Noctua Shows off a Super-Compact Low-profile Socket AM4 CPU Cooler

[btarunr]

In addition to its socket TR3/SP3 Threadripper-ready CPU cooler prototypes, Noctua showed off this prototype of a super compact socket AM4 CPU cooler, the NH-L9. Ideal for SFF builds, the cooler sits just 37 mm tall, and features a dense aluminium fin-stack which propagates along the plane of the motherboard, to which heat drawn from the base is fed by nickel-plated copper heat pipes. The heatsink is ventilated by an included NF-A9x14 PWM 92 mm fan.



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[xkm1948]

Now we just need the perfect RyZen ITX board.

 

[Deleted member 172152]

How well does it cool though? Would give me quite a few more mini-itx case options.

 

[Dethroy]

Hah, perfect. This will probably end up in my already ordered/backed DAN Cases A4-SFX v2.

Even though I initially bought a Cryorig C7 for said case, lots of people have reported turbulence with said combo, hence leading to increased noise output. Replacing the C7's stock fan with Noctua's NF-A9x14 is supposedly (at least partly) solving the problem without sacrificing cooling performance. Interesting fact: the NF-A9x14 that ships with the NF-L9i goes up to 2.500 rpm, whereas the NF-A9x14 that is sold seperately is only rated for up to 2.200 rpm.

Thanks to its lower height, Noctua's NH-L9i doesn't have said problem, but also doesn't cool as well as the C7. I expect this NH-L9 to be identical to the NH-L9i (i probably standing for intel), apart from supporting the AM4 socket. I'll probably end up buying this cooler, comparing the C7 vs the NU-L9 vs the C7 with the NH-L9's NF-A9x14 fan.