Page 4 - Conclusion
Based on the Asetek Emma V2 platform and loaded with Noctua-engineered acoustic optimizations, did the NL-LC1-24 dominate every chart? The answer is an absolute yes. Compared to one of the best, if not the best, air coolers on the market today, the company's own NH-D15 G2 HBC in a dual fan configuration, the NL-LC1-24 was able to beat it by a whopping 6c under load on an Intel Core Ultra 7 265K. Keep in mind the NH-D15 G2 HBC is so good, it routinely beats AIO liquid coolers from competing brands. Furthermore, Noctua's first entry into the AIO space was able to deliver this chart-topping performance at 6dB(A) and 8dB(A) lower measured sound than the NH-D15 G2 HBC in a single and dual fan configuration, respectively. This knock-your-socks-off performance can be partially attributed to the excellent included NF-A12x25 G2 PWM Sx2-PP fans and NL-PNA1 pump noise absorber. Should you need additional cooling to the components around your CPU socket, an optional NL-ACF1 auxiliary fan can be added by a simple magnetic install. The Noctua NL-LC1-24 is not just a numbers product though. The quality of the cooler itself, careful engineering of every component, organized hardware out of the box, clear user instructions, straightforward installation procedure, and the included NT-H2 thermal paste is an unmatched package. At the time of writing this review, the NL-LC1-24 comes only in signature Noctua colors, but you can be sure a chromax.black version is likely in the pipeline, since the NF-A12x25 G2 PWM Sx2-PP chromax.black is readily available. The only recommendation I have is for the pump mode slider switch to have clear labels to indicate which position represent which mode. I also personally do not see the necessity of Torx screws. For about $220 at press time, the Noctua NL-LC1-24 no doubt requires you to hand over some dollars, but you can be sure that these dollars will get you a masterpiece of engineering excellence that combines maximum CPU cooling with minimal noise.
Noctua provided this product to APH Networks for the purposes of evaluation.
APH Recommended Award | APH Networks Review Focus Summary:
9/10 means Excellent product with very minor drawbacks that do not affect the overall product.
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 8.1/10
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 NL-LC1-24 AIO liquid cooler is a true engineering masterpiece that combines chart-topping CPU cooling performance with minimal noise.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Hardware
3. Installation and Test Results
4. Conclusion
