Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120H-A Dark: 2400 RPM Fans, Noise and PC Compatibility

What Thermalright announced​

The new model is a fan upgrade on a heatsink design that is already well known. TechPowerUp describes it as a twin-tower air cooler that builds on the existing black models but steps up the fan speed for more aggressive thermal performance. TweakTown calls it the "Peerless Assassin 120H-A" in its headline. Thermalright's own product page adds "Dark" to the name, so check for that when searching retailer listings.

Here are the main points:

• Heatsink: six 6 mm U-shaped copper direct-touch heat pipes running through a dual-tower fin stack. TweakTown reports that this part is unchanged from the outgoing Peerless Assassin 120 and 120 Black.
• Finish: the cooler has black covers on top for a clean, uniform look that avoids the mixed-finish look of some other "all-black" coolers.
• Fans: The two included TL-N12-R9 V2 units spin up to 2400 RPM, significantly faster than the 1550 RPM of the base model.
• Sockets: Intel LGA115X, 1200, 1700, and 1851, and AMD AM4 and AM5.
• Warranty: Thermalright's spec sheet lists 3 Years.
• Price and release date: Pricing and regional availability haven't been announced yet.

Bottom line: the heatsink and socket support stay the same. What's new is the paint and a much faster pair of fans.

Old fans vs. new fans​

To see how big the fan upgrade is, compare Thermalright's spec sheets for the two fans. The original Peerless Assassin 120 spec sheet, quoted in an Overclock.net user review, lists the TL-C12 fan at 1550 RPM±10% (MAX), with 25.6 dBA noise, 66.17 CFM airflow, 1.53 mm H2O static pressure and 0.20 A current draw, on a heatsink 157 mm tall. Thermalright's page for the new model lists the TL-N12-R9 V2 at 2400 RPM±10% (MAX), 33.3 dBA, 85.35 CFM, 2.95 mm H2O and 0.3 A.

Our calculations from the two spec sheets match TweakTown's main comparison figures: 29% more airflow and 7.7 dBA more noise. They also turn up a few things TweakTown didn't cover:

1. Static pressure nearly doubles. On a dense twin-tower fin stack, the fans' ability to push air through the fins can matter as much as the raw CFM figure. Of all the spec changes, this is the one most likely to make a real difference.
2. The speed increase is about 55%, not 61%. TweakTown's subheadline says 61%, but 2,400 divided by 1,550 works out to roughly 1.55.
3. The cooler is 2 mm taller. That matters if your case is right at its limit.

Bottom line: the fans are a real upgrade, especially in static pressure, but you pay for it in noise at full speed.

The catch: no test results yet​

So does it actually cool better? Nobody has published test data yet. TweakTown did not report CPU temperatures, wattage limits or head-to-head results. Its praise compares earlier Peerless Assassin models with Noctua's original NH-D15 and older AIO liquid coolers, and that tells us nothing measured about this version.

Guru3D made a fair point about the noise number: Those values are manufacturer specifications and cannot be compared reliably with competing coolers unless the test conditions, distance and measurement methodology are equivalent. The outlet also said the cooler's practical quality will depend on how well it performs at normalized noise levels rather than at its maximum setting.

Common sense says the same thing. At equal noise levels, a 2,400 RPM fan slowed down to 1,550 RPM will not perform like a fan designed to run at 1,550 RPM. The benefit of the new model is extra headroom: it can spin up further when the CPU is under heavy load. Whether that headroom brings temperatures down enough to justify the extra noise is something independent reviews will have to show.

Direct-touch heat pipes have a similar caveat. Guru3D notes that effectiveness depends on how evenly the pipes are machined, how completely they cover the processor's heat spreader and whether thermal compound fills the small gaps between them.

Who it's for​

TechPowerUp argues that the higher fan speed makes this version better suited for more demanding CPUs where the standard fans might fall short under sustained load. That is reasonable in principle. Our own take, based on general experience with builds like these:

• Good fit: people building with high-power desktop chips, people who run long rendering or compile jobs, and people who wear headphones and care more about temperatures than noise.
• Poor fit: quiet-PC builders, and anyone with a mid-range CPU that the original 1,550 RPM model already handles easily.
• The DIY option: the fans are standard 120 × 120 × 25 mm with 4-pin PWM connectors, so an existing Peerless Assassin owner could in theory buy faster fans instead of a new cooler. Thermalright has not said whether the TL-N12-R9 V2 will be sold separately.

Faster fans are not new to this family, either. Retail listings already show a Peerless Assassin 120 Digital with fans rated at 1850RPM, and Newegg lists a Peerless Assassin 120 Black V3 with 2000 RPM fans. The 120H-A Dark moves the top of the lineup up again.

Before you buy: compatibility checklist​

1. Measure case clearance. The cooler is 159 mm tall with fans fitted. Thermalright advises: Please ensure the chassis clearance exceeds the cooler installation height, and leave clearance for tall memory modules. Guru3D adds that a height of 159mm fits many ATX towers but exceeds the clearance provided by numerous compact options, so small-form-factor builders should check carefully.
2. Check your RAM height. Twin-tower coolers with front fans often overhang the memory slots, and tall heatspreaders on RGB kits are the usual problem.
3. Confirm your socket. The supported sockets are LGA115X/1200/1700/1851 and AM4/AM5. Older HEDT sockets are not on the official list.
4. Plan your fan header. Each fan is rated at 0.3 A, so both together come to about 0.6 A. Most motherboard CPU fan headers can handle that through a splitter, but check your board's header rating.
5. Set a fan curve. PWM control should allow motherboards to reduce fan speed under lighter workloads. If you leave the fans at full speed for everyday desktop work, you'll hear all 33.3 dBA for very little benefit. A gentle curve in your BIOS, or in a Windows fan-control utility, keeps the extra speed for when the CPU actually needs it.

Price expectations​

Nobody knows the price yet, and the two estimates out there don't agree. TweakTown notes the outgoing 120 and 120 Black sell for about $35 to $45 and guesses the new model could land near $50. TechPowerUp notes that the 120 SE Black is listed on Amazon for around $43 and estimates about $55. Both figures are guesses, not announced prices. TechPowerUp also previously reported that power supplies and CPU coolers were next for price hikes, 6-10% increase expected, so the price could go either way.

The verdict, for now​

The Peerless Assassin 120H-A Dark is a clear, well-specified refresh: the same proven six-heat-pipe twin-tower heatsink, an all-black finish, and fans with nearly double the static pressure. It is also louder at full speed, a little taller, and has no published benchmarks yet. If you want the most cooling headroom from a budget air cooler and can live with fan noise under load, put it on your watch list. If you want the best balance of quiet and performance, wait for independent reviews before trading your 1,550 RPM model for this one.