Page 1: NF-S12-1200
Intro:
While most people reading ASE Labs as well as other enthusiast publications are very concerned with heat, there is another niche that is concerned with sound. Selecting a fan to provide adequate cooling that is quiet is really a shot in the dark. The fan rating may say one thing, but in practice it means something completely different. Noctua steps forward to provide a fan that satisfy the cool and quiet needs of enthusiasts.
Noctua:
120mm:
If you are concerned with how loud a fan is, make sure to get the largest fan possible. It is really about speed vs airflow. The larger fan allows more airflow at a slower speed than a smaller fan. There is no comparison of 80mm vs 120mm fans for loudness. Always get larger fans, always.
Box:
Noctua has a very unique color scheme and a rather nice retail package. Brown, black and blue are its colors.
Specs:
The new piece of manufacturing here is the SSO (fluid) bearing. It is combined with a magnetic stabilizer to compensate for the initial gyro effect before the fluid pressure builds enough to force the fan in place. This type of bearing is used in hard drives and leads to a quiet and longer life of moving components.
Parts:
The parts are a bit misleading on first sight. In addition to regular screws, the kit contains a rubber mounting bushing, a under volting adapter, and a 3 to 4 pin adapter. The under volting adapter basically has a resistor in-line to waste some voltage. It is known as the Ultra Low Noise Adapter (ULNA). Noctua offers a slower speed fan in the same model, but you can undervolt this fan using the adapter so you might as well get the faster fan.
The rubber holder is actually pretty nifty. It takes the place of a screw and because it is rubber, it will absorb much more vibration than a traditional rigid screw. This allows the fan to become even more silent. The installation of this part is easy. You secure it to the case, then install the fan. This rubber fitting may not fit in some cases and that is why there are regular screws included.
NF-S12:
Something should strike you instantly about these fans. There aren't black or have lights everywhere. Noctua is branding itself with the brown and beige look that is rarely seen in cooling equipment. Don't get me wrong, I don't like the colors at all. I would much rather have an all black fan.
The fin design is unique in that there are more blades and the blades are straighter than usual. This should decrease noise generation. The rotor was actually designed by the Austrian Institute for Heat-Transmission and Fan Technology. Interesting that there are institutes for cooling.
Testing:
Unfortunately, I don't have a noise meter. These tests are subjective. The installation of the fan with the rubber bushing was a breeze and there was an improvement using the rubber feet rather than traditional screws. Make sure to use them. On the subject of noise, if your system can handle the slower fan speed with the low voltage adapter, you will notice a nice improvement in silence. I can't hear that fan over the others in my case (they are all quiet 120mm). It provides airflow at a nice sound level. It isn't silent, but it gets the job done.
Conclusion:
The NF-S12-1200 can be had for around $20 which is a fairly good price for the quality you are getting. This is the kind of fan that you buy once and move from case to case. I still do that with some of my better fans. If you need a quiet fan, look to Noctua.
While most people reading ASE Labs as well as other enthusiast publications are very concerned with heat, there is another niche that is concerned with sound. Selecting a fan to provide adequate cooling that is quiet is really a shot in the dark. The fan rating may say one thing, but in practice it means something completely different. Noctua steps forward to provide a fan that satisfy the cool and quiet needs of enthusiasts.
Noctua:
Quote
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-optimised premium components, which serve their purpose in a smart, precise and reliable manner.
...
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 symbolises intelligence and prudence, its manlike face emblematises 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.
120mm:
If you are concerned with how loud a fan is, make sure to get the largest fan possible. It is really about speed vs airflow. The larger fan allows more airflow at a slower speed than a smaller fan. There is no comparison of 80mm vs 120mm fans for loudness. Always get larger fans, always.
Box:
Noctua has a very unique color scheme and a rather nice retail package. Brown, black and blue are its colors.
Specs:
Code
Size 120x120x25 mm
Bearing SSO-Bearing
Blade Geometry Straight-Blade-Design
Rotational Speed (+/- 10%) 1200 RPM
Rotational Speed with U.L.N.A. (+/- 10%) 600 RPM
Airflow 81 m³/h
Airflow with U.L.N.A. 41 m³/h
Acoustical Noise 17 dB(A)
Acoustical Noise with U.L.N.A. < 6* dB(A)
Input Power 1,44 W
Input Current 0,12 A
Voltage Range 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
Bearing SSO-Bearing
Blade Geometry Straight-Blade-Design
Rotational Speed (+/- 10%) 1200 RPM
Rotational Speed with U.L.N.A. (+/- 10%) 600 RPM
Airflow 81 m³/h
Airflow with U.L.N.A. 41 m³/h
Acoustical Noise 17 dB(A)
Acoustical Noise with U.L.N.A. < 6* dB(A)
Input Power 1,44 W
Input Current 0,12 A
Voltage Range 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
The new piece of manufacturing here is the SSO (fluid) bearing. It is combined with a magnetic stabilizer to compensate for the initial gyro effect before the fluid pressure builds enough to force the fan in place. This type of bearing is used in hard drives and leads to a quiet and longer life of moving components.
Parts:
The parts are a bit misleading on first sight. In addition to regular screws, the kit contains a rubber mounting bushing, a under volting adapter, and a 3 to 4 pin adapter. The under volting adapter basically has a resistor in-line to waste some voltage. It is known as the Ultra Low Noise Adapter (ULNA). Noctua offers a slower speed fan in the same model, but you can undervolt this fan using the adapter so you might as well get the faster fan.
The rubber holder is actually pretty nifty. It takes the place of a screw and because it is rubber, it will absorb much more vibration than a traditional rigid screw. This allows the fan to become even more silent. The installation of this part is easy. You secure it to the case, then install the fan. This rubber fitting may not fit in some cases and that is why there are regular screws included.
NF-S12:
Something should strike you instantly about these fans. There aren't black or have lights everywhere. Noctua is branding itself with the brown and beige look that is rarely seen in cooling equipment. Don't get me wrong, I don't like the colors at all. I would much rather have an all black fan.
The fin design is unique in that there are more blades and the blades are straighter than usual. This should decrease noise generation. The rotor was actually designed by the Austrian Institute for Heat-Transmission and Fan Technology. Interesting that there are institutes for cooling.
Testing:
Unfortunately, I don't have a noise meter. These tests are subjective. The installation of the fan with the rubber bushing was a breeze and there was an improvement using the rubber feet rather than traditional screws. Make sure to use them. On the subject of noise, if your system can handle the slower fan speed with the low voltage adapter, you will notice a nice improvement in silence. I can't hear that fan over the others in my case (they are all quiet 120mm). It provides airflow at a nice sound level. It isn't silent, but it gets the job done.
Conclusion:
The NF-S12-1200 can be had for around $20 which is a fairly good price for the quality you are getting. This is the kind of fan that you buy once and move from case to case. I still do that with some of my better fans. If you need a quiet fan, look to Noctua.