Review on Noctua NH-D9L: High-Performance CPU Cooler with NF-A9 92mm Fan (Brown) by Terrance Palau

This 5-star rating is easily deserved. I bought it for the i7-8700 (with a crappy Intel cooling solution) and knew from experience that I wanted something better. I have a couple of new unused "Hyper 212s" and they often have a defect where the heat pipes detach from the base and the transfer surface of the 212 looks gnarly when new. Even if you pet the Hyper 212, they shake, so there's no point. I've tried many "imported" water blocks for use with a 400w TDP ASIC, so I have an idea of what works well for moving heat. I chose Noctua based on photos showing the actual heat transfer surface. he looks at me (already polished). that met and exceeded my expectations. I installed it in a very small microATX case. No gap problems. RAM is easily erased while M.2 SSD is erased. The only potential issue is the usual placement of the CPU fan header on motherboards. Don't forget to connect it before installing the radiator! (as with most air-cooled solutions, so no deductions) I suggest swapping the fan in/out a few times before screwing it in if this is your first rodeo. You can easily install the fan clips after everything is installed. Also, don't forget to install the processor before installing the brackets on the motherboard. The NH-D9L is easy to clean with an old toothbrush thanks to its double rib arrangement. With a fan in the middle, most dirt is on the washable fins, not the fan! My application had above average cooling requirements (65-95W CPU TDP) and I took a chance. I am very happy with the camping and will consider Noctua cooling solutions for future needs.