In today’s world computer manufacturers come and go. The quality of their products will determine how long they are in business, and how well known they become. In late 2005, Noctua released the NH-U9 and NH-U12 coolers in Europe. These coolers were developed in Austria in cooperation with the Austrian Institute of Heat Transmission and Fan Technology, and have some impressive specifications. I will take a look at both the Noctua NH-U9 and the NH-U12, and see whether they can compare to other top contenders such as the Thermalright HR-01 and the Zalman Fatal1ty CPU coolers.