For the overclocked performance, everything closes up a little. The Noctua NH-U12S is still the best of the three on the 8700K, but it’s still pushing it for a comfortable overclocker. The sound performance points to some headroom, and of course, you can fit a second fan, but there are better for overclocking.
Conclusion
The Noctua NH-U12S is another Noctua cooler we cannot really fault, other than as an overclocker. It’s up to the usual Noctua standards, and if you buy this product, it will feel like a premier purchase, but it’s not going to allow for much room in overclocking. With all that said, if you buy this now, and add a second fan later, it may be a good way to get a decent heatsink and fan on a budget and add a fan when you have the cash.
Other than that, it’s a great stock cooler, with good sound performance and if you are sticking to stock, it’s another Noctua that’s worth a look.
Noctua NH-U12S CPU Cooler
Noctua NH-U12S CPU Cooler Review
Package - 8.5
Performance - 7
Price - 7
Consumer Experience - 7.5
7.5
The Noctua NH-U12S is another Noctua cooler we cannot really fault, other than as an overclocker. It's up to the usual Noctua standards, and if you buy this product, it will feel like a premier purchase, but it's not going to allow for much room in overclocking. With all that said, if you buy this now, and add a second fan later, it may be a good way to get a decent heatsink and fan on a budget and add a fan when you have the cash.
