Page 4 - Conclusion
The Noctua NH-L9i chromax.black may be combination of different flavors on the "L9" cooler, but there is a lot to like about it. The main purpose and idea of this set of coolers is that they should fit in smaller areas and tighter quarters where a low profile is necessary. Considering these are even smaller in height than the stock cooler options from Intel, the focus is compatibility. From the beginning, we can see the great build quality and excellent looks on the NH-L9i chromax.black. I have said this two times already, but I really appreciate the chromax.black style from Noctua, in the sense that it looks clean and stealth-like. We still have good material choices of aluminum, copper, and nickel. In addition, we have the same six-year warranty coverage from Noctua. Installation is pretty straightforward, although it would help if you are installing it in a smaller build. When we look at performance metrics, the Noctua NH-L9i chromax.black does not boast superb cooling, but it is quite acceptable for its size. The single 92mm fan attached does get a bit loud under full load, but should stay quiet in regular circumstances. Once again, the performance is indicative of the low-profile nature of this cooler, and really is not surprising. Considering it was able to also compete with a slightly taller cooler in terms of temperatures, I am still quite happy with what the Noctua NH-L9i chromax.black can do. If there is anything I would suggest, it would be to see Noctua package their NT-H2 thermal grease with the cooler. At press time, the NH-L9i chromax.black is $50 USD, just like the AM4 counterpart. It is also a ten dollar increase on the vanilla flavor of this cooler. If you want, you could save some money here, but I think the all-black finish is worth the extra money. All in all, if cooling in a tight quarter on an Intel platform is what you are looking for, you should look no further than the Noctua NH-L9i chromax.black.
Noctua provided this product to APH Networks for the purpose of evaluation.
APH Networks Review Focus Summary:
8/10 means Definitely a very good product with drawbacks that are not likely going to matter to the end user.
7/10 means Great product with many advantages and certain insignificant drawbacks, but should be considered before purchasing.
-- Final APH Networks Numeric Rating is 7.5/10
Please note that the APH Networks Numeric Rating system is based off our proprietary guidelines in the Review Focus, and should not be compared to other publications.
The Noctua NH-L9i chromax.black is a CPU cooler with a small footprint, providing cooling with full compatibility.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Hardware; Installation
3. Test Results
4. Conclusion
