Noctua NH-C12P CPU Cooler Review

Value and Conclusions

The NH-C12P is different. It utilises the top down design which nearly always doesn't perform as well as the upright method used by coolers like the Titan Fenrir and OCZ Vendetta 2, for the simple fact the total heatsink surface area is far less. Noctua were honest with us from the beginning though, and stated that its tower heatsink works better, but the C12P was designed for cases which were constricting cooler height but still required very low noise.

The C12P has other advantages in certain applications too - for starters, large tower-like heatsinks are often a downright, finger crushing squeeze of a fit and it also means hot spots on your motherboard surrounding the CPU socket, will almost certainly be much hotter than with the C12P.

That said, if you're considering a high performance CPU cooler, chances are you'll have a fairly hefty case though and probably not something that's the size of a shoebox. If you do have the latter, then as we mentioned earlier, you're going to have to think about how to get the heat dumped into the case by the NH-C12P, exhausted as efficiently as possible.

The installation presented no problems and we took just a hassle free 15 minutes with a screw driver. Your motherboard will remain safe throughout the procedure too, with no excessive forces required and no dreadful, finger breaking push pins!

In raw performance terms, LGA775 is a disappointment. We're not entirely sure why but we're fairly certain it has something to do with the lack of direct contact with the NH-C12P's heatpipes and the CPU IHS as both the Titan Fenrir and OCZ Vendetta 2 performed much better and have exposed heatpipes here. There's also the fact the NH-C12P has a smaller heatsink surface area than most upright CPU coolers and LGA775 and AM2+ mounts are slightly different.


That said, its performance in our AM2+ test rig was stellar and it kept up with both aforementioned CPU coolers, even when using the lower fan speed. Speaking of fan speed, even with the fan at its maximum 1,300rpm it was certainly quieter than the Titan Fenrir at low speed, which is practically silent anyway.

At 900rpm, we couldn't actually hear it above the ambient noise in our lab - you have to put your ear right next to it - so it's probably safe to say you won't be able to hear it outside of your case at all. It really is that quiet thanks to the awesome NF-P12 fan, and it adds several brownie points to the score accordingly.

The price though, is a high one. At over £50 for a CPU cooler, it is a little on the crazy side and unfortunately there is some very stiff competition in the form of the Fenrir, which we've found for £33.09 (inc. VAT) and the OCZ Vendetta 2, which currently retails for just £20.65 (inc. VAT). Even the Thermalright Ultra Extreme without a fan can be found for around £45, so combine that with the same Noctua fan and you'll not be far off the same price. In this light, the NH-C12P doesn't offer very good value at all especially on LGA775.

Final Thoughts

If you have a specific need for a very low noise and low profile heatsink there aren't many reasons to opt for the Noctua NH-C12P, unless you fancy it for an AMD setup.

If you're after a quick fix for the summer heat, as much as we love what Noctua products usually offer, we'd probably suggest doing the sensible thing. Listen to your wallet, as the Titan Fenrir offers much better value for the performance it delivers, and even when set down low is pretty damn quiet itself.

• Features
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• -
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• 8/10

• Performance
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• -
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• 7/10

• Build Quality
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• -
• 9/10

• Ease of Use
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• -
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• 8/10

• Value
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• -
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• 5/10

• Overall
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• -
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• 7/10

Score Guide