Noctua’s flagship NH-D15 G2 CPU cooler is now available in an all-black Chromax variant
PC Fan Faceoff: Can Arctic's $8.50 P12 Pro compete with the $35 Noctua NF-A12x25 G2?
The result is that two decades later, Noctua is sending out upgrade kits for CPU mounting coolers that are going on 20 years old. The blog post even recounts a story about a Finnish customer asking for an AM5 kit for an NH-U12P cooler, setting the record of 17 years between purchase date and upgrade. Since buyers have reasonable assurance they'll be able to reuse their coolers, the high initial asking price can pay off for itself on every new build(s).
Noctua also points out that just creating an upgrade kit isn't just machining some new parts, as the cooler itself needs to be designed in a way that will easily accept new parts. Reviewers have consistently praised the coolers' mounting hardware, so it's fair to say the Austrians know what they're doing. Additionally, the company points out that its free upgrade program contributes to reducing e-waste.
I have personal experience with Noctua's wares and upgrade kits and can attest that it really was as simple as going to the website and requesting one; the exact parts arrived in the mail within two or three weeks. This was in sharp contrast to what happened with another brand's cooler, for which an upgrade kit technically existed but might as well be made of unobtainium.
You won't be asked for more than a purchase receipt, too. Even if you don't have one, Noctua will take invoices for CPUs and motherboards, or even a photo of your existing cooler with a piece of paper visible. If you prefer to have one shipped out faster, you can also find them at Amazon and other e-tailers for cheap.
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Reference reading
- https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/air-cooling/SPONSORED_LINK_URL
- https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/air-cooling/noctua-celebrates-sending-out-its-500-000th-cpu-cooler-mounting-upgrade-kit-milestone-marks-two-decades-of-the-free-program#main
- https://www.tomshardware.com
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Informational only. No financial advice. Do your own research.