FanlessTech has spotted Noctua's highly anticipated NH-P1 passive heatsink at Newegg for $100. Noctua hasn't revealed the highly-anticipated heatsink to the public yet, but Newegg's listing suggests that an official announcement shouldn't be far behind.
The NH-P1 features a fanless design with six heatpipes that transfer heat from the processor towards the massive radiator with widely spaced fins. Noctua claims 100% compatibility with memory slots and the first PCIe expansion slot for most ATX and microATX motherboards. For added cooling or consumers that want to leverage a semi-passive configuration, Noctua recommends pairing the passive CPU cooler with the brand's own NF-A12x25 LS-PWM 120mm cooling fan that's barely audible.
Noctua advises consumers not to use the CPU cooler for overclocking or with processors that are space heaters. Being a passive cooler, the NH-P1's performance depends on various factors, including ambient temperature and the other hardware inside your system. Therefore, Noctua doesn't commit to a TDP (thermal design power) rating, instead suggesting that consumers consult the NH-P1's processor compatibility list.
In fact, the NH-P1 will only thrive in cases with good natural convection or open-air bench tables. Noctua will release a list of recommended cases for the NH-P1 once it officially launches the CPU cooler.
Although Noctua didn't slap a TDP label on the NH-P1, the cooling specialist mentioned processors, such as the Core i9-9900K and Ryzen 9 3950X. For perspective, the Core i9-9900K has a 95W PL1 rating and 210W PL2 rating, while the Ryzen 9 3950X is a 105W chip.
Like countless other Noctua CPU coolers, the NH-P1 employs the company's proprietary SecuFirm2+ mounting system, which provides an easy and quick setup. The cooler is compatible with Intel's LGA115x, LGA1200 and LGA1200xx CPU sockets and AMD's AM4, AM3(+), AM2(+), FM2(+) and FM1 sockets. Noctua also includes a tube of its award-winning NT-H2 thermal compound with the NH-P1.
Noctua's NH-P1 is already available for purchase on Newegg for $100. The manufacturer backs the cooler with a limited six-year warranty.
