With the advent of Intel's Core i7 processors, several changes have been ushered in technology and hardware components, not the least of which is a new socket, meaning your current Socket 775 cooler won't do the job anymore here. There are several companies now issuing Socket 1366 brackets that will allow current coolers to be used on the new i7 chips, but with a 40% larger surface area on the new chips, these behemoths output an enormous amount of heat, and as we've seen lately with some of our testing on Core i7 coolers they 're not all up to task.
Today we're testing the Noctua NH-U12P SE1366, the Core i7-specific cooler that stems from its predecessor that achieved somewhat a celebrity status as a cooler that offered excellent cooling in a whisper-quiet setup. Truth be told, we're huge fans of Noctua's........fans........and are well aware of their near-legendary status in silent-build circles of enthusiasts; in fact, we regularly use them in our test setups.
We have no doubt the Noctua 1366 cooler will walk softly, in a manner of speaking, so the real question remains whether it also carries a big stick. Let's dive in and find out.
Our thanks go to our friends at Noctua for supplying the review sample.
"Noctua arises from a cooperation between the Austrian Rascom Computer distribution Ges.m.b.H and the Taiwanese Kolink International Corporation and entertains a development partnership with the Austrian Institute of Heat Transmission and Fan Technology (Österreichisches Institut für Wärmeübertragung und Ventilatorentechnik, ÖIWV). These connections form the key to the achievement of our goal: The partnership with the ÖIWV permits the application of scientific measurement instrumentation, methods of calculation and simulation technology in the R&D process. Rascom's long, customer-oriented experience in developing and distributing sound-optimised high-end products ensures a clear focus on the users' needs. The use of Kolink's advanced manufacturing technology and ultra-modern production plants allows us to efficiently implement our technical edge and provide solutions of the highest standard in quality and performance."
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