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Corsair A500 vs Noctua NH-U12S Redux: Comparison
Corsair A500 vs Noctua NH-U12S Redux noise level compared
There is no decisive spec gap here. Noise level splits them by a margin most buyers will never feel, Corsair A500 37 dBA against Noctua NH-U12S Redux 25.1 dBA. Corsair A500 also leads on fan count, 2 on the Corsair A500 versus 1 on the Noctua NH-U12S Redux. Static pressure runs the same way, 4.2 mmH2O on the Corsair A500 versus 2.83 mmH2O on the Noctua NH-U12S Redux, another win for Corsair A500. Corsair A500 also leads on max speed, 2400 RPM on the Corsair A500 versus 1700 RPM on the Noctua NH-U12S Redux. Warranty runs the same way, 5 years on the Corsair A500 versus 6 years on the Noctua NH-U12S Redux, another win for Noctua NH-U12S Redux.
Who each one is for
Buy the Corsair A500 for High-TDP builds wanting flagship air cooling without RGB and builders already in Corsair's fan and case ecosystem, though it is not built for small cases without room for a 165mm-tall dual-tower cooler and builders who want RGB lighting. Avoid it for anyone chasing the absolute best air cooling result, where Noctua's NH-D15 G2 tests slightly ahead. The Noctua NH-U12S Redux suits budget mainstream builds on AM5/LGA1700 and buyers who want Noctua reliability without flagship pricing, though it is the wrong buy for High-TDP overclocked flagship CPUs and RGB-themed builds.
What Corsair A500 and Noctua NH-U12S Redux have in common
Everything else lines up. Cooler type, tower type, tower layout, rgb lighting and heatpipe count read the same on both, so those are not worth weighing. They match on 3 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the Corsair A500 and Noctua NH-U12S Redux differ on height?
Yes. Height reads 165 mm on the Corsair A500 versus 158 mm on the Noctua NH-U12S Redux.
Is the Base Material the same on the Corsair A500 and Noctua NH-U12S Redux?
It is. Both are listed at Nickel-Plated Copper, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- Corsair A500
- Corsair
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- Noctua
Cooler Type
- Corsair A500
- Air Tower
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- Air Tower
Series
- Corsair A500
- Corsair A500
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
Tower Type
- Corsair A500
- Single-Tower
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- Single-Tower
Model Number
- Corsair A500
- CT-9010003-WW
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- NH-U12S redux
Height
- Corsair A500
- 165 mm-4%
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- 158 mmBest
Socket Compatibility
- Corsair A500
- AMD AM4, Intel LGA115X/2066/2011-3
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- AMD AM5/AM4, Intel LGA1954/1851/1700/1200/115X
Tower Layout
- Corsair A500
- Single-Tower
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- Single-Tower
Fan Count
- Corsair A500
- 2Best
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- 1-50%
Noise Level
- Corsair A500
- 37 dBA
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- 25.1 dBABest
RGB Lighting
- Corsair A500
- No
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- No
Heatpipe Count
- Corsair A500
- 4
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- 4
Base Material
- Corsair A500
- Nickel-Plated Copper
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- Nickel-Plated Copper
Fan Size
- Corsair A500
- 120 mm
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- 120 mm
Max Speed
- Corsair A500
- 2400 RPMBest
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- 1700 RPM-29%
Airflow
- Corsair A500
- 75 CFMBest
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- 70.75 CFM-6%
Static Pressure
- Corsair A500
- 4.2 mmH2O
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- 2.83 mmH2O-33%
PWM Control
- Corsair A500
- Yes
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- Yes
Warranty
- Corsair A500
- 5 years-17%
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- 6 yearsBest
Fans
- Corsair A500
- 2x CORSAIR ML120, 120mm
- Noctua NH-U12S Redux
- 1x NF-P12 redux-1700 PWM 120mm
Which one should you pick?
Choose Corsair A500 if you want the higher fan count (2 vs 1), the higher max speed (2400 RPM vs 1700 RPM) and the higher airflow (75 CFM vs 70.75 CFM).
Choose Noctua NH-U12S Redux if you want the lower height (158 mm vs 165 mm), the lower noise level (25.1 dBA vs 37 dBA) and the higher warranty (6 years vs 5 years).
Price comparison
| Retailer | Corsair A500 | Noctua NH-U12S Redux |
|---|---|---|
| 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
Corsair A500
8.1 / 10 Expert Rating
A genuinely strong flagship-tier air cooler that trades a few degrees against Noctua's best for a lower price and Corsair's ecosystem familiarity.
Noctua NH-U12S Redux
7.8 / 10 Expert Rating
Noctua's mounting and acoustics at Hyper 212 money, an easy budget recommendation.