Hi,

I'm building a system with an ASUS P8Z77-I Deluxe Mini-ITX motherboard and an Intel 3570K CPU. Due to computer case size restrictions, I'm considering these two options for the CPU cooler:

1. Noctua HN-L12, with only the included 92 mm bottom fan installed.
2. Scythe Big Shuriken 2 Rev B, with the included stock fan replaced by a quiet 120x120x25 mm PWM fan (i.e "higher" than the low profile stock fan, so it should provide better airflow).

I figure both these options will have about the same height. The question is which option will provide the best cooling efficiency and which will be the most quiet. What do you think? And are there any better options?

I want to say that the Big Shuriken 2 Rev B with a 120mm fan would be better than than Noctua with a 92mm fan, but honestly I have no idea. I am puzzled by the relatively low seeming performance of the Big Shuriken 2 Rev B, as it has 5 heatpipes (which other companies would call 10), etc. I am considering buying a Big Shuriken and upgrading it with Scythe's 140mm PWM/VR fan, hoping to get more airflow, less noise and more spillover for VRMs and whatnot.

Scythe Samurai ZZ perhaps?

What about what SPCR has already said?

Substantially I mean there's an almost negligible difference among the most often regarded coolers.

I can personally add that I swapped on a Big Shuriken the original slim fan with a regular SlipStream, unfortunately with no noticeable improvement on thermals when using an AMD Athlon II X4.

I think there is reason to believe it is likely that the Noctua is the better cooler. See:
viewtopic.php?p=560131#p560131
We will have to wait and see the SPCR review

Now there are evidences you was wrong.

That isn't how I read the charts. Also that isn't how SPCR appears to read them either "In our new performance chart, the Noctua NH-L12 comes out on top once again" Did I miss something?

I'm confused now, has Luca (quest_for_silence) misread the chart published yesterday? those results are for the 'Big Shuriken' but we're still waiting for Mike or Lawrence to publish the results of the 'Big Shuriken 2 Rev B'

Probably a magnifier (the old Windows tool might also works against some mild forms of shallowness).
But maybe also repetita juvant.
The OP question is: which is better, the Noctua with the 92mm fan, or the Scythe with a regular 25mm fan?
If you trust SPCR for the correct answer, check the relevant rows on the first chart (hint: the 7th and 4th ones).

The chart which yesterday I pointed out is based upon a different test bed, AMD based.

According to that chart, only the Samuel 17 was better than the L12 (to remain under a 75mm height). That Samuel 17 has been not tested against the new Intel- based test bed (unfortunately).

According to that chart the L12 was about on par with the Big Shuriken down to a 16dBA level, while at the 13dBA level, the L12 has a 3°C edge over it (we don't know what about the 12dBA level).

With reference to that chart, please take also note that the Big Shuriken was reported just with the stock 12mm fan.

EDIT: with reference to IanM questions, I substituted the words "the yesterday chart" with "the chart which yesterday I pointed out" in order to be more understandable.

Big Shuriken 2 Rev B is not the same as the earlier version Big Shuriken tested, we don't have results for Big Shuriken 2 Rev B

A somewhat good point, even if there are consistent rumors about those forthcoming BigShuriken 2 Rev. B results.

We can say that far more probably that not, the BS 2 B with a regular 25mm fan is better than the L12 with just the 92mm fan, and possibly about on par with the L12 with just the 120mm stock fan.
The OLD Big Shuriken is respectively already far better and almost on par under the same conditions, and it should be less capable than its newer sibling.

If you mind to summarize, the L12 needs two fans to show off its potential: so, if you have to stay under 75mm, it cannot perform that well.

I just saw that SPCR added a review of the Scythe Big Shuriken with a reference fan here:

http://www.silentpcreview.com/article1267-page3.html (scroll down on that page)

Based on the results it seems like cooling efficiency and noise level of the Scythe Big Shuriken really improves a lot when replacing the included 120x120x12 mm stock fan with a 120x120x25 mm reference fan. At 9V the reference fan provides about the same cooling efficiency as the stock fan, but it does so at 11-12 dBA instead of 19-20 dBA! And still the CPU cooler only increases 13 mm in height, to a total of 71 mm. Impressive!

If the coming SPCR review of the Scythe Big Shuriken 2 Rev B CPU cooler shows it has even better cooling efficiency than the original Scythe Big Shuriken, then even better of course.

So it seems like the Scythe Big Shuriken with the included 120x120x12 mm fan replaced by a silent 120x120x25 mm fan (e.g. from Noctua or Nexus) is a really good combo.

IMO/IME it's a good combo even with the stock fan: as a matter of fact it's about on par with the L12, providing just the 92mm fan is used (and it's 9mm less tall).

About the standard 25mm fan, I mean it depends of the scenario: on my cramped system featuring a 45W Athlon II X4, the improvement was very small and just on heavy load, while on that Sandy Bridge seems nothing but huge.