Noctua NH-U12S redux, High Performance CPU Cooler with NF-P12 redux-1700 PWM 120mm fan (Grey)

I was looking around for an aftermarket CPU cooler at this price point and saw the recent video on Linus Tech Tips about this coming out - it was right in my price range so I didn't even need a second thought to buy! This fit perfectly in a Fractal Meshify C MicroATX case. Easy to install on an AM4 socket with pre-applied thermal paste, and it reduced CPU temps under a full stress-testing load from around 83 celsius to barely breaking 70 (Ryzen 5 3600, running at around 4.0-4.2GHz when boosted. From videos I've seen, this performace matches even the more expensive non-redux version. The fan is nearly silent on day-to-day gaming load, and with the right fan curve, barely even needs to go up to full power (where it will be as loud as any other CPU cooler in this price bracket, but will definitely shift some air!). Noctua are one of the most respected brands in computer cooling for very good reason - they are excellently made, have what is widely regarded as the best mounting system in the industry, and thier products deliver on performance. I have also heard thier customer support is excellent, not that I've needed it. Apparently, if you upgrade your motherboard later with a future socket that isn't supported, Noctua will send you the required hardware to mount for shipping costs only. If this is the amount you're looking to spend on a cooler, I really think there isn't a better option and I would recommend it to absolutely anyone.

Highlights: SLIM, so no problems with RAM clearance. QUIET, LOW TEMPS, EASY TO INSTALL I got this to get something affordable, reliable and quiet to replace an intel stock cooler Laminar RH1. Stock coolers for Alder Lake are loud as Hell. The RM1 that comes with the low power CPUs like 12600 produces a loud pitched noise that makes you murderous. Whereas the RH1 that comes with the 12900F and the likes, produces more of a whooshing sound that's still too loud and annoying. This one is whisper quiet at low speeds and hardly audible at full speed. And of course maximum temperatures during gaming for the CPU are never above 64 Celsius for 12900F, generally more around 55-60. During idle temperatures are of course 1 degree above room temperature. Haven't stressed it fully yet, but have no reason to believe it would have any issues handling anything that a non-K intel CPU can throw at it. It's the low noise that makes it a good sell for me. And it's slim, so you don't have to worry about RAM clearance, as it won't go over the RAM at all. Did have to remove the NVME heatsink that the motherboard provided by default as it was simply too beefy and not allowing the cooler to sit properly.

Short Version: It's really really good and you should buy one, because I feel like I stole it at this price. The Full Story: I bought this Noctua to replace an (8yr) old water cooling unit. I have never done this before. Fortunately the Noctua comes with instructions that are clear and easy to understand and the cooler has thermal paste already applied in a very pleasing pattern. Thanks for that as it clears up the age old question of "how should I apply the paste? In a pea shaped amount, or should I spread it out or should I put multiple blobs?" Noctua did it for me, awesome. I switched off my pc, and waited for only 10mins, before removing the old cooler. This meant the old paste was still moist and therefore easier to remove. The new cooler had all the brackets and spacers required to fit it to my motherboard and CPU, with clear instructions how to fit them. The only sacrifice I had to make was removing one of my side case fans, as the fan protruded in to the case about 20cm, and the side door would not fit. I still have one more side case fan, two on top and one on front. So I would urge you to check the measurement of the cooler, and check you have the clearance. As for performance, well I am amazed that an air cooler can perform this well. At idle temps have dropped by 20c and fan speeds halved at that temp to 30%. Under load temp hasn't gone above 60c and 70% fan speed. I think my case may have been designed for air flow, and its running great. This is one of those rare moments when you buy something and it's not just perfect, but it performs way better than you could've possibly imagined and it was a lot cheaper than you imagined too. I would say I am speechless, but I am clearly not, so I will say that I could wax lyrical about this Noctua cooler, but I will finish here: an excellent product and well worth the money.

Really good CPU cooler, this replaced a cheaper Arctic cooler that was chunkier, and the NH-U12S redux performs just as well while being slightly quieter and matching my case fans (also one of the fans on the Arctic had to be mounted slightly squint). I did add the extra fan kit, as all the other reviews say this only lowers temps 2-3*C more. Only down side was the one Amazon shipped to me had clearly already been used and repacked, so the pre-applied thermal paste was mostly gone and messed up, it was missing a screw, and the fan was detached with the fan clips slightly bent. Amazon just directed me to contact Noctua even though Amazon shipped it from their warehouse, so it's fortunate Noctua's customer service lived up to it's reputation and they kindly shipped me some screws, fan clips, and even a tube of thermal paste. Deffo worth buying Noctua IMO.

Cooler looks fine, still haven’t been able to install yet but will assume it performs fine. NOTE: Listing doesn’t include thermal paste.

It's a Noctua CPU cooler. It's a bit pricy within this category of air coolers for mid-range CPUs, but it does the job well and is really easy to fit. Slightly lower quality than other Noctua products but otherwise a solid choice.

TL;DR - Get it.. Long version - I have been gaming on a PC for over 15 years. Started building PCs (for me, friends, their friends, or anyone who has asked me to build a PC) roughly 10 years ago. And I have used several CPU coolers during that time. My budget is not big, so I use Ryzen 5 5600x in my gaming PC. It has all the power I need. Again, my budget is not big. I used to swear by the Hyper 212 EVO, mainly because Noctua CPU coolers are... on the pricier side. Then I discovered the NH-U12S redux and decided to try it. Holy... cow. This thing is a beast. Compared to the stock 5600x cooler it lowered the CPU temperature by more than 20 degrees when gaming (from 89-92 to 62-65 degrees Celsius). My Hyper 212 EVO was not doing bad, the temperature when gaming was around 72-75 degrees, but for similar price NH-U12S redux does a better job. This is not a bargain, it's a steal. It comes with pre-applied NT-H1 Noctua thermal paste, so you don't need to buy additional expensive paste (because most of the cheaper CPU coolers come with thermal paste that is a joke). The performance is great. And it's sooo silent. Get it. If you have budget limitations and want a great CPU cooler that will last you for ages (Noctua will send you mounting brackets for newer motherboards for free) there is nothing better than NH-U12S redux.. P.S.: if you have a higher performance/temperature CPU get the NA-FK1 redux second fan upgrade kit. Two fans will make NH-U12S redux more quiet and will also decrease the temperature even further..

I recently purchased the Noctua air cooler, and I am blown away by its performance. As someone who uses my PC for gaming and other resource-intensive tasks, keeping my CPU cool is a top priority. This cooler has exceeded my expectations in every way. The Noctua air cooler is incredibly efficient at dissipating heat, keeping my CPU temperature low even during heavy loads. The noise level is minimal, and I barely notice it running. The build quality is excellent, and the installation process was straightforward with clear instructions provided. The cooler's large size may be intimidating, but it fits perfectly into my PC case without any clearance issues. The included fans are high-quality and provide excellent airflow. I appreciate the customization options with multiple fan configurations to suit my needs. Overall, I am incredibly impressed with the Noctua air cooler. It's the best cooling solution for your PC, providing optimal performance and minimal noise. If you're looking for a high-quality air cooler, I highly recommend Noctua.

Cooler intermediário para cpu de bom desempenho e fácil instalação!

Noctua è un marchio noto per la sua qualità e le sue prestazioni, e il dissipatore NH-U12S Redux non fa eccezione. Si tratta di un dissipatore ad aria di dimensioni compatte che offre prestazioni eccellenti e un livello di rumore molto contenuto. L'NH-U12S Redux è in grado di tenere sotto controllo le temperature di processori anche di fascia alta. Utilizzato con un Intel i5 13600k che non dispone del dissipatore di serie. Cercavo un qualcosa ad aria non molto costoso ma con buone performance. La ventola Noctua NF-P12 redux-1700 PWM che accompagna il dissipatore è molto silenziosa. Nel mio caso ho acquistato anche il kit con la seconda ventola venduta a parte. Il montaggio del dissipatore è abbastanza semplice. Il kit di montaggio è completo e fornito di istruzioni chiare. Il montaggio può essere completato in pochi minuti. Fate attenzione a non stringere troppo le viti! C'è anche il QR per seguire video guide. In conclusione, è un dissipatore ad aria silenzioso e performante che offre un ottimo rapporto qualità-prezzo. È una scelta ideale per chi cerca un dissipatore che mantenga le temperature sotto controllo senza produrre troppo rumore e senza spendere troppi soldi. MOLTO IMPORTANTE: Controllate se il vostro case può contenere questo dissipatore! Occupa 158mm in altezza!

Best Cooler

Excelente disipador. No hace prácticamente nada de ruido y cumple muy bien su función de enfriar. Lo uso con un i7 de 13ª generación y me ha funcionado sin problemas. Muy buena compra.

I bought this because I was hitting peak temperatures of 82c on my Ryzen 5 5600x under full load with the stock cooler on stock bios config for the cpu. I chose this unit because I gad a great experience previously with the NH-u12P on my old core i7 920 and decided to stick to a brand I know even if it cost a bit more than the competing deepcool and cooler master units. I definitely don't regret this decision. Core Tempuratures with the Noctua dropped to 55c under full load. A pretty substantial drop. As a bonus, the better thermals allow the CPU to boost better: my Cinebench scores went up from 10600 to 11200. Pros: -Easy and very solid installation/mounting process and overall setup. Easily the best in the business. -Quieter than the stock Wraith cooler even at full fan speed. The Noctua fan doesn't even end up spinning at max rpm under the stock fan speed curve of the motherboard and temps are still excellent. -27c temp drop for my own personal setup under full load. -Noctua build quality and performance for a more reasonable price. Cons: -Still expensive compared to the Deepcool Gammaxx 400 and Cooler Master Hyper 212 for likely similar performance. You definitely pay premium for the better mounting system and brand recognition. -The redux fan is quiet but still noisier and not as efficient as the regular Noctua fans.