Noctua has launched a case compatibility database featuring CPU cooler clearance measurements taken by the company for more than 100 PC cases. The tool aims to give builders precise fitment data rather than relying solely on official manufacturer specifications.
Checking official vendor specification pages for CPU clearance, VGA, and PSU limits remains standard practice when picking PC components. However, listed specifications don't always match physical realities, as some components press against side panels despite claims of sufficient clearance. Other chassis offer additional room that vendors fail to document.
As spotted by Tweaktown, Noctua is now addressing these discrepancies by manually measuring CPU cooler clearance across over 100 chassis from various vendors and putting it all into a handy database. Dedicated compatibility tables now outline which heatsinks fit each chassis.
According to Noctua, cases like the Corsair 4000D and 5000D series provide nearly 10mm of extra clearance above listed specs. This extra space allows large coolers such as the 168mm-tall NH-D15 G2 to fit. On the other hand, testing revealed several models with lower physical clearance than advertised. One such example is the Asus Prime AP201, measuring approximately 2mm lower than official figures. Noctua plans to continue expanding the database as it tests additional cases.
KitGuru says: While the database focuses on Noctua's own cooling lineup, the data can also help builders gauge clearance for third-party coolers.
This is one of the most handy databases that lets you know if you can fit even larger CPU coolers in your PC case. Noctua Measures CPU Cooler Clearance for Over a Hundred Cases, Finds Some Cases Can Accommodate Even Larger Coolers The traditional way to find out whether a CPU cooler will fit inside a particular case or not is to check the official specifications on the product page. Almost every vendor lists the CPU cooler clearance for its PC cases on the specs page, alongside VGA and PSU clearance as well. This is handy when you are shopping […]
Pulsar Gaming Gears has officially launched the Feinmann F01 Noctua Edition gaming mouse, pairing a light 73g gaming mouse, styled after Noctua's usual brown and beige colour scheme, along with an integrated 40mm fan to deliver active cooling to your palm.
Built using a perforated exoskeleton, the Feinmann F01 Noctua Edition houses an integrated Noctua NF-A4x10 40mm PWM fan with an SSO2 bearing design. This active ventilation system targets hand sweat during use, giving players four adjustable speed levels that can be toggled via button combinations or a web-based driver. Users can also turn off the fan completely if active cooling isn't required.
Underneath the shell, Pulsar equips the mouse with its XS-2 optical sensor. It supports an 8000Hz polling rate, up to 42000DPI resolution, 70G acceleration, and 800IPS tracking speed. Paired with the sensor, the Feinmann F01 Noctua Edition uses 100M-click rated proprietary optical switches and a premium alloy mouse wheel. Lastly, the mouse features 11-step LOD settings from 0.7mm to 1.7mm.
The mouse comes with a Link 8K receiver that provides hardware-level control through a dual-button interface: the DPI button offers instant sensitivity cycling, while the Function button can be remapped to manage polling rate, profiles, LOD, turbo mode, or debounce time. Pulsar lists the suggested retail price at $179.95/€179.90, with stock now available at official web stores and authorised resellers.
KitGuru says: An actively cooled mouse in Noctua's iconic colour scheme is certainly unique, though it'll be interesting to see how gamers respond to a fan inside a $180 mouse.
This might be one of the first branded-gaming mice ever to have an active cooling solution installed inside. Not More Sweating as Pulsar's Feinmann F01 Noctua Edition Throws Air Directly Into Your Palm While Intense Gaming Sessions This may be an unusual innovation, but it's practical if you are an avid gamer. Pulsar's Feinmann FO1 got a new edition, which was showcased at Computex, but we never learned its official release date. Now, as we move closer to its launch, Pulsar has listed its core specifications as well as its release date via its official X handle. The Feinmann FO1 […]
The Austria-based cooler manufacturing company, Noctua, is a name renowned by several enthusiasts and overclockers in the PC industry. They are behind some of the most iconic PC coolers, such as the NH-D15, the NH-U12, and many more. The company has been in action since 2005. and has become one of the most respected cooling product manufacturers in the industry with its legacy products. Since it entered the cooling segment, many competitors have come and vanished, but Noctua has endured, evolving its line to meet the latest requirements of the PC and DIY space. Cooling equipment is still as relevant […]
Noctua confirmed the upcoming release of its “NL-LC1 chromax.black series” AIO liquid coolers via its official YouTube account. In response to a user query, the company stated that the all-black variant is planned for release around the end of the year, even though it hasn't been mentioned in the updated roadmap.
Wccftech was the first to spot Noctua's comment on YouTube. Standard configurations for the original NL-LC1 series, launched on June 16th (and our review HERE), represent the brand's very first foray into the all-in-one liquid cooling market and are available in 240mm, 360mm, and 420mm sizes. Noctua equips the 240mm and 360mm versions with NF-A12x25 G2 fans, while the larger 420mm unit uses NF-A14x25 G2 fans.
All three models are built around the Asetek Emma V2 platform and include the custom NL-PNA1 pump noise absorber. The integrated pump firmware features three selectable speed profiles: quiet, balanced, and manual. Each package also contains a tube of NT-H2 thermal paste and comes backed by a 6-year manufacturer's warranty.
Pricing for the existing standard models is set at $219.90/€219.90 for the NL-LC1-24, $249.90/€249.90 for the NL-LC1-36, and $279.90/€279.90 for the NL-LC1-42. Buyers can also pick up the optional NL-ACF1 auxiliary fan for $19.90 to replace the magnetic pump faceplate. For the chromax.black, pricing should be slightly higher, as usual for the series.
KitGuru says: An all-black chromax.black version of the NL-LC1 will be a welcome option for builders who want Noctua's liquid-cooling performance without the traditional brown-and-beige aesthetic.
The company confirmed it in an unusual way, but it seems legit, and as per the announcement, the coolers should arrive soon. Noctua Announces NL-LC1 Chromax.Black AIO Series Despite Exclusion From the Roadmap; The New Variant is Expected to Arrive This Year The Noctua's latest and first-ever AIO cooler series was dropped two weeks ago. The NL-LC1 is what Noctua aims for, superior cooling, which is available in various form factors. Whether you want to cool a mid-range or a high-end CPU, it offers the AIO in various sizes, including 240mm, 360mm, and 420mm for enthusiast-grade PCs. Built using the […]
Noctua has released an updated product roadmap outlining launch windows for hardware teased at Computex 2026. The updated roadmap shows that Noctua's new low-profile AM5 CPU cooler will be arriving next year, alongside new ‘Noctua Edition' power supplies from Seasonic.
According to VideoCardz, the upcoming low-profile AM5 cooler features a 70mm height design based on the NH-L12 series. Noctua utilises six 6mm copper heat pipes, dense aluminium fins, and a 120mm NF-A12x25 G2 fan to dissipate heat. Additionally, the configuration preserves 35mm of RAM height clearance for Mini-ITX motherboard compatibility. According to the company, this cooler is officially slated for a Q2 2027 release window.
Closer releases based on the roadmap include the NT-CP1 carbon nanotube thermal pad for AM4 and AM5 sockets, launching in Q3 of this year alongside the Pulsar Feinmann F01 Noctua Edition mouse. A Noctua Edition of Thermal Grizzly's WireView Pro II monitoring tool is also scheduled for Q3 2026.
Lastly, the roadmap shows a 140mm desk fan and a USB fan controller for Q1 2027 and slots the Seasonic Prime PX Noctua Edition and the next-generation Seasonic Prime TX Noctua Edition power supplies into Q2 2027. Next-generation workstation CPU coolers share the same Q2 2027 timeline.
Noctua has introduced its first AIO liquid CPU coolers with the launch of the NL-LC1 series. Available in 240mm, 360mm, and 420mm form factors, the closed-loop coolers are built on Asetek's latest technology, along with custom acoustic optimisations from Noctua.
To address pump noise, Noctua integrates its custom NL-PNA1 pump noise absorber. This design uses a three-layer acoustic soundproofing structure and a tuned-mass damper effect to reduce airborne noise and structure-borne vibrations. Users can choose among three pump speed profiles via an integrated mode switch, including quiet, balanced, and manual control modes.
The series uses NF-A12x25 G2 and NF-A14x25 G2 fans depending on the radiator size. These fans use a specific speed offset to prevent undesirable harmonics, such as periodic humming. For users wanting extra VRM or RAM ventilation, the magnetically attaching faceplate can be replaced with an optional NL-ACF1 auxiliary cooling fan. Installation is handled through the SecuFirm2+ mounting system, which provides offset mounting choices.
Each package includes NT-H2 thermal paste and comes backed by a 6-year manufacturer's warranty. The series is now available, with the NL-LC1-24 priced at $219.90/€219.90, the NL-LC1-36 at $249.90/€249.90, and the NL-LC1-42 at $279.90/€279.90. The separate NL-ACF1 auxiliary fan costs $19.90/€19.90.
KitGuru says: Entering the liquid cooling market is a massive step for Noctua. Now we'll just have to wait and see how these perform in real world testing.
The back episodes finally make it online, this is number 3 in a series of episodes that did not get posted, but are now! Brett is out (which is why these didn't…
The back episodes finally make it online, this is number 1 is a series of episodes that did not get posted, but are now! Brett is out (which is why these didn't…
Noctua arrived at Computex 2026 with far more than just another fan or air cooler. In our latest video, Leo gets an early look at Noctua's new Thermosiphon technology, their very first AIO liquid cooler and more.
Watch via YouTube below:
Timestamps:
00:00 Some new goodies
01:14 NL-LC1 Cooler
02:23 Thermosiphon Technology
03:40 Seasonic Next Gen Prime PSU / LED light concept
Noctua's big announcement at Computex this year is its new partnership with Carbice, creating new thermal pads to improve heat transfer and replace standard thermal pastes for cooling. You can read all about that, HERE.
Moving on to Noctua's very first AIO liquid cooler – the NL-LC1. This AIO is based on the new Asetek G8 V2 platform. To tackle pump noise, Noctua has included three layers of sound-dampening materials. On the radiator, you will find three premium NF-A14x25 G2 fans, or NF-A12x25 fans, tuned for excellent performance to noise efficiency, as you would expect from a signature Noctua product.
The cooler will be available in 240mm, 360mm and 420mm form factors when it launches later this month. We don't have pricing for each of the models yet, but we've heard that the 360mm model will cost £249.99, which is on the very high-end side of the market.
Looking ahead to the future, Noctua is also showing a new AIO prototype here at Computex. This version is very different as it doesn't include any pump at all. Instead, the cooler acts as a giant vapor chamber of sorts, sending vapor up one channel to then condense inside the radiator, then the liquid generated in the radiator flows back down another channel towards the CPU block. It is a very different approach to AIO cooling, but we do not yet know when something like this will be available on the consumer market. Due to the way this cooler functions, it also has to be top-mounted, as gravity will be relied upon to move liquid inside of the unit.
Interestingly, the performance preview we saw at Computex showed that the prototype vapour-based AIO was matching the performance of Noctua's new pump-equipped AIO on a Ryzen 9 9950X3D.
KitGuru Says: What did you think of Noctua's showing this year? Are you interested in their new AIO coolers?
Noctua is finally launching its AIO coolers this month, and also showcasing next-gen heatsinks, partner collabs, and updates on Thermosiphon at Computex. Noctua Officially Enters The AIO Cooling Segment This Month With Up To 420mm Designs, Next-Gen Heatsinks Also Showcased The premier cooling brand, Noctua, will be rolling out its first AIO coolers this month in the form of the NL-LC1 series. The coolers will come in three flavours: 240mm (€219), 320mm (€249), and 420mm (€279). Featuring the company's NF-A14/A12 x25 G2 fans, Noctua is promising top-notch thermal performance, with Asetek's Emma V2 pump, and superb noise levels, backed by […]
Noctua and Carbice have announced a new partnership to bring new carbon-based thermal pads to the market, first for AMD Ryzen processors. The pair will also collaborate on future product development, so we should see more new products down the line.
Traditional thermal pastes and pads degrade over time due to pump-out, delamination, and cracking. In contrast, Carbice claims that its carbon nanotube thermal interface improves performance over time by incrementally conforming to the surface of the chip, which in turn improves heat transfer. This approach targets long-term performance without requiring maintenance or reapplication.
The NT-CP1 AM5/4 thermal pads are created with an aluminium backbone sandwiched between carbon nanotubes. The entire surface is then coated in a nanoscale polymer material. The companies state this design ensures the pad is sufficiently tacky to remain in place during installation, non-electrically conductive, and easy to remove.
The upcoming NT-CP1 AM5/4 has been validated for performance on both AM5 and AM4 processors. These pads will be shown at Computex this week, but retail availability isn't expected until September.
KitGuru says: It will be interesting to see the results once these become available later in the year.
Noctua HOME is a new consumer product which obviously stems from their industrial line of fans and cooling devices, as it is intended for cooling other types of electronics. It also includes…
Noctua has announced the chromax.black edition of its flagship NF-A12x25 G2 120mm fan. The new all-black variants maintain the technical specifications of the regular G2 model, including the Progressive Bend impeller and Sterrox liquid-crystal polymer construction. The fans are available immediately in single units and speed-offset dual-packs.
The NF-A12x25 G2 features a 0.5mm tip clearance and a Centrifugal Turbulator hub to improve performance-to-noise efficiency. It features Noctua's etaPERF motor with SupraTorque technology, providing additional torque headroom for high-impedance applications, such as water-cooling radiators. The chromax.black version is compatible with Noctua's optional coloured anti-vibration pads for aesthetic customisation.
For multi-fan configurations, Noctua offers the Sx2-PP set, which includes two fans with a ±50rpm speed offset. This design is intended to prevent acoustic interference and harmonic phenomena, such as periodic humming, when fans are used in push-pull or side-by-side on 240mm or 360mm radiators.
The fans feature the SSO2 bearing system and carry an MTTF rating exceeding 150,000 hours. Noctua backs the series with a 6-year manufacturer's warranty. The NF-A12x25 G2 PWM chromax.black is priced at €34.90/$34.90 for the single fan, while the Sx2-PP dual-pack is available for €64.90/$64.90.
KitGuru says: Were you waiting for Noctua to release the chromax.black variant of its NF-A12x25 G2?
NF-A12x25 PWM G2 got our praise when we tested those fans for providing even better noise-to-performance efficiency over the NF-A12x25 PWM fans. Noctua is good at gaining from the learning curve, as it has released the chromax.black version of the NF-A12x25 PWM G2 fans.
As we mentioned in the review of NF-A12x25 PWM G2, Noctua aims at the mid-section of the P/Q chart, i.e., trying to achieve the best optimal combination of air flow and air pressure. The NF-F12 fans favor the air pressure applications in particular, and not all scenarios require such applications. The fan sitting in the mid-section provides a good all-round performance for your particular PC related cooling requirement. This was made possible with NF-A12x25 PWM fans and now with the further refined and well-tuned G2 version.
These fans are available in 2 options:
NF-A12x25 G2 PWM chromax.black Single Fan Pack costing Euro/USD 34.90
The S-2xPP fans come with two NF-A12x25 G2 PWM chromax.black fans operating at an offset speed to reduce harmonic phenomena like intermittent vibration or humming coming from interference. This offset is ±50 RPM.
Specifications
Packaging and Contents
The fans are shipped inside cardboard packing boxes. The black color scheme tells you that these are chromax.black variants, otherwise it would be a tan and brown color scheme. The Sx2-PP chromax.black fans come in a large-sized packing box. These fans are placed parallel to each other in this box, and there is an accessory box between the fans. The single fan pack comes with an NF-A12x25 G2 PWM chromax.black fan and an accessory box. All editions have standard accessories.
The NF-A12x25 G2 PWM Sx2-PP chromax.black box comes with
2x NF-A12x25 G2 PWM chromax.black fans
2x NA-RC7 Low-Noise Adaptor (L.N.A.)
1x NA-YC1 4-pin PWM splitter cable
2x NA-EC1 30cm extension cable
1x NA-AVG1 anti-vibration gasket
4x NA-AV2 anti-vibration Mounts
8x Fan screws
Closer Look
The new generation NF-A12x25 G2 PWM chromax.black fans are designed on the building block of NF-A12x25 PWM, hence they carry the same technologies and design as the NF-A12x25 but with further enhancements. They are the black versions of the regular NF-A12x25 G2 PWM fans, hence nothing is changed except the color. Expect similar performance characteristics on these fans as on the regular fans.
There are plenty of key notes when it comes to the design of NF-A12x25 G2 PWM chromax.black fans, which is obvious given they follow the design of NF-A12x25 PWM in that sense. Each fan has 9x impellers. They are progressive bend impellers featuring flow acceleration channels and winglets.
These blades are swept backwards close to the hub and progressively bent forward further out. These work in tandem with the centrifugal Turbulator hub to improve the lift and uniform loading across the blade surface.
The winglets are introduced in an attempt to reduce the tip vortices. The NF-A12x25 G2 PWM chromax.black’s winglets are fine-tuned to work with other features of the frame for consistent efficiency.
Noctua has used LCP (Liquid Polymer Crystal) material for the impellers, as we saw on the NF-A12x25 PWM fans. Noctua was the first brand to start using LCP and ultra-low tip clearance, with others following in the same design footprint.
Noctua is using the same AAO (Advanced Acoustic Optimisation) frames that are on the NF-A12x25 PWM fans. These frames use integrated anti-vibration pads, Noctua’s proprietary Stepped Inlet Design, and Inner Surface Microstructures. All these work together to provide the best possible performance and reduce noise output.
These fans come with 4x load-relief anti-vibration pads pre-installed on the front side of the fan. The rear of the fan also comes equipped with these pads, unlike the NF-A12x25 G2, which has a NA-AVG1 silicone gasket installed on the rear of the fan out of the box. However, Noctua has provided this gasket in the accessory box, should you want to use it. This gasket is useful for radiator and surface mounting, providing a tight seal with the fan.
Since gasket covers the entire border of the fan’s frame, it helps to damp vibrations and to reduce air loss between the fan and the radiator for optimal cooling performance. The Anti-vibration pads serve a similar purpose.
Noctua branding is visible on one side of the main frame.
The two arrow markers on the other side of the main frame provide a visual guide to the user. These show the direction of airflow through the fan and the direction in which the blades spin.
The backside of the fan has an inward slope on the four sides. There is a 4-arm assembly connecting the motor hub with the frame. The fan draws 0.14A at 12VDC using 1.68W of power. The arms are angular, providing directional airflow.
The NF-A12x25 G2 PWM chromax.black fans use optimized SSO2 bearings in which the rear magnet is placed closer to the axis for stabilization. Noctua has employed a CNC-milled bearing shell made of brass material, providing long-term stability with minimum tolerance.
Noctua has used the NE-FD6 motor drive system in these fans, which is combined with the SupraTorque technology. This motor provides better energy efficiency. This motor has a Hall Effect sensor for precise commutation performance. Speaking of commutation, these fans have Noctua’s Smooth Commutation Drive 2 technology. The aim here is to reduce the motor noise to the extent possible.
The SuporaTorque technology allows these fans to maintain the same RPM even when employed on the surface with high back pressure.
You can use the NA-IS1-12 inlet side spacer with the NF-A12x25 G2 to reduce influx turbulences in “pull” type applications where the fan draws air through a grill, mesh filter, or perforated panel.
Noctua has managed 0.5mm tip clearance between the blades and the frame. This design helps in reducing leak flows through the gap between the blades and frame. This would improve the performance efficiency even with high resistant surface.
The functionality of coming to a stop at 0% PWM gives these fans a huge lift for the semi-passive cooling application. In addition, the wider PWM range goes from 360 RPM to 1800 RPM.
Safety Data
These fans come with safety features/protections that include:
Reverse Polarity Protection
Over Voltage Protection
Over Current Protection
These protections make these fans suitable even in challenging electrical environments. You can have peace of mind.
Testing
The following configuration is used for thermal testing:
ASRock Phantom Gaming RX 7600 Graphics Card for Display
Biwin Black Opal X570 Pro 4TB NVMe SSD
Be quiet! Straight Power 11 850W Platinum PSU
Praxis Wetbench
Here is the settings table for testing:
Settings
PBO Enabled [243W]
Clock (MHz)
Auto
Voltage (V)
Auto
Thermal Paste
Noctua NT-H2
Thermal Paste Application
Dots Method
Test Run Time
30 minutes
Idling Time
10 minutes
All Fans Speed
100% PWM Duty Cycle
Pump Speed
Stress Software
CINEBENCH R23.2
Monitoring Software
HWINFO64
I am reporting absolute temperature in the graph because the room temperature was at 25°C throughout the day. The testing is done on an open-air bench system. Once inside the chassis, the temperatures are expected to rise and would largely depend upon the optimal airflow inside the chassis.
As you can see, the Stock fans on the DeepCool LT360 and Noctua NF-A12x25 G2 PWM chromax.black fans offer similar thermal performance, but the main difference comes from the overall noise output. The DeepCool fans did 40 dB(A), which is too good, but Noctua achieves the same performance while operating at 37.9 dB(A), which is excellent. I did not feel the need to do noise-normalized testing given the noise-to-performance efficiency out of the box on these fans.
Conclusion
Noctua has released the chromax.black version of its next-gen high-performance fans NF-A12x25 G2 PWM. The new fans are available in two editions. The two-fan edition named Sx2-PP comes with two NF-A12x25 G2 PWM fans set to operate at an offset speed of ±50 RPM to overcome the humming and turbulence that may come with both fans operating at the same speed. A single fan edition of regular NF-A12x25 G2 PWM chromax.black fan is also available on the market.
The building block of NF-A12x25 G2 PWM chromax.black fans is from NF-A12x25 PWM fans, but with further enhancements in the design and technologies. These fans still use the same Liquid Polymer Crystal (LPC) material for blades as are on NF-A12x25 PWM fans.
There is nothing much to write about the chromax.black edition since it is a black version of already covered NF-A12x25 G2 PWM fans; everything else is the same. Hence, I am not going into the details of the technology and design of these new fans. I am going to list them below. You can read the content for more details, and can even find more details on the Noctua website:
AAO (Advanced Acoustic Optimization) Frame
Stepped Inlet Frame
Inner Micro Structure
Sterrox material derived from LCP (Liquid-Crystal Polymer) used on the impeller
Gap of only 0.5mm between the impeller and the frame
An additional brass structure to reinforce the axle mount
CNC milled bearing shell
Flow Acceleration Channels and Winglets on the blades
Further improved SSO2 bearing
etaPERF Motor with NE-FD6 Motor IC
Commutation Drive 2 System
SupraTorque
PWM Regulation with auto stop function on 0% PWM
Safety Protections for Challenging Electrical Environments
6-Year Warranty
Low Noise Adapter and Extensive Cabling Options
Integrated anti-vibration pads and gasket
Progressive-Bend Impeller
Centrifugal Turbulator Hub
Now, jumping to the thermal and acoustic testing, I have tested these fans on the DeepCool LT360 Vision ARGB cooler. I have already praised the overall performance of the fans on this cooler. It is not a surprise to me that the DeepCool fans and the new Noctua fans offer similar thermal performance, but the main difference comes from the overall noise output, where Noctua is unrivaled. The 40 dB(A) on the DeepCool vs the 37.9 dB(A) on Noctua fans is self-explanatory. My conclusion remains the same. If you have NF-A12x25 PWM or its chromax.black version, you are still covered well, and there is no need to upgrade to the G2 version, but if you are in the market looking for new high-performance fans with an excellent noise-to-performance ratio, Noctua NF-A12x25 G2 PWM chromax.black fans are the prime candidates, if you can pay the steep price.
Pros
Thermal Performance
Noise
LCP Material
0.5mm Tip Clearance
An additional brass structure to reinforce the axle mount
CNC milled bearing shell
Flow Acceleration Channels and Winglets on the blades
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