Noctua Releases Low-Profile CPU Coolers for AMD Ryzen

Austrian cooling manufacturer Noctua is releasing new AMD Ryzen compatible versions of their low-profile coolers. Namely, the NH-L9a and NH-L12S models, with new mounting kits for Ryzen installation. Both these coolers are ideal for compact HTPC or small-form factor builds where height clearance is important. The NH-L9a in particular, is only 37mm tall, which is under 1U height. It is essentially a silent alternative to a stock cooler. For those who require beefier cooling with minimal height, the NH-L12S measures 70mm tall with an updraft blowing fan. Its quad heatpipe design can handle 95W CPUs, unlike the NH-L9a which is more ideal for 65W CPU loads.

The NH-L9a comes with a 92mm fan as the active cooling agent. Since it measures 92mm wide and is 114mm long, it provides no clearance issues for the RAM or PCIe. It can sit comfortably on any AMD Ryzen mini-ITX motherboard. This NF-A9x14 fan operates at 600 to 2500 RPM via a 4-pin PWM cable. It also comes with a low-noise adapter which caps the speed at 1800 RPM for those without a PWM header.

The NH-L12S is slightly larger at 146mm wide x 128mm long. It uses the larger  NF-A12x15 PWM 120mm fan, but it is also slimmer than the standard 25mm. It operates at 450 to 1850 RPM, but can be capped at 1400 RPM with the low-noise adapter. Unlike the NH-L9a which is specifically for AMD systems however, the NH-L12S is also compatible with Intel LGA115x and LGA20xx systems, as well as the older AMD AM3+/FM2+ mounting standard.

Noctua AM4 Low-Profile Cooler Pricing and Availability

The NH-L12S has an MSRP of EUR 49.90, while the smaller NH-L9a-AM4 costs a little bit less at EUR 39.90. Both models are currently shipping and will be available in most retail stores by October.