Noctua NH-L12S CPU Air Cooler

The Noctua NH-L12S is a compact, low-profile CPU air cooler engineered for Small Form Factor (SFF) and HTPC systems where case clearance is at a premium. Building on the foundation of the NH-L12, it ships with the slim NF-A12x15 PWM fan — a 120 x 120 x 15 mm unit that delivers notably higher airflow than the 92 mm fan used on the previous model, while keeping noise levels impressively low. One of the NH-L12S’s defining traits is its dual operating mode. In low-profile mode, the NF-A12x15 fan mounts beneath the fin stack, bringing the total cooler height down to just 70 mm. The fan can be oriented to blow either upward or downward to suit the airflow direction inside your chassis. In high-clearance mode, the fan mounts on top of the fin stack, freeing up clearance underneath for RAM modules with heat-spreaders of up to 48 mm in height, compared with 35 mm in low-profile mode. Additionally, the included fan clips are compatible with standard 120 x 25 mm fans, allowing users with extra vertical room to mount a thicker fan on top and raise total height to 95 mm for a potential performance boost. The cooler uses Noctua’s SecuFirm2 multi-socket mounting system, supporting a wide range of Intel and AMD sockets including LGA1200, LGA115x (LGA1150/1151/1155/1156), LGA2011-0, LGA2011-3, LGA2066, and AMD AM2, AM2+, AM3, AM3+, AM4, FM1, FM2, and FM2+. LGA1700 support has been included since Q4 2021; older units require the separate NM-i17xx-MP78 kit. NT-H1 thermal compound is included in the box. Noctua notes that the NH-L12S is optimised for quiet, efficient cooling in its class and is not intended for overclocking. It should be used with care on CPUs with a TDP exceeding 95 W; users are advised to consult Noctua’s official CPU compatibility list for guidance. Verified Specifications: • Fan model: Noctua NF-A12x15 PWM (120 x 120 x 15 mm) • Bearing type: SSO2 • Max fan speed: 1,850 RPM (±10%); 1,400 RPM with Low-Noise Adaptor (±10%) • Min fan speed (PWM): 450 RPM (±20%) • Max airflow: 94.2 m³/h; 70.8 m³/h with LNA • Max acoustic noise: 23.9 dB(A); 16.8 dB(A) with LNA • Input power: 1.56 W; Voltage: 12 V; MTTF: >150,000 h • Cooler height (with/without fan, low-profile mode): 70 mm • Cooler width: 128 mm; Depth: 146 mm • Weight without fan: 390 g; with fan: 520 g • Materials: copper base and heat-pipes, aluminium fins, soldered joints, nickel plating • Fan compatibility: 120 x 120 x 15 mm and 120 x 120 x 25 mm • Socket support: Intel LGA2066, LGA2011-0, LGA2011-3, LGA1200, LGA1156, LGA1155, LGA1151, LGA1150; AMD AM2/AM2+/AM3/AM3+/AM4/FM1/FM2/FM2+ • Warranty: 6 years (manufacturer) • In the box: NF-A12x15 PWM fan, Low-Noise Adaptor, NT-H1 thermal compound, SecuFirm2 mounting kit, Noctua metal case badge