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Noctua NH-D9L 3U Low Noise Heatsink Review
Noctua NH-D9L 3U Low Noise Heatsink Review
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Abstract: The Noctua NH-D9L is a mid-sized heatsink suitable for use in 3U height computer chassis where low noise CPU cooling is desired. It's compact stature makes it ideal for 3U rack mounted computers in a recording studio, office environment or even book-sized miniITX cases.

 Manufacturer  Category  Published  Author 
Noctua   Cooling / Heatsinks   Aug 10, 2015   Max Page  

Home > Reviews > Page: Intel LGA2011 Heatsink Temperature Comparisons
FrostyTech Mk.III Synthetic Thermal Heatsink Test Results
Intel Core i7, Extreme Edition class heatsinks tested at a 200W heat load.
Results based on readings from a 38x38mm copper interface die with 200W heat load on the Intel version of the Mk.III Test Platform. Temperature results listed for each heatsink were calculated by determining the rise over ambient temperatures at time of test. Information on Frostytech's test methodology is available here.
Socket LGA2011-3 / 2011 /1366 compatible CPU heatsinks
manufacturer: model no.: *fan speed: 200w thermal test (°c) noise level (dba)

Coolermaster Nepton 280L high 10.6 58.8
Coolermaster Nepton 140XL high 11.8 59.6
Coolermaster Seidon 240M high 13.4 55.6
Silverstone Tundra TD02 high 13.6 53.0
DeepCool Maelstrom 240 high 13.8 58.6
Coolermaster Glacer 240L high 14.1 52.5
NZXT Kraken X60 high 14.5 60.7
Coolermaster Nepton 240M high 15.1 50.6
Noctua NH-D15 high 15.8 49.8
Noctua NH-U14S 17.0 47.3
Coolermaster Seidon 120V high 17.5 54.3
NZXT Kraken X40 high 18.2 59.4
Reeven Okeanos RC-1402 high 18.3 54.2
Reeven Ouranos RC-1401 high 18.4 52.5
Silverstone Tundra TD03 high 18.7 58.1
Silverstone Argon AR01 high 18.8 53.0
X2 Products Eclipse IV high 19.1 57.4
Coolermaster Eisberg 240L high 19.1 50.5
BeQuiet Dark Rock TF 19.2 44.5
Reeven Justice RC-1204 high 19.2 48.5
BeQuiet Dark Rock Pro 3 high 19.5 43.7
Raijintek Themis high 19.7 52.8
Coolermaster V8 GTS high 20.0 59.7
BeQuiet Dark Rock 3 high 20.9 41.8
Corsair Hydro H80i high 21.1 64.0
Noctua NH-U12S 21.1 46.2
Raijintek Ereboss high 21.4 49.7
Zalman Reserator 3 Max high 21.6 58.9
Scythe Mugen 4 high 21.7 41.9
Zalman LQ315 high 21.9 50.8
Silverstone NT06-P high 22.1 51.6
Raijintek Pallas high 22.2 43.2
Scythe Ashura SCASR-1000 high 22.5 49.4
DeepCool Gamer Storm Lucifer high 23.0 52.5
Raijintek Aidos high 23.0 55.6
Reeven Hans RC-1205 high 23.1 49.4
Silentium Fera2 HE1224 high 23.4 37.6
Zalman LQ310 high 23.8 52.7
Coolermaster Hyper D92 high 24.1 53.4
Noctua NH-D9L (front +2nd Fan) 24.2 47.8
Phanteks PH-TC14S high 24.2 47.4
Scythe Ashura Shadow (SCASR-1000SE) high 24.2 51.4
Raijintek Tisis high 24.6 47.8
BeQuiet Shadow Rock Slim high 24.7 40.4
BeQuiet Shadow Rock 2 high 24.9 43.3
Zalman LQ320 high 25.5 50.2
ID-Cooling SE-214X high 26.5 46.3
BeQuiet Shadow Rock LP 27.9 42.6
BeQuiet PureRock 27.9 42.9
npowertek NPH-1366-115HC (LGA1366) high 28.7 44.8
Dynatron G556 (LGA1366/2U) 29.1 68.4
Noctua NH-U9S 30.2 44.3
Dynatron G555 (LGA1366/2U) 30.4 67.8
Dynatron G666 (LGA1366/2U) 31.8 68.7
Noctua NH-D9L 32.0 43.2
Scythe Mugen Max SCMGD-1000 high 34.2 48.7
Noctua NH-D9DXi4 3U 34.9 44.6
Silverstone NT01-Pro high 35.8 40.4
nPowerTek NPH1366-140HC (LGA1366) high 36.3 48.1
Phanteks PH-TC12LS high 36.4 43.4
Zalman FX-100 (w/h ZM-F2 fan) 36.9 28.5
Noctua NH-L9x65 high 44.8 46.1
Dynatron G199 (LGA1366/1U) 47.6 62.6
Zalman FX-100 (hor, ver) 63.0 0.0
200w thermal test (°c) noise level (dba)
*heatsinks are ranked according to the 200w thermal test results column (rise over ambient temp.). low temperatures with low noise levels are considered best. for reference heatsinks with variable-speed fans, only the high speed (12v) fan test result is included in the comparison sheet; more detailed results reside in each specific heatsink review.

Frostytech's socket LGA2011 Intel synthetic thermal test platform stresses socket LGA2011/1366 compatible heatsinks with a 200W heat load. Keep in mind that the AMD Integrated Heat Spreader and Intel LGA2011 Integrated Heat Spreader both measure ~38x38mm, so these test results can be extrapolated to AMD processor scenario's as well.

With a 200W heat load applied by the Intel LGA2011/1366 version of FrostyTech's synthetic thermal test platform, the diminutive Noctua NH-D9L heatsink is only able to yield a satisfactory temperature result of 32.0°C over ambient at stock fan speed (2000RPM / 43.2dBA).

Adding a second NF-A9 fan to the front of the NH-D9L heatsink drops the synthetic CPU interface die temperature to 24.2°C over ambient, which is good. Noise output increases to 47.8dBA with both fans.

If we filter this heatsink reference chart down to sub-115mm tall Intel LGA2011 heatsinks only, the Noctua NH-D9L is the fourth best, behind the Silverstone NT06-P (100x140x147mm), Raijintek Pallas (69x151x153mm) and BeQuiet Shadow Rock LP (75x122x136mm). Of those coolers, only the Pallas and Shadow Rock LP offer similarly quiet cooling. However, even with a second fan added to the NH-D9L (114x95x122mm), it still offers the most compact footprint of all three low profile heatsinks.


(optional second fan not included)

As anyone reading this review probably already knows, there aren't a whole lot of heatsinks compatible with 3U server chassis height restrictions in the lower noise cooling department... The Noctua NH-D9L is quite compact and offers moderately good thermal performance in it's single fan configuration - entirely fine for anything on the AMD and Intel LGA115x front. When the NH-D9L heatsink moves into Intel LGA2011 territory, the lack of cooling surface area begins to show its limitations and temperatures do rise into the satisfactory zone. Where sub-115mm tall LGA2011 heatsinks are considered, the NH-D9L is a little over 9°C warmer than coolers such as the Raijintek Pallas. Adding a second fan evens the playing field without sacrificing a compact CPU cooler footprint in the process.

Bottom line - where sub-115mm cooling is required, the previously mentioned heatsinks do offer a slight thermal advantage over the NH-D9L heatsink, but we'd still recommend it.

Related Articles:

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 Previous Page ° Heat Sink Review Index  

Table of Contents:

 1:  Noctua NH-D9L 3U Low Noise Heatsink Review
 2:  360° View - Noctua NH-D9L Heatsink
 3:  Acoustic Comparisons and Base Surface Quality
 4:  AMD Heatsink Temperature Comparisons
 5:  Intel LGA115x/775 Heatsink Temperature Comparisons
 6: — Intel LGA2011 Heatsink Temperature Comparisons

List all Noctua heat sinks that Frostytech tested?

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