Review on 🌙 Noctua NH-L9x65: The Ultimate Premium Low-Profile CPU Cooler (65mm, Brown) by Sean Copeland

This CPU cooler is probably the best choice out there for anyone trying to cool a high performance CPU in a mini-ITX case like my Cooler Master Elite 130. At first I was afraid of using it. This is due to the height of this cooler as my case specs said I only have 65mm clearance but the actual clearance is probably around 75mm allowing this cooler to fit snugly under the PSU. Keep in mind that they cool Intel S or T series chips phenomenally, but with K processors like my i5-4690k you'll see higher temperatures, although reasonable unless you can really build a big tower install. Cooler. Performance (4/5): Idle temps are 35-40C with i5-4690k OC @ 4.0GHz. Loading The Witcher 3 with my GTX 970 adding some heat to the case is <= 72 degrees C. The torture test I ran with the EVGA OC scanner got to 90 degrees C after 10 minutes, which is worrying , but still at TJMax and well beyond usual use case. Note that in this test, all four cores run at 4 GHz at 100% load. Compared to the stock, which hits 100 after 3 minutes, the cooler works significantly better, but still doesn't work miracles. Expect 70-75 degrees under heavy load for normal use or gaming and good case ventilation. The fan is rated at 2500 RPM, but mine shows up to 3000 RPM on SpeedFan. I switched from the stock cooler to the NH-L9i and then to this one and I usually see the cooler temp about 10 degrees cooler than those two and I also had a thicker 25mm fan for the NH-L9i. I have no issues with the temperatures I'm seeing, although I wouldn't consider overclocking above 4.2GHz and will probably just leave it at 4GHz. Installation (5/5): You will need access to the back of the motherboard for the initial installation, but after that you can remove the heatsink and reinstall it just from the front. The bracket is solidly constructed and makes attaching the heatsink much easier after applying thermal paste. For other coolers, you should strive to center it over the processor and attach 4 points at a time. Requiring only two connections to the mounting bracket, this cooler is easy to align and very strong once secured. Thermal paste is great. Remember to aim for the lens size in the center! The included low-noise adapter and screwdriver complete the package. The kit includes brackets for LGA 2011, LGA 115x and AMD connectors. This is really a universal cooler for modern processors. The included fan attaches securely to the cooler, and the fan cable is sturdy and definitely long enough. This cooler is even lighter than the NH-L9i, so there is no need to bend the motherboard too much. All in all it was a very quick and reliable installation. Noise (4/5): Clearly noticeable at 100% but not annoying. At around 70%, the case fan is virtually silent along with the case fans. When idling, you can achieve roughly the same acoustic properties as with a series cooler. Under load, the Noctua is quieter than the stock, but the 14mm fan emits a slight audible tone. That's acceptable in my opinion, but those who need absolute silence might want to limit the fan curve or fit a low-noise adapter at the expense of additional heat. I didn't notice any additional vibrations or wind noise in the case. Finally, noise levels range from non-existent to acceptable, which is a triumph for a part optimized for size and cooling at the same time as noise. Build Quality (5/5): My packaging had a crumpled corner. Thank you UPS Luckily the Noctua packaging was well thought out and the cooler was in good condition with no bent fins or anything like that. The fan is very high quality. The heatsink felt a little flimsy, but with normal handling it definitely doesn't bend the fins and you have to worry about it breaking. Just don't drop the radiator and you'll be fine. The fins are much thinner than the NH-L9i or the stock Intel cooler. My guess is that it somehow improves performance or reduces the required static pressure from the fan. The contact plate was covered with a plastic screen, but I had dust under the screen. A quick wipe with 99% iso is enough to completely dust it off. I definitely wouldn't trust the shield to replace pre-installation cleaning. The instructions were clear and to the point. There's enough thermal paste for probably 4 overstresses and a fifth lens-sized drop. If you look at reviews of this thermal paste, it's one of the best and you'll get enough to mess it up a few times and still have some left over. Overall, this cooler is a premium product. Final Thoughts: If you're considering it for anything other than a space-constrained setup, you might want to look elsewhere. Other Noctua coolers and even the cheap Cooler Master 212 perform better overall. This product is specially designed for small cases with limited radiator clearance and for people who value noise and performance. For what it is, it's a godsend. Now you can use your hot Haswell chips in a Mini-ITX case, even with some overclocking! I've tried other coolers including the stock Intel cooler and the Noctua NH-L9i with an upgraded fan and this has proven to be the most effective. However, the stock cooler will suit most people, so this cooler's value for money only makes sense if you want cooler temperatures or less noise at the lowest altitude and don't mind a premium price point. You get what you pay for with this product, and with a 6-year warranty and great build quality, plus a promise to ship you mounts for new sockets, this cooler can only last two builds. I am giving 5 stars even though my average is 4.5 because for those who need targeted cooling for their high performance processors in a small package this is the perfect product. For others with more wiggle room I'd probably give 4 stars and encourage you to save money or get better performance with larger Noctua or CM Hyper-212 coolers.