Introduction:

Noctua UH-12P CPU Cooler

At last glance of the processor market, things have been operating at pretty cool levels, literally. It's been some time since we've seen a processor that swallowed up so much in the way of voltage, that we haven't needed anything more than heat pipes and a 120mm fan. CPU coolers are so well machined and designed that even a stock, flat copper base heat sink has been able to do the job that heat sinks from 5 years ago could not.

Fabrication methods and the machinery needed to create today's CPU coolers have come a long way compared to earliest generations. Fins are smoother, base metals are finer, pipes are better, and the coolers are assembled by machines faster than ever. The only thing that hasn't changed is how coolers are how beta concepts are created and tested before they are manufactured.

Noctua has been fabricating coolers since 1996 and works with different technology entities to create and develop the coolers we have today. Some of their past, successes included the NH-U12 and NH-U9 series CPU Coolers. These have been decent performers right from the start, but have done much better as the series has evolved.

Noctua aims at establishing a new level of quality and performance "Designed in Austria" through paying attention to the users' needs in a market burdened with all kinds of frills and furbelows and providing sound-optimized premium components, which serve their purpose in a smart, precise and reliable manner.

And if you haven't Googled Noctua to see exactly what it means, here it is straight from Noctua themselves.

The little owl, Athene Noctua, is the symbol of the Greek goddess Athene, who represents wisdom, science and strategy. She has a marked preference for the most clever among the Greek heroes, like Odysseus, who endure their adventures by the use of savvy consideration instead of mere force. Until today, the owl symbolizes intelligence and prudence, its manlike face emblematizes attentiveness and communication. We from Noctua follow the suit of its calm and accurate observation in the dark, its soundless flight as well as the effective, economical use of its powers and precise attack.

The latest CPU cooler to arrive from Noctua is the NH-U12P and is aimed at surpassing previous generations which is most likely the case. Very, very rarely do we see coolers take a step back in performance unless the entire design has changed. As you'll see here, it definitely has sizeable potential.

Specifications:

Specifications

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