Noctua NH-L12 Ghost S1 Edition CPU Cooler Review

Installation

If you have any familiarity with Noctua coolers, then you’ll likely find that you’ll be able to install this in an almost intuitive fashion. If you don’t, however, then Noctua has provided you with individual manuals depending on whether this is going onto an AMD or Intel processor. And even then, it even splits the (ridiculously vast) Intel socket types apart to ensure you have no difficulties understand exactly what you have to do.

The news for Intel owners, however, keeps getting better! As part of the official product website, Noctua has created an Intel installation video which undoubtedly makes the process even easier to understand!

Mounting

When installing the cooler, I did that upon my initial start-up, I was getting boot-cycles. This is (generally speaking) fairly indicative that the contact plate isn’t well attached to the processor. While I had tightened the mounting bracket, I did find (with a little extra effort) that while I thought it was pretty well secured, there was around 3-4 more twists of the screwdriver required.

Fortunately, on the second attempt, I was also to get this fitted without any issue. So, how does it install? Well, like many low-profile designs, the radiator has two inserts through which you push your screwdriver to get to the mounting points. It’s a mildly awkward, but not too tricky procedure. Remember the point we raised earlier though, while we have Noctua thermal paste in vast quantities, the amount you are provided with is quite minimal. So just make sure everything is tightened as much as it will comfortably go before sitting the cooler in place!

Overall Thoughts

From out of the box and onto our test, the Noctua NH-L12 Ghost S1 Edition took us around 15 minutes to install. This is, generally speaking, longer than it would usually take us to fit a low-profile cooler. As above, however, the somewhat tight nature in which you have to the screw the mounting bracket did catch us out.

On the whole, however, this is perfectly good and easy to install with nice clear information given to you by Noctua for every, relatively few, steps of the way! More so, despite it’s rather quirky and unusual design, I think it looks rather good!