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ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 vs Noctua NH-D12L: Comparison
What is the difference between ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 and Noctua NH-D12L?
Fan count is where these two genuinely part company, ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 2 against Noctua NH-D12L 1, a 50% lead for ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280. Add airflow to that, 72.84 CFM on the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 versus 60.09 CFM on the Noctua NH-D12L, and the pattern holds. Noctua NH-D12L also leads on max speed, 1700 RPM on the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 versus 2000 RPM on the Noctua NH-D12L. They differ on tower layout too, Not Applicable on the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 versus Dual-Tower on the Noctua NH-D12L. Fan size is not the same on both, 140 mm on the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 versus 120 mm on the Noctua NH-D12L.
Who each one is for
The ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 is the one to take for value-focused 280mm-radiator builds and motherboards with modest VRM cooling, though it is not the pick for RGB showcase builds (see ARCTIC's ARGB variants instead) and cases needing thin (<30mm) radiators. Buy the Noctua NH-D12L for builds with tall heatsink-covered RAM modules and quiet-focused mid-range and upper-mid-range CPUs, though it is not built for extreme overclocks needing maximum dual-fan airflow and buyers wanting RGB aesthetics. Our rating of the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 (8.5/10): outstanding thermal value at 280mm, the VRM fan is a genuinely useful extra most AIOs lack. Our rating of the Noctua NH-D12L (8.3/10): an excellent no-compromise pick when tall RAM rules out a standard dual-fan tower.
Frequently asked questions
Do the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 and Noctua NH-D12L differ on cooler type?
Yes. Cooler Type reads AIO Liquid on the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 versus Air Tower on the Noctua NH-D12L.
Is the RGB Lighting the same on the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 and Noctua NH-D12L?
It is. Both are listed at No, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- ARCTIC
- Noctua NH-D12L
- Noctua
Cooler Type
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- AIO Liquid
- Noctua NH-D12L
- Air Tower
Series
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- Noctua NH-D12L
- Noctua NH-D12L
Model Number
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- ACFRE00066B
- Noctua NH-D12L
- NH-D12L
Socket Compatibility
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- AMD AM4/AM5, Intel LGA1851/1700/1200/115X/2066/2011-3
- Noctua NH-D12L
- AMD AM5/AM4, Intel LGA1954/1851/1700/1200/115X
Tower Layout
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- Not Applicable
- Noctua NH-D12L
- Dual-Tower
Fan Count
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 2Best
- Noctua NH-D12L
- 1-50%
RGB Lighting
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- No
- Noctua NH-D12L
- No
Cooler Weight
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 1572 g
- Noctua NH-D12L
- 890 gBest
Fan Size
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 140 mm
- Noctua NH-D12L
- 120 mm
Max Speed
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 1700 RPM-15%
- Noctua NH-D12L
- 2000 RPMBest
Airflow
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 72.84 CFMBest
- Noctua NH-D12L
- 60.09 CFM-18%
PWM Control
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- Yes
- Noctua NH-D12L
- Yes
Warranty
- ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
- 6 years
- Noctua NH-D12L
- 6 years
Which one should you pick?
Choose ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 if you want the higher fan count (2 vs 1), the higher airflow (72.84 CFM vs 60.09 CFM) and the higher warranty (6 years vs 6 years).
Choose Noctua NH-D12L if you want the higher max speed (2000 RPM vs 1700 RPM).
Price comparison
| Retailer | ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 | Noctua NH-D12L |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | View on Amazon |
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
ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280
8.5 / 10 Expert Rating
Outstanding thermal value at 280mm, the VRM fan is a genuinely useful extra most AIOs lack.
Noctua NH-D12L
8.3 / 10 Expert Rating
An excellent no-compromise pick when tall RAM rules out a standard dual-fan tower.