As Intel's Core i7 "Sandy Bridge-E" processors in the LGA2011 package inch closer to their mid-November launch, there is already hectic activity among manufacturers of related components such as motherboards, memory, and coolers. By now, a large section of the industry has engineering samples to help design and test their components. OCWorkbench was witness to one such pre-release setup on which a Core i7 "Sandy Bridge-E" (unknown model, could even be quad-core for all we know), overclocked to 4.92 GHz with a "regular" air-cooler. The chip was idling at 45°C.

Sandy Bridge-E, as we know, can be effectively overclocked by increasing its base clock (BClk). On this particular setup, the BClk was set at 120 MHz, with a multiplier value of 41X, and core voltage of 1.51V. The memory used was DDR3-2400 MHz with CAS latency of 10T. This is particularly encouraging, not just to enthusiasts on a tight budget, but also the cooling products industry in general. Core i7 "Sandy Bridge-E" retail boxes don't contain a cooling solution, and Intel has been showing off its branded closed-loop water-cooling solution (to be purchased separately) as something that's "recommended" for Core i7 "Sandy Bridge-E". This gave many an impression that you need at least closed-loop water coolers for any hope of achieving decent overclocked speeds with these chips, and that perhaps these chips are bad overclockers in general. The likes of Xigmatek, Thermalright, Noctua, and Scythe can breathe a huge sigh of relief.

Noctua today announced its new NM-I2011 mounting kit for LGA2011. Continuing Noctua's tradition of supplying its customers with SecuFirm2 mountings free of charge, the NM-I2011 kit allows Noctua users to upgrade to Intel's upcoming LGA2011 socket for Core i7-3000 (Sandy Bridge-E) processors. The new mounting is backwards compatible with all Noctua retail coolers since 2005 and will be supplied to Noctua users free of charge after uploading a proof of purchase on the company's website.

"We feel that product quality and service quality should always go hand in hand, so we're determined to give the best possible support to our customers. Having provided free mounting upgrades for the last generations of Intel and AMD platforms, we're happy to announce that we will continue this tradition with the NM-I2011 kit for LGA2011", says Mag. Roland Mossig, Noctua CEO. "We always like to think of our coolers as safe long-term investments, and even if you bought one of our first models six years ago, you'll still be able to upgrade it to the latest socket technology free of charge."

Noctua is designing a new double fin-stack D-type CPU Cooler its prototype is on display at Computex. Its heatsink follows the same design principle as the NH-D14, and is roughly the same size, but with a few design optimizations. First, the two aluminum fin stacks aren't cuboidal. Towards the bottom, the fins are narrower, creating more room for components on the motherboard, next to the heatsink (such as memory modules and VRM heatsinks). The recessed lower fins create 60 mm of height clearance for memory modules. The density of the aluminum is also increased, with 50 fins, increasing surface area. The 120 mm NF-P12 from the original NH-D14 design are replaced by the company's new Focused Flow 120 mm fan.

After many distinctive heatsink designs, Noctua is making a return to the conventional single aluminum fin stack tower-type heatsink (U-type), the company showed off its prototype at Computex. The new heatsink uses a slim aluminum fin stack that adds to the clearance with the motherboard's memory area, but compensates for that with a taller fin stack, that can hold 140 mm fans, in this case, it's supplied with a NF-P14.

The design consists of 7 nickel-plated copper heat pipes passing through a base, that conveys heat to the aluminum fin stack. The heat pipes are spread apart as they pass through the fins, allowing uniform heat dissipation. Thanks to the slim heatsink design approach, Noctua assures 100% memory area clearance. Noctua will bundle one fan, but there's the provision for a second "pull" fan. Expect a value price on this one.

Noctua is one of the last bastions of high-performance top-flow design CPU coolers, but that doesn't come in the way of Noctua keeping top-flow alive, in fact the company is coming up with more ways to push the performance barrier, and compete with side-flow and closed-loop water cooling kits. Seen here is a new "downdraft" type CPU cooler prototype. The design involves large aluminum fin stacks that propagate along the plane of the motherboard, over the CPU socket and memory slot area. Don't worry, there's 70 mm of clearance with everything below, letting you install certain kinds of tall memory modules.

The heatsink, with its 25 mm thick fans installed isn't much higher than most high-end side-flow tower type heatsinks. The design involves a CPU base from which 7 nickel-plated copper heat pipes shoot up a height of 70 mm, before passing through the two fin stacks. The surface area of this heatsink is said to be 20% higher than that of the NH-D14. The heatsink is ventilated by two 120 mm Focused Flow fans, blowing air downwards. Everything else on the upper-half of the motherboard (such as VRM), gets cooled under the air-flow.

One of the most interesting CPU coolers in the show, this prototype from Noctua is a sort of an "inversion" of the NH-D14 design. While the NH-D14 has two aluminum fin stacks with room for three fans (intake for the first stack, exhaust for the second stack and one in between the two stacks), this prototype uses three stacks, with two 120 mm Focused Flow fans in between (or any 140 mm fan). So now you have an aluminum fin stack before the first 120/140 mm fan, which conveys air onto a large central stack, from which air is drawn by the second 120/140 mm fan, and onto the third stack which is the size of the first one.

Heat is conveyed to the three stacks by eight nickel-plated aluminum heat pipes that pass through the CPU base. The heat pipes that pass through the central portion of the base pass though the central stack, while those that pass though the peripheral portions pass through the peripheral (1,3) stacks. The relatively slim central stack coupled with the high peripheral stacks leave plenty of room for RAM and VRM heatsinks, by up to 70 mm, should be plenty for Corsair Dominator modules. Noctua claims that this heatsink has 20% higher surface area than NH-D14, more surface area is always better.

Noctua displayed a new low-profile, top-flow CPU cooler prototype, that's capable of low-profile mode with a height of just 66 mm, making it fit for certain slim form-factor ITX cases. The prototype uses a C-type top-flow heatsink, similar to the NH-C14, only much smaller, and thinner. It uses four heat-pipes to convey heat to a dense aluminum fin array. Unlike on the NH-C14, this prototype uses a dual-fan design in which the bottom fan is smaller. While the top-fan is a 120 mm Focused Airflow, while the bottom fan is a 92 mm NF-B9. The cooler can be run in dual-fan mode with both fans installed (cooler height will be 91 mm), or single-fan low-profile mode with the top fan removed (cooler height of 66 mm). A "high-clearance mode" with the bottom fan removed also looks possible.

Weren't we all both surprised and touched that Noctua gave away free mounting kit upgrades to all owners of compatible Noctua coolers, when the industry was waking up to LGA1366 from LGA775? Noctua plans a similar move, giving away LGA2011 mounting kits to owners of Noctua coolers (any cooler released after 2005). The company showed off its LGA2011 mounting kit prototype at Computex. The kit builds on the SecuFirm 2 design, and lets you install Noctua heatsinks on socket LGA2011 motherboards that seat Sandy Bridge-E processors. Any user of a Noctua CPU heatsink released after 2005 with a proof of purchase will get the kit free of charge. Even otherwise, the kit will be sold at a nominal price, like it did with the LGA1366 mounting kit.

Noctua displayed its new innovation in fan design, called Focused Flow. One of the first fans that use this design come in 120 mm size. Its design goal is to channel (or "focus") air flow towards the center of the fan, making it ideal for use with heatsinks and radiators. The biggest design change here is the stator guide vanes, that are a set of structures permanently fixed between the frame and the center. There are a number of innovations that improve air flow and reduce noise. Notable features are micro-structures on the inner-walls of the frame that dampens the whipping noise made by rotating fan-blades, and integrated vibration dampening material at the edges. The new Focused Flow 120 fan will be used by Noctua on all its upcoming CPU coolers.

Noctua today updated its DO line of CPU coolers for AMD Opteron based servers and workstations. The new NH-U12DO A3 and NH-U9DO A3 coolers come with two of Noctua's renowned premium quality fans, achieve further improved quiet cooling performance and support AMD's socket G34 platform.

"Our DX and DO line of coolers for Intel Xeon and AMD Opteron have made a name for themselves in the professional server and workstation market, but recently, many of our industry clients have requested support for the latest G34 based Opteron CPUs", explains Mag. Roland Mossig, Noctua CEO. "The new A3 models now allow us to satisfy this demand and we're confident that many G34 builders will be relieved to hear that there's finally a quiet cooling solution for this platform."

Noctua today announced that owners of older Noctua CPU coolers who wish to upgrade to the upcoming LGA1155 socket will be able to obtain the appropriate NM-I3 SecuFirm2 mounting kit free of charge. Recent models such as the NH-C14, NH-D14 or NH-U12P SE2 already include the NM-I3 mounting kit and are fully compatible with LGA1155 out of the box.

"We're determined to provide the best possible support to our customers and we've sent many thousands of NM-I3 mounting kits free of charge to users who wanted to upgrade to LGA1156", says Mag. Roland Mossig, Noctua CEO. "With Sandy Bridge just around the corner, we're pleased to announce that we'll extend this offer for LGA1155 users. Everyone owning an older Noctua heatsink that doesn't support LGA 115x out of the box will be able to upgrade to the new socket free of charge!"

Noctua today officially introduced its new NH-C14 CPU cooler. Sporting an exquisite, uniquely flexible 140mm dual fan setup of two Noctua NF-P14, the NH-C14 is a highly customisable, premium-class top-flow solution that further boosts the renowned quiet cooling performance of the company's much acclaimed NH-C12 series.

"Our NH-C12 coolers are renowned to rank among the most capable top-flow cooling solutions on the market, so we're truly proud to offer a further substantial improvement in quiet cooling performance with the new NH-C14", says Mag. Roland Mossig, Noctua CEO. "This model really closes the gap to good tower coolers while being much lower in height and ensuring better component cooling."

Last week's Computex Taipei trade show saw the first public showing of several upcoming Noctua products and prototypes such as an upgrade to the C-series of down-draft CPU coolers, possible additions to the U and D-series as well as a new low profile heatsink. Giving an exclusive insight into our current projects, we've gathered excellent feedback from our sales partners, visitors and members of the international press.

First off, we've been exhibiting four tower-style prototypes following in the footsteps of our current U and D line of CPU coolers. The two D-style heatsinks pick up the dual-radiator design of our award-winning NH-D14 and adopt it to 120mm and 92mm size. Due to the asymmetric construction of the 120mm prototype, the heatsink doesn't overhang the RAM slots on LGA1156 and thus allows for improved compatibility with tall memory heatspreaders. Measuring 95mm by 95mm, the prototype with 92mm fan is the same size as the LGA1156 socket square and hence allows for optimal compatibility with high profile RAM or chipset heatsinks too.

Noctua today announced the availability of the new NM-A90 Upgrade-Kit for NH-U12P SE2 and NH-U9B SE2 users. The upgrade makes it possible to install the heatsink turned by 90° on AMD motherboards. NH-U12P SE2 and NH-U9B SE2 users can order the NM-A90 kit free of charge on Noctua's website.

"We've received excellent customer feedback on our new SE2 coolers", says Mag. Roland Mossig, Noctua CEO, "but some AMD users expressed the wish to have the possibility to change the alignment of the coolers on AMD motherboards. We've always been convinced that premium quality products and premium quality service should go hand in hand, so we're responding to this demand by offering the new NM-A90 kit as a free upgrade."

Noctua today officially introduced its new NH-C12P SE14 premium cooler. Building on the proven basis of the successful NH-C12P, the NH-C12P SE14 now comes with Noctua's new, already award winning NF-P14 140mm fan for further improved quiet cooling performance and adds support for LGA1156 as well as LGA1366 via the latest SecuFirm2 multi-socket mounting system.

"Ever since its introduction last year, our NH-C12P has been a very popular choice among customers who seek excellent cooling performance close to our signature NH-U12P series at much lower height", says Mag. Roland Mossig, Noctua CEO. "More than 100 awards and recommendations from the international press are a testimony to the NH-C12P's broad appeal, so we've decided to issue a special edition that adds compatibility with the latest Intel sockets and further improves the coolers renowned cooling efficiency by using our new NF-P14 fan."

Noctua today announced a new special edition of its popular NH-U9B premium cooler, which is renowned for providing excellent quiet cooling performance in a compact package that lends itself to use in HTPCs or smaller cases. The new NH-U9B SE2 now comes with two of Noctua's award-winning NF-B9 92mm fans and adds support for LGA1156 as well as LGA1366 via the latest SecuFirm2 multi-socket mounting system.

"Many customers who are looking for a premium quality quiet cooler but can't accommodate our larger models are choosing our NH-U9B, which offers performance levels close to its bigger brothers while being much more compact", explains Mag. Roland Mossig, Noctua CEO "Given the ongoing popularity of the NH-U9B, we've decided to create a special edition that comes with a second NF-B9 fan and provides support for the latest CPUs."

Noctua today officially presented its long-awaited NH-D14 premium CPU cooler. Combining a massive six heatpipe dual radiator design with an exquisite NF-P14/NF-P12 dual fan configuration, the NH-D14 is built to further improve the renowned quiet cooling performance of Noctua's award-winning NH-U12P series.

"Our NH-U12P coolers are widely regarded as one of the best solutions on the market, so it makes us especially proud that we can offer a further substantial improvement in quiet cooling performance with the new NH-D14", explains Mag. Roland Mossig, Noctua CEO. "The NH-D14 in Ultra-Low-Noise mode actually outperforms the NH-U12P at full fan speed, so we're confident that this cooler will appeal to overclockers and silent enthusiasts alike."

Expanding its line-up of premium quality quiet fans, Noctua today introduced its first 140mm model. Following in the footsteps of the successful NF-P12, the new NF-P14 FLX employs a nine blade impeller with Vortex-Control Notches in order to achieve superb quietness and outstanding aerodynamic efficiency. Other features include metal reinforcements for ultimate manufacturing precision as well as Noctua's premium grade SSO-Bearing and SCD2 technology.

"As more and more cases and coolers support 140mm fans, we've been receiving an increased amount of customer requests for a premium grade quiet fan in this size", explains Mag. Roland Mossig, Noctua CEO. "After more than 18 months of development and optimisation, we're proud to respond to this demand with the new NF-P14 FLX. Supporting both 120mm and 140mm mounting, the NF-P14 FLX will not only satisfy those looking for a reference class 140mm fan but also forms an ideal upgrade for 120mm case and CPU fans."

Intel's socket LGA-1156 quad-core processors are closely trailed by the company's first processors based on the 32 nm manufacturing process: Core i5 and Core i3 "Clarkdale" dual-core processors. Engineering samples of these processors were evaluated as early as Q2 2009, but one of the first attempts to show the processors' overclocking potential using air-cooling was made very recently. Even prior to that, a low-voltage overclocking feat by Coolaler showed how engineering samples didn't particularly struggle reaching clock speeds close to 4.00 GHz with vCore as low as 0.832V. Romanian tech community Lab501. Lab501 community leader "Monstru" tested the overclocking headroom of a Core i5 650 LGA-1156 dual-core processor (engineering sample) with air-cooling.

The test-bed included a Gigabyte P55 motherboard, the Core i5 650 processor was cooled by a Noctua NH-U12P, onto which a Coolink SWIF 2 120P fan was strapped. A clock speed of 4.70 GHz (25 x 188 MHz) was achieved (nearly 50% over the stock clock speed of 3.20 GHz). A core voltage of 1.424V was used. A point here to note however, is that the retail Core i5 650 will come with an upwards-locked bus frequency multiplier of 24 (24 x 133 MHz = 3.20 GHz). The processor at 4.70 GHz, was Prime95-stable for over 30 minutes. With an ambient temperature of 24 °C, the two cores heated up to 77 and 68 °C, not to forget that the processor was being air-cooled. Although with the use of an engineering sample (since the retail launch of this processor is tentatively three months away), the scope for inference of this feat is limited, it gives you a coarse indication that Intel is keeping the trend of ferociously fast dual-core processors alive. High(er) overclocking headroom on air-cooling is the fruition of the 32 nm process. Slated for Q1 2010, the siblings (and cousins) of the Core i5 650 include Core i5 660/661 (3.33 GHz, HTT), Core i5 670 (3.46 GHz, HTT), Core i3 540 (3.06 GHz, no HTT), Core i3 530 (2.93 GHz, no HTT), and Pentium G6950 (2.80 GHz, no HTT). Details of the series can be found here.

Noctua today presented the latest version of its successful NH-U12P series of premium quality quiet CPU coolers. The new NH-U12P SE2 now supports Intel's upcoming LGA1156 based Core i5 and Core i7 "Lynnfield" CPUs while maintaining compatibility with LGA1366, LGA775 and AM3 processors. Like the SE1366 version, the NH-U12P SE2 offers a premium value package with Noctua NT-H1 thermal compound and two NF-P12 120mm fans.

"Users loved our LGA1366 special edition of the NH-U12P cooler, but many asked whether they could get the same premium package with dual fans for other sockets as well", explains Mag. Roland Mossig, Noctua CEO. "We thought that the impending launch of Intel's new Lynnfield CPUs would be a great opportunity to come up with a new special edition that not only supports the new socket but also offers the multi-socket compatibility of the original NH-U12P, so the NH-U12P SE2 was born."

Noctua today announced the impending availability of its new NM-I3 SecuFirm2 mounting kit that adds support for Intel's upcoming LGA-1156 based Core i5 and Core i7 "Lynnfield" CPUs. Compatible with all Noctua CPU coolers since 2005, the new SecuFirm2 kit will be supplied to Noctua users free of charge after uploading a proof of purchase on Noctua's website.

"Back in 2006 when AMD introduced the AM2 socket, we started providing free mounting kits because we think that product and service quality should always go hand in hand", explains Mag. Roland Mossig, Noctua CEO. "We've continued this tradition when Intel presented LGA1366 and we'll stick to our policy for LGA-1156 as well. We always like to think of our coolers as safe long-term investments, and even if you bought one of our first models four years ago, you'll still be able to upgrade it to the latest socket technology free of charge."

Noctua today presented two new additions to its DX series of quiet Intel Xeon CPU coolers: Now compatible with Intel's latest LGA1366 based Xeon 5500 (Nehalem EP) processors, the new NH-U12DX 1366 and NH-U9DX 1366 are true drop-in replacements for standard Intel coolers and make it easier than ever before to significantly reduce the noise emission of high-end workstations and severs.

We stopped by the Noctua and Coolink booth as well and they had a few little surprises in store for us. The austrian firm is showing off their 140 and 120 mm PWM fans for the first time. They mentioned quite some time ago, that such a unit is in planning and behold the sight of the new unit. It comes with the same mounting holes as a 120 mm unit, due to the round frame. The cooler is optimized for air pressure and the use for CPU coolers. Using this unit, Noctua will be offering the C12P as well as their newest addition - the NH-D14 with the 140 mm fan. Noctua will also be offering an upgrade kit for those who wish to replace their current 120 mm fans with the newest unit.

Noctua today introduced the new NF-S12B 120mm premium fan. Succeeding the vastly successful NF-S12, the NF-S12B is a next generation quiet fan featuring Noctua's advanced SCD2 technology as well as a highly optimised blade geometry with Bevelled Blade Tips that improves its award-winning predecessor's airflow efficiency by up to 10%.
"Our popular NF-S12 series is renowned for its excellent airflow/noise ratio, so further improving it was by no means an easy feat", explains Mag. Roland Mossig, Noctua CEO. "It took us quite a lot of time and effort, but we couldn't be happier with the result. The new NF-S12B doesn't only provide more airflow at the same noise level than the original NF-S12, it also produces higher static pressure."

Well guys, you may be wondering what is happening with DDR3 reviews at Techpowerup. Especially with that juicy Core i7 and Tri-Channel memory kits popping up at insane speeds all over the internet. Well: fear not! We will have you covered in the near future. Thanks to the guys at Foxconn and Noctua we now have the basis for some of those reviews you have come to (hopefully) love. The choice of a CPU has not yet been made, but expect to see a reviews based on this rig in the new year! And now time for some pictures of this crazy board: