So with a new build I'm looking to add a few bits of RGB and I've always been impressed with the performance from a NH-U12S, looks the part and does very well at lower fan speeds but the question is, is that the coolers design or the fans? Would I get away with a SP120 RGB in replacement of the 120mm fan which comes with the NH-U12S (this can be a 2nd fan on my other rig with a NH-U12S) and still get reasonable performance? My guess would have been yes but I wanted others input on this too. I'm gonna be running lower spec CPU's with no overclocks on it so it won't be punished in any way.
With a lower spec CPU at stock clocks, the fans won't matter at all. I did a thread a while back testing various 120mm fans (including Noctua's jewel A12x25) on a 120mm Thermalright heatsink, and at around 1,250rpm all the fans I tested were within a couple of degrees of each other.
As long as the heatsink has a large thermal mass, which U12S certainly does, it's fine. The fans only move air across the heatsink, it'd be a few degrees difference at most. I ran Ryzen 5 3600 65w at 0-300-500rpm with D14. Running at 1000rpm or 500rpm, sustained load difference was a few degrees. Zero difference during day to day use where the thermal mass of the cooler can soak up any heat spikes and slowly dissipate it.
Awesome, cheers guys. Noise isn't too much of an issue as she uses headset all the time and generally have music on so loud, the PC noise wouldn't get a look in lol
