---
product_id: 173495943
title: "NH-U12A, Quiet High-Performance Single Tower CPU Cooler | 158mm Height, High-End Low-Noise Cooling, For Intel & AMD, Dual 120mm Fans, 100% RAM Compatibility, Rich Accessory Kit"
brand: "noctua"
price: "A$244"
currency: AUD
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 13
category: "Noctua"
url: https://www.desertcart.com.au/products/173495943-nh-u12a-quiet-high-performance-single-tower-cpu-cooler-158mm
store_origin: AU
region: Australia
---

# 102.1 m³/h airflow capacity 22.6 dB ultra-quiet operation 7 heatpipes max heat dissipation NH-U12A, Quiet High-Performance Single Tower CPU Cooler | 158mm Height, High-End Low-Noise Cooling, For Intel & AMD, Dual 120mm Fans, 100% RAM Compatibility, Rich Accessory Kit

**Brand:** noctua
**Price:** A$244
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Summary

> ❄️ Cool like a pro, quiet like a whisper — Noctua NH-U12A keeps your rig chill and your status high.

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** NH-U12A, Quiet High-Performance Single Tower CPU Cooler | 158mm Height, High-End Low-Noise Cooling, For Intel & AMD, Dual 120mm Fans, 100% RAM Compatibility, Rich Accessory Kit by noctua
- **How much does it cost?** A$244 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.com.au](https://www.desertcart.com.au/products/173495943-nh-u12a-quiet-high-performance-single-tower-cpu-cooler-158mm)

## Best For

- noctua enthusiasts

## Why This Product

- Trusted noctua brand quality
- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Key Features

- • **Dual NF-A12x25 PWM Fans:** State-of-the-art fans deliver whisper-quiet airflow with dynamic speed control for peak efficiency.
- • **140mm Power in a 120mm Frame:** Experience flagship cooling performance without the bulk—perfect for sleek, modern builds.
- • **Unmatched RAM & PCIe Compatibility:** Fits seamlessly in most tower cases without blocking your high-end components—no compromises.
- • **Effortless Installation with SecuFirm2:** Premium mounting system plus NT-H1 thermal paste ensures a hassle-free, secure fit on Intel & AMD sockets.
- • **6-Year Warranty & Legendary Reliability:** Invest in peace of mind with Noctua’s renowned durability and industry-leading support.

## Overview

The Noctua NH-U12A is a premium 120mm air CPU cooler featuring 7 heatpipes and dual NF-A12x25 PWM fans that deliver 140mm-class cooling performance in a compact form factor. Designed for excellent compatibility with RAM and PCIe slots, it fits most tower cases up to 158mm tall. With ultra-quiet operation at just 22.6 dB, advanced SecuFirm2 mounting, and included NT-H1 thermal paste, it supports a wide range of Intel and AMD sockets. Backed by a 6-year warranty, it’s the ultimate choice for professionals seeking top-tier cooling without compromise.

## Description

Buy Noctua NH-U12A, Premium CPU Cooler with High-Performance Quiet NF-A12x25 PWM Fans (120mm, Brown): CPU Cooling Fans - desertcart.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

Review: Fantastic Cooler, but Expensive. Extremely Quiet - Can't say enough good things about this cooler, with the one draw back being that it is very pricey. However, it does come with 2 of Noctua's new NF-12Ax25 fans which by themselves are $30 each. So the actual heatsink is only 1/3 the total price and is a consideration when looking at the cost/value proposition. Heatsink: The heatsink itself is very good. Has 7 heatpipes which is the most I've seen in a 120mm tower cooler. It also doesn't cover/block any of my ram slots (even on my mini-ITX board) with the fans mounted. My Coolermaster Hyper 212 EVO with the fan mounted would still cover the first ram slot, so I'm not sure how Noctua managed to pull this off as according to the specs the Noctua bare heatsink is 7-8mm wider than the Coolermaster. Mounting system is typical Noctua SecureFirm and fantastic. Fans: The 2 included fans are Noctua's new fans that took them 3 years to develop. There's never been so much hype on a fan than these, and you should read up on why it took so long to develop, it's an interesting article. What I can say after using them is that they are much quieter at a given RPM than my other high performance fans. I have to put my ear with in an inch or two to hear them under normal operation (about 50%-60% speed is where they normally running at) and they are barely audible at 100% when they spin up to full speed when I first turn on my PC. Note that the fans have pretty short power cables, and the heatsink does not include extension cables like you get if you purchase the fans separately. Performance: I am using one fan on the heatsink in a push configuration and the other fan as a case exhaust fan about one inch away from the heatsink. So it's similar to the intended push/pull configuration, but with a small gap between. Under 100% synthetic load my delidded i7 7700k runs in the high 50s low 60s degrees Celsius at ~1.3v vCore and ambient temp of 24C (75F). Under real word gaming load, the CPU was running at an average 48C with occasional short spikes into the 50s. All this in a very small, but well ventilated ~13L mini-itx case. This is fantastic performance and rivals bigger coolers like the Noctua D15 but is so much easier to fit in a small mini-itx case. Overall: I think the performance of this cooler is the best you can get at this size point. Compared to my Hyper 212 EVO, it performs better, is quieter under load, doesn't cover my RAM, and has a MUCH better mounting system. All this comes at a price, it's considerably more expensive than a Hyper 212 EVO. But in my opinion it's worth it if you aren't on an extremely tight budget. Noctua products are premium products, the best of the best, and the quality shows both in performance and ease of installation.
Review: The Noctua legend lives on! - Best temperature control of any air CPU cooler I’ve ever purchased!💯 This replaced a prior Noctua cooler, the NH-D15S, which in its right was great too. But this one ships with faster & slimmer 120mm fans & able to clear many tall RAM kits (the NH-D15S was good for the latter too), and is quieter, even on Performance Mode with some MB’s. The fans runs in full mode to 2,000 rpm, but typically slows in Performance Mode (best option). This mode allows for great control depending upon load. BTW, these are better fans than the earlier, thicker model which it replaced, the airflow is superior in both speed & lower. The cooler itself, while single tower versus dual, does an excellent job, keeping a Ryzen 7 9700X in the middle 30’s to mid 50C range during normal usage. Gaming and other high intensive usage may mean higher temperatures, but not overwhelmingly so. Just be sure to check compatibility on the Noctua site. This model is standing with their top line coolers when it comes to getting the job done. One warning, make sure your case is deep enough. Mine was a mid tower model (NZXT H5, I believe), those with mini towers need to look at a different model. I’m happy, despite the price increase. Not much we can control about this. We either pay or go for lower quality, period. I’d rather pay for peace of mind.

## Features

- 140mm class performance in 120mm size: 7 heatpipes, more surface area and a dual fan configuration with state-of-the-art NF-A12x25 fans allow the NH-U12A to rival many 140mm size coolers!
- Excellent case, RAM and PCIe compatibility: Fits most tower cases (158mm height), doesn’t overhang the RAM slots on LGA17xx, LGA1200 and AM4, doesn’t block the PCIe on most ATX and Micro-ATX motherboards.
- Quiet, state-of-the-art NF-A12x25 120mm fans with Low-Noise Adaptors and PWM for automatic speed control: Full cooling performance under load, virtually silent at idle!
- Includes high-end NT-H1 thermal paste and SecuFirm2 mounting system for easy installation on Intel LGA1851, LGA1700, LGA1200, LGA115x and AMD AM5 & AM4 (offset mounting option for best efficiency)
- Renowned Noctua quality backed up by 6-year manufacturer’s warranty, deluxe choice for Intel Core & Core Ultra (e.g. 285K, 265K, 245K) and AMD Ryzen (e.g. 9950X, 9900X, 9700X, 9600X)

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| ASIN | B07PN4RDW3 |
| Air Flow Capacity | 102.1 cubic meter per hour |
| Best Sellers Rank | #75 in Computer CPU Cooling Fans |
| Brand | Noctua |
| Brand Name | Noctua |
| Compatible Devices | Desktop |
| Cooling Method | Air |
| Customer Reviews | 4.8 out of 5 stars 3,688 Reviews |
| Global Trade Identification Number | 09010018000160 |
| Included Components | Body Room |
| Item Dimensions L x W x H | 4.92"L x 4.41"W x 6.22"H |
| Item Weight | 1220 g |
| Manufacturer | Noctua |
| Material Type | Copper (base and heat-pipes), aluminium (cooling fins), soldered joints & nickel plating |
| Maximum Rotational Speed | 2000 rpm |
| Model | NH-U12A |
| Noise Level | 22.6 db |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Part Number | NH-U12A |
| Power Connector Type | 4-Pin |
| Product Dimensions | 4.92"L x 4.41"W x 6.22"H |
| UPC | 841501100161 |
| Unit Count | 10 Count |
| Voltage | 12 volts |
| Warranty Description | 6 year manufacturer’s warranty |

## Product Details

- **Air Flow Capacity:** 102.1 Cubic Meters Per Hour
- **Brand:** Noctua
- **Compatible Devices:** Desktop
- **Cooling Method:** Air
- **Material:** Copper (base and heat-pipes), aluminium (cooling fins), soldered joints & nickel plating
- **Maximum Rotational Speed:** 2000 RPM
- **Noise Level:** 22.6 Decibels
- **Power Connector Type:** 4-Pin
- **Product Dimensions:** 4.92"L x 4.41"W x 6.22"H
- **Voltage:** 12 Volts

## Images

![NH-U12A, Quiet High-Performance Single Tower CPU Cooler | 158mm Height, High-End Low-Noise Cooling, For Intel & AMD, Dual 120mm Fans, 100% RAM Compatibility, Rich Accessory Kit - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81JXXmBCaUL.jpg)

## Questions & Answers

**Q: As soon as noctua makes the nh-u12a in black, they will have my money.**
A: I for one am proud of my fugly-brown noctua fans that I use exclusively in my build (i will admit the 2x 3000rpm industrial nh-f12s on my morpheus ii 1080ti are a bit much, but i have an insane overclock on it it to keep it current until 30 series gpus sell for retail cost.) 

I am so proud, in fact, that I used my RGB to highlight these fnas a primary feature :) They tell all who see them that I take my cooling seriously, but am not a fanatic hydro-cultist or other dangerous sociopath. A liquid cooling setup is just asking for trouble. Every dam will fail, given time. Sooner with human error. 

My ryzen 5950x will arrive tomorrow, I look forward to testing my nh-uh12a on it combined with the new nt-h2 thermal paste I already haveat the ready. Other people have already proven it viable, though any short-coming will be addressed with this cooler and liquid metal thermal compound (I would buy the d15, but my case is about 2mm shy of having room)

**Q: Will we get a chromax version of the new fans to use with the cooler?**
A: Yes, but that is still far away - it's not so easy to change colour on those fans as the material is rather delicate.

**Q: What is the likelihood that the weight of this will cause the board to bend?**
A: I bought this for a new build as a replacement for my larger, older model NH-D14. I don't see any bending or visual flex with the NH-D14 after 9 years of horizontal mount on the same motherboard, and that is a tank of a cooler. Premium air coolers are just plain big, and I had this same concern with my build all those years ago. Just make sure your motherboard is tightened down securely and it will be just fine.

**Q: Is the thermal paste preapplied?**
A: No, but they send you a tube of Noctua paste with it. It's good stuff and there is enough for more than one application.

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Fantastic Cooler, but Expensive. Extremely Quiet
*by J***E on April 19, 2019*

Can't say enough good things about this cooler, with the one draw back being that it is very pricey. However, it does come with 2 of Noctua's new NF-12Ax25 fans which by themselves are $30 each. So the actual heatsink is only 1/3 the total price and is a consideration when looking at the cost/value proposition. Heatsink: The heatsink itself is very good. Has 7 heatpipes which is the most I've seen in a 120mm tower cooler. It also doesn't cover/block any of my ram slots (even on my mini-ITX board) with the fans mounted. My Coolermaster Hyper 212 EVO with the fan mounted would still cover the first ram slot, so I'm not sure how Noctua managed to pull this off as according to the specs the Noctua bare heatsink is 7-8mm wider than the Coolermaster. Mounting system is typical Noctua SecureFirm and fantastic. Fans: The 2 included fans are Noctua's new fans that took them 3 years to develop. There's never been so much hype on a fan than these, and you should read up on why it took so long to develop, it's an interesting article. What I can say after using them is that they are much quieter at a given RPM than my other high performance fans. I have to put my ear with in an inch or two to hear them under normal operation (about 50%-60% speed is where they normally running at) and they are barely audible at 100% when they spin up to full speed when I first turn on my PC. Note that the fans have pretty short power cables, and the heatsink does not include extension cables like you get if you purchase the fans separately. Performance: I am using one fan on the heatsink in a push configuration and the other fan as a case exhaust fan about one inch away from the heatsink. So it's similar to the intended push/pull configuration, but with a small gap between. Under 100% synthetic load my delidded i7 7700k runs in the high 50s low 60s degrees Celsius at ~1.3v vCore and ambient temp of 24C (75F). Under real word gaming load, the CPU was running at an average 48C with occasional short spikes into the 50s. All this in a very small, but well ventilated ~13L mini-itx case. This is fantastic performance and rivals bigger coolers like the Noctua D15 but is so much easier to fit in a small mini-itx case. Overall: I think the performance of this cooler is the best you can get at this size point. Compared to my Hyper 212 EVO, it performs better, is quieter under load, doesn't cover my RAM, and has a MUCH better mounting system. All this comes at a price, it's considerably more expensive than a Hyper 212 EVO. But in my opinion it's worth it if you aren't on an extremely tight budget. Noctua products are premium products, the best of the best, and the quality shows both in performance and ease of installation.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Noctua legend lives on!
*by C***2 on November 21, 2025*

Best temperature control of any air CPU cooler I’ve ever purchased!💯 This replaced a prior Noctua cooler, the NH-D15S, which in its right was great too. But this one ships with faster & slimmer 120mm fans & able to clear many tall RAM kits (the NH-D15S was good for the latter too), and is quieter, even on Performance Mode with some MB’s. The fans runs in full mode to 2,000 rpm, but typically slows in Performance Mode (best option). This mode allows for great control depending upon load. BTW, these are better fans than the earlier, thicker model which it replaced, the airflow is superior in both speed & lower. The cooler itself, while single tower versus dual, does an excellent job, keeping a Ryzen 7 9700X in the middle 30’s to mid 50C range during normal usage. Gaming and other high intensive usage may mean higher temperatures, but not overwhelmingly so. Just be sure to check compatibility on the Noctua site. This model is standing with their top line coolers when it comes to getting the job done. One warning, make sure your case is deep enough. Mine was a mid tower model (NZXT H5, I believe), those with mini towers need to look at a different model. I’m happy, despite the price increase. Not much we can control about this. We either pay or go for lower quality, period. I’d rather pay for peace of mind.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Incredible cooling, but not really silent
*by E***A on June 15, 2020*

(PLEASE SEE MY EDIT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE REVIEW) Like most, I decided on this particular Noctua model because it offers excellent cooling in a relatively small form factor. This is my first "proper" air cooler. Pros: - It *does* work, and amazingly well. My system consists of a Ryzen 5 3600, an MSI X570 Motherboard, 32GB of RAM, and some M.2 drives. With the stock AMD cooler, idle temperatures (just Chrome open) were 55 to 62 degrees, which was simply insane and unacceptable. With the Noctua, my system now idles at 35 degrees. Impressive! Heavy loads never exceeded 75 (this was running Cinebench... I never actually saw those temperatures again). Con: - This is a biog deal to me. The Noctua was supposed to be "silent", as per all the reviews I read everywhere. Not so. In fact, it is considerably louder than the stock AMD cooler, and the noise is very, very noticeable in a quiet room and inside my Corsair Carbide 600Q case, which is optimized for silence and includes lots of noise-dampening materials. I suffer from hyper-accusis and a silent system is a MUST, and I'm disappointed at this aspect. I may return the cooler if I am not able to live with the noise. And this is with the noise reduction adapter that Noctua includes in the box, which does really help, although by no means makes the cooler silent. Torn... Cooling-wise, it performs admirably and I think the price is justified when you consider all the accessories included. But if you are sensitive to noise like I am, and work in a quiet room, this is *not* a silent cooler. EDIT: I take the above "con" back. I did not realize this, but it seems the fans were essentially spinning at their full speed. This is why I felt they were not really as silent as I had hoped. It turns out there is a setting in the BIOS of my motherboard (and MSI X570 Godlike) that allows you to enable "Smart Fan" mode. I selected this option and the RPM's immediately dropped from about 1800 to about 500, and the noise was gone. Just like that, the Noctua was now almost literally inaudible from a distance of about 3 feet. I strongly recommend enabling this mode and/or using a similar setting if your hardware offers it. Even *after* this change, the Noctua still keeps everything nice and cool. Fan speeds alternate between 20% and 45% and using the Windows "Balanced Plan" the CPU stays at 40 / 42 degrees. Impressive!

## Frequently Bought Together

- Noctua NH-U12A, Premium CPU Cooler with High-Performance Quiet NF-A12x25 PWM Fans (120mm, Brown)
- Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM, Premium Quiet Fan, 4-Pin (120mm, Brown)
- Noctua NF-A14 PWM, Premium Quiet Fan, 4-Pin (140mm, Brown)

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*Product available on Desertcart Australia*
*Store origin: AU*
*Last updated: 2026-07-31*