NL-LC1 is Noctua's First AIO Liquid Cooler: Silence is Key

Noctua is a guarantee for air cooling, and there is no doubt about it. The company is a benchmark, but until now it has stayed away from the next step, that towards AIO liquid coolers. For us who know it well, having a direct channel at fairs like COMPUTEX, this is not a big surprise.

In many discussions with the technicians and representatives of the Austrian company, the meticulous work that goes into their products has emerged. Even the adoption of black coloring, with the Chromax Black series, took a lot of time, to assess the impact of the paint in terms of dissipation and acoustics.

Consequently, entering a different area, albeit within the realm of cooling, was a thoughtful choice for Noctua. But let's get to the point. Today we take a close look at, and test, the company's first all-in-one liquid cooling system, called NL-LC1.

At the heart of the project is an Asetek Emma V2 pump, integrated into a revised architecture aimed at reducing structural vibrations and tonal components typical of conventional AIO solutions. For this purpose, the pump is enclosed in a multi-layer acoustic damping system that combines sound-absorbing foams, a high-density barrier, and an elastic isolation system on silicone supports. The assembly is designed to attenuate both high frequencies and low-frequency resonances, reducing the transmission of vibrations to the chassis.

Within the same pump block is integrated a control system with three operational profiles (Quiet, Balanced, and Manual) that modifies the rotation limit based on the liquid temperature and PWM behavior. In Quiet mode, the regime is strongly contained to minimize noise (800-2100 RPM), while Balanced mode introduces dynamic margins as temperature increases (80-2600 RPM), and Manual mode allows direct control over the entire operational range of the pump up to about 3400 RPM, regardless of thermal load.

At the same time, Noctua introduced NL-PNA1, a pump coating designed to further reduce acoustic emissions by acting on the amplitude of the vibration signal and its spectral distribution. Vibration measurements indicate a reduction in the maximum amplitude of vibrations and a better distribution of mechanical energy, while acoustic analyses highlight a typical decrease in sound level in the range of 1-4 dB(A), accompanied by a shift of the acoustic signature towards lower frequencies. Psychoacoustic evaluations also confirm improvements on various acoustic parameters, suggesting an overall perceived impact that is more contained even at equal SPL.

The system is completed with premium fans NF-A14x25 G2 and NF-A12x25 G2, integrated into radiators of 420, 360, and 240 mm, and with compatibility with the SecuFirm2+ mounting system, aimed at optimizing the compromise between static pressure and noise.

As a completion of the solution, the system is accompanied by the optional module NL-ACF1, a small auxiliary 80 mm fan designed to increase airflow around the socket. Through an aerodynamic action based on the Coanda effect, the module is capable of improving cooling for VRM, RAM, and M.2 SSD, reducing temperatures in the area or allowing for a decrease in system fan speeds at equal overall thermal performance.

Installation Notes

Before performing any tests, it is good to highlight some aspects related to installation. Noctua recommends, for optimal performance, to orient the pump's tube outlets towards the southern (lower) side of the CPU socket (as shown in the image below). The company also reminds that when assembling a liquid-cooled PC, one of the most common dilemmas regards the correct positioning of the radiator within the case. There is no universal choice, as each configuration involves a specific thermal balance between the main components, particularly between the processor and the graphics card.

Installing the radiator at the top of the case means configuring it for exhaust. In this scenario, the fans will be pushing out the air that has already been heated by the GPU. Consequently, the CPU will operate at slightly higher temperatures compared to the theoretical potential of the cooler, but will ensure that the graphics card receives a constant flow of fresh air from the front, optimizing its temperatures. Conversely, opting for a front or side installation allows the radiator to benefit from fresh air drawn directly from the external environment. This guarantees the lowest possible operational temperatures for the CPU.

The downside? The incoming air will first pass through the radiator's fins, heating up, and will then impact the GPU and motherboard components, causing a slight thermal increase. Regardless of the chosen position, however, there is a golden rule that reconciles performance and acoustics: the orientation of the fans. The advice is almost always to prefer a "Push" configuration over a "Pull" configuration. Installing the fans to actively push air through the radiator mass, rather than "pulling" it from behind, proves to be the ideal choice for achieving the best possible ratio between dissipation efficiency and quiet operation.

Another thing to know regards the latest Intel platforms, such as the Z890 that we used for this test. In its documentation, Noctua suggests using the position with an offset of +3.7 mm and additional lateral offset (north + east) to achieve optimal performance with 24 or 20 core LGA1851 CPUs. For all other LGA1851 CPUs and for LGA1700 CPUs, use the standard position with no offset (0).

Finally, it's good to know that Noctua NL-LC1 comes with a 6-year warranty and an RMA service.

Testing the Noctua NL-LC1

As explained at the opening, the Noctua NL-LC1 cooler features three pump operating profiles: Manual, Balanced, and Quiet. Their selection occurs with a switch located on the pump. By recording the temperature of the Core Ultra 7 265K processor with the various settings, we saw the processor stabilize between 69 and 73 °C moving between the Manual profile and going to Quiet.

With the term "Optional Fan," we record the behavior with the 80 mm fan positioned over the pump head, but with the Manual profile set. Changing profiles, we also observe an incidence on the fan behavior: we see that the Quiet profile causes the fans to spin slightly faster compared to the Manual and Balanced profiles. This may seem counterintuitive, but let's remember that the switch mainly affects the pump and not the fans.

Switching to the pump, we see exactly the incidence of the switch and profiles on its speed. The Manual profile - with the Optional Fan that "mirrors" it, unsurprisingly - is where the pump operates the fastest, followed by the Balanced profile, and finally the Quiet one.

Lastly, using HWInfo64, we also took a look at VRM temperatures. Here we observe that the optional 80 mm fan positioned on the pump head helps keep the area a bit cooler. Where the tests in the Quiet and Balanced profiles already start from higher baseline temperatures, we see that there is a difference between Manual and the same profile with the installation of NL-ACF1. In any case, the use of the fan is entirely optional and certainly not necessary for those who use the PC with heavy and continuous loads.

Conclusions

As you can see in the following graph, the Noctua NL-LC1 performs in Manual mode similarly to many other AIO coolers tested in the past. It should be noted that the test took place during days of high ambient temperatures, so it is possible that under other conditions, something could be trimmed. The Noctua cooler performed optimally, and the build quality is of excellent level. Sure, the coloring is always the true crossroads for those looking at Noctua, and obviously, it can either please or disappoint. That said, the product is solid and well made, it does not disappoint. One thing particularly impressed us, but we should have expected it from Noctua, is that it is totally silent in every usage scenario. However, there is a hurdle to face: the price; it starts at €219.90 for the 240 mm NL-LC1 model. The 360 mm model costs €249.90, while the 420 mm version is on sale for €279.90. These are very high price lists, which inevitably make it a product for a few dedicated fans of the Austrian house.