Compare: NH-U12A chromax.Black vs Dark Rock Pro 5 (Performance)

Design and Aesthetics:

NH-U12A chromax.Black

The NH-U12A chromax.Black features a single-tower design with a slim aluminum heatsink and a pair of 120mm NF-A12x25 PWM fans. This design allows for efficient heat dissipation, making it capable of handling demanding processors. Aesthetically, the NH-U12A chromax.Black adopts a black color scheme, providing a sleek and modern appearance that complements various build themes.

Dark Rock Pro 5 (Performance)

This cooler features a sleek black design that stands out. The signature Be-Quiet fan adds a unique touch, breaking away from the cooler's boxy appearance. Additionally, the top of the cooler boasts a clean design, contributing to a polished and refined look for your setup.

Install Notes:

NH-U12A chromax.Black

The NH-U12A features Noctua's SecuFirm2 mounting system, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of Intel and AMD sockets and offering a straightforward installation process, typical of Noctua coolers. Clear instructions, high-quality components, and a tube of their premium NT-H1 thermal compound make it an easy and user-friendly experience, even for beginners. The cooler uses the original AMD backplate for AMD installations. However, one downside is that the cooler may stick to your CPU, and due to the screw setup, you can't slide the cooler off the CPU like with some other brands. Overall, the NH-U12A offers a relatively hassle-free installation process.

Dark Rock Pro 5 (Performance)

The Dark Rock Pro 5 marks a notable advancement over its predecessors, featuring a mounting system that aligns with those of most mainstream coolers. This iteration enhances the design by securing the mounting bracket directly to the cooler, a change from the prior generation. Fan installation sees improvements too; the front fan comes pre-attached, ensuring perfect alignment, while the middle fan is designed to slide in from the top, secured by the top mount instead of side brackets. These enhancements significantly improve the cooler's setup and performance compared to the previous generation. Additionally, given the option to change the power speed on the top of the cooler, the middle fan has a 5 pin connector to facilitate this functionality, which forces you to use their connection rather than direct control through the motherboard.

Cooling Performance:

NH-U12A chromax.Black

The performance of the NH-U12A is exceptional due to its seven heat pipes that efficiently transfer heat away from the CPU and into the large fin array of the heatsink. It is suitable for a wide range of processors, including high-end models with high TDPs. The cooler can handle high levels of overclocking and provides reliable cooling under demanding situations, making it a popular choice among enthusiasts.

Dark Rock Pro 5 (Performance)

There are two modes to this cooler, the performance mode and the quiet mode. The cooler selected covers the performance mode of the cooler. Overall, this cooler provides better cooling than the average cooler tested. However, this cooler get's puts to its limits when placed under high loads. With that in mind, if you're looking to place this cooler on a CPU that produces a lot of heat, you may want to consider other options. Check out our temperature graphs to see how the cooler performance on your respective CPU.

Noise Performance:

NH-U12A chromax.Black

One of the standout features of the NH-U12A is its quiet operation. The two included 120mm NF-A12x25 PWM fans are designed for optimal airflow and low noise levels. Noctua fans are well-known for their excellent acoustic performance, and the NH-U12A is no exception. Users can expect quiet cooling even during intense workloads or gaming sessions.

Dark Rock Pro 5 (Performance)

In regards to sound, this cooler is quieter than the average cooler between 60% fan speed and 90% fan speed. However as the fan approaches 100%, the noise level is more in line with what to expect from an average cooler.

Summary:

NH-U12A chromax.Black

Overall, the Noctua NH-U12A is a high-performance air cooler that offers excellent cooling capabilities and quiet operation. Its single-tower design and exceptional build quality make it a top choice for users seeking a reliable and efficient cooling solution for high-performance systems.

Dark Rock Pro 5 (Performance)

The Dark Rock Pro 5 features an improved mounting system and pre-attached fans for easier setup, with an option to adjust fan speed directly on the device. Its sleek black design and signature quiet fan contribute to both aesthetics and performance, offering enhanced cooling in both performance and quiet modes. Although it outperforms average coolers under moderate loads, it may struggle with high-heat CPUs. Noise levels are lower than average until the fan reaches full speed, where it aligns with typical cooler sounds.