Cooler Master
Cooler Master MasterLiquid 360 Atmos White
AIO liquid · 360 · 27.2 dBA
8.5
$162Nov 9
Noctua NH-L12S
A 70 mm tall low-profile Noctua that suits efficient AM5 and Intel chips, with RAM and motherboard clearance to measure.
- Low-profile air
- 70 mm
- 23.9 dBA
PCPR score
7.2
Good
Best price we’ve seen
$65.00MSRP
List price from the maker. Street prices may be higher.
R1
The short version
The NH-L12S is a 70 mm tall low-profile Noctua cooler with four heatpipes and a 120 mm NF-A12x15 PWM fan that can mount above or below the fins. PC Gamer scored it 82, praising its quiet cooling on lower-wattage AMD Ryzen CPUs, but warned that RAM clearance shrinks to 35 mm in the most compact fan position and motherboard I/O can interfere. Overclockers UK's listing cautions against processors above 95 W, so it suits efficient CPUs rather than high-power models.
Pros
- Only 70 mm tall in its compact form
- Quiet cooling on lower-wattage AMD Ryzen chips, per PC Gamer
- Flexible fan placement above or below the fins
- NF-A12x15 PWM fan rated 23.9 dB(A), with a low-noise adapter included
Cons
- RAM clearance shrinks to 35 mm with the fan mounted inside the heatsink
- Motherboard I/O clearance can be tight, per PC Gamer
- Retailer data advises caution above 95 W, limiting it to efficient CPUs
Best for
- Mini-ITX and slim builds with low-wattage CPUs
- AM5 Ryzen 7000 or 9000 builds that need a low profile
J3
Full specifications
Core
- Type
- Low-profile air
Fit
- Socket support
- AM5, AM4, LGA1851, LGA1700, LGA1200
- Height (air)
- 70 mm
- Width (air)
- 128 mm
- RAM clearance
- 35 mm
Cooling
- Fans included
- 1
- Fan size
- 120 mm
- Max noise
- 23.9 dBA
Physical
- RGB
- No
- LCD display
- No
Compatibility notes
- PC Gamer lists RAM clearance as 48 mm with the fan on top and 35 mm with the fan mounted inside.
- Height is 70 mm, width 128 mm and depth 146 mm; total height rises with the fan on top.
- Motherboard clearance from the centre of the base plate to the heatpipes is 66 mm, per PC Gamer.
P1
Where to buy
- Buy from the maker
Noctua official page
Direct link
- Check price on Amazon
Amazon
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- See it at Newegg
Newegg
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- See it at Best Buy
Best Buy
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- See it at B&H
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- See it at Micro Center
Micro Center
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AV1
Video reviews
No verified video reviews yet
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AV2
What reviewers and owners say
PC Gamer
PositivePC Gamer scored it 82 for keeping efficient AMD Ryzen chips cool and quiet, while urging buyers to check memory and motherboard I/O clearances before buying.
82/100 · Review
Read the source
Summaries are written in our words. Follow the links for each source’s own review.
R9
Common questions
Does the NH-L12S fit AM5?
PC Gamer tested it with current AMD Ryzen processors and recommends it for Ryzen 7000 and 9000 chips; Overclockers UK's listing also covers LGA1851 and LGA1700.
How much RAM clearance does the NH-L12S have?
PC Gamer lists 48 mm with the fan mounted on top and 35 mm with the fan mounted inside the heatsink, so check your memory height.
What CPUs is the NH-L12S suited to?
PC Gamer recommends it for lower-wattage gaming chips, and Overclockers UK's listing advises caution with processors above 95 W TDP.
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