We recently examined the Noctua NH-U12P and found it to be a very capable tower-styled cooler, posting some great results in an extremely quiet setup. Today we're testing its Noctua sibling, the NH-C12P, which offers a top-down design, with the same famous Noctua silent fan but a slimmer profile for those who may have a more cramped mid-tower case. We'll be installing the C12P on a Socket 1366 Core i7 processor to give a direct comparison between the cooling abilities of tower versus top-down. We'll also toss in a handful of other top coolers to see how the C12P performs. We have no doubts about Noctua's renowned reputation for silent computing products, so all that remains is to see if the C12P can keep an overclocked Core i7 monster under control.

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."