The NH-U9B SE2 continues the legacy of Noctua's classic NH-U9 series of compact premium coolers, which have received more than 100 awards and recommendations from the international press. The new SE2 version lends itself to use in quiet HTPC’s or smaller cases and adds support for LGA1156/1155 as well as LGA1366 via the latest SecuFirm2 multi-socket mounting system. Topped off with Noctua's award-winning NT-H1 thermal compound as well as two premium-grade NF-B9 fans, the NH-U9B SE2 offers a complete quality package for excellent quiet cooling performance.
Caution: Due to its custom backplate, the NH-U9B SE2 is not compatible with Intel’s Xeon 5500 platform. Please choose Noctua's NH-U9DX 1366 for use on Xeon 5500 systems.
Award-winning NH-U9B HeatsinkThe NH-U9B SE2 is built around Noctua's premium quality NH-U9B heatsink that combines excellent quiet cooling performance with compact size, making it ideal for use in HTPC systems and smaller cases.
SecuFirm2 Multi-socket Mounting SystemNoctua’s enthusiast grade SecuFirm2 multi-socket mounting provides broad socket compatibility (LGA1366, LGA1156, LGA1155, LGA775, AM2, AM2+ and AM3) and meets the highest demands in safety, performance and ease-of-use.
2x NF-B9 92mm Premium FansIncluding two of Noctua's award-winning NF-B9 92mm fans with Low-Noise and Ultra-Low-Noise-Adapters, the NH-U9B SE2 offers full flexibility in fine-tuning the cooler for supreme quietness and maximum performance in push-pull mode.
NT-H1 Thermal CompoundNoctua's much-acclaimed NT-H1 is a pro-grade TIM solution that provides minimum thermal resistance, excellent ease-of-use and outstanding reliability.
Special Edition Premium KitBundled with a tube of NT-H1, two exquisite NF-B9 fans and the new SecuFirm2 multi-socket mounting system, the NH-U9B SE2 forms a complete premium quality package that contains everything you need in order to achieve superb quiet cooling performance.
Pros: This thing is amazing! Setup and Installation was a snap. The packaging is very intuitive, separating the parts for your AMD installation, your Intel installation, and your shared parts. The fans are ultra quiet, and the included sound dampening rubber strips are excellent. Mine were a little oversized but I trimmed them about 1/8th of an inch to satisfy my OCD. It attaches directly to the board and is very snug. It comes with its own Noctua brand thermal paste (I ordered Arctic Silver and used it instead, not sure how the Noctua stacks up.) I used this for my X6 1090T and the difference in noise level is extreme. I feel like my computer isn't even on anymore. Installed on an Asus Crosshair II Formula board with Corsair Dominator (Memory a heatsink on top, as well as 3 fans you mount to/above the memory,) and it fit just fine, namely because the way it mounts on my board is in the UP/DOWN position rather than the FRONT/BACK position.
Cons: So far nothing at all. Wish it was a little cheaper, of course. It's big! This isn't necessarily a con, more of a caveat. Make sure this thing fits in your case and doesn't collide with your existing RAM or motherboard bridge.
Overall Review: Don't believe the skeptics. A lot of people bash this heatsink because it didn't dramatically alter their temperatures right away. The truth is that thermal paste takes anywhere from 25-500+ hours of use to fully become "broken in" and achieve the lowest temperatures. I would go out on a limb and say a lot of the reviewers are expecting near-instant changes in temperatures. Not only that, but there is a common misconception that a CPU should always run at a lower temp with one of these. Your cooler/heatsink will only make your CPU X degrees cooler than the AMBIENT temperature of your case. This means on a hot day in August if your ambient temperature is higher, so will be your CPU's. Just a little insight.