From its annual NH-D15 showcase, up to the controversial $100 3D-printable desk fan, Noctua had a lot of interesting stuff shown at their Computex 2024 booth. However, none stands out quite like their pumpless AIO cooler prototype—a concept I never expected to see from a brand known mostly for air coolers.
The pumpless AIO cooler features a 240 mm radiator, dual NF-A12x25 fans, a pair of vapor tubes, and a cold plate, which is a bit similar to traditional liquid coolers. However, this model operates without a pump, utilizing phase-change coolant and gravity instead. This cooler is exactly operating based on the principles of thermosiphon.
In the case of Noctua’s pumpless AIO cooler, the radiator serves as a condenser, enabling the evaporated fluid to reach a sufficiently cool temperature to condense back into a liquid. Gravity then allows it to return to the cold plate via the vapor tube and the cycle continues.
Noctua seems to have made a significant breakthrough with their cooler, claiming it performs comparably to pump-enabled solutions on the market, minus the risk of pump failure. The sole drawback is its dependence on gravity, requiring the placement of the radiator at the top and the cold plate in the correct position for the vapor tubes to function effectively.
Details regarding its availability and the expected price point have not been disclosed, as this is currently a work in progress and a proof of concept solution.
