Specifications, Availability and Pricing

The NH-C12P SE14 comes ready to go onto any Intel board LGA775 and newer, and for AMD AM2 and newer is all accounted for in the included hardware. This style of cooler uses a horizontally mounted fan in relation to the motherboard. Unlike a tower style cooler, this design delivers all excess and pre-used air to the motherboard for additional cooling. With a 114mm height (with the fan), restrictive cases will be more accepting of this type of cooler. The NH-C12P comes in at 730g of fan, copper heat pipes, soldered aluminum fins, and a touch of nickel plating.

Strapping a NF-P14, 140mm fan to the top is what springs this cooler into a new life as the SE14 edition. The fan comes with a 3-pin connection that can be placed directly to the motherboard for its full 1200 RPM, or by using one of the included adapters you can lower the voltage supplied to the fan, if the 19.6 dBA is too much for you not to hear. It has been my experience that the 120mm and 140mm fans at a full 12V, don't produce enough noise to be a factor in most cases.

I'm sure you have seen my other reviews for Noctua, and by now I hope you realize that they are a premium manufacturer of coolers. Using thicker fins than I see on any other cooler, incorporating some "tricks of the trade", and combining it with one of the most silent yet powerful fans produced today, puts Noctua coolers a step above most on the market.

With premium parts usually comes a premium price as well. With the rise in prices everywhere, what I am seeing in Google shopping isn't all that bad. It currently lists on Newegg at $71.99, which is pricey, but as I say, it's hard to find this quality at $40. Stock is limited to only a few retailers, and Newegg was the best price versus reputability on the list. You may find it cheaper, but you may be taking chances with the lesser known's out there.