Joining its ever-growing roster of all-black CPU coolers, the Noctua NH-D12L chromax.black has been announced in a press release and is already up for sale.
The Noctua NH-D12L chromax.black is, of course, just a stealthier version of the original Noctua NH-D12L, which came with Noctua's signature brown fan design. But since not everyone is a fan of Noctua's signature beige-and-brown cooling fan designs, the chromax.black series exists as an alternative that should work with more builds. Even in a predominantly white PC build, the contrast of a chromax.black cooler than Noctua's default color scheme. And Noctua recently removed its white fan plans from its roadmap.
But enough of the basics— what can you expect from the Noctua NH-D12L chromax.black? As-is, the pre-existing NH-D12L is recognized as a strong-performing contender in its niche of short-height CPU air coolers, though clearance for its 120mm fan may still be too much to ask of some Mini ITX and other SFF PC builds. Let's dig into some proper specs.
- CPU Cooler Height: 145 mm
- CPU Fan: NF-A12x25r PWM
- CPU Fan Size: 120 mm
- CPU Fan RPM: Up to 2000 RPM
- Estimated Noise Level: Up to 22.6 decibels
- Warranty: Six Years
- MSRP: $99 USD, $109.90 Euros
Overall, the Noctua NHD12-L chromax.black seems to be an interesting follow-up to the original NHD12-L, with a small $10 price bump over the original. However, when shopping for coolers at this price point, one can't help but notice as you start breaching into $80 and above that you may want to consider one of the best AIO liquid coolers instead.
However, an AIO may not always be ideal, particularly if your SFF or slim case of choice doesn't happen to have the free fan slot(s) you need to make the most of it. And finally, performance-wise, reviews suggest that the original Noctua NH-D12L performs on par with much larger CPU coolers as well, which means it should outperform most 120 mm AIOs.
