Installation 

Once the motherboard is prepped and ready for the new components, everything else flows with little effort. Picking out the right parts for the intended system is as easy as picking up the bag with the right label on it and grabbing the common components bag. Because this system is 939, we used the AMD K8 set. With the K8 back plate installed and the processor clean, it is time to move on to the tower.

Prepping the tower cooler is a simple process. The rubber strips included in the set are for keeping the fans off the cooler and thus reducing vibrations. The strips are as easy to apply as a sticker. An excellent feature is the ability to mount the cooler in one of two 90-degree orientations. There is one standard bracket, and one 90-degree bracket set. We chose the horizontal installation to take advantage of natural heat convection. Following the decision of what bracket to use, attaching it is a breeze. Two simple screws snuggly attach the brackets to the CPU block. It is easy to appreciate the in-depth information in the manual on alternate mounting methods.

Noctua was thinking ahead as well when they accounted for various installation problems. One such issue is screw access. When mounting the tower in the same orientation as the mount holes on the motherboard, the spring-loaded screws are practically impossible to reach. However, there are holes in the fin grid to allow for the L shaped Phillips head to attach the block if the mounting screws are covered. This was great thinking on Noctua's part because most manufactures do not take into account how their mounting screws are inaccessible.

Instead of using the included thermal paste, we opted for a dollop of artic silver 5. Screwing in the tower was effortless due the springs performing the majority of the retention work. Because of the minimalist construction used in the mount, expectations of the tower's stability were honestly very low. However, once the mount is in place, our worries dissolve. The strength of the spring system is impressive.

Once the tower is secure, the fan is next. Noctua produced an excellent way to mount their already silent fan. Looking closely at the fins on the cooler, there are four hooks carved in that make a lip. This groove formed by the 38 hooks facilitates the retention of the fan. Following the installation of the clips, four pseudo latches hold the four fan mounts. With the ability to install two sets of clips, it is possible to install an additional 120mm fan in a push-pull fashion. Due to the generic nature of the clip design, the use of any standard 120mm fan is a possibility. One might ponder what two delta fans might produce, but that is for another day. Flexibility is the game with this cooler. However, the included fan is the only one used today.

With the skyscraper installed, it is time for the chipset cooler. Having already removed the stock chipset cooler and cleaned the heat spreader, the standard cooler installation could move ahead smoothly. The pushpin mount will hold the cooler onto theK8T 800 pro chipset. One minor issue with the mounting hardware is how difficult it is to move the arms. The joints are tight and require some effort to turn. It is advisable to do all adjustments with the protective film still on the cooler and then proceeding with installation. This greatly reduces troubles when setting the cooler onto thermal paste.

Following the adjustment of mounting hardware, a single screw seats everything into one solid unit. Removal of the protective film exposes the mirror like finish and completes the prep work for the installation. The instructions perform an excellent job of guiding end users through this process. A spot of artic silver 5 is preferred over the standard thermal paste. Lining up the pushpins with the holes was easy, but pushing the pins down took a little more effort than usual. This chipset cooler is simple to install as long as the compatibility adjustments happen before the actual install.

Upon completion, real sense of awe is conjured. On this particular motherboard, the chipset and the tower coolers sit within a small but safe margin of each other. The benefits of this situation are very useful. As a side effect of the chipset cooler's orientation, the NH-U12F pulls air across the fins of the NC-U6. The CPU fan is dual purpose in this setup. Similar to the tower, the chipset cooler has fan mounts, but there are no included clips. This cooling system is visually stunning.