Noctua NH-U9S chromax.Black, 92mm Single-Tower CPU Cooler (Black)

I ordered a Dell XPS 8940 from Costco, and it came with a crappy stock pancake CPU cooler as a bonus. I chose this as a replacement after reading a few posts on the Dell forums. I bought m3x16 and m3x20 screws from the forums and used them to mount the brackets to the motherboard; from the top down, I had a 3mm washer, 4mm washer mounting bracket, and a spacer. The setup was simple, but before mounting the heatsink, make sure the fan is connected to the motherboard. The fan is also very simple to detach and reattach. br>br>However, I would advise buyers to double-check that your item is brand new. Originally, I was given a used one. It appeared that the box had been previously opened. The manuals were wrinkled and smeared with thermal paste when I opened the box, and the mounting hardware was jiggling around in there. Thermal paste smudges were also present on the heatsink, which was also missing the thermal paste tube. I had no problems getting a replacement. br>br>With YouTube and email open, idle CPU temps are around 30° C, and playing Planet Zoo for a few minutes saw temps rise to around 40°C to 43°C. In addition, I replaced the 80mm rear fan with a 92mm fan and added a 92mm intake fan.

Ainsley Turner

| Nov 30, 2021

It's also a dark color. I like that Noctua, a well-known brand for its quality, has begun producing coolers in black rather than the dreadful brown and beige. They're a little pricey, but you get what you pay for in most cases. br>br>I chose this cooler because it was the largest one I could fit into the case I was using (Rajintek Metis). It is cooling an 11600K and keeps the temperature of the CPU in the mid-80s, even when under load. It usually sits at a temperature of 32 degrees Fahrenheit when it is not in use. ish. It is significantly quieter than an Evo 212 and performs significantly better in terms of cooling. This should come as no surprise to anyone who reads reviews and performs performance tests on the various air coolers on the market. br>When overclocked, it does not keep the CPU cool. That wasn't surprising because I didn't expect it to. br>br>The single biggest flaw I've discovered with this cooler is its RAM compatibility. On Noctua's website, you can look up compatibility as well as a wealth of other information about each cooler and the CPU you intend to use with it. It claims to work with all types of RAM and motherboards. br>Now, in terms of RAM slot overhang, that's fine because it doesn't. However, unless you use very low profile RAM, the tops of the sticks will be higher than the bottom of the fan housing, which is an issue. Some of the Corsair Vengeance RGB sticks, for example, were tall enough to stand in front of the fan. I ended up using some XPG heat sinks with a "V" design on them, which matched the curve of the fan fairly well without obstructing it. br>I wouldn't expect the RAM being taller to cause a cooling issue, but I didn't test it because the ergonomic (look) of it bothered me. br>br>Installs quickly, with clear instructions. There is a wealth of information on the site about them and their capabilities, despite the fact that they do not use the "TDP" standard (as muddled as it is). There are more powerful (and obviously larger) coolers in their lineup, but if space (especially height) is an issue, this is a good fallback option. The only other comparable cooler I could find in a similar size was a BeQuiet, so I went with what I know works.

Tinsley McMahon

| Dec 20, 2021

I bought this for my Dell G5 gaming desktop (i7 9700) because it was overheating at 100 degrees (the G5s are notorious for overheating), and it now rarely goes above 75 degrees, hovering in the mid to upper 60s even during heavy gaming. I also replaced the rear fan (which is the only fan not connected to the CPU cooler) with a Noctua NF-100. My temperatures were significantly reduced by using the A9 92mm fan in conjunction with it. Because the G5 case is small, I needed a smaller cooler, and this was one of the smallest I could find. Mounting was a little difficult because there isn't enough room behind the motherboard for the mounting bracket to sit flat, so the motherboard is slightly bent now, but I'm not concerned. I may purchase headless screws in the future to eliminate the need for the bracket and allow the motherboard to sit flat, but for now, it works. Overall, a good cooler that I would recommend if you want to keep your temperatures down without having to buy a large cooler.

Khloe Schmidt

| Jul 19, 2021

This is what I installed on a new Ryzen 5600x in my new build, and I'm very pleased with it. I haven't put it through any stress tests yet, but it's a very quiet and attractive device. It's a well-made fan that works well in a mid-century modern setting. Especially the tower. It doesn't interfere with the rams in any way.

Adalee Davies

| Jul 21, 2021

The system may reach its thermal limit (96oC CPU) when under full load. After you've set up the NH-II, you'll want to make U9S: Only the low to mid-90s Celsius would be reached by the CPU. When the graphics card is taxed, it can run in the 70s and even low 80s. Overall, the temperature drops by 10 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit while the room becomes quieter. br>br>An important point to remember, as well as two issues: The NH- The installation of RAM is not prevented by U9S. However, RAM can obstruct the fan in some cases (as shown in the photos). Second, the standoff color was not mentioned in the installation guide for clarification or verification. I was able to confirm that the color notation was included in an online version of the guide. Finally, perhaps due to one of those unfortunate coincidences, I had trouble mounting the cooler after applying the paste, despite having done a successful test mount without it. The mounting method, on the other hand, may be unforgiving when trying to be precise (i. e. , with no twisting or shifting at all during placement and fastening). That applies to all coolers, I suppose. br>br>Specifications of the system: Asus ROG Strix B550, AMD Ryzen 5 5600X, 32GB Corsair Vengeance Pro RGB, AMD Ryzen 5 5600X I'm a gamerbr>pr>I'm a gamerbr>I'm a gamerb I understand that brown is Noctua's signature color, but it doesn't fit into any aesthetic. As a result, I concur with one of the other reviewers. It's great that Noctua went with black (i. e. , Chromax) versions are available.

Layla York

| Feb 16, 2021