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Review
When I think about purchasing a case fan or any fan in general for my PC my first option is quickly becoming Noctua. Noctua is an Austrian manufacturer that has consistently delivered on all of their products. They’ve single-handedly shaped the market of PC cooling by offering high-quality and high performance products that all work silently. The Noctua NF-12 PWM uses several different technologies that can be viewed below in the featured video courtesy of Noctua.
Features of the NF-F12 PWM
Packaging & Contents
The Noctua NF-F12 PWM fan was in a typical cardboard box with Noctua design. The front of the box contained a small window which lets you see the fan and the handy manual.
As for the back of the box, Noctua implemented a clever multiple page backing with illustrations that tell you everything you need to know about the fan. When companies use this form of packaging it is beneficial to the consumer.
The Noctua NF-F12 PWM fan came neatly packed within a plastic box containing four anti-vibration clips, four fan screws, a four- extension cable, a four-pin Y-cable and a Low-Noise Adapter (LNA) that will make the fan run at 1,200 RPM instead of the 1,500 its capable of. One thing that’s not included is an adapter to connect the fan directly to the power supply, something that would have made testing easier but is not necessary to the product.
Specifications
| Size | 120x120x25 mm |
| Connector | 4-pin PWM |
| Bearing | SSO2 |
| Blade Geometry | Heptaperf™ |
| Frame Technology | Focused Flow™ |
| Rotational Speed (+/-10%) | 1500 RPM |
| Rotational Speed with L.N.A. (+/- 10%) | 1200 RPM |
| Min. Rotational Speed (PWM) | 300 RPM |
| Airflow | 93.4 m³/h |
| Airflow with L.N.A. | 74,3 m³/h |
| Acoustical Noise | 22,4 dB(A) |
| Acoustical Noise with L.N.A. | 18,6 dB(A) |
| Static Pressure | 2,61 mm H2O |
| Static Pressure with L.N.A. | 1,83 mm H2O |
| Max. Input Power | 0,6 W |
| Max. Input Current | 0,05 A |
| Voltage | 12 V |
| MTBF | > 150.000 h |
| Scope of Delivery |
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| Warranty | 6 years |
Fan Testing
When it came down to testing the Noctua NF-F12 PWM fan, I employed a very simple test. I connected the fan to my CoolerMaster Silent Pro Hybrid power supply which came with a fan controller. With the help of the fan controller I was able to listen to the fan at different speeds, and to my amazement the fan is as quiet as a whisper. Even when maxed out.
I noticed in my testing that unlike my stock case fan which blew air in every conceivable direction; the Noctua NF-F12 PWM fan had a more finite region that air would travel. The fan is perfectly designed to be used with a radiator or a CPU heat sink because of its focused flow frame design, which directs where the air will travel.
Conclusions
Overall, the Noctua NF-F12 PWM fan is a magnificent fan and definitely maintains the moniker that has become associated with Noctua products. The fan just exudes excellence. There are at least several features that went into the making of this fan: its Focused Flow™ Frame, stepped inlet design, inner surface microstructures, sso2 bearing, metal bearing shell, Heptaperf ™ Impeller. These technologies have created one of the best fans on the market for cooling.
If anyone needs a fan for their radiator or CPU heat sink, the NF-F12 is definitely the first fan I would recommend using.
About the Author
atm i have it at 4.8ghz…
noctua working great at this minute with it! pondering if it can go more!
also what wud be its benefits?
thanks!
I have a Samsung HT-X50 DVD/Surround audio method I obtained as a christmas present from my boss this past December. The technique is fantastic but in the prior couple of weeks the enthusiast has been creating a loud sound as if one thing is catching on the enthusiast when it runs. As significantly as I can tell, there is nothing obstructing the fan’s path or gears as it runs but I have not taken apart the fan to see. Other than the fan, nothing at all else is messing up.
Not fascinated in finding one shortly – just kinda curious, because the points are f.u.c.k.i.n.g gorgeous.
Also, any permits required?
Not intrigued in acquiring 1 shortly – just kinda curious, simply because the issues are f.u.c.k.i.n.g gorgeous.
Also, any permits required?
overclocking my i7 2600k a bit so I require it up the velocity in order to cool it down a fraction..
I’m installing it on a Gigabyte Z68 udb3. But anyway can this heatsink be mounted up or down?