Reviews & awards

You may be sitting there thinking, yeah, but it's a partnership with Asetek; they check boxes, and someone else makes it. Wrong. Every aspect of this is unlike anything we have seen from the various manufacturers who also opt to use Asetek. Everything from the hardware, accessories, and use of Torx-driven screws are all the things you never thought needed help, but did. It's almost like everything you do during installation puts a slightly bigger smile on your face. It is also all the little things. Not some cheap, poorly threaded bits, no bottom basement feel to any of it. While we can't prove it, we swear this is a Weller Torx driver, and even touches like the CPU protector, a cleaning wipe, and the kit to swap the badge are the whipped cream and cherry on this amazing product.

The funny thing is, we are all smiles as we write this, thinking back to how Noctua came out of nowhere with their first AIO models to hit the market, and they trounced it. They didn't just match the best in the game; they took that extra step we would expect from a company such as Noctua. Thermally, these are beasts when quiet as can be, and if you still want a bit more performance, flip the switch to balance or manual mode, and let these NH-LC1-36 and 42 eat. With plenty of tube length and a lower FPI layout on the radiator, the Noctua fans used are a match made in heaven.

That brings us to the noise levels, if you really want to call it that. In most instances, users use a closed chassis, have headphones on, and with the GPU fan spooling up, the NL-LC1 coolers are not what you are going to hear. With 25 and 22 dB in quiet mode as the loudest they get, we would even advise these for HTPC use, or for those who can't stand fan noise while sleeping. Seriously, once that initial coolant flow has settled any air into the radiator, not a bit of this makes any noise, not even the head unit. Due to the damper and use of various densities of foam, it sat in silence during all our usage. Do not be afraid to snag the NL-AFC1 if you think your surroundings need a bit of extra love, as it is well worth it to keep the components cooler, allowing boost to take full advantage of the situation. While not currently in stock, we did find it listed in Canada at only $28 added to the total.

There is so much more that went into this result than most will ever know. It isn't just the fans; it isn't just the pump OEM. Every bit of the NL-LC1-36 has been streamlined, improved, addressed, and made more user-friendly, while keeping that top-tier feel and presence that Noctua is known for, for years, possibly decades now. We can only assume future hardware will be provided as done with other Noctua coolers, and you are covered for six years, double most others, triple or more times the rest. Everything, and we mean everything, is just so much nicer than what we have been settling for.

No, it does not have a fancy screen or a metric-crap-ton of LEDs all over it, but it does kick ass and chew bubble gum. While showing our age with that reference, it should also show how long we have been doing this. We were here when Cool-IT and Asetek were fledgling companies, and AIOs were not yet taking over the industry. Custom loops were the only way to go. While watching it happen over the years, we have seen every trick of the trade to improve an AIO over another, and it took, in our opinion, one of the top three in CPU air cooling to show those who have done it over a decade how to do it right. It feels like an episode of Holmes Makes It Right, where a true professional comes in, raises the standards, and delivers the product we never knew we needed. If you can get past the color of the fans, grab one of these NL-LC1-36 or NL-LC1-42 systems and know that for just $249.99, you have got the best product this segment of the market has to offer. In our blunt opinion, there isn't a better option, and nobody delivers in scope what Noctua is offering. It's almost silly to opt for anything else.