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Noctua NH-D15 · Black — Air tower
Noctua

Noctua NH-D15 · Black

Air tower

93
/ 100
From $109
VS
Noctua NH-D15 · Black wins by 3
Noctua NH-U12A — Air tower
Noctua

Noctua NH-U12A

Air tower

90
/ 100
From $109
Specdex verdict

Noctua NH-D15 · Black takes it — here’s why.

In our weighted Specdex score, Noctua NH-D15 · Black lands at 93 and Noctua NH-U12A at 90. That puts Noctua NH-D15 · Black ahead by 3 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.

Pick Noctua NH-D15 · Black if…

  • ✓Multi-socket bracket support
  • ✓Quiet fans at idle
  • ✓Strong TDP rating

Pick Noctua NH-U12A if…

  • ✓Multi-socket bracket support
  • ✓Quiet fans at idle
  • ✓Strong TDP rating
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Winner by scenario

Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate test

Thermals

Noctua NH-D15 · Black

Compared on the thermals sub-score

Noctua NH-D15 · Black leads on thermals (93 vs 90).

Install

Tie

Compared on the install sub-score

Effectively tied — neither pulls a 2-point weighted lead.

Noise

Noctua NH-D15 · Black

Compared on the noise sub-score

Noctua NH-D15 · Black leads on noise (89 vs 86).

Value for money

Tie

Specdex score per dollar at MSRP

Effectively tied — similar score-per-dollar at MSRP.

Noctua NH-D15 · Black 93
vs
90 Noctua NH-U12A

Score breakdown

Noctua NH-D15 · Black
93
thermals 93
noise 89
install 88
value 86
Noctua NH-U12A
90
thermals 90
noise 86
install 88
value 86

Specs side-by-side

Noctua NH-D15 · Black versus Noctua NH-U12A — full spec comparison
Spec Noctua NH-D15 · Black Noctua NH-U12A
Type
Air tower
Air tower

Noctua NH-D15 · Black

Pros
  • +Multi-socket bracket support
  • +Quiet fans at idle
  • +Strong TDP rating
Cons
  • −Height may conflict with RAM heatspreaders
  • −AIO pump noise varies
  • −Installation requires motherboard-off

Noctua NH-U12A

Pros
  • +Multi-socket bracket support
  • +Quiet fans at idle
  • +Strong TDP rating
Cons
  • −Height may conflict with RAM heatspreaders
  • −AIO pump noise varies
  • −Installation requires motherboard-off

FAQ: Noctua NH-D15 · Black vs Noctua NH-U12A

Which is better, Noctua NH-D15 · Black or Noctua NH-U12A? +

Noctua NH-D15 · Black scores 93 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 3. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.

Is Noctua NH-D15 · Black worth the price? +

At $109, Noctua NH-D15 · Black delivers a Specdex score of 93 — strongest in thermals.

Is Noctua NH-U12A worth the price? +

At $109, Noctua NH-U12A delivers a Specdex score of 90 — strongest in thermals.

Does Noctua NH-D15 · Black or Noctua NH-U12A last longer? +

Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.

Which is better for thermals, Noctua NH-D15 · Black or Noctua NH-U12A? +

Noctua NH-D15 · Black — leads on thermals (93 vs 90). Compared on the thermals sub-score.

Which is better for noise, Noctua NH-D15 · Black or Noctua NH-U12A? +

Noctua NH-D15 · Black — leads on noise (89 vs 86). Compared on the noise sub-score.