The company confirmed it in an unusual way, but it seems legit, and as per the announcement, the coolers should arrive soon.
Noctua Announces NL-LC1 Chromax.Black AIO Series Despite Exclusion From the Roadmap; The New Variant is Expected to Arrive This Year
The Noctua's latest and first-ever AIO cooler series was dropped two weeks ago. The NL-LC1 is what Noctua aims for, superior cooling, which is available in various form factors. Whether you want to cool a mid-range or a high-end CPU, it offers the AIO in various sizes, including 240mm, 360mm, and 420mm for enthusiast-grade PCs.
Built using the Asetek Emma V2 pump platform, it reportedly brings superior cooling performance and uses Noctua flagship G2 fans for excellent airflow, static pressure, and low noise. That said, these coolers utilize the classic brown and beige color scheme, which is a favorite for some, but many users prefer Noctua's chromax.black color scheme for its products.
The company starts a product line with the classic brown and beige color scheme, but later adds on the Chromax.black version. However, up until now, the company hasn't announced the Chromax.black version of the NL-LC1 AIO series. If you check the latest roadmap for the company, it doesn't include the NL-LC1 AIO Chromax.black, but only adds the regular addition for this year.
Even for 2027, no such edition appears on the roadmap. However, the company commented with its @NoctuaVideos official channel under Hardware Canucks "Noctua AIOs vs Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro" video and said that the "Noctua NL-LC1 chromax black series, (is) confirmed". In the thread, some people asked when the new version would arrive in the market, and the company said, "Hopefully, out around the end of the year".
Now looks like the company will have to update its roadmap as the chromax.black is about to hit the market, possibly in Q4 2026. Considering the date hasn't been finalized, we could also see the chromax.black edition hitting the market in Q1 or Q2 2027, alongside the "next-gen" low-profile cooler for AMD AM5.
About the author: Sarfraz Khan is a hardware reporter with a focus on PC components and the builder community. With years of experience writing about PC hardware and laptops, his work has been featured on several reputable technology publications. Sarfraz's hands-on experience is demonstrated through his first-person accounts of using and comparing different hardware configurations, providing practical and relatable insights for everyday users. His technical analysis is respected by peers in the enthusiast community and has been cited by specialized hardware sites such as Germany's Igor's Lab.
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