Goal for this build Extreme air cooled system, Extremely quiet and a very clean build. The packaging on the NF-S12A fan is excellent. Lot of detailed information concerning the fan is on the out side of the box and the box flap cover, specifications in 8 diferent languages. Noise and package contents. The box is very easy to open. Inside the box the contents are in a Blister pack very easy to open. You do not need a pair of scissors or knife to open the blister pack. Packaging Includes the following: 1. NF-S12A PWM 120 mm x 25 mm fan 2. One extension cabel 3. Y Adapter 4. Low Noise Adapter (LNA) 5. 4 x Anti Vibration Mounts 6. 4 x Fan Screws 7. Pamplet NF-S12A PWM Specifications DC 12v, 1.44w, 0.12A with a SS02 Bearing with a medal bearing shell. This is a heavy fan. Installed 13 x NF-S12A PWM fans connected to 3 x 4 Pin PWM Power Distribution Block rather than the mother. The fans run at a constant 1300 to 1320 RPM with a 12v supply current direct from the Power Supply. The RPM verified with a Hand Held Digital Tachometer. With high quality fans a PWM block works very well improves cable management. With a high quality fans such as the Noctuas sound is not an issue when they run at full RPM. These fans are exceptionally quiet. Cannot hear the fans running at 1300 RPM. Anti Stall Knobs on the fan blades work very well Noctua specifications 900 RPM thru 1200 RPM + or - 12 percent. Note these fans at 12v are running between 1280 RPM thru 1300 RPM. Air Flow 107.5 with out the Low Noise Adapter cabel. Ambient Air temps out side of the computer case will very between 26c to 27c with 54 percent humidity. Computer case is a CaseLabs Magnum 8 Double wide case. No air filtration with 13 x NF-S12A PWM Fans (12 Intake fans and 1 exhaust fan). Mother Board Asus Rampage 4 Black Edition. CPU I7 4930K clocked at 4.6 GHz 24/7CPU Heat Sink Noctua NH-D 14 2 x Evga GTX 780 Super Clocked Edition reference Cards Prime 95 24 Hour Stress test: Ambient Air temps inside of the case at the air intake of the Nochtua NH-D14 heat sink between 28c to 29c running Prime 95 24 hours. Do not recommend this fan for air cooled heat sinks or use on radiators for liquid cooling. Instead recommend the NF-P12 or the NF-F12 the NF-S12A PWM Fans are better used as a case fan. over View 1. Very good quality over all received the Award Winning S12 Design 2. Anti Stall Knobs 3. AAO Frame 4. Inner Surface Micro Structure 5. Custom Designed PWM IC with SCD 6. Low Noise Adapter (with out the adapter you cannot hear the fans run at 1300 RPM dBA(A)16.8 Maximum per sound test. Nocuta claims dBA (A) 17.8 with out adapter. 7. Extensive cabeling options (Fan cabels are supplied in the packaging) 8. SSO-Bearing 9. Mounting hardware anti vibration or standard fan screws supplied 10. 6 Year Warranty 11. Tech Support Excelent 12. RMA Excellent (Note you will need the original receipt and packaging for RMA) Tried to provide you with enough information to make an informed decision. Thank you for taking the time to read the review.
GoggleEye · 2014-08-28 · via amazon
★★★★★Another solid fan
The Noctua NF-S12A PWM Fan is a top-tier cooling fan that offers exceptional performance and reliability. This fan has exceeded my expectations in terms of efficiency, noise level, and overall build quality, making it a standout choice for PC cooling needs. The fan's design is impressive, with advanced aerodynamic features that provide optimal airflow and static pressure. This results in efficient cooling of my PC components, ensuring they stay at a stable temperature even under heavy workloads. The PWM control of the Noctua NF-S12A allows for automatic speed adjustments based on the system's temperature, providing a perfect balance between cooling performance and noise level. Even at higher speeds, the fan remains surprisingly quiet, making it an excellent choice for those who value a silent computing experience. The SSO2 bearing technology ensures smooth and reliable operation, reducing friction and prolonging the fan's lifespan. I am confident in the fan's long-term performance and durability. The fan's anti-vibration pads and fan clips contribute to a noiseless and stable operation, further enhancing the overall quietness of the fan.
Luke · 2023-07-31 · via amazon
★★★★★Amazing quality and airflow!
My favorite fans by far. Best for airflow (case fan) not for a heat sync or radiator. Super quiet and amazing build quality. (Would recommend the colored variant for better looks)
Nicholas Belanger · 2026-04-20 · via amazon
★★★★★Noctua has become my go-to fan.
Man these fans really, really suck! Or blow, it depends on your orientation. After seeing how popular Noctua has become since my last computer build I decided to try them out on my rebuild for case cooling. They are more expensive than other fans Cheaper fans do exist but you definitely get what you pay for. With Noctua you get a highly engineered fan that moves a lot of air quietly with no fan noise. You also get accessories like a cable splitter, extension, silicone mounting devices, and regular screws. Factor in how many extras you get and these fans become highly competitive just on price. They're quiet Like silent-but-violent kind of quiet (or silent-but-deadly but I prefer the former). I ended up using a total of five fans to cool my case (3x120mm, 2x140mm) which may be excessive to some but I was tired of hearing my old fans spin up under load and making more noise than I thought was acceptable. Now on an overclocked CPU with a current mid-range GPU in a smaller ATX case the most noise I hear is the air itself moving into the case through the magnetic dust filters. Absolutely no fan whine. They're as easy to install as any other fan If you've put in one you've put in a million. I ended up not using the extra silicone mounts and just the regular screws because I prefer to have an easier time removing the fans rather than a slightly quieter experience. I'm not after complete quiet in my setup, just mostly quiet, and the metal screws are enough for me. I prefer using the PWM versions of fans since they can then be controlled by the motherboard. Auto up, auto down. These fans are great and I'm definitely going to buy more for my next computer, whenever that will be.
Amazon Customer 24601 · 2020-10-30 · via amazon
★★★★★Quiet, but CAPABLE!
Noctua fans are well known by builders as being one of the go-to choices for quiet performance. From CPU coolers, to CPU fans (static), to case fans (air flow), and hybrids in between, Noctua delivers. I have used Noctua 120mm, 140mm, 40mm, and 92mm fans for various projects. I've used 120mm/140mm fans on cases and CPUs. I've used their 40mm fans on 3D Printers and South Bridge Chipsets (like the Intel DX58SO motherboard). The 92mm I use on a Odroid cloudshell 2. In all cases, the fans move lots of air (or static pressure), maintaining cool temperatures and quiet operation. This particular fan, the NF-S12A PWM 4-pin (they also offer a 3 pin model), Noctua suggests works well as a case fan delivering a good volume of air. It comes with both screws and rubber grommets for mounting the fan (the latter for more vibration dampening over standard screw usage, but the corners of the fan are covered in a thin rubber overlay which already does a good job dampening any excess vibration so that I have never needed the grommets. I don't care for the Noctua fan colors, and if the color is also not your favorite, they do sell a gray version called "redux", but it performs a little less than the regular fans and it doesn't come with mounting grommets or the extra fan speed reduction cables that come with this model. Noctua also makes a static pressure version (for CPU coolers and radiators) as well as a hybrid model that works well in any application (static vs air flow). I've bought many of these fans, and would buy them again. In this particular case, I bought these to use on an Ultra Gladiator mid-tower case (the older model from 2007/2009). I am using one in the front, and one in the back for an older core i7-4770K machine (not overclocked). I also used a couple on a newer AMD Ryzen 5 3400G system in an Antec 900 case with 1/2 front fans using a Noctua (the other I chose an LED fan so I can tell from afar when it's on), and one in the back of the case. The temperatures in all cases are well controlled by these fans, and are super quiet. I've used Antec, Corsair, Thermaltake, Cooler Master, Deep Cool, Cryorig, and BeQuiet! and some non-name brand fans - Noctua is by far the quietest of almost all of them, and for the others, might be a close tie if not the winner... If you are looking for good performance and quiet operation, then this is the fan you should consider.
