Noctua NH-D9L and NH-U9S CPU Cooler Review

Posted February 26, 2015 by Kenny in Cooling

Overview

Hardware: Cooling

Manufacturer: Noctua

Price at time of Review: NH-D9L $54.99 & NH-U9S $57.99 on Newegg.com

WHAT WE LIKED:

Aesthetically Pleasing, Small Compact Design, Excellent Build Quality

WHAT WE DISLIKED:

Lacks in Overclock Performance, Subjective Color Choice on the Fans

BOTTOM LINE:

We feel that both coolers performed good and are aesthetically pleasing, while they lack a little bit in the overclocking sector they were designed as smaller coolers so we aren't going to ding Noctua much on this end. In terms of pricing, we found the Noctua NH-D9L for $54.99 and the NH-U9S for $57.99, at this price point we feel that Noctua is a bit on the high side. However, looking at its build quality and fit and feel, Noctua products have always come with a bit of price tag.

by Kenny

Full Article

Introduction

Noctua… When we hear the name Noctua, the first thing that normally comes to mind is the color brown. We all recognize this color as Noctua’s trademark design for its fans. However, we also have come to know that Noctua holds a strong place in the CPU air cooling category. The popular NH-D14 and NH-D15 model CPU Coolers are some of the top performing units available, and hang in there even with some of today’s top performing all in one water cooling units.

But if you know anything about those monster heatsinks, they are massive in size and for anyone looking to fit them into smaller, more compact chassis, that is out of the question. It turns out that Noctua does offer a wide range of smaller coolers that can fit those needs, but you do sacrifice some performance due the smaller design.

Today, we are going to be look at a 2 new coolers by Noctua that are meant to replicate its popular D15 twin tower design and a new single tower platform. If we have learned anything from Noctua’s quality and performance, we can probably expect to see the same great results, but we are gonna put these to the test and find out. So with that said, we proudly introduce the Noctua NH-U9S and the NH-D9L CPU Air Coolers.

Before we move into the details of both coolers, let’s talk a little bit about who Noctua is:

“Noctua comes from a cooperation of the Austrian Rascom Computerdistribution Ges.m.b.H. with the Taiwanese cooling specialist Kolink International Corporation, pooling more than ten years of experience in the development, manufacturing and marketing of high-end cooling components. Established in 2005, Noctua took the international silent enthusiasts’ hearts by storm and quickly developed into one of the most acclaimed suppliers of premium quality quiet cooling products. Today, Noctua is present in more than 30 countries across the globe and working with several hundred sales partners. Chosen by noise conscious PC users, system integrators and industry clients alike, Noctua has become synonymous with impeccable quality, excellent customer service and class leading quiet cooling performance.”