Noctua used its 2026 Computex booth to reveal the NT-CP1, a carbon nanotube thermal pad created by materials company Carbice. The pad, sold by Carbice as the IP90 Nanopad, promises superior heat transfer compared to traditional thermal pastes while offering virtually unlimited lifespan. Unlike conventional compounds that break down over time, these pads actually improve with age, delivering maintenance-free cooling performance.

The partnership between Noctua and Carbice marks a strategic push to bring vertically-aligned carbon nanotube technology to PC enthusiasts. Noctua will handle exclusive distribution, beginning with an AMD Ryzen-compatible version slated for September 2026. The company validated the IP90's effectiveness through extensive testing on Noctua cooling solutions, publishing independent performance data that demonstrates measurable gains over paste-based thermal interfaces.

Alongside the thermal pad, Noctua displayed a prototype small form-factor top-flow CPU cooler designed for AMD Socket AM5 systems. Based on the NH-L12 series architecture, the cooler measures just 70 mm tall including its fan and targets Mini-ITX builds. It incorporates six 6 mm copper heat pipes and a dense aluminum fin stack for efficient heat dissipation.

The prototype includes Noctua's NF-A12x25 G2 120 mm fan and provides 35 mm of RAM clearance, accommodating most memory modules in compact builds. Noctua plans to launch this SFF cooler around mid-2027, giving enthusiasts a high-performance option for space-constrained AMD platforms.