Noctua, the
computer hardware manufacturer of CPU coolers, and case fans, mostly designed
with PC enthusiasts in mind, supplied us with their latest NF-F12 PWM case
fan. Noctua has really dedicated all their time and research into designing and
testing the NF-F12 PWM fan. This outstanding PWM case fan delivers rapid
amounts of air while operating at an extremely low noise level, especially when
running at full speed. Noctua definitely reinvents the wheel this time around with
their NF-F12 PWM fan. This fan will cost you around $25, and even though it sounds a little high, its definitely worth it. Let’s take a closer look at the packaging and
specifications.
Noctua did a
very nice job on the packaging of the NF-F12. The box has two Velcro strapped
doors, one on each side of the box so you can look inside and see what’s included
in the box, while also allowing consumers to read the specification information located on both
front and back flaps. They provide a few animations of how the NF-F12 performs
like, thermal imaging, airflow visualization, and Noctua also includes an
exploded view of the NF-F12 case fan.
The NF-F12 PWM fan comes in a plastic package that holds both the fan and all its accessories. The package includes a manual, Noctua NF-F12 PWM fan, mount screws, anti-vibration mounts, a 4-pin Y slitter, a Low-Noise Adapter (L.N.A), and a 30 cm 4-pin extension cable. The Low-Noise Adapter allows fan speeds to be reduced from 1500 RPM to 1200 RPM speed, to produce a lower operating noise level without affecting performance. If loud case fan noise bothers you, this LNA will suit your needs, even though the Noctua NF-F12 its still super quiet without it.
The NF-F12 PWM fan comes in a plastic package that holds both the fan and all its accessories. The package includes a manual, Noctua NF-F12 PWM fan, mount screws, anti-vibration mounts, a 4-pin Y slitter, a Low-Noise Adapter (L.N.A), and a 30 cm 4-pin extension cable. The Low-Noise Adapter allows fan speeds to be reduced from 1500 RPM to 1200 RPM speed, to produce a lower operating noise level without affecting performance. If loud case fan noise bothers you, this LNA will suit your needs, even though the Noctua NF-F12 its still super quiet without it.
This is
where all the magic happens; we will get into what makes the Noctua NF-F12 so much
more advanced than other fans out there. The NF-F12’s dimensions are 120 x 120
x 25 mm and is put to use where high static pressure and airflow are needed the
most, like CPU heatsinks and water cooling radiators. The 4-pin PWM fan
connection, used for controlling fan speeds, is sleeved from the fan all the
way to the connector; definitely nice that they include this. The NF-F12 uses a
new 7 blade impeller design called Heptaperf that goes hand in hand with Noctua’s
focused flow technology; Focused flow technology focuses the airflow to flow
straight through the fans base, delivering a more clean and direct flow of air
to a desired area.
The Noctua NF-F12 PWM uses a second generation SSO2
full metal bearing that is machined from solid brass; this allows the NF-F12 to
have a longer lifespan while also improving fan blade stability. Another way Noctua improves on the NF-F12’s
stability is by placing the motor magnet closer to the fan blade’s shaft. The new NE-FD1 PWM IC incorporates SCD technology; this reduces noise at low fan speeds, considering the NF-F12 PWM can run as low as 300 RPM.
The
NF-F12 incorporates four rubber vibration pads at each corner of the fans base
to keep vibration at a minimum along with included vibration dampening when
using the four included Anti-Vibration mounts. This is a great addition especially when mounting the NF-F12 on a side panel, which causes the plastic to directly touch the metal panel. With the pads installed fan vibration is entirety eliminated.
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
|
Low-Noise
Adapter (L.N.A.)
4-Pin Y-Cable
30cm Extension Cable
4 Vibration-Compensators
4 Fan Screws
|
Warranty
|
6 years
|
Details:
Temperature Tests:
In this test
we will be comparing the Noctua NF-F12 fan with the COOLER MASTER A12025, and
the
Rosewill RFA-120 when used with Cooler Maters Hyper 212 Evo CPU Heatsink. All fans in this test were ran at 100% speed
to maintain correct readings. Load temperatures were tested using Prime95, we understand prime95, and ambient
temperatures were 23°C.
Test Platform:
Processor:
CPU Cooling:
Motherboard:
Memory:
Video Cards:
Power
Supply:
Case:
When
comparing the temperatures across the board, it’s obvious to tell that the
Noctua NF-F12 PWM performs extremely well. Even though the Reeven ColdWing12 has better
idle temperatures in both stock and overclocked frequencies, it’s load temps
that count the most, considering the fact that computers mostly spend their
time in some sort of load, gaming, applications, etc. There is no doubt that the
Noctua NF-F12 is in a class of its own, it provides the maximum amount of
airflow with all of its latest technologies and as an added bonus, while maintaining a very low noise level, even when under full load (100%
RPM).
Conclusion:
With all of
the research involved with the development of the Noctua NF-F12 PWM fan, it’s clear
to see why this fan dominates them all. From the stepped inlet design to its
second generation SS02 bearing, all the technologies that are involved in making this PWM case fan
what it is today really makes the consumer (myself) very proud. Noctua has done a superb job creating a real work of laborious art. Even though the NF-F12 PWM is a little on the pricey side, we believe its a real bang for your buck, considering all the extra features that are packed into it. So in the end If you're looking for a great PWM fan for your CPU Heatsink, radiators, or just your computer case, the Noctua NF-F12 PWM will not disappoint, especially with the added 6 year warranty, that is if you can fork over enough dough for the $23 price tag. I would like to thank Noctua for supplying us this excellent fan.
Pros
Quiet
Airflow
State-of-art
design
PWM control
Accessories
Warranty
Cons
Price
Verdict
|
|
Performance
|
10
|
Value
|
9.5
|
Quality
|
10
|
Features
|
10
|
Installation
|
10
|
Final Score
|
9.75
|
More information on the Noctua website: http://noctua.at/main.php?show=productview&products_id=42&lng=en
