Noctua are cooling specialists and as such, new and upcoming products always hold great expectations. So what do we think of the new NH-U14S?

Well, right from the get-go we were impressed with the attention to detail that Noctua have employed even with something as overlooked as packaging. Everything is presented in a professional manner and they have even gone over and above to ensure first impressions are good.

We found the installation process a breeze thanks to the use of SecuFirm 2. You have to remember that many vendors have analysed SecuFirm over the years and attempted to copy its design methodology because it is efficient and reliable. The installation kit we used for LGA 2011 was great quality, as was the heatsink itself – you can gauge the level high-quality engineering just from quick observation.



The aspects which stand out as unique selling points with U14S are the excellent memory clearance. Noctua claims that this CPU cooler will not cause any obstruction, even on LGA 2011 which has memory slots on either side and this claim is ratified. We found no clearance issues whatsoever. The other point to note is that noise levels were very low, even with the fan at full speed – compared to other models it was by no means disruptive.

In terms of performance, U14S delivers good results with SB-E during stock CPU conditions but struggled slightly when overclocked, but we know that on other platforms such as LGA1155 others have found U14S being able to handle overclocks better.

Priced £59.99, this might be hard for some to swallow but as with other Noctua products you have to consider the entire package before jumping to any conclusions. There is plenty within the bundle to warrant the price, combine this with the quality and silence on offer and it isn’t a bad deal by any stretch.

Noctua have a proven track record for delivering brilliant products and the U14S is no exception. NH-U14S offers excellent memory compatibility clearance and build quality. It performs well for both thermal results and noise levels.