Page 4 - Conclusion
Even after our puzzle game, I still think we will always be looking for more games to play with each other, especially during these continuous days of online interaction. However, I can happily report that the Noctua NH-U9S chromax.black has seemed to pass through my scrutiny today with a pretty positive outcome. This stealthy version is positioned where the original NH-U9S resides with a full-black exterior. As such, build quality is still great and the stealthy look should visually fit better in your build. The choice to still only include a single fan is not too surprising and the NF-A9 PWM chromax.black fan is a capable one for its size. The ease of the installation procedure is the same classic Noctua, which is to say it is excellent. When it comes to performance, this chromax.black NH-U9S performed as expected, running warmer than larger tower-style coolers but cooler than slimmer heatsinks. Noise output is good though the single fan does spin faster and is a bit more audible. At an overall height of 125mm, this cooler is about 30mm shorter than typical 120mm tower coolers, which is still a notable difference in tighter environments. However, this may not necessarily be a constraint that everyone will face. At a retail price of $65 USD, this represents a $5 increase from the original. On the other hand, this price is sandwiched between the original Noctua NH-U12S and its respective chromax.black version. Thus, if you have some wallet wiggle room, I would recommend the larger heatsink for the improved thermal performance and quieter operation. However, the Noctua NH-U9S chromax.black is a great option for those with height concerns in their build.
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 7.8/10
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-U9S chromax.black is a great cooler for those who want performance in a slightly smaller package.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Hardware; Installation
3. Test Results
4. Conclusion
