Noctua has released the Chromax Black version of its flagship NH-D15 G2 CPU cooler, offering a full-black design from head to toe. Not only that, but the Noctua NF-A14x25 G2 is also getting a black version. As usual, every part of the cooler is coated in black, including the dual-tower fin-stack, heatpipes, fans, and even the mounting hardware.
The chromax.black series delivers the exact same performance characteristics as the original Marmite-like brown and beige variant, but this time mainly replacing the colour with a matte-black finish. This means it will take advantage of all the design improvements featured on the NH-D15 G2 when it debuted last year, such as the revised fin geometry, updated heatpipe arrangement, and the latest mounting hardware. Thus, you can expect great heat dissipation, especially for an air cooler, beating even some premium liquid coolers into the bargain.
Based on our testing of the standard version, it’ll cool even the hottest of CPUs, including Intel’s Core i9-13900K at 253W. Those preferring to take advantage of Noctua’s renowned acoustics – and why not? – can otherwise trade a slight drop in thermal headroom (~243W) to lock the fans at a quieter 30.2dBA noise level.
Noctua’s Chromax Black variants are greatly appreciated by many enthusiasts as they allow for greater build flexibility. They are especially recommended on dark-themed configs where RGB is kept to a minimum. It brings nearly a decade of development to the market, most likely surpassing the venerable NH-D15 chromax.black. To put it simply, the NH-D15 G2 chromax.black is meant for those who want an understated appearance without compromising cooling.
Regarding its full retail release, the brand hasn’t yet fixed a date, but when asked about how far it is from releasing, representatives on X responded by “very, very soon actually!” Logically, the NH-D15 chromax.black should release into stores before the end of the year, if the company’s previous Q4 2025 target is to be believed.
As for pricing, it has a slight premium over its silver and beige counterparts. Noctua says the black cooler’s price is £159.90 at MSRP, with US buyers paying $189.90. Given the regular NH-D15 G2’s ongoing £127.95 cost on Amazon, though, we hope that price will be lower in the real world.
