Noctua NH-C12P SE14 CPU Cooler Review

Posted by: Sahil Mannick (Helios1234) on: 01/15/2010 12:12 PM [ Print | 0 comment(s) ]

Introduction
Product on Review: Noctua NH-C12P SE14
Manufacturer and Sponsor: Noctua
MSRP: EUR 59.90 / USD 69.90
Street Price: N/A

Noctua's last cooler, the NH-D14, got off to an excellent start, earning itself the performance crown not just from us here at Vortez, but across the whole community. Noctua hopes to distribute some of that winning pedigree into its previous models to revitalise its product line and the result is the Noctua NH-C12P SE14. Keeping most of the attributes of the previous model, the main difference is the inclusion of the excellent NF-P14 140mm fan.

The NH-C12P SE14 cooler differs to other Noctua offerings in that it is a top-down cooler rather than a traditional tower heatsink. While the design has its limitations, the main target user are those with smaller cases/m-atx cases such as the Lian Li V350, which tend to have height limitations. Thus Noctua have tried to cater for those people. We will see today in our review whether this cooler does its name justice and if this is the answer to many HTPC users' plea. The previous model was previously reviewed here.

A little bit about Noctua:

Designed in Austria, Noctua's premium cooling components are internationally renowned for their superb quietness, exceptional performance and thoroughgoing quality. Having received more than 1000 awards and recommendations from leading hardware websites and magazines, Noctua's fans and heatsinks are chosen by more than a hundred thousand satisfied customers around the globe.

Technology
Scientific know-how pooling and state-of-the-art simulation environments allow for advanced, highly optimised products that set new benchmarks for performance to noise efficiency. Over the years, Noctua has put itself on the forefront of quiet cooling innovations with its unique, psycho-acoustically optimised impeller designs as well as new bearing and drive technologies such as the SSO-Bearing (Self-Stabilising Oil Pressure Bearing) or the Smooth Commutation Drive (SCD) system. Thanks to advanced aerodynamic design measures like Vortex-Control Notches and Bevelled Blade Tips, Noctua's products are renowned for pushing the envelope in axial fan technology.

Quality and Service
In a market that's increasingly driven by cost saving rather than customer dedication and flooded with branded budget products, we take pride in striving for excellence both in product and service quality. For example, our heatsinks feature all soldered joints for maximum performance and durability, our fans' 150,000h+ MTBF is backed up by a full 6 years manufacturer's warranty and when AMD introduced AM2 and Intel introduced LGA1366, we provided thousands of users with mounting kits for free. As a result, an ever growing base of avid Noctua users not only swears by the thoroughgoing premium quality of our products, but also by our excellent, customer-friendly service.

Noctua are revered as a manufacturer of quality products with a premium feel. Let's see if the new Noctua NH-C12P SE14 can improve on the previous model.