Noctua is officially in the AIO game. The Austrian cooling specialist has unveiled the NL‑LC1 series, its first line of all‑in‑one liquid CPU coolers, bringing the company’s familiar “quiet first” philosophy and brown‑and‑beige fans to closed‑loop water cooling in 240, 360, and 420 mm sizes.
Built on Asetek’s Emma V2 platform, the NL‑LC1 is designed to trade RGB and gimmicks for thermal performance, low noise, and long‑term reliability. All three models – the 240 mm NL‑LC1‑24, 360 mm NL‑LC1‑36, and 420 mm NL‑LC1‑42 – use standard 30 mm‑thick radiators and ship with Noctua’s second‑generation NF‑A12x25 G2 fans (or NF‑A14x25 G2 on the 420), pushing high airflow and static pressure at relatively low RPMs. Socket support covers Intel LGA 1700 and the upcoming 1851, plus AMD AM4 and AM5, making the lineup a drop‑in option for most current high‑end builds.
Noctua says the NL‑LC1 is the first AIO series to integrate a dedicated pump noise absorber, combining acoustic soundproofing with a tuned‑mass damper to cut both overall noise levels and the tonal character of pump hum. On top of that, the pump offers quiet, balanced, and manual profiles, with the last handing full RPM control to enthusiasts. The coolers also support offset fan speeds across the included fans to avoid resonance that can cause extra vibration or unwanted humming under load.
An optional extra, the NL‑ACF1 auxiliary fan, uses a small magnetic frame and the Coanda effect to blow air over nearby components like VRMs, RAM, and M.2 SSDs, essentially bringing some of the “cool the socket area, not just the CPU” thinking from Noctua’s big air towers to an AIO layout. It’s sold separately alongside the coolers.
Pricing puts the NL‑LC1 firmly in the premium bracket. The NL‑LC1‑24 launches at $219.90, the NL‑LC1‑36 at $249.90, and the NL‑LC1‑42 at $279.90, with the NL‑ACF1 auxiliary fan at $19.90. All models carry a six‑year warranty and are available now via Noctua’s official Amazon store, with broader retail availability to follow.
