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NH-U12A chromax.black

High-end 120mm single tower cooler

140mm class performance, 120mm size

Can match or even outperform many larger coolers

Dual NF-A12x25 fans

With PWM support and Low-Noise Adaptors

chromax.black edition

With a black coated heatsink and chromax.black fans

Product line:

Overview
Specifications
Features
Compatibility
Reviews
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The NH-U12A chromax.black is an all-black version of Noctua’s award-winning NH-U12A premium-quality quiet CPU cooler. Thanks to the same proven asymmetrical single-tower heatsink design and state-of-the-art NF-A12x25 PWM fans, it stays true to the NH-U12A’s successful formula of fusing best-in-class cooling performance with superb quietness of operation and outstanding RAM, case and PCIe compatibility. At the same time, the chromax.black version with its black fans and black coated heatsink combines these assets with a sleek stealth look. Topped off with the renowned SecuFirm2™ multi-socket mounting system, Noctua’s enthusiast-grade NT-H1 thermal compound and a full 6-year manufacturer’s warranty, the NH-U12A chromax.black is a deluxe choice for customers who seek a highly compatible 120mm heatsink that can rival the performance of 140mm units and looks just as great as it cools.

Chip.pl logo

Chip.pl•Michał Andruszkiewicz

“Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black mimo wysokiej ceny jest moim zdaniem wartym polecenia produktem. Może wydajność nie jest najwyższa spośród chłodzeń powietrzem, ale wyniki po normalizacji są już bardzo dobre. Dodatkowo kupując ją nie potrzebujecie dużej ...”

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HWCooling.net•Pavel Sekerka

“...a top-notch cooler that offers high cooling effectiveness and excellent build quality”

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modding.fr•Bertrand Curras

“Nous en avons tous rêvé, Noctua l’a fait!”

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NikKTech.com•Nik Kastrantas

“You’re not only getting one of the highest performance CPU air coolers around, you’re also getting one that features excellent build quality and low noise levels at full load. On top of those add the 6-year limited warranty and all the extra chromax ...”

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FunkyKit.com•Bartosz Waluk

“The NH-U12A chromax.black is the top choice for any gaming PC and deserves our Editor’s Choice Award!”

El Chapuzas Informático logo

El Chapuzas Informático•Iván Martínez

“El Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black es quizás el mejor disipador que ofrece la marca, pues sin ser el más potente (D15), tiene unas dimensiones mucho más versátiles que lo hacen compatible con prácticamente cualquier equipo. La combinación de sus dos ven...”

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LanOC.org•Wes Compton

“They pack a lot into a small package and Noctua’s claim of getting 140mm cooler performance in a 120mm cooler package is true.”

EnosTech.com logo

EnosTech.com•Nauman Siddique

“This feature-rich cooling solution offers a better acoustic even in push/pull configuration, and good thermal performance which is further augmented by a 6-year warranty, and it comes recommended by us.”

Game2Gether.de logo

Game2Gether.de•Alexander Schaaf

“Der Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black ist der perfekte CPU-Kühler für alle, deren Gehäuse nur Platz für 120 mm Lüfter bietet, man aber dennoch ein Maximum an Kühlleistung herausholen möchte. Auch mit übertakteten CPUs wird im Gamingeinsatz in fast allen B...”

Key features

140mm performance in 120mm size

Thanks to its completely revised, thoroughly optimised 7 heatpipe layout, 37% more fin surface area (as compared to the NH-U12S) and a dual fan push/pull configuration that uses the new, state-of-the-art NF-A12x25 fans, the NH-U12A pushes the performance envelope in the 120mm class and can actually match or even outperform many 140mm sized coolers.

100% RAM compatibility on LGA1851/LGA1700 and AM4/AM5

Due to its asymmetric design, the NH-U12A does not overhang the RAM slots on Intel LGA1851 / LGA1700 / LGA1200 / LGA115x and AMD AM4 / AM5 based motherboards, which ensures easy access to the modules and 100% compatibility with DIMMs that feature tall heat-spreaders.

Classic 120mm tower size for excellent overall compatibility

Standing 158mm tall, the NH-U12A is short enough to fit most modern mid- or high-end tower cases. Measuring 125mm wide (including fan and fan clips), the cooler stays clear of the top PCIe slot on most standard ATX or Micro-ATX motherboards, ensuring optimum compatibility with multi-GPU setups.

Colour-customisable

Using the optional NA-HC7 and NA-HC8 heatsink covers as well as the NA-SAVP1 anti-vibration pads (available in black, blue, green, red, yellow, white), the NH-U12A chromax.black can be fully customised to fit popular build colour schemes such as black and red or black and white.

Further resources

Want to know more on this topic? Explore relevant articles and resources.

All articles
How do the NH-U12A, NH-U12S, NH-U12S redux and NH-D12L compare?
guides

Which Noctua 120mm CPU cooler is right for you? Discover which model offers the best combination of performance, noise, and compatibility for your setup.

NF-A12x25: technical backgrounds and manufacturing challenges
tech

From material limitations to microscopic tolerances, the NF-A12x25 was one of Noctua's most challenging projects to date. But how did they overcome these obstacles?

FAQs

All FAQs

Accessories

Explore recommended accessories for this product.

NA-HC7 chromax.black.swap

Maximising colour choices: swappable coloured inlays give our NH-U12A a completely unique look!

NA-HC8 chromax.black

Give your NH-U12A cooler an all black stealth look that looks as good as it performs.

NA-HC8 chromax.white

Super-elegant: Give your NH-U12A a sleek snow-white look.

NT-H1 3.5g

Renowned premium-grade thermal compound. 3.5g pack for around 3-20 applications (depending on CPU size).

NT-H1 10g

Renowned premium-grade thermal compound. XL 10g pack for around 9-60 applications (depending on CPU size).

NT-H2 3.5g

Further improved second generation of the renowned NT-H1. 3.5g pack with 3 cleaning wipes included.

NT-H2 10g

Further improved second generation of the renowned NT-H1. XL 10g pack with 10 cleaning wipes included.

NA-STPG1

Thermal paste guard and cleaning set for AMD AM5 CPUs.

NM-M1-MP78 chromax.black

Torx-based mounting upgrade kit for chromax.black CPU coolers with 78mm mounting pitch.

NM-i20xx

Makes Noctua CPU coolers compatible with Intel's LGA2011 and LGA2066 sockets.

NM-I3

Makes Noctua CPU coolers compatible with Intel's LGA775 and LGA1366 sockets.

NM-SD2

Phillips PH2 screwdriver: compatible with Noctua heatsinks that use cross recess based mounting systems.

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