Installation

While this cooler can be used on pretty much every processor socket that’s out there, I’ll be using it on our 6000+ AMD Dual Core processor to provide the testing platform that we’ve used for other coolers, allowing for a fair comparison.

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To get the cooler to sit on your CPU, you’ll first have to decide which orientation you want the cooler in, as you can either have the fan blowing upwards into your CPU, or rotated by 90 degrees and blowing out the rear of your case. Either way is unlikely to affect temperatures by a large margin, with the ability to change the orientation merely down to reducing the possibility of a surface component conflict.

Once you’ve decided on your preferred orientation… you can grab the appropriate brackets and screw them into place, and you can even use the included L-shaped cross head screw driver if you are short of tools at the time. Once these are installed, you’ll have to work directly with your motherboard.

While you can use the existing backplate of your mobo with the AM2 installation, Noctua provide you with one just in case you’ve lost your original. If you are using the LGA775 mounting plate, you’ll have to remove your mobo in order to use the X-shaped rear bracket.

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For AM2, you then have to chuck on a wash onto each of the protruding screw holes, and then attach the metal brackets that the cooler will eventually screw onto. Now you squirt a little bit of the provided heatpaste, or your own preferred brand, onto your core and follow either of these steps before slapping on the NH-U12P. There are a couple of spring-loaded screws that slot down through the wing brackets of the cooler and fasten into the motherboard mounted brackets. Tightening them slowly and equally (two turns each side, repeat) will get your new Noctua heatsink in place.

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While the installation is quite involved, the steps are easy to follow, and the manual leads you through the process with easy-to-understand diagrams and text. You’ll be able to do this easily within 10 minutes.

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Now you have the heatsink installed, but nothing blowing through it. In order to mount the fan, you’ll need to stick on the self-adhesive rubber strips which are easier done when the heatsink isn’t mounted, and then use the clips which wrap around the edges of the heatsink and then the elbows of the clip sit in the mounting holes of your chosen fan.

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