ARCTIC F12-120 mm Standard Case Fan, quite motor, Computer, Push- or Pull Configuration, Fan Speed: 1350 RPM - Black, White

Product Information

All the outputs all turned out to be underestimates, to one degree or another. The SPL varied. In some instances the fan made fewer dBA than specified. Moreover, the refined ninja-knife impeller design not only improves the laminar airflow, but it also lowers the noise level. Tested by hundreds of simulations, the results are significant, airflow is over 20% higher compared with a generic 7-blade case fan. Higher airflow / higher noise level

The NF-F12’s, the NF-F12 industrialPPC’s, and the NF-P12 were provided by Noctua. Noctua NF-P12 Rosewill FDB = Fluid Dynamic Bearing, a patented evolution of the sleeve bearing which causes the lubricating fluid to be recirculated within the bearing.

The next column shows the nominal fan speed in RPM. The next to the last column tells you how much noise the fan makes, the Sound Pressure Level at 1 meter, stated in decibels with an A weighting (dBA) which is reasonably close to what you might hear. And finally, the last column shows the airflow the fan produces, stated in cubic feet per minute, or CFM. Conceived for industrial heavy duty applications that require enhanced cooling performance and advanced ingress protection, Noctua’s industrialPPC (Protected Performance Cooling) line comprises ruggedized high-speed versions of the company’s award-winning retail models. Noctua is a partnership between Rascom, an Austrian company, and Kolink International, a Taiwanese corporation. Noctua products are legendary, with heatsinks for enthusiasts and industry, and fans with diameters of 40 mm up through 140 mm, also for enthusiasts and industry. In this review, we are looking at a number of fans, two with Low Noise Adapters, which bring our total number of fan sets to 26. You may wish to compare the specifications to the results, so I placed the table near the chart. The first column identifies the fan. The second says what kind of bearing it has. The third column tells the current draw in amps. SP means Static Pressure, which is stated in mm H2O. PWM fans are used for lots of things now. A PWM fan can be used as a case fan, as a heatsink fan, or as a rad fan. AIO coolers simply expand the playing field for PWM fans. So I have collected twenty-four fans here for review in our 2016 case fan roundup.

The ambient noise for the current testing was 30 dBA. To measure noise levels that were softer than that, the sound pressure level was measured 10 cm from each fan. The sound pressure level was adjusted to 1 meter by subtracting 20 dB. The sound pressure meter was a Tenma 72-942. This fan tester has a microphone that is not accurate under 30 dBA. That means an adjusted measurement of 10 – 15 dBA is not accurate; the fan could easily be quieter than that. But this is the limit of all but the most expensive SPL meters. Test Stand First the fans were placed in a test stand, where their free air RPM was observed. Then the fans’ noise was assessed. The standard proxy for what you can hear is the Sound Pressure Level (SPL), measured in decibels and given a type A weighting (dBA). A silent room is about 30 dBA. The first picture shows you an NF-F12. This fan has relatively high static pressure compared to its nominal output. It should. It was invented to be a radiator fan. But then it entered a new life. It became an industrial fan, the NF-F12 industrialPPC. Noctua tells us: The SWiF2 120: Coolink produced a fan with a unique impeller. It has a bullet hub and eleven blades. It came with vibration isolators as well, in electric green. The specimen here was bought at retail. Coolink 120P Corsair An older fan among the Noctua lineup is the NF-P12 PWM. It was designed to have higher static pressure than the S12 line. It provides a middle ground between the higher static pressure of the NF-F12 and the airflow-focused NF-S12A.PWM fans can be used with PWM splitters, where they all get their power directly from the PSU while tghey get speed control from the motherboard. The Deepcool UF120 has been around since 2009. It is still for sale. This fan’s claim to fame is its rubber coating which attenuates vibrations. Further, it comes with four silicon vibration isolators. I have used most vibration isolators, and these are the best kind. Other accessories include a PWM-style 12-volt power tap (a so-called Molex adapter) and wires that shunt 12 volts and 5 volts together to get you a 7 volt Molex adapter. Both the GF120 and the UF120 were supplied by Deepcool. The only other problem to consider is that occasionally, components immediately adjacent to the motherboard fan header can get in the way of the larger 4-pin fan connector, physically preventing connection. This problem also occurs if you try to use an in-line fan speed controller such as the one made by Gelid. There were two clear winners here, the Nidec Gentle Typhoon PWM and the Medium speed San Ace “Silent” PWM fans. It is too bad that these fans are among the hardest to get. The GlideStream PWM fan was supplied indirectly by Scythe when they provided the Ninja 4 for testing. The Glidestream has a 3-way switch, but the switch was left in H when the GlideStream was tested.