Noctua Shuffles Roadmap, Adds NH-L9a CPU Cooler for AMD AM5

Noctua updates roadmap
(Image credit: Noctua)

Noctua has updated its public roadmap for upcoming products. The Austrian PC cooling firm’s October update to the roadmap is significant for introducing a couple of new products and shifting a host of cooling accessories further into the future. However, we should consider ourselves lucky as the oft-delayed Next Gen NH-D15 CPU cooler remains on schedule for launch in Q1 2023.

At the start of the roadmap, slotted into Q4 2022, is the NA-TPG1 thermal paste guard, which we discussed yesterday. This AM5 chip and socket protection accessory will ship in December. At the same time, we will see AM5 editions of the NH-H1 and NH-H2 thermal pastes in 3.5g tubes — these are simply the existing pastes bundled with an AM5 CPU thermal paste guard. Finally, the last item in the new roadmap’s Q4 2022 slot is a next-gen 140mm fan, which we are happy to see is ‘on time’ when referenced with the previous roadmap (April).

Noctua’s updated roadmap for Q1 2023 features a new product, the NH-L9a CPU cooler for AMD AM5. If you remember the news about Noctua CPU cooling compatibility with regard to AM4 and AM5 sockets, you may recall the single troublesome cooler that couldn’t be fixed with a new mounting kit was the NH-L9a-AM4 low-profile cooler. The new NH-L9a CPU cooler for AMD AM5 is the answer for those wishing to use this kind of low-profile cooling solution on the newest AMD platforms.

Also worth mentioning in Q1 2023 is that the fan grills, which should already be with us, are now expected by this date. The same goes for the 24V to 12V voltage converter and 8-way fan hub. Last, the often-delayed Next Gen NH-D15 CPU cooler (originally planned for a 2021 release) remains on schedule for launch in Q1 2023.

Noctua updates roadmap

Noctua's NH-L9a low-profile CPU cooler for AMD AM5 is on the way (Image credit: Noctua)

The slim 60mm fans and 24V 40mm fans from Noctua have been shifted to a Q2 2023 launch window, though they were originally penciled in for the current quarter. So they could be as far as six to eight months from launch. Other products pushed back by approximately half a year include the Noctua Desk Fan and White fans – now penciled in for Q3 2023. That means the Desk fan will probably overshoot another summer in the northern hemisphere.

Mark Tyson
News Editor

Mark Tyson is a news editor at Tom's Hardware. He enjoys covering the full breadth of PC tech; from business and semiconductor design to products approaching the edge of reason.

  • -Fran-
    Wait... Why the hell are they branding thermal paste as "AM5 Edition"? xD

    Are they making it super conductive or something? How would that not work on Intel? I'm confuzzled, haha. EDIT: I see; they're adding "bumps" to account for the gaps on the tarantula IHS. Why? xD

    Marketing teams, I swear...

    Regards xD
    Reply
  • Darkbreeze
    I'm more interested in knowing when their white fan lineup is coming out, since it was announced like two years ago and was supposed to be out last year.
    Reply
  • Kuyric
    From what I’ve read the editions are just the paste bundled with the shield.
    -Fran- said:
    Wait... Why the hell are they branding thermal paste as "AM5 Edition"? xD

    Are they making it super conductive or something? How would that not work on Intel? I'm confuzzled, haha. EDIT: I see; they're adding "bumps" to account for the gaps on the tarantula IHS. Why? xD

    Marketing teams, I swear...

    Regards xD
    Reply
  • bit_user
    Kuyric said:
    From what I’ve read the editions are just the paste bundled with the shield.
    AMD should include a couple shields made from cardstock. Once you have your heatsink mounted, you can just tear or cut them off.

    If/when I install an AM5 CPU, I'm definitely going to look for one online that I can print and cut out.
    Reply
  • bit_user
    Noctua supposedly has some good down-draft coolers, right? But I have difficulty believing they're as good as Cooler Master's "Direct Touch" models. I don't see how you can beat direct touch, as long as the number of pipes is the same and they're not spaced too far apart.

    Incidentally, I see that Cooler Master's GeminII M5 LED seems to be discontinued in the USA, but the Taiwan site still shows it. I plan to use it for a 65 W AM4 build I'm about to do.
    Reply