA64 CPU, FPU & Cache
The noise level was measured at three different distances from the fans (10cm, 20cm, 30cm.) the noise was measured with a margin of error of ± 2 db.
Thanks to its small size, the NH-L9i chromax.black offers great compatibility in terms of memory and PCIe expansion slots. The VRM heatsinks also have plenty of room available.
Final thoughts
The Noctua NH-L9i chromax.black is a good CPU cooler that is ideal for a low TDP CPU and a small form factor motherboard. The mounting system is one of the simplest available on the market, as it includes only two brackets and four screws.
The new chromax.black design makes the cooler easy to match with any system and configuration. The implementation of this new color scheme was done in such a way to not affect the cooling performance.
The compatibility for memory and PCIe slots is very good, thanks to the reduced foot print of the heatsink and the 92mm fan.
The cooling performance is good when considering the size of the heatsink and the number of heatpipes used. While the NH-L9i chromax.black was able to cool an Intel i9 9900K CPU, it is not recommended. Noctua recommends CPUs that have a TDP that is below 65W.
In conclusion, the Noctua NH-L9i chromax.black is a good choice for an ITX gaming system, thanks to its small footprint and good cooling. The new chromax.black color scheme enhances the design of the cooler while making it easier to match with the rest of the system.
