I thought that AMD AM5’s thermal behavior has been put to rest but I was wrong it is still in debate and many brands have released some sort of their solutions trying to tackle the 95°C temperature regardless of cooling solution. AMD has emphasized again and again that it is by design but people are not comfortable running their CPUs at such high temperatures. Believe it or not, Intel’s 13th generation is actually performing similarly due to high PL1, PL2, and Tau values. As soon as CPU hits that PL2 the temperature would easily peak into the upper 80s and lower 90s or even thermally throttling depending on the SKU. This is largely dependent on the type of load, thermal paste application, BIOS settings, Voltages, and ambient temperatures. I have seen many people complaining their 240mm AIOs not able to handle i5 13600k on default behavior. I always ask them to tell me about their room temperature first followed by BIOS configuration and type of loads. Anyhow, the majority are living in Intel’s golden era where the i7 was a four-core design, and on stock settings, it would still operate at a decent temperature level depending on the load. Things have changed and one needs to adjust accordingly.

Anyhow, AMD has employed a thick heat spreader on Ryzen 7000 series SKUs which has been mainly attributed towards contributing to the high thermals under use. Thermal Grizzly in collaboration with der8auer has released a delid tool for this platform along with many other products including a lapping tool, adapter and offset mounting kits, Direct Die Frame, and Heat spreader to name a few. Noctua has also released its offset mounting brackets for this platform. They have released a direct die-mounting kit in collaboration with der8auer. We are taking a look at these offset mounting brackets in this article.

We have received the following brackets:

• NM-AMB12
• NM-AMB13
• NM-AMB14
• NM-AMB15

All these brackets support different Noctua coolers so you better do good homework before pulling the trigger.

The above picture is taken from Noctua website. It shows the compatibility of these offset brackets with Noctua coolers. You would need NM-AMB12 for the king of the ring NH-D15/S. NM-AMB15 would be required for NH-U12A and NM-AMB13 would be needed for NH-U12/S coolers. These are among the most favorite coolers from Noctua hence I have mentioned the compatible offset mounting brackets.

What’s different in stock and offset brackets?

Why would you need an offset mounting bracket for Noctua coolers on the AM5 platform? Let’s take a look at the picture below to understand the concept.

We have taken the above picture from Noctua website. The hot spot on these SKUs is not directly in the center rather it is a bit below the center. Noctua has referred this to as “located towards the south side of the CPU”. As can be seen in the second and third diagrams above, the cooler traditionally is placed on CPU hoping to cover the center portion as it has been a trend that the die usually resides in the center. While this is true for Intel, it is not the same for AMD. As we can see those CCDs which are more heat-generating areas under the IHS, so the hot spot is not in the center of the PCB but lower than the center. Noctua’s AM5 offset mounting brackets provide a displacement of -7mm compared to the stock mounting bracket. This offset lowers the cooler’s base towards the south side of the CPU.

We have shown the North, South, East, and West sides near the CPU socket so that you can better understand it. North and South ends are of particular importance because literally every offset bracket from Noctua will move the cooler towards the south from the north. This way, we would get better coverage on the CCDs under the IHS. The -7mm offset is coming from North side towards South side regardless.

The above picture shows two main categories of these brackets. The NM-AMB12 and NM-AMB14 cover those coolers from Noctua that have 83mm and 78mm mounting pitch respectively and their mounting brackets are installed on top (North side only) and bottom (South side only). The NM-AMB13 and NM-AMB15 cover those coolers that have 83mm and 78mm mounting pitch but their bracket have a long length on the East and West sides of the socket area.

The above picture shows a stock mounting bracket from Noctua NH-D15 chromax.black. We can see that this bracket is placed on the north side and south side.

The above picture is for illustration purposes only. It shows the stock mounting bracket for NH-U12A installed on AM4 socket. For this type of coolers from Noctua, NM-AM13 and NM-AMB15 would be needed.

The above picture shows the NM-AMB12 mounting bracket. We are using NH-D15 chromax.black for this testing hence we will be focusing on this offset bracket only. The result from this bracket and cooler would give an idea of what to expect from other brackets. Each bracket is clearly labeled and you can’t go wrong with the installation of these brackets no matter what. The bracket shown on the top has SOUTH clearly labeled meaning this bracket will be installed on the bottom of the socket (SOUTH end). It has two types of mounting holes. One set is labeled 0 whereas the second set is labeled -7mm. the 0 labeled holes conform to the stock mounting bracket size. I think it is wise of Noctua to provide support for stock location or mounting as well as offset mounting holes labeled -7mm. There is an arrow indicator right after CPU label showing the direction in which this bracket must be placed on the socket. The lower bracket has two arms with mounting holes. This bracket is also labeled. This time it is NORTH meaning this bracket will be placed on top of the socket (North). In case you are wondering where the rest of the stuff is, there is not any because these brackets use spacers and screws from the cooler. Noctua has been clear and precise in the design. NM-AMB14 has the same design but it is compatible with different sets of coolers from Noctua.

Now we are showing NM-ABM13 offset mounting brackets. As we can see each bracket has an arm and the center has a standoff. WEST and EAST are clearly labeled on the brackets along with the arrow markers. These markers should face the CPU. That is why; I have mentioned that one can’t go wrong with the installation of these brackets. Noctua has made it easy. Each mounting arm has two holes labeled -7mm and 0. 0 marked holes conform to the size of stock mounting bracket whereas -7mm is the offset from the North side towards the South side providing better coverage of CCDs.

Thermal Testing

We have used the below-mentioned configuration for this testing:

• AMD Ryzen 7 7700X
• GIGABYTE X670E AORUS MASTER
• GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3060 VISION OC [For Display]
• Sabrent Rocket 32GB DDR5 kit 4800MHz CAS 40
• Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus 1TB Gen4 NVMe SSD [For OS]
• Noctua NH-D15 chromax.black
• Be quiet! Straight Power 11 1000W Platinum PSU
• Open-air Testing

Here is the settings table:

Motherboard was updated to the latest BIOS before this testing along with the chipset software. We did not use ECO Mode from GIGABYTE as they were not serving the purpose of this testing. These Eco modes are based on thermal limits and CPU will operate on the set limit anyway.

The above picture shows the available Eco Modes. There are 5 levels in each of thermal limit (70°C, 80°C, and 90°C). I tried 80°C with Level 5 and the system hung up. Then 80°C with Level 1 was tried and the CPU was operating at 80°C. There is no power target or power-based mode available. ASRock has done a fine job in this regard.

We left the PBO Enhancement disabled.

You can find PBO settings in Advanced CPU Settings in the BIOS. We have selected Advanced mode for manual customization.

We have set all cores to negative offset with a value of 30 on the curve optimizer. This is why we have the VCore on auto as well.

The PPT or socket power was set to 95W and the thermal limit was set to 85°C (shown 80°C in the picture).

Now, that we have given a run of the settings and BIOS configuration, let’s proceed with the testing. We needed to establish the baseline for reference. This was easy to do using stock mounting brackets from NH-D15 chromax.black. We ran a multi-core stress test using CINEBENCH R23.2 and recorded temperature using HWInfo64. We have finally managed controlled temperature for our thermal testing. The room temperature was 24.3°C to 24.6°C hence we are reporting absolute temperature in the graphs.

Next, we installed the NM-AMB12 using 0 labeled mounting holes, and the test was repeated.

In our next run of the test, the NM-AMB12 was installed in -7mm offset from North. Doing this may affect the graphics card clearance or even the bulky NVMe SSD covers. You would need to keep an eye on that.

We have enough clearance for the mounting bracket to be installed in an -7mm offset.

Using stock mounting bracket, there is no clearance issue from NVMe SSD cover and the Graphics Card. Yes, we had to adjust the height of the front fan which is not the topic at the moment since offset is between the North and South ends.

The above picture shows a relatively small area left for the graphics card after installing the bracket in -7mm offset.

Here we can see that there is still a space between the cooler and the graphics card even after using a -7mm offset.

Result

So, what is the outcome? We saw no difference in idle temperatures using either of these mounting brackets. Similarly, there was no difference in temperature using the stock brackets and NM-ABM12 with 0 offset. However, we saw an improvement of 1.6°C when the NM-AMB12 was installed in -7mm offset. According to Noctua from their internal testing, one can expect a difference between 1°C to 3°C. Our test result is sitting right in the middle of their numbers. During this test the socket power was 97W and clocks were operating in the range of 5250MHz to 5275MHz. We did not see a performance drop. When we ran the test on Stock and Auto settings in BIOS with PBO the CPU was operating at 5.1GHz with temperature sitting at 95°C. Using advanced PBO is beneficial as is evident from our testing and this can be further improved using Noctua NM-AMB12 bracket.

Conclusion

Where everyone is throwing ideas and products to lower the temperature on the new AMD AM5 platform, Noctua has provided an accessory called AM5 offset mounting brackets. These brackets are available on AMAZON and Noctua stores at USD/EURO 4.90 and 3.90 pricing respectively. Explaining in simple words, these brackets would lower the cooler’s base an exact measurement of -7mm from top (North) to the bottom (South). Why lower the cooler where we may run into graphics card and NVMe SSD bulky heatsink clearance issues? It is simple, unlike Intel platform where the die is located in the center of the PCB, Ryzen 7000 SKUs have CCDs located towards the lower side (South end). These CCDs are the main hot spot areas. Installing a cooler in a traditional manner would not fully cover these CCDs. A simple solution is offset mounting. We have seen ARCTIC doing it already with their latest version of Liquid Freezer II series of liquid coolers.

Noctua has presented the offset mounting brackets to enable the Noctua coolers’ installation in an offset manner to fully or properly cover the CCDs for efficient heat transfer. The available brackets include:

• NM-AMB12 83mm Mounting Pitch
• NM-AMB13 83mm Mounting Pitch
• NM-AMB14 78mm Mounting Pitch
• NM-AMB15 78mm Mounting Pitch

The NM-AMB12 and NM-AMB15 are also available in chromax.black versions. Each of these brackets supports different Noctua coolers. Click here to check this compatibility on the Noctua website. Each bracket has clear labeling showing the direction (North and South) for NM-AMB12 and NM-AMB14 & (East and West) for NM-AMB13 and NM-ABM15. There are arrow markings showing the direction that the bracket should face toward the CPU. Each bracket has two sets of mounting holes. One set is labeled 0 and it conforms to stock mounting bracket location. The other set has a label of -7mm. This set provides offset. These brackets are also compatible with AM4 sockets.

We have tested NM-AMB12 with NH-D15 chromax.black on GIGABYTE X670E AORUS MASTER motherboard with 7700X. There was no clearance issue using -7mm offset mounting. We have used Advanced PBO settings for this testing and locked the socket power at 95W with a thermal limit of 85°C. This offset mounting has provided a 1.6°C improvement compared to the stock mounting. Nothing wrong in spending a few bucks for a thermal improvement but I am leaving this to the user to decide if 1.6°C (not guaranteed as it would depend on a range of factors like CPU itself, thermal paste application, ambient temperature etc) improvement is sufficient enough for this expense.

Nauman signing out.

“Delidding and direct die cooling will void your CPU’s warranty and bear a certain risk of damaging it, so this certainly isn’t for everyone,” explains Roland Mossig (Noctua CEO). “However, the performance gains to be had are simply spectacular, typically ranging from 10 to 15°C but in some cases, we’ve even seen improvements of almost 20°C in combination with our offset mounting bars, so we’re confident that this is an attractive option for enthusiast users. Thanks to Roman for teaming up with us in order to enable customers to implement this exciting tuning measure with our CPU coolers!”

Removing the CPU’s integrated heat spreader (delidding) and putting the heatsink directly onto the dies using liquid metal thermal compound significantly improves thermal transfer and can typically reduce CPU temperatures by as much as 10-15°C. This increased thermal headroom can either be used to drastically reduce fan speeds and noise levels or, if the CPU allows, to achieve higher turbo boost frequencies.

For further performance gains, the NM-DD1 can be combined with Noctua’s new offset AM5 mounting bars (NM-AMB12, NM-AMB13, NM-AMB14, NM-AMB15) that allow users to achieve lower temperatures not only on regular AM5 CPUs, but also on delidded ones as the pressure will be more concentrated over the CCDs. Typically, using the offset mounting option with direct die cooling can yield additional gains of up to 2°C.

The NM-DD1 contains spacers that are put underneath the heatsink’s fastening bracket(s) in order to make up for the height of the removed heat spreader as well as custom, longer screws that make it possible to reinstall the fastening brackets with the spacers in place. All other parts that are required for delidding and direct die cooling (delidding tool, direct die frame for protecting the CPU, liquid metal thermal compound) must be purchased separately.

The NM-DD1 can be ordered exclusively via Noctua’s website for a service charge of EUR 4.90. Alternatively, customers can 3D-print the spacers contained in the NM-DD1 kit at home using the STL files shared at Printables.com (NM-DDS1 spacers for coolers with two-piece fastening brackets and 83mm mounting-pitch, NM-DDS2 spacers for coolers with a single-piece fastening bracket and 78mm mounting pitch). Installing the fastening bracket(s) with the printed spacers will require four M3x12 screws (for NM-DDS1) or a single M4x10 screw (for NM-DDS2).

Links
NM-DD1
NM-DD1 order form
STL files on Printables.com
Step-by-step guide

“Customers have been using our 12V fans in 24V environments such as 3D printers for a long time, but often had to resort to cheap, poor quality step-down converters in order to do so”, explains Roland Mossig (Noctua CEO). “As these cheap converters can pose a serious safety hazard, we have created our NA-VC1: A compact, safe and dependable solution for running 12V fans in 24V environments.”

Many 3D printers are 24V-based (e.g. Creality Ender 3 and CR-10, Anycubic Mega, etc.) and use 40 or 60mm fans for cooling the hot-end or the printed part. The NA-VC1 makes it possible to use standard 12V fans such as the NF-A4x10 PWM, NF-A4x20 PWM or NF-A6x25 PWM in order to achieve quiet, efficient cooling on such printers.

The NA-VC1 is barely larger than a standard 4-pin fan connector (31x16x8.5mm) and weighs only 6g. As a result, it can simply be interconnected between the fan cable and the power source, with no need for extra fixation in most applications.

Supporting a total output power of 9W, the NA-VC1 is fit to run single fans with high power draw or multiple lower power fans that are connected to the device using optional splitter cables (NA-SYC1 or NA-SYC2) or fan hubs like the NA-FH1.

Designed to operate in challenging environments, the NA-VC1 is internally protected against short-circuits, reverse polarity, overcurrent, and overheating by a resettable fuse. It will shut down automatically for protection and can be reset by disconnecting it from the power source in a safe operating temperature (<60°C). Unlike many cheap voltage converters, the NA-VC1 has been carefully tested for product safety and EMC compliance. Carrying CE, UKCA and UL certifications and meeting all applicable standards (EN 62368-1, EN 55035 and EN 55032), it is a safe, quality device through and through.

Links
Photos and details
Specifications

Suggested retail price
The manufacturer’s suggested retail price is EUR/USD 24.90.

Availability
The NA-VC1 is available as of today via Noctua’s official Amazon stores:

Buy NA-VC1

Other sales partners will receive stock shortly.

AMD’s latest Ryzen processors have their Core Complex Die(s) not at the centre, but slightly towards the south side of the CPU. By shifting the heatsink right above the hotspot created by the CCD(s) and applying optimal contact pressure where it matters the most, thermal performance can often be improved significantly. While the results can vary due to different heat flux densities, tolerances of both the CPU and heatsink as well as other factors such as thermal paste application, the offset mounting can yield significant improvements with typical reductions in core temperatures ranging between 1 and 3°C on high-end AM5 processors. These gains can be used to let the CPU run cooler, to achieve higher boost clock frequencies or to reduce fan speeds and noise levels.

While primarily designed for AM5, the offset mounting bars can also be used on AM4, where they may yield slight improvements on Ryzen 5000 and 3000 series processors. However, the improvements when using the offset mounting position on these CPUs tend to be much smaller, typically <1°C instead of the 1-3°C gains that can be achieved on AM5.

There are different sets of offset mounting bars for different coolers depending on their mounting pitch (83mm vs. 78mm) and basic architecture (e.g. single tower coolers require mounting points east and west of the socket for optimal orientation, dual tower coolers require mounting points north and south of the socket):

NM-AMB12: for coolers with 83mm mounting pitch that require mounting points north and south of the socket (e.g. NH-D15(S), NH-D14, NH-D9L, NH-C14S, NH-L9x65)
NM-AMB13: for coolers with 83mm mounting pitch that require mounting points east and west of the socket (e.g. NH-U12P series, NH-U9B series)
NM-AMB14: for coolers with 78mm mounting pitch that require mounting points north and south of the socket (e.g. NH-D12L, NH-L12S)
NM-AMB15: for coolers with 78mm mounting pitch that require mounting points east and west of the socket (e.g. NH-U14S, NH-U12A, NH-U12S, NH-U9S)

For a full compatibility list, please see this FAQ. For chromax.black CPU coolers, the NM-AMB12 and NM-AMB15 are also available in chromax.black versions.

Pricing and availability
The new offset mounting bars will be available as of today via Noctua’s website or Amazon for a service charge of EUR 3.90 (website form) or EUR/USD 4.90 (Amazon) that helps to cover parts of the shipping and handling costs.

While the NM-AMB12, NM-AMB14 and NM-AMB15 bars for current cooler models are already in stock, NM-AMB13 that are required for legacy models will be ready to order within 1-2 weeks.

Noctua is also currently updating all its multi-socket CPU cooler models to include the new offset mounting bars. While availability will vary between models and countries, the first coolers that already include the offset mounting bars should start to become available by Q4.

Links
Technical backgrounds
FAQ: Which offset AM5 mounting bars are required for which cooler model?
Buy NM-AMB12 on Amazon
Buy NM-AMB12 chromax.black on Amazon
Buy NM-AMB14 on Amazon
Buy NM-AMB15 on Amazon
Buy NM-AMB15 chromax.black on Amazon
NM-AMB12 order form on Noctua.at
NM-AMB12 chromax.black order form on Noctua.at
NM-AMB13 order form on Noctua.at (to be enabled in 1-2 weeks)
NM-AMB14 order form on Noctua.at
NM-AMB15 order form on Noctua.at
NM-AMB15 chromax.black order form on Noctua.at

“While there is no shortage of fan hubs on the market, we found most of them lacking both from a functional and from a safety perspective,” explains Roland Mossig (Noctua CEO). “PWM control and RPM readout can be unreliable, and most units lack overcurrent or short-circuit protection, which can be dangerous when powering through S-ATA. This is where the NA-FH1 steps in: a safe, dependable quality device for powering and controlling up to eight fans!“

Many fan hubs that are available on the market use very basic PCB designs without any protection or circuitry for signal quality improvement. While this helps to reduce cost, there are significant drawbacks with regards to function and safety. In particular, PWM based speed control may not work reliably if multiple fans are connected and RPM speed signals may be transmitted in poor quality, especially at low fan speeds, which can cause readout errors. By contrast, the NA-FH1’s signal quality improvement circuitries guarantee reliable readout and speed control, even if incoming signals may be of less-than-ideal quality.

In terms of safety, unprotected fan hubs bear risks in cases of overcurrent or short-circuits on the output ports. Especially when powering the devices through S-ATA, this can result in cables and connectors melting and may even cause sparks or flames. To rule out that anything like this can happen, the NA-FH1 features protection circuitries with resettable polyfuses that shut down in case of overcurrent or short-circuits, protecting the connected fans and surrounding components.

The NA-FH1 can be powered either via its S-ATA input (for 12V fans, up to 54W) or 4-pin PWM input (for 5V and 12V fans, up to 24W). The two ports can also be used concurrently with the device automatically taking power via S-ATA and exchanging RPM and PWM signals via the 4-pin interface. Status LEDs allow for easy monitoring and thanks to its magnetic fixture, installing the NA-FH1 inside a PC case or on any other steel surface is a breeze. Topped off with CE, UKCA and UL certifications, full compliance with all applicable safety standards as well as Noctua’s 6-year manufacturer’s warranty, the NA-FH1 is a safe, dependable premium choice for powering and controlling up to eight fans.

Links
NA-FH1
Technical backgrounds

Suggested retail price
The manufacturer’s suggested retail price is EUR/USD 34.90.

Availability
The NA-FH1 is available as of today via Noctua’s official Amazon stores:

Buy NA-FH1

Noctua has announced a new low-profile cooler for the AM5 platform named NH-L9a-AM5. This cooler will be available in a standard color as well as chromax.black. We are taking a look at the regular version of this cooler. We have tested a few other NH-L9 series coolers in past as well. These can be found here:

• Noctua NH-L9i-17xx and chromax.black
• Noctua NH-L9i chromax.black
• Noctua NH-L9i

Product:               Noctua NH-L9a-AM5

Price:                    EUR 49.90 / USD 44.90 [MSRP]
Purchase:             £39.95 On Amazon UK

Noctua NH-L9a-AM5 Specifications

Closer Look

This cooler is shipped inside a standard Noctua themed packaging box that is made of a cardboard. Noctua has listed salient features. Key one is 37mm height of this cooler.

Noctua has listed specifications of this cooler.

We are seeing a change in presentation compared to the previously tested NH-L9 series cooler. Now, we can only see a cooler. Rest of the stuff is hidden on the side and under the cooler.

We have a brown color container with the model of this cooler written on it containing the parts for installation.

• 1x NA-RC7
• 1x NT-H1
• 1x SMT-6
• 1x Metal Badge
• 4x Philips Screws
• 4x NM-ALS2

As always we start by taking a look at Noctua’s statement about this cooler.

“The NH-L9a-AM5 chromax.black is an all-black version of Noctua’s award-winning NH-L9a-AM5 low-profile quiet CPU cooler for AMD AM5 based HTPCs and Small Form Factor (SFF) builds. Thanks to the same proven heatsink design and NF-A9x14 PWM fan, it stays true to the NH-L9a-AM5’s successful formula of fusing a height of only 37mm with strong performance and excellent quietness of operation, as well as 100% RAM and PCIe compatibility. At the same time, the chromax.black version with its black fan and black coated heatsink combines these assets with a sleek stealth look. Topped off with the renowned SecuFirm2™ low-profile mounting system for AMD AM5, Noctua’s enthusiast-grade NT-H1 thermal compound and a full 6-year manufacturer’s warranty, the NH-L9a-AM5 chromax.black is a premium choice for customers who seek an ultra-compact heatsink that looks just as great as it cools.”

This is a low profile design which has been a hallmark of NH-L9 series coolers. We have an industrial look on the heatsink with a brown and beige color fan already installed over it. The dimension of heatsink is 114x92x23mm with 23mm being the height or thickness of this cooler. NF-A9x14 PWM fan provided with this heatsink has a height of 14mm. Overall height of this cooler is 37mm. Net weight of this cooler is 465g with fan.

This angle is giving a good guess of this cooler’s thickness. Notcua has focused on providing utmost clearances and compatibility with this cooler. We can see fins jointed over the sides. However, joints are soldered which is a wise design.

We can see two holes on this side of heatsink. Both holes are on opposing ends. The cover plate can be taken off by removing a screw on middle. These holes faced the turn of copper heat pipes inside the heatsink.

2x copper heat pipes are terminating on top as can be seen. Other than that, the overall layout is identical on both ends.

Take a peek at the heatsink after removing the fan. The fan is not installed using clips. This is done to provide clearance on sides, particularly for the DIMM slots since handle of these clips also take some space. There are metal covers on the corners having mounting holes. Fan is rested on these covers. This heatsink has 66 fins. Overall machining job is perfect. We can see 2x nickel plated copper heat pipes in a parallel U shape design.

This unit has a nickel-plated copper base measuring 39.5x40mm. We can see that mounting brackets come preinstalled.

NF-A9x14 PWM is provided with this cooler. This fan has a dimension of 92x92x14mm. Users can optionally install a 25mm thick fan as well for which Noctua has provided screws in the accessory box. This fan has a brown and beige colors footprint which is Noctua’s standard. It has all the bells and whistles like AAO frame, SSO2 bearings, Custom Designed PWM IC chip using SCD technology, and flow acceleration channels. We have already covered these design aspects in detail in previous contents. Hence, we are not going into detail here. Each mounting corner has an anti-vibration pad. There are two arrows on the frame. One gives the direction of airflow through the fan and the other tells the direction of blades’ spin.

There is a 4-arm assembly on the backside of this fan. Correct model of this fan is NF-A9x14 HS-PWM where HS stands for High Speed.

Fan motor is powered by a 4-pin PWM connector on a sleeved cable. Personally, I am a big fan of flat cables for their relatively ease of handling.

Below are salient specifications of this fan:

Installation

We are no longer covering installation mechanism in detail. Please refer to user manual for this purpose. We will only highlight any issues or observations recorded during the installation. This cooler is following the same mounting mechanism though mounting hardware is different. You will have to install the cooler using 4x screws from the backside of the motherboard. This was somewhat a cumbersome installation on an E-ATX-size motherboard. This should not be the case on the ITX motherboard. Also, don’t torque these screws excessively. I managed to snap the head of one screw. Yes, I am still noob!

Clearance

This cooler was installed on GIGABYTE X670E AORUS MASTER motherboard. This cooler has no clearance issue for DIMM slots and PCIe slots. Similarly, it was an easy install without any obstruction from beefy heatsink of this motherboard’s VRM. This cooler does not have clearance related issues in our experience and a height of 37mm is makes it a good candidate for utmost compatibility with SFF cases.

Testing

We have used below-mentioned configuration:

• ADM Ryzen 7 7700X
• GIGABYTE X670E AORUS MASTER
• XPG Lancer RGB 2x16GB DDR5 kit 6000MHz, CL40
• Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus 2TB NVMe Drive [OS Drive]
• Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus 4TB NVMe Drive [Gaming Drive]
• GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3060 VISION OC Rev.2
• be quiet! Straight Power 11 850W Platinum PSU
• Thermaltake Core P6 TG Snow Edition in an open frame layout

It is not an easy job when it comes to evaluating the performance of coolers on new platforms from Intel and AMD. The AM5 platform by design will run at its full thermal limit, providing the maximum headroom for high frequencies though this is something which the community did not take positively. Any cooler that you will install on this platform, will result in CPU temperature hitting 95°C under load. We have found that setting the CPU at 5.2GHz would actually result in lower temperature under heavy load. Other way is to use PBO profiles and load a lower Watt or lower thermal limit settings.

We run the CPU at its stock settings and examine the behavior of clocks under heavy multi-core load using CINEBENCH R23.2. The temperature was at 95°C but this cooler maintained 4700MHz during a 30-minute run on all cores. We can say for sure that at some point in time, the frequency will fall below the base clock which is subject to length of that software run and the load type.

Single-Core load was good as we did not see any performance drop. It was simply due to the fact that CPU was boosting to 5.45GHz on any core. Maximum temperature recorded during a single-core load was 65°C. We then loaded Assassin’s Creed Origins and played it 1080P resolution using Ultra High graphics settings. We saw a maximum temperature of 80°C during the game play.

Conclusion

Noctua NH-L9 series of coolers are not a new thing for us as have tested as many as 4 SKUs in this line. Noctua has released two new coolers; technically one cooler but in two colors. Meet the new NH-L9a-AM5. As the name suggests, this cooler is for AM5 platform using the LGA1718 socket. Noctua did the same when LGA1700 socket was launched. Noctua is releasing a new variant in this line of coolers whenever there is a new socket out there.

The NH-L9a-AM5 has a focus on RAM, PCIe clearance, and access to near-socket components. They have achieved this using a heatsink that has a dimension of 114x92x23mm. Adding 92x92x14mm will only increase the overall height of this cooler not the depth and width. Clearly, Noctua is doing its thing again and winning. Users are given the option to use a 92x92x25mm fan as well which would add 9mm in the 37mm stock or default height. Also, users can buy a secufirm 2 kit for AM4 to use this cooler on AM4 platform.

This is a dense fin stack as it comprises 66 aluminum fins combined with 2x nickel-plated copper heat pipes with soldered joints. Both heat pipes have a thickness of 6mm and they are run in U shape parallel to each other. Copper base is nickel plated as well and measures 39.5x40mm. NM-AFB10 mounting brackets come pre-installed.

This cooler is using an NF-A9x14 HS-PWM fan. It has a dimension of 92x92x14mm where 14mm is height of this fan. It is using Noctua’s legendary AAO frame that has stepped inlet design, inner surface microstructures, and anti-vibration pads on mounting corners. Using SSO2 bearings, this fan has a minimum MTTF of 150,000 hour. Maximum rated speed is 2500 RPM using 57.5 m³/h at 12VDC. Noctua did not mention the air pressure rating. Sound level is 23.6 dB(A).

We have tested this cooler on AMD Ryzen 7 7700X. This cooler has an NSPR rating of 61. Noctua has mentioned that using this cooler on 7700X may have clocks falling below base frequency in a continuous run under load. In our testing of 30 minutes run, we say the lowest frequency on any core hitting 4.70GHz. This is from the stock settings test. The temperature under heavy load is of no concern as this CPU will run at 95°C. However, under a single core load, we saw a maximum of 62°C temperature and CPU was maintaining a 5.45GHz boost clock. During gaming at 1080P resolution, we saw a maximum of 80°C temperature. From the above, we can deduce that PBO and efficiency curve would improve the stock results. Noctua is offering a 6-year warranty on this cooler. Price tag on this cooler is EUR 49.90 / USD 44.90. This cooler has actually surprised us with its adequate thermal performance and ability to handle a single-core load. Don’t forget that you are getting this thermal performance at low noise output with 100% clearance for RAM and Graphics Card.

Thanks to Noctua for the provision of the test unit.

• NH-U14S DX-4677
• NH-U12S DX-4677
• NH-U9 DX-4677
• NH-D9 DX-46774U

Noctua ha mentioned that these coolers are ideal for creating whisper-quiet high-end workstations using Intel’s just-announced Sapphire Rapids based W-3400 and W-2400 series Xeon processors for LGA4677. In addition to the new DX-4677 coolers, the NM-i4677 mounting kit allows Noctua DX-4189, DX-3647 and TR4-SP3 series coolers to be installed on LGA4677.

“Our DX line CPU coolers have become a default choice in premium grade quiet cooling solutions for Intel Xeon processors”, says Roland Mossig (Noctua CEO). “The latest revision for LGA4677 comprises 14, 12 and two 9cm models, covering anything from spacious workstation cases to 4U rack-mount servers.”

The new NH-U14S DX-4677, NH-U12S DX-4677, NH-U9 DX-4677 and NH-D9 DX-4677 4U are dedicated, customized solutions for Intel’s professional LGA4677 platform (Sapphire Rapids), which makes them an ideal fit for both 4th generation Xeon Scalable CPUs (Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze) and W-3400 or W-2400 series Xeon processors for workstations such as the w9-3495X, w7-3465X or w7-2495X. Whereas the large 14cm NH-U14S DX-4677 and 12cm NH-U12S DX-4677 are an excellent choices for tower-style cases and thus lend themselves to use in high-performance quiet workstations, the smaller NH-D9 DX-4677 4U and NH-U9 DX-4677 fit 4U cases, which makes them perfect for more compact workstations as well as 4U class rack-mount servers that need to run as quietly as possible.

While the NH-U9’s direction of airflow is perpendicular to the long axis of the LGA4677 socket, the NH-D9’s direction of airflow is parallel to the long axis of the LGA4677 socket. Depending on the orientation of the socket(s) on the motherboard, choosing either the NH-U9 or de NH-D9 enables system builders to align the airflow of the cooler(s) with the exhaust fans of the chassis and thereby ensure optimal system performance. Thanks to their compact footprint, both models are ideal for building dual socket setups with motherboards where larger coolers may interfere with each other.

Integrating standard Intel parts such as the anti-tilt mechanism, Torx® T30 PEEK nuts, and the CPU-specific carrier frames (included with boxed retail CPUs and available separately for tray CPUs), the coolers’ mounting system is fully compliant with Intel’s installation guidelines and provides a familiar mounting procedure for experienced LGA4677 users. A Torx® T30 mounting tool is included.

In addition to the new DX-4677 coolers, the NM-i4677 mounting kit allows Noctua DX-4189, DX-3647 and TR4-SP3 series coolers to be installed on LGA4677.

Links
NH-U14S DX-4677
NH-U12S DX-4677
NH-U9 DX-4677
NH-D9 DX-4677 4U
NM-i4677

Suggested retail prices
The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices are as follows:

NH-U14S DX-4677: EUR 139.90 / USD 129.90
NH-U12S DX-4677: EUR 139.90 / USD 129.90
NH-U9 DX-4677: EUR 129.90 / USD 119.90
NH-D9 DX-4677 4U: EUR 129.90 / USD 119.90
NM-i4677: EUR/USD 29.90

Availability
All the new products are available from end of February via Noctua’s official Amazon stores:

Buy NH-U14S DX-4677
Buy NH-U12S DX-4677
Buy NH-U9 DX-4677
Buy NH-D9 DX-4677 4U
Buy NM-i4677

“Fan grills may seem like a trivial accessory, but many available solutions can seriously hamper your fans’ acoustics and performance, so we decided to offer our own selection of grills”, explains Roland Mossig (Noctua CEO). “Our NA-FG1 use a proven, highly efficient design and top it off with a convenient tool-free mounting system that introduces an extra offset and can thereby help to improve both airflow and noise levels.”

While flat fan grills or fan guards with sharp edges can create unpleasant, high-pitched turbulence noises and often also reduce airflow significantly, Noctua’s NA-FG1 units use an offset design with rounded struts in order to ensure that the impact on fan acoustics and performance is as low as possible.

The included tool-free push-pin mounting system not only makes installation a breeze, even if the fans are already installed in a PC system, it also introduces an additional 5mm offset in order to achieve even lower influx turbulence, further improved running smoothness and better airflow performance. In Noctua’s tests, the additional offset allowed to reduce the grills’ average impact on airflow performance from 3 to 2% and the average impact on noise levels from 1.2dB(A) to 0.6dB(A).

Last but not least, the high-quality matte black finish and the Noctua logo at the centre make the NA-FG1 grills a visual testament to Noctua’s renowned premium quality.

The NA-FG1 are available in sets of 2 (Sx2) and 5 (Sx5). In addition to the fan grills, the kits include standard fan screws as well as Noctua’s unique, offset push-pin mounts for tool-free, acoustically optimised installation (one set of screws and one set of push-pins for each fan grill).

Links
NA-FG1-4
NA-FG1-5
NA-FG1-6
NA-FG1-7
NA-FG1-8
NA-FG1-9
NA-FG1-12
NA-FG1-14
NA-FG1-20
Benefits of the offset mounting

Suggested retail prices
The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices are as follows:

NA-FG1-4: EUR/USD 12.90 (Sx2) / EUR/USD 19.90 (Sx5)
NA-FG1-5: EUR/USD 12.90 (Sx2) / EUR/USD 19.90 (Sx5)
NA-FG1-6: EUR/USD 12.90 (Sx2) / EUR/USD 19.90 (Sx5)
NA-FG1-7: EUR/USD 12.90 (Sx2) / EUR/USD 19.90 (Sx5)
NA-FG1-8: EUR/USD 12.90 (Sx2) / EUR/USD 19.90 (Sx5)
NA-FG1-9: EUR/USD 12.90 (Sx2) / EUR/USD 19.90 (Sx5)
NA-FG1-12: EUR/USD 14.90 (Sx2) / EUR/USD 24.90 (Sx5)
NA-FG1-14: EUR/USD 14.90 (Sx2) / EUR/USD 24.90 (Sx5)
NA-FG1-20: EUR/USD 19.90 (Sx2) / EUR/USD 29.90 (Sx5)

Availability
All sets are available as of today via Noctua’s official Amazon stores:

Buy NA-FG1-4
Buy NA-FG1-5
Buy NA-FG1-6
Buy NA-FG1-7
Buy NA-FG1-8
Buy NA-FG1-9
Buy NA-FG1-12
Buy NA-FG1-14
Buy NA-FG1-20

“AMD’s just-released 65W Ryzen CPUs are ideal for building small yet highly powerful systems, and our new NH-L9a-AM5 is the perfect cooler to match”, explains Roland Mossig (CEO). “It can easily cool the new 7900, 7700 and 7600 at ultra-quiet fan speeds and offers plenty of headroom if customers want to push them beyond 65W – we’ve actually been running up to 130W on the Ryzen 7950X and 7900X!”

At a height of only 37mm, the NH-L9a is ideal for extremely slim cases and, due to its small footprint, it provides 100% RAM and PCIe compatibility as well as easy access to near-socket connectors even on tightly packed mini-ITX motherboards. The custom-designed SecuFirm2™ mounting system for the AM5 socket makes installation a breeze and, thanks to the highly optimised NF-A9x14 92mm fan that supports fully automatic speed control via PWM, the NH-L9a-AM5 runs remarkably quietly. The chromax.black version with its black fan and black coated heatsink combines these assets with a sleek stealth look.
Topped off with Noctua’s renowned NT-H1 thermal compound, the NH-L9a-AM5 and NH-L9a-AM5 chromax.black combine everything users have come to expect from Noctua’s larger coolers into a super-compact, premium-quality package for ITX and HTPC builds with AMD AM5 processors.

For customers who seek to further improve the performance of the cooler, the optional NA-FD1 fan duct kit allows for bridging the gap between the cooler and perforated side panels of Small Form Factor cases. This enables the cooler to draw in fresh air from the outside through the perforated panel, which can, depending on the setup, improve CPU temperatures by as much as 5°C or more.

Links
NH-L9a-AM5
NH-L9a-AM5 chromax.black
NA-FD1
Noctua Compatibility Centre (CPU, motherboard and case compatibility)

Suggested retail prices
The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices are as follows:
NH-L9a-AM5: EUR 49.90 / USD 44.90
NH-L9a-AM5 chromax.black: EUR 59.90 / USD 54.90

Availability
Both new coolers are available as of today via Noctua’s official Amazon stores:
Buy NH-L9a-AM5
Buy NH-L9a-AM5 chromax.black
Other sales partners will receive stock shortly.

About Noctua
Designed in Austria, Noctua’s premium cooling components are internationally renowned for their superb quietness, exceptional performance and thoroughgoing quality. Having received more than 6000 awards and recommendations from leading hardware websites and magazines, Noctua’s fans and heatsinks are serving hundreds of thousands of satisfied customers around the globe.

Noctua is continuing the innovation in the tech industry. They have recently launched spacer frames and anti-vibration gaskets. The idea behind the spacer frames is that where the fans are installed in pull configuration, this frame will provide an offset or a certain gap between that surface and the fan reducing the turbulence (influx) which could help reduce the noise and improve the performance though not guaranteed and it would depend on the fan being used. The anti-vibration gasket serves its name. It sits between the complete frame border of the fan and the surface on which the fan is installed to reduce the vibration where possible. Please keep in mind this will not help in improving the overall performance but may help a bit in reducing the vibrational noise as the purpose of this gasket is to form a tighter seal between the 140mm fans and the surface.

The new accessories include:

• NA-IS1-12
• NA-IS1-12 chromax.black
• NA-IS1-14
• NA-IS1-14 chromax.black
• NA-SAVG2
• NA-SAVG2 chromax.black

Following is the pricing information:

NA-IS1 (all versions): EUR/USD 14.90

NA-SAVG2 (all versions): EUR/USD 9.90

We will cover items one by one by grouping them into similar ones. Let’s start with the NA-IS1-12 and NA-IS1-14 and their chromax.black variant.

Specification

Packaging and Unboxing

The spacers are shipped inside standard Noctua-themed packing boxes. The chromax version has a black color packing box.

The scope of delivery (contents) is listed on the back of the packing boxes.

As usual, Noctua is on point with such a presentation. The spacers are stacked on top of each other. There is a paperboard folding in the center encapsulating the other contents.

The above picture shows the spacers. One is in a traditional brown/beige color scheme whereas the other is in black color. The dimension of the NA-IS1-12 spacers is 120x120x5mm whereas the dimension of NA-IS1-14 is 140x140x5mm. These are plastic-made frames that are compatible with the Noctua 120x25mm and 140x25mm fans.

The above picture shows the backside of these spacers. It is clear that these will replace the NA-AVP1 anti-vibration pads from the fans and will sit on one side of the frame.

The above picture shows the NA-IS1-14 installed on the backside of the Noctua NF-A14 PWM fan. You can see in the background the removed NA-AVP1 anti-vibration pads from the fan.

This angle will give a better perspective. Also, keep in mind that we are increasing the overall thickness of the fan from 25mm to 30mm.

The above picture shows the NA-IS1-14 chromax.black installed on the Noctua NF-A14 PWM fan. Ideally, this spacer will be used on the NF-A14 PWM chromax.black.swap fan.

The above picture is again better illustrating the concept.

Now coming to the main point, what is the purpose of these spacers and how they would actually help achieve the results? These spacers are designed particularly for use where the fans are installed in the pull configuration i.e fans are sucking or pulling the air. This could be on the PC case and even on the radiator though having it on the radiator may have a different perspective if not using a fan grill.

When it comes to PC cases, we can have different types of fan grills. We can have rounded holes on the grill or hexagonal holes or even slit-type holes. Each of these would represent a different level of turbulence but the point here is that these would produce turbulences that would be challenging for the fans in terms of the airflow and the noise. We might not notice that with the naked eye but acoustic is one department where conscious users can easily tell the difference. I remember installing the CORSAIR ML140 on the rear of the Phanteks EVOLV case as intake where that fan made a strange noise (humming) which was not the case when the fan was installed as exhaust.

This resistance or turbulence may drop the overall efficiency of the fan. Noctua has come up with one solution in which they have provided a gap between the grill/surface and the fan. By offsetting this by a 5mm gap, the pressure on the fan’s blades is somewhat reduced which would reduce the overall drag. This would help in countering the influx turbulence. However, one key note here is that it would also depend on the type of fan and the type of grill being used.

In some scenarios, one might not observe any change whereas some may observe a slight reduction in the noise and a few may actually see an improvement in the airflow. But the point is, the majority of the users don’t have the testing equipment to actually measure these differences.

Here, we are quoting Noctua from their in-house test result, “For example, in controlled testing on a perforated panel with a typical circular hole pattern, the tested 140 and 120mm fans showed an average reduction in noise levels of around 2dB(A) and an average increase in flow rate of around 4.4m³/h. While the results will vary between different fan models and applications depending on factors such as the exact shape and structure of the obstacle, fan speed, and flow resistance, the improvements are significant in most cases.”

If you happen to have a noise meter, you can measure this sound level difference. We have to disconnect all the other PC case fans and set the graphics cards fans not to spin. If PSU supports an active fan curve or fan stop feature that would be ideal. Then running the rear fan as an intake without the spacer will give a baseline. Repeating the test after installing the spacer between the fan and the grill would give an approximation of any reduction or enhancement in noise. This is easier said than done as there are more variables at play and environmental noise can easily pollute the result. Similarly, the flow rate of CFM can be measured the same way using the calibrated anemometer.

For PC Case installation, Noctua has provided 8x NA-AV3 anti-vibration mounts.

The user can also use the self-tapping screws to install the spacer-mounted fans on the PC Case. For the radiators, the Noctua has provided 8x UNC and M3 6-32 screws each. These are 35mm long screws.

The above picture shows the Noctua fans’ compatibility with NA-IS1-12 spacers.

The above picture shows the Noctua fans’ compatibility with NA-IS1-14 spacers.

Now, let’s take a look at the NA-SAVG2 and its chromax.black version.

Specifications

Packing Box

These gaskets are shipped inside a cardboard box in a standard Noctua theme.

Each box has 3x of these gaskets. The chromax.black version has black color gaskets which are suitable for the chromax.black and .swap series fans.

The above picture shows the gaskets in both colors. These are made of silicone rubber.

The above picture shows NA-SAVG2 installed on the Noctua NF-A14 PWM fan. These gaskets replace the NA-AVP1 anti-vibration pads. As can be seen, this gasket sits on the entire border of the frame.

The above picture shows the NA-SAVG2 chromax.black installed on the Noctua NF-A14 PWM fan.

These gaskets are compatible with Noctua 140x25mm size fans. The fans installed on the radiator in particular will be benefited from this gasket. It will also work where the fans are installed on the PC case as intake. Normally, some air is leaked across the edges of the fan which results in less efficiency. The Noctua NA-SAVG2 forms a tight seal between the fan and the surface which not only reduce the air loss but also helps in mitigating the anti-vibration noise hence somewhat enhancing the overall efficiency of the fan.

Testing

We did not test the spacers but we have put the NA-SAVG2 the testing. The following configuration is used:

• Intel i7 12700k [5.1GHz P-Cores, 4.1GHz E-Cores @ 1.250V VCore]
• GIGABYTE Z690 AERO G
• XPG Lancer RGB 32GB @ 6000MHz DDR5
• Sabrent Rocket Q 500GB NVMe SSD
• Colorful iGame GeForce GTX 1050Ti 4G [For Display]
• 9x Noctua NF-A14 PWM fans
• Alphacool Eisblock XPX AURORA PRO Digital RGB – Full Brass CPU Water Block
• Alphacool Eisbehcer D5 with VPP Apex Pump
• Alphacool NexXxos XT45 Full Copper 1260mm SuperNova Radiator
• Alphacool Quick Disconnect Fittings
• Alphacool TPV Black Tube 16/10mm
• Alphcool Black Fittings 16/10mm
• be quiet! Straight Power 11 1000W Platinum PSU
• Praxis Wetbench

Windows 11 22H2 is used. CINEBENCH R23 is used to stress the CPU for 30 minutes. HWInfo64 is used to monitor the sensors. The package temperature is reported.

The underload temperature was 74°C without NA-SAVG2. When NA-SAVG2 was installed on the fans and the test was repeated there was no difference as such in the thermals as the package temperature was still 74°C.

Conclusion

Noctua has released NA-IS1 for 120mm and 140mm Noctua fans with compatibility of 140x25mm and 120x25mm sizes. These are spacers that sit between the Noctua fans and the fan grill or surface. These are designed to serve as inlets for the fans when they are installed in a pull configuration. This pull or air-sucking operation normally are hindered by the influx turbulence which is generated on the surface of the grill.

The grills are of different types; circular hole pattern mesh, hexagonal hole pattern mesh, and slit-type mesh for example. Each of these would produce a different level of turbulence. This puts pressure on the blades adding drag which reduces the overall efficiency. These NA-IS1-12 and NA-IS1-14 spacers would create an offset of 5mm by introducing a gap between the mounting surface and the fan. This would reduce the pressure on the blades to improve efficiency. This efficiency may come either in slight noise reduction or increased air volume or maybe both. This would largely depend on the type of surface on which the fan is installed and the type of fan as well.

These spacers are available in a standard Noctua color and in the chromax.black color. A single box comes with 2x spacers and related mounting hardware. Noctua is providing NA-AV3 anti-vibration mounts as well as M3 and UNC 6-32 threaded screws of 35mm length. 8x Self-tapping screws are also provided. This is a complete solution in a box.

Moreover, Noctua has also released NA-SAVG2 and NA-SAVG2 chromax.black gaskets. Each box has 3x of these gaskets. These gaskets are installed on either side of the Noctua fans and form a tight seal between the fan and the surface on which the fan is installed. This would help in reducing the air loss due to leakage which is a common phenomenon and also reduces the vibration noise. The chromax.black edition would be suitable for the chromax series of Noctua fans. These gaskets are compatible with 140x25mm fans.

The NA-IS1 all versions have an MSRP of Euro/USD 14.90 whereas the NA-SAVG2 and its chromax edition have an MSRP of Euro/USD 9.90. We have tested the NA-SAVG2 on the 9x Noctua NF-A14 PWM fans installed on the Alphacool NexXxos XT45 1260mm radiator. However, we did not observe any thermal difference or sound output. The reduction in loss of air is still a good thing nevertheless.

We then referred to the Noctua in-house performance guideline available here. Here is the summary of the results, “In summary, we generally recommend NA-IS1 for all suction-type applications. For 140mm water cooling radiators, customers should see good results with NF-P14s redux but with NF-A14, the benefits may be limited to slightly improved tonal characteristics.”

The above picture summarized the outcome.

Thanks to Noctua for the provision of the units.