Introduction

From the Noctua website:

Noctua comes from a cooperation of the Austrian Rascom Computerdistribution Ges.m.b.H. with the Taiwanese cooling specialist Kolink International Corporation, pooling more than ten years of experience in the development, manufacturing and marketing of high-end cooling components. Established in 2005, Noctua took the international silent enthusiasts' hearts by storm and quickly developed into one of the most acclaimed suppliers of premium quality quiet cooling products. Today, Noctua is present in more than 30 countries across the globe and working with several hundred sales partners. Chosen by noise conscious PC users, system integrators and industry clients alike, Noctua has become synonymous with impeccable quality, excellent customer service and class-leading quiet cooling performance.

Having forged their reputation on amazing performance, exceptional quality, and ultra-low noise levels, Noctua stands out as a premier manufacturer of PC-cooling products. Their can't-miss color scheme of tan and brown may not be to everyone's taste, but it does make them stand out. In fact, just about anyone who has ever built a PC can spot a Noctua product. That awareness paired with the knowledge that they offer some of the best warranty and after-sales support of any PC-cooling company has certainly garnered them a great deal of favor among enthusiasts. Well, that and their long-lived support.

In today's review, I will be looking at the Noctua NH-D15S. This new variation on their current high-end model offers a unique twist since its design features an asymmetrical layout that increases compatibility with a motherboard's expansion slots. This means the NH-D15S can work on certain mini-ITX and micro-ATX motherboards where their dual-fan sibling cannot. However, for further improved memory compatibility, the NH-D15S sheds one fan, so cooling performance is slightly reduced versus the NH-D15. Going forward, it will, as such, be interesting to see how the lack of a second fan affects performance.