Noctua NH-D9L 92mm D-Type Heatsink Review

With the popularity of MiniITX and MicroATX motherboards there has been a push for smaller computer cases.  The Noctua NH-D9L is a cooler designed to meet the demands of the 3U chassis market by giving you a high performance alternative to the Intel OEM cooler.  This is a shift from the larger D14 and D15 that are focused on performance through silence whereas the D9L is maximizing performance in a limited space. 

Alternatively, given that some modern LGA 115X processors are now being released with a 15w TDP there is literally no reason to have a 120mm or larger heatsink..

As always the installation hardware is extremely good and features a universal mounting system that is easy to install and works on almost every Noctua cooler.  In this review we tested on the Z68 platform and while the chipset may be different the installation method applies to all LGA 115X motherboards including the latest Z97.

Overall performance was very good.  Our heat tests showed that the Noctua NH-D9L could handle a very healthy overclock which also put it in range of handling a default clocked LGA 2011.  As expected at these higher speeds increased the cooling demands and caused the 92mm fan(s) to spin up to 2000rpm.  This introduced a little more noise but was still less than a midrange video card given the 22dBA limit of the NF-A9 PWM fans.  For those looking to increase performance the NH-D9L includes mounting clips for a second fan which can help with overall load temps across the range.

Normally we don’t include photos of the packaging but in this instance we felt you should see this.  The Noctua NH-D9l came packaged in multiple layers of folded cardboard and then is packed into two more open end boxes to further protect the heatsink from shipping damage. 

Not only is this insanely creative but also completely recyclable.

Small Form Factor
Excellent Performance
Noctua Mounting System
Four Heatpipe Configuration
Dual Fan Options

Works best on low wattage processors