Introduction
Noctua have been around for 9 years now and from the very start they have been producing cooling hardware for enthusiast rigs across the world. Their cooling fans are instantly recognisable due to their unique colour scheme, often a topic of conversation.
We already have some Noctua gear in our Home server in the shape of a Noctua NH-L12 Low Profile Cooler and we are very pleased with its performance. Noctua pride themselves in making the humble cooling fan and taking the detail to the extreme. The result tends to be top quality in ways you would not imagine.
Today we are reviewing three versions of the same fan the NF-S12A. We have the PWM, FLX and ULN, here is some information from the Noctua website
NF-S12A PWM
The NF-S12A marks the third generation of Noctua’s signature S12 series quiet case fans, which have received more than 250 awards and recommendations from the international press. Featuring a further refined blade design with Anti-Stall Knobs, that works in tandem with the new AAO (Advanced Acoustic Optimisation) frame, the NF-S12A improves the airflow/noise efficiency of its renowned predecessor by up to 8%. The PWM version sports Noctua’s custom designed NE-FD1 IC for fully automatic speed control via 4-pin fan headers and comes with a Low-Noise-Adaptor to reduce the maximum speed during PWM control from 1200 to 900rpm. Its superb running smoothness, SSO2 bearing and Noctua’s trusted premium quality make it an elite choice for quiet case cooling.
NF-S12A ULN
The NF-S12A marks the third generation of Noctua’s signature S12 series quiet case fans, which have received more than 250 awards and recommendations from the international press. Featuring a further refined blade design with Anti-Stall Knobs that works in tandem with the new AAO (Advanced Acoustic Optimisation) frame, the NF-S12A improves the airflow/noise efficiency of its renowned predecessor by up to 8%. The ULN version provides super-slow 800/600rpm speed settings for ultra-low-noise applications and highly noise sensitive users who demand near-silent operation. Its superb running smoothness, SSO2 bearing and Noctua’s trusted premium quality make it an elite choice for quiet case cooling.
NF-S12A FLX
The NF-S12A marks the third generation of Noctua’s signature S12 series quiet case fans, which have received more than 250 awards and recommendations from the international press. Featuring a further refined blade design with Anti-Stall Knobs that works in tandem with the new AAO (Advanced Acoustic Optimisation) frame, the NF-S12A improves the airflow/noise efficiency of its renowned predecessor by up to 8%. The FLX version provides 1200/900/700rpm speed settings via the supplied Low-Noise Adaptors in order to give you full flexibility in fine-tuning the fan for maximum ventilation performance or near-silent operation. Its superb running smoothness, SSO2 bearing and Noctua’s trusted premium quality make it an elite choice for quiet case cooling.
Noctua NF-S12A FLX, ULN and PWM Series Fan Review
Package - 9.5
Performance - 9.2
Price - 9
Consumer Experience - 9.5
9.3
Using the three variants of the same fan it was clear that a system builder could manage airflow and noise with a high degree of accuracy. The level of design and thought in these fans is amazing, you will know it when you feel and open the box.