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Alpenföhn Brocken 4 vs Noctua NH-U9S: Comparison
What is the difference between Alpenföhn Brocken 4 and Noctua NH-U9S?
Start with height, because it is the widest measured gap between them: Alpenföhn Brocken 4 155 mm against Noctua NH-U9S 125 mm, 24% in favour of Noctua NH-U9S. Static pressure runs the same way, 1.74 mmH2O on the Alpenföhn Brocken 4 versus 2.28 mmH2O on the Noctua NH-U9S, another win for Noctua NH-U9S. Max speed runs the same way, 1600 RPM on the Alpenföhn Brocken 4 versus 2000 RPM on the Noctua NH-U9S, another win for Noctua NH-U9S. Add airflow to that, 55.3 CFM on the Alpenföhn Brocken 4 versus 46.44 CFM on the Noctua NH-U9S, and the pattern holds.
Who each one is for
Buy the Alpenföhn Brocken 4 for noise-sensitive mid-to-high TDP builds and buyers wanting a dual-tower alternative to mainstream brands, though it is not built for RGB-themed builds and extreme overclocking chasing the absolute lowest temps. The Noctua NH-U9S suits mainstream, non-overclocked builds where 130W of headroom is genuinely enough and buyers who value quiet, low-vibration operation over maximum thermal ceiling. It also earns its place with mATX builders who want reliable Noctua cooling without a full-size footprint. It is the wrong buy for overclocked or high-TDP flagship CPUs, where the thermal ceiling runs out quickly.
What Alpenföhn Brocken 4 and Noctua NH-U9S have in common
Where they agree, they agree completely, noise level, cooler type, tower type, tower layout and fan count included, so the decision does not turn on any of those. They match on 4 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the Alpenföhn Brocken 4 and Noctua NH-U9S differ on socket compatibility?
Yes. Socket Compatibility reads AMD AM4/AM5, Intel LGA1700/1200/115X/20XX on the Alpenföhn Brocken 4 versus AMD AM5/AM4, Intel LGA1954/1851/1700/1200/115X on the Noctua NH-U9S.
Is the RGB Lighting the same on the Alpenföhn Brocken 4 and Noctua NH-U9S?
It is. Both are listed at No, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- Alpenföhn Brocken 4
- Alpenföhn
- Noctua NH-U9S
- Noctua
Cooler Type
- Alpenföhn Brocken 4
- Air Tower
- Noctua NH-U9S
- Air Tower
Series
- Alpenföhn Brocken 4
- Alpenföhn Brocken 4
- Noctua NH-U9S
- Noctua NH-U9S
Tower Type
- Alpenföhn Brocken 4
- Single-Tower
- Noctua NH-U9S
- Single-Tower
Model Number
- Alpenföhn Brocken 4
- 84000000205
- Noctua NH-U9S
- NH-U9S
Height
- Alpenföhn Brocken 4
- 155 mm-24%
- Noctua NH-U9S
- 125 mmBest
Socket Compatibility
- Alpenföhn Brocken 4
- AMD AM4/AM5, Intel LGA1700/1200/115X/20XX
- Noctua NH-U9S
- AMD AM5/AM4, Intel LGA1954/1851/1700/1200/115X
Tower Layout
- Alpenföhn Brocken 4
- Single-Tower
- Noctua NH-U9S
- Single-Tower
Fan Count
- Alpenföhn Brocken 4
- 1
- Noctua NH-U9S
- 1
Noise Level
- Alpenföhn Brocken 4
- 22.8 dBA
- Noctua NH-U9S
- 22.8 dBA
RGB Lighting
- Alpenföhn Brocken 4
- No
- Noctua NH-U9S
- No
Cooler Weight
- Alpenföhn Brocken 4
- 1098 g
- Noctua NH-U9S
- 618 gBest
Heatpipe Count
- Alpenföhn Brocken 4
- 6
- Noctua NH-U9S
- 5
Base Material
- Alpenföhn Brocken 4
- Nickel-Plated Copper
- Noctua NH-U9S
- Nickel-Plated Copper
Fan Size
- Alpenföhn Brocken 4
- 120 mm
- Noctua NH-U9S
- 92 mm
Max Speed
- Alpenföhn Brocken 4
- 1600 RPM-20%
- Noctua NH-U9S
- 2000 RPMBest
Airflow
- Alpenföhn Brocken 4
- 55.3 CFMBest
- Noctua NH-U9S
- 46.44 CFM-16%
Static Pressure
- Alpenföhn Brocken 4
- 1.74 mmH2O-24%
- Noctua NH-U9S
- 2.28 mmH2O
PWM Control
- Alpenföhn Brocken 4
- Yes
- Noctua NH-U9S
- Yes
Lighting
- Alpenföhn Brocken 4
- None
- Noctua NH-U9S
- None
Which one should you pick?
Choose Alpenföhn Brocken 4 if you want the higher fan count (1 vs 1) and the higher airflow (55.3 CFM vs 46.44 CFM).
Choose Noctua NH-U9S if you want the lower height (125 mm vs 155 mm), the higher max speed (2000 RPM vs 1600 RPM) and the higher static pressure (2.28 mmH2O vs 1.74 mmH2O).
Price comparison
| Retailer | Alpenföhn Brocken 4 | Noctua NH-U9S |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
| Newegg | View on Newegg |
Disclaimer: The price and specification of the given product may differ from the actual product. Please confirm on the retailer's website before buying.
Verdict
Alpenföhn Brocken 4
7.8 / 10 Expert Rating
A genuinely quiet dual-tower cooler for buyers who value acoustics as much as raw thermal ceiling.
Noctua NH-U9S
8 / 10 Expert Rating
A sensible, well-built compact cooler for mATX builds that don't need flagship-level thermal headroom.