After identifying my CPU cooler (stock AMD FX-8350) as the main cause of noise pollution in my case, it was time to do something about it!
At first I didn't want to go through the "hassle" of taking too many things apart (case, remove motherboard tray, undo cables that might be in the way, cleaning CPU of old thermal paste, installing new heatsink and fan, etc.), but I knew I had to quiet that fan noise! For those that don't know, the stock cooler works but the fan is relatively smaller (70mm) and spins up all the time! Opening Chrome? Rachet up that fan speed! Launching Steam (not even playing a game yet)? Crank it up! Now I've had some loud fans/rigs before, but this was annoying when trying to get work done or play games without headphones.
Noctua has consistently good reviews as a "premium" PC cooling company and after verifying on their site that this cooler would work (besides just the specs, could it dissipate the heat from this 125w CPU) - and it would with both fans - I got it.
It's large, but not as large as some other premium air cooling solutions and it was a new brand for me, so I was very curious about it.
Upon arrival, the large box had me apprehensive since I thought perhaps it was bigger than I thought and too big for my ThermalTake VL80001W2Z case. Actually, it was just very well packaged with good cardboard buffering all around (which was fortunate since USPS crushed a corner) and all the "extras" in separate bags/boxes. This thing is loaded! It comes with Intel/AMD hardware, a Y-cable (for using both fans with one mobo header), low noise adapters, thermal paste, fasteners, etc.! The instructions came in a nice folder with Intel in one pocket and AMD in another.
Luckily the AMD install was a breeze and uses minimal hardware. The Intel bag was full of stuff so I'm glad I didn't have to use that!
The install consists of:
-Opening case
-Removing stock CPU cooler
-Removing stock CPU cooler bracket (keep the backing plate as it's reused)
-Attach support arms onto old CPU bracket backing plate
-Clean off old thermal paste
-Add new thermal paste
-Install Noctua cooler with just one fan (so you can screw it into the new brackets via their included long screwdriver)
-Optional (but not for 125w CPUs) - add additional fan on top
-Plug into fan header(s)
-FYI, stock configuration is to blow cool air down into the CPU, so take note depending on your other fan/cooling setups
Upon powering up, I immediately hopped into the BIOS to confirm the fans were spinning because it was so quiet! Surely enough it was and I booted into Windows 10 and fired up Speccy. Immediately temps were down in the high teens C! That's nuts since I was idling previously in the high 20s C! For a brief moment I even saw 14 C. I was grinning from ear to ear!
To give this thing a workout, I fired up Steam and a nice FPS-style game (one that would have my old CPU fan going like a hairdryer constantly) and not only did I NOT hear the fan at full speed (though confirmed it was faster via Speccy), the temps were cooler! After playing for an hour, temps were in the high 50s C which again, is 10+ degrees cooler than before!
Great great product that comes with all the extras you'd need to install it and it performs flawlessly. I'll definitely be looking into more of these in the future. It's priced as a premium product, performs like one, and is packaged like one.
UPDATE - 8/20/2015 - using a physical fan speed controller, I set the 120mm fan to go 100% while playing games and that's locking the temps at < 46 C! Impressive to say the least especially since the fan is still barely audible from about 2 feet away. Leaving the 120mm fan running while idling around in Windows 10 nets some 11/12 C readings!
| Brand | Noctua |
|---|---|
| Item model number | NH-L12 |
| Item Weight | 1 pounds |
| Product Dimensions | 5.9 x 2.6 x 5.04 inches |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 5.9 x 2.6 x 5.04 inches |
| Voltage | 12 Volts |
| Department | cooling cpu |
| Manufacturer | Axpertec, Inc. |
| ASIN | B007C861WO |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Date First Available | February 22, 2012 |
