Up on the review block today are two interesting fans from a company called Noctua, these fans are made to be silent and efficient, they even come with special silicone grommets instead of the standard mounting screws to insure quietness. Noctua sent me two versions of their NF series of fans, and 800RPM version and a 1200 RPM version. The fans are interesting because of the way they are shaped and also because of their color, I’ve never seen brown fans before until now. Brown fans are not a bad thing, just different is all, and different is always good. Read on to learn more about these cool fans and to learn a bit more about Noctua…
Noctua NF Series 120MM Fans 800/1200 RPM
Reviewed by: Kristofer Brozio
Sponsor: Noctua
Tech Specs,Features or the Basic Info:
NF-S12-800 / NF-S12-1200
Sound-optimized blade geometry and profile: The NF-S12 is the first fan employing a novel rotor which was developed by the Austrian Institute for Heat-Transmission and Fan Technology (Österreichisches Institut für Wärmeübertragung und Ventilatorentechnik, ÖIWV). Thanks to the special optimization of the blade geometry towards ultra low noise application, the NF-S12 is up to 10% more quiet than current high-end fans at the same flow rate.
Self-stabilizing oil-pressure bearing (SSO bearing): The NF-S12 series are equipped with a magnetically centered, self lubricating oil-pressure bearing that provides a new level of quietness and long-term stability.
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Specs:
Size: 120x120x25 mm
Bearing: SSO-Bearing
Blade Geometry: Straight-Blade-Design
Rotational Speed: (+/- 10%) 800 RPM / 1200 RPM
Rotational Speed with U.L.N.A. (+/- 10%): 500 RPM / 600 RPM
Airflow: 59 m/h / 81 m/h
Airflow with U.L.N.A.: 34 m/h / 41 m/h
Acoustical Noise 8 dB(A): / 12 db(A)
Acoustical Noise with U.L.N.A.: < 5* dB(A) / < 6* dB(A)
Input Power: 0,60 W / 1,44 W
Input Current: 0,05 A / 0,12 A
Voltage Range: 6-13 V / 4-13 V
MTBF: > 150.000 h
Scope of Delivery:
Ultra-Low-Noise Adaptor (U.L.N.A.)
4 Vibration Compensators
3:4-Pin Adaptor
4 Fan Screws
Warranty: 6 years
About Noctua:
Noctua aims at establishing a new level of quality and performance "Designed in Austria" through paying attention to the users’ needs in a market burdened with all kinds of frills and furbelows and providing sound-optimized premium components, which serve their purpose in a smart, precise and reliable manner.
What does Noctua mean?
The little owl, Athene noctua, is the symbol of the Greek goddess Athene, who represents wisdom, science and strategy. She has a marked preference for the most clever among the Greek heroes, like Odysseus, who endure their adventures by the use of savvy consideration instead of mere force. Until today, the owl symbolizes intelligence and prudence, its manlike face emblematizes attentiveness and communication. We from Noctua follow the suit of its calm and accurate observation in the dark, its soundless flight as well as the effective, economical use of its powers and precise attack.
EDIT:
I’ve gotten a couple email asking about where to get Noctua Products, well here is a list of US Resellers:
A Better Look at Things
:
The packaging for the NF series of fans is very well done, the boxes are essentially the same for both fans. The front has a cut out window so you can see the fan and one of the silicone grommets, while the back has all the technical information.
Opening the box we find the Noctua fans are packaged very well, each piece has its’ own little compartment.
Included with each fan are the silicone grommets to substitute for screws, regular screws, pass through Molex adapter, and a voltage regulator to allow you to run the fans at a lower voltage. You can see the shape of the fan blades are different than others out there, they are short and appear almost straight, with only a slight curvature to the blades.
The back of the Noctua fans, have the identifying label with information pertaining to the fans.
The fans are very interesting to look at, you can tell that quite a bit of thought and research went into the design on them. The fans themselves seem very well made, they are a bit heavier then other 120MM fans I have on hand, they are very high quality.
Installation, Testing and Comparison
Installation is fairly easy, the silicone grommets are just pulled through the mounting holes on your case and then through the holes in the fan. The Noctua fan do not come with a fan grill, I added grills because I have had wires get caught in my fans before, it’s not very pleasant…
I installed one fan in the front as an intake and the other as an exhaust fan, while I saw no major decreases in temperatures inside the case I could tell the noise level of my case dropped, I can’t hear the Noctua fans spinning over everything else in the case.
Summary:
The fans are quiet as advertised, and seem to do the job as well as any other 120mm fan out there, but they do the job silently. The Noctua NF series of fans have to be the quietest fans I have ever owned. If you are looking for a quiet fan, that look cool and come with some great extras then these might be what you need.
DragonSteelMods gives the Noctua NF Series 120MM Fans 800/1200 RPM a 5 out of 5 score.
Pros:
-Very quiet
-Nice extras
-Cool design
-Looks different
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Cons:
-No fan grill
I would like to thank Noctua for the chance to review these great fans.