Testing
The following system was used to test the cooler:
– Processor: Intel i9 9900K @ 5GHz
– Motherboard: ASRock Z390 Phantom Gaming X
– RAM: Neo Forza Faye DDR4 64GB 3600MHz
– GPU: MSI GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Suprim X
– SSD: Crucial p5 500GB
– Mass Storage: Neo Forza NFP075 2 TB
– PSU: Seasonic Prime TX-1000 Platinum
– Case: be quiet! Silent Base 802 White
– Thermal compound: Noctua NT-H2
Software used for testing the cooler:
– AIDA64 Extreme Version: 6.85.6300
– Intel Burn Test v2.54
– Prime95 29.1
The cooler was tested with the CPU at the default turbo frequency of 4.9 GHz and overclocked to 5 GHz with a core voltage of 1.261 V.
Also, the included fans 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 – IntelBurnTest V2
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.
In the video below you have a noise sample of the CPU cooler with its fan at maximum RPM.
The Noctua NH-D12L has an excellent clearance when we talk about the RAM slots of the motherboard. The heatsink does not even reach the RAM slots, let along interfere with them.
The PCIe clearance with this CPU cooler is ok for the most part. With only 26mm of space between the graphics card and the sides of the heatsink.
Final thoughts
The Noctua NH-D12L is an interesting CPU cooler. It’s made to be compatible with smaller systems and cases, yet it performs great and matches the performance of bigger CPU coolers. However, this CPU cooler is not cheap, at around 90 USD.
The biggest advantage of the NH-D12L is its reduced dimensions and performance with just one 120mm fan. With a triple fan setup, this CPU cooler will perform even better. Although, with three fans running at 2000RPM, the noise output will be high.
The performance with the included NF-A12x25r PWM is good, as this CPU cooler will match bigger coolers. With an overclocked i9 9900K CPU, the temperature maxed at 87°C. And that is good, especially with a small cooler such as this one.
In terms of the build quality, there’s nothing new to report. The NH-D12L is on the same level as the NH-D15 or the NH-U12A. Smooth edges on the heatsink and an even surface on the baseplate. The only think quality wise, that needs to be improved is the top heatsaink. Mainly the heatpipe endings which are not symmetrical.
The installation procedure couldn’t be simpler, as this cooler uses the Noctua SecuFirm2 multi-socket mounting system. All pieces are well made and most of this system is made from metal.
The noise output is decent, with a maximum noise output of 41 decibels, with the measuring device placed at the standard distance of 10 centimeters form the CPU cooler and the system.
The Noctua NH-D12L looks great so far. All these being said, this cooler is not cheap, with a price of 90 USD, it’s a hard sell for many people. Especially since many potential customers do not want the beige and tan color combination and many of them want full addressable RGB LEDs. ind you, these shortcomings do not take away from the fact that the NH-D12L is one of the best CPU coolers right now, that has a height of under 145mm.
In conclusion, the Noctua NH-D12L is a great choice for a small form factor system that uses a higher-than-average TDP CPU. If you want to use this CPU cooler inside a larger system, you can, but you are wasting your money, as you can just buy a cheaper CPU cooler that will perform just as well but will be larger and noisier. The biggest drawback of this cooler is the price, which is not competitive.
