Review on 🖥️ Noctua NH-U12S Chromax.Black CPU Cooler - 120mm Single-Tower Cooler in Black by Elaine Ross

Pros: - Great instructions included - Plenty of accessories to get the job done - High quality hardware - All hardware included as advertised - 5 heat pipes instead of the standard 3 or 4 heat pipes - Sturdy and clean nickel plated bottom of the cooler. The black finish of the cooler is nice to look at. It also reduces the chances of the ribs cutting you. Radiator fins have weight. You are not skinny at all. The fan is good if you are looking for a low noise level and a maximum airflow of 55 cfm. - Not made in China. It is made in Taiwan. Definitely an improvement over products from China. Cons: - Installation was a problem! I thought I would damage the heatsink, processor or motherboard. I followed the instructions but the screws didn't go in properly and when they did there was too much threading and I didn't have any clearance to install the other side. Instead I prefer 4 screw mounts. They are much easier to handle and feel more secure. The fan is good because it has a low noise level and a maximum airflow of 55cfm, but after stress testing I feel my installation needs more airflow. I replace the fan with a Fractal Design fan to increase airflow and keep temperatures down, even if it's just a few degrees. Overall I like this cooler and I believe it costs $70. The heatsink is $45-$50, but the fan is around $20 in my opinion. If I could just buy a radiator I would do it instead. Either way, you can't go wrong with this CPU cooler, or Noctua in general. ***Updated August 9, 2020*** The Fractal Design fans were good but only at 1300 RPM. At speeds above 1300 RPM the fans screeched and made a lot of noise. At 2000 rpm the sound was unbearable and only reduced the temperature of the processor by 1-2 degrees. Exchange is not worth it. We stay with the Noctua fans!