Noctua NH-U12S CPU Cooler Review

The front of the Noctua NH-U12S is dominated by the aesthetic of the NF-F12 120mm fan.

From the side you can see more closely the width of 71mm which is 25mm for the fan and 45mm for the heatsink (1mm margin of error for those mathematicians out there).

The back gives you a glimpse at how dense the heat sink design is. You can also fully see the nickel plated heat pipes more closely.

From the top you can see the tops of the five 6mm heat pipes.

The bottom features a machined flat nickel plated copper base. The mounting hardware comes partially pre-installed on the CPU contact plate.

I also want to quickly go over the accessories and mounting hardware too. You can see they come beautifully presented in individual boxes.

You get anti-vibration mounts, a metal Noctua case sticker, a full sized tube of NT-H1, extra fan clips for a second optional fan, a low noise adapter and a screwdriver.

Intel mounting hardware includes one set of brackets, a backplate and two different types of mounting kits for LGA 2011 and LGA 115X. Two very detailed mounting instructions are included which we had no trouble with following.

The AMD mounting box contained just brackets, screws and a manual.