Gaming PCs need beefy cooling to remove all the heat generated from the processor and GPU. You may not notice it with headphones on, but your CPU fans work really hard during this time which causes these loud whirring noises.
This is an issue for people around you in the same room. But, thankfully you have Noctua fans. They ace the cooling while keeping the sound levels minimal.
Today, I will discuss why you should use a Noctua fan in your next build. To see my specific recommendations, let us commence.
Are Noctua Fans Worth it?
Noctua fans are worth every penny if your budget allows for it. They are super quiet, keeps your components at a lower temperature, and are built using materials that transfer heat efficiently. The fans are a result of cutting-edge engineering that takes place after years of research.
Noctua fans are more expensive than other brands, such as Cooler Master or Corsair. Typically you can get 2 or 3 case fans from other brands in the same price range.
The final question may come to this. Do you want high-performance or total silent operation?
Noctua offers near-silent operation while keeping the temperature at lower levels. While some other brands can keep the temperature even lower, they might not be as quiet as Noctua offers.
For example, the Noctua NF-A12 produces only 22 dB of noise while providing an airflow of 60 cfm. The fans can run up to 1800 rpm speeds. Arctic F12, another silent fan, competes with Noctua and produces a noise of 26 dB.
While both the fans are whisper quiet, Noctua beats the competition, having the lowest noise level.
Noctua fans also provide high static pressure on their fans. These are essential in Radiators and Heatsinks where you need good airflow in small compact spaces. These fans can push air at high force in compact places.
The Noctua NF-F12 iPPC provides the highest static pressure of 10.5 mm H2O. It can run at a max speed of 3000 rpm, providing a high airflow. The closest competitor Corsair ML-120 can provide a static pressure of 4.2 mm of H2O.
The high static pressure helps out in smaller builds that have less airflow. The fans have very small space to channel the hot air out of the case. In that case, Noctua NF-F12 can be the best choice for cooling.
When running high-end CPUs, many users choose to water-cool them. AIO coolers are very popular due to their ease of use and performance.
The Noctua D15 is a dual heatsink cooler with 120 mm fans that can go head-to-head with AIO coolers. It can bring down the temperature of the most power-hungry CPUs to 70 degrees. Even if the unit is overclocked, the cooler can keep the temperature within bearable limits.
The Scythe Ninja 5 comes very close in terms of performance and cooling. The color profile is great, coming in a dark black color. However, Noctua D-15 has a lower noise level at max-load.
The Noctua D-15 has remained the number 1 choice for gamers when it comes to air coolers.
Aesthetics is another area where Noctua is lacking. They do not offer RGB or ARGB control in the fans. The color scheme is also limited to Beige/Brown and matt black. If you must have RGB fans, Noctua may not be for you.
If you want a black theme across your build, Noctua has the Chromaxx line-up. They come in a matt-black finish to complement the black case. Some Noctua fans come with different colored connectors. You can use this to match the color of the case.
In short, a lot of considerations are needed, such as RGB support, noise levels, the fans’ temperature, and the budget you can allocate for the fans.
If you choose Noctua in your system, I think you will be pleasantly surprised with the results.
Can check our separate post about Noctua NH-D15 Vs. NH-D15s.
Why are Noctua Fans So Good?
The main selling point of Noctua fans is their super quiet operation. They offer PWM to control fan speed, 6 years of headache-free operation guarantee, and high-quality materials for the fan blade. The fans also last longer in peak operation.
These qualities do not come easily. Noctua conducts extensive research on a product before releasing them.
A few years ago, they released the A-series lineup that had been in research for 4 years. The guys are obsessed with airflow and noise reduction. No wonder the end products are so high in quality. A quick Amazon or forum search will reveal how highly the users regard them.
Lets us take a brief look at how Noctua maintains its quality.
Follow our guide about best Noctua CPU coolers.
Here are the reasons why Noctua fans are top-notch:
1. Noiseless Heat Dissipation
This is the flagship feature of Noctua fans. They will cool down the PC components without letting you know. Most of the time, you won’t know if the fan is operational. They work like the Germans, remaining in silence.
So how are the Noctua fans so silent? Turns out a lot of work is done to achieve this.
Firstly, Noctua achieves quiet operation using anti-vibration pads. These are employed at the corners of the fan bracket. The fans can vibrate the PC case when they operate at high speeds. The pads absorb this vibration, making the fans silent.
Secondly, the fans have etched ridges to remove the air without making noise. If you see the fan blades, you can see some markings on the blade. They can help improve the aerodynamics of the fan blade.
A gap of 0.5mm exists between the blades and the frame. It moves the air out without the pressure building on either side of the fan.
In short, the fans will remove the heat from your CPU while maintaining a lower temperature.
Speaking of silent fans, the Noctua NF-A12 is among the quietest fans you can get on the market. It produces only 22 dB sound at 1800 rpm fan speed. You also get a 55 cfm airflow that provides plenty of air movement.
For your information, a 22 dB sound is equivalent to someone whispering to you from a few feet away.
It is a tried and tested model that has remained a favorite in the user space. If you are after a silent fan for your HTPC, the Noctua NF-A12 has to be on top of your wishlist.
Go through our epic guide about NZXT Kraken Z63 vs. Noctua NH-D15.
2. Top-notch Cooling Performance
Noctua fans are known for their good cooling performance. They can push out more air at comparable speeds (rpm) to other brands.
Noctua has a lineup of different fans of different sizes. As the fan rotates, it pushes out air. A larger fan spins at a lower speed to reduce the same temperature. The speed ranges from 1000-5000 rpm.
The air they can push out ranges from 20 to 80 cfm. A higher value indicates more air getting out of your case. Make sure your PC is placed in a place with plenty of airflows.
Now, which Noctua coolers are absolute beasts in cooling the most powerful processors?
The Noctua NH-D15 is a fantastic choice for cooling a high-end Processor such as the i9 12900K or the top-of-line Ryzen 9 5950X.
There are 6 heat pipes working in tandem with the dual fans. It has a dual-tower design using two heatsinks. Even at max load, the cooler maintains a temperature of 70 degrees at a 40 dB noise level. The sound reduces to under 20 dB when using LNA(Low Noise Adapter).
The D15 has dual NF-A15 140 mm cooling fans with PWM and LNA support. The fans can run at a max speed of 1500 rpm. The fans provide an efficient transfer of heat from the case.
All these features make Noctua NH-D15 the best air cooler for your CPUs. While it demands quite a price premium, it is totally worth it.
Read more on best fan Splitter cables.
3. Fan Speed Control Using PWM
Pulse Width Modulation or PWM is used to control the fan’s speed. A PWM fan will come with a 4-pin header that connects to the motherboard.
PWM works by observing the CPU load. A high load means the case will get filled with warm air. The fan regulator acts by increasing the fan speed. It will take more hot air out of the case, and the components will remain cool.
Noctua fans have PWM built in so that the fans don’t run at full speeds all the time. Using this feature makes the fan even more silent.
4. Built Using High-Quality Materials
Did you hear the term Sterrox? That’s a new type of polymer made for the fan blades. Noctua says this is more rigid and will keep the fan’s structure after many years of usage.
Noctua uses SSO bearings in the fan that are more reliable than others. It uses magnets to stabilize the bearing’s axis.
It lasts longer than other mechanisms implemented by different brands. They are held in fixed positions without moving too much. The overall noise is reduced dramatically.
5. High Airflow and Static Pressure
Noctua fans provide high airflow and static pressure. They optimize the fans based on their placement.
Airflow is essential when you do not have an obstacle stopping airflow. High Static Pressure is needed where the airflow is less. Heatsinks are an ideal example of this. Noctua produces both types of fans so that cooling is not hindered.
The Noctua NF-F12 iPPC 3000 is a great cooler when used with heatsinks and radiators. It is optimized to provide high static pressure and max airflow.
It has a 120 mm fan with PWM to control the speed. It can run at a max speed of 3000 rpm. It provides a high static pressure of 10.5 mm H2O. The airflow is great at 158 cfm. It is noisier than other Noctua fans producing a noise level of 43 dB.
If you want the cooler that can push the greatest amounts of air out of your tiny system, this is it. The Noctua NF-F12 iPPC should be ideally used for mini ITX builds that demand great cooling in a reduced space.
5. Brand Reliability and Warranty
Noctua covers six years of warranty across all its products. It is a testament to the quality of the products that you can buy. Even if you come across a damaged product, you can contact support and return it easily.
You may argue that Noctua demands a premium across the range of its products. Sometimes that is evident by the price that you see on comparable brands. However, the quality and the performance that you get is unparalleled.
I didn’t need to state Noctua’s brand reliability. That itself is established beforehand. I just gave a few reasons why you are thinking of buying them.
Are Noctua fans better than Corsair?
Corsair is another brand that produces a plethora of accessories for computers. While Noctua specializes in fans and coolers, Corsair has mice, keyboards, and headphones in addition to PC fans.
Noctua fans are generally the top performers in every category of PC fans available. Corsair has great fans, too; these are more affordable than what Noctua charges. They have a wide range of ARGB fans that allow you to control colors using proprietary software.
Let’s take a look at two of the best CPU coolers that Noctua and Corsair offer:
| Features | Noctua NF-D15 | Corsair A500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cooler Height | 165mm | 170mm |
| Included Fan | 2 Noctua NF-A12 with PWM and LNA | 2 Corsair ML-120 with PWM |
| Fan Speed | 1500 rpm | 2400 rpm |
| Max Noise level | 24db | 36db |
| Heatsinks | 2 | 1 |
| Fan Bearings | SSO2 | Magnetic levitation |
| Warranty | 6 Years | 5 Years |
Both these coolers are flagship-grade in air cooling. They provide niceties like manual fan control using PWM.
Here is how they perform in the real world:
Both coolers keep the temperatures under 90 degrees under load. But the Noctua keeps the noise down at 40 dB compared to 53 dB in Corsair.
Noctua implements a dual-heatsink design to dissipate more heat in a shorter time. In comparison, Corsair has used a single large heatsink. The cooler is larger in size than Noctua.
The fans in both coolers perform decently to keep the temperature under acceptable levels. The Noctua cooler remains silent at lower levels for longer times.
In my opinion, go for the Noctua cooler if you can spend the money on it. The performance and noise levels that it can provide are unparalleled.
I have been using one in my rig for a few years. For a 3-year-old cooler, it remains very silent, almost to the point that I thought Noctua implemented some sorcery to achieve this feat.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How are Noctua fans so quiet?
Noctua fans are very quiet because they use a mix of aerodynamics and sound reduction dampers to reduce fan noise. The company uses an in-house developed polymer as the material for the fan. The fan blade and housing have ridges that allow more airflow without making an additional sound.
What is a good rpm for gaming?
A good rpm for gaming is 1500 rpm. The speed of your fans depends on their length. Smaller fans move at high speeds to remove the same heat. Larger fans can move at a lower rpm but be effective at cooling.
For smaller fans, the speed should be 1500-2000 rpm, and 1200-1500 rpm is ideal for larger fans.
Why are Noctua fans so expensive?
Noctua fans are expensive as they provide excellent cooling while maintaining low noise. They are known to engineer durable products, providing 6 years of Warranty. They use superior components such as SSO bearings. These features and industry-leading cooling performance are why Noctua demands such a price premium.
Can you add RGB to Noctua fans?
You cannot add RGB to Noctua fans. RGB support is missing in all the models. A black-themed fan wasn’t released until recently. Noctua is more focused on providing performance than visual flair. You can add RGB stripes if you can set it up at your peril.
Conclusion
I may sound like a Noctua fanboy just like LinusTechTips, but wait till you experience one in action. You will be stunned just like everybody else.
Noctua fans are more about functionality rather than style. You also need to embrace the beige theme big time.
Today I discussed why you should join team Noctua. I have also mentioned the drawbacks of using one. There aren’t that many, though.
So what’s your decision? Don’t forget to let us know in the comments.
Signing off till next time.
