Noctua NH-D9L CPU Cooler Review

3U compatibility
Whereas classic 9cm coolers with up to 125mm height fit 4U rack mount cases, the NH-D9L’s reduced height of 110mm allows it to also fit 3U chassis. This makes it ideal for noise-sensitive 3U applications in fields such as audio or video processing.

100% RAM compatibility
With its 95x95mm footprint, the NH-D9L does not overhang the RAM slots on current Intel and most AMD mainboards. This gives the user full access to the memory modules and guarantees 100% compatibility with tall heatspreaders or optional memory fans.*

100% compatibility with PCIe cards on mini-ITX
Many Intel LGA115x based mini-ITX mainboards have the PCIe slot sitting right next to the 95x95mm socket zone. While larger coolers that exceed this zone are likely to block the PCIe slot, the 95x95xmm sized NH-D9L provides full compatibility with PCIe cards, be it on ATX, microATX or ITX.

NF-A9 premium fan
The highly optimised NF-A9 premium fan features Noctua’s proprietary AAO frame as well as sophisticated aerodynamic design measures such as Flow Acceleration Channels, which allows it to further improve the renowned efficiency of Noctua’s previous 92mm models and contributes to the NH-D9L’ superior cooling performance.

PWM support and Low-Noise Adaptor
The NF-A9 92mm fan supplied with the NH-D9L supports PWM for convenient automatic speed control through the mainboard. In addition, the maximum fan speed can be reduced from 2000 to 1550rpm using the supplied Low-Noise Adaptor for even quieter operation.

Dual fan ready
The NH-D9L includes an extra set of fan mounting clips for users who want to achieve even better cooling performance by adding a second, optional NF-A9 to the front fin stack. Using the y-cable supplied with the NF-A9 PWM retail fan, both fans can be connected to one CPU fan header.**

Compatibility with past and future sockets
Complying with the open SecuFirm™ standard, the NH-D9L can be made compatible with the older LGA1366 and LGA775 sockets using the optional NM-I3 mounting kit, which is provided by Noctua free of charge. If technically possible, Noctua will also provide upgrade kits for future sockets.

NT-H1 thermal compound
Having received more than 100 awards and recommendations from hardware journalists around the world, Noctua’s NT-H1 is a proven professional grade TIM solution that provides minimum thermal resistance, excellent ease of use and outstanding reliability.

6 years warranty
Noctua products are renowned for their impeccable quality and outstanding longevity. Like all Noctua fans, the supplied NF-A9 features an MTBF rating of more than 150.000 hours and the entire NH-D9L package comes with a full 6 years manufacturer’s warranty.

*Some AMD mainboards violate the 96x114mm keep-out zone specified by AMD, so the NH-D9L can only be used with RAM modules of up to 30mm height on these boards. Please consult our compatibility list for details.

**The optional front fan will sit above the RAM and depending on the height of the RAM modules, the fan may have to be moved up so far that the total height of the cooler exceeds 110mm. As a result, the cooler may no longer fit some 3U cases. In order to guarantee full 3U compatibility in dual fan mode, please use low profile memory with up to 22mm height.