NH-L12S
70mm height low-profile cooler
Compact low-profile design
70mm height for small form factor systems
Slim NF-A12x15 120mm fan
With PWM support and Low-Noise Adaptor
SecuFirm2™ mounting system
Synonymous with quality, safety and easy installation
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The NH-L12S dealt with the 9700X fantastically. It reached a maximum temperature of just 76°C while gaming, and 79°C under more intense loads, such as Handbrake and Cinebench R24. This is both a compliment for Noctua's compact cooler, which was operating with only a moderate amount more airflow from the additional 1x 120 mm fan installed in the Terra, and AMD's power-savvy 9000-series processors.
Even with the additional fan in place inside the Fractal Design Terra, and the case sat atop of my desk within earshot, the NH-L12S isn't overly loud.
Small form factor components tend to illicit large prices—make of that what you will—and the NH-L12S does come with a tall price tag considering its stature. It'll set you back $65/£64. If you want a cheap air cooler, we have other budget air cooler recommendations for that. Likewise, Noctua makes a taller variant called the NH-L12Sx77, which features two additional heatpipes for greater cooling potential, though this will run into greater compatibility issues with a number of Mini-ITX cases due to its 77 mm height (NH-L12S is only 70 mm).
Yet there's something to be said for this compact cooler even in light of other units. It straddles a fine line between cooling potential and size. It's a great fit for one of AMD's latest processors—at least the lower wattage ones—and, as proven in testing, you don't really need much more than it offers.