Noctua sent over some computer cooling fans from their Redux
range released in 2015. This range contains some of Noctua’s popular products,
presenting them in streamlined packages which are reduced to the essential core.
This range is recognisable by the light grey/ grey colour scheme (which should
suit with those who do not approve of the crème/brown colours of the standard
range) and it comes with 4 case screws only (no adapters, paperwork or
anti-vibration mounts or anti-vibration frame included). This in turn means
that Noctua can provide their award winning fans at a reduced price. These fans have a longer cable length of 40cm,
twice as long as the standard range. These fans use a self-stabilising
oil-pressure bearing (SSO), which uses an additional magnet along with the
liquid pressure to ensure that the fans remain quiet over their life cycle.
In addition to these products Noctua has sent a box of their anti-vibration mounts NOCTUA NA-SAV2. These are rubber posts which push into the existing screw hole and thread into the corners of the fan. This connection is preferable to using case screws as they absorb some of the vibrations of the fan, thus reducing the vibration noise. These mounts are brown but Noctua offer a chromax series which has these (and their anti-vibration corner pads) in: black, blue, green, red, white and yellow.
The five models of fan are as follows:
*NOCTUA NF-P14r redux-1500 PWM (140mm)
*NOCTUA NF-P14s redux-1500 PWM (140mm)
*NOCTUA NF-S12B redux-1200 PWM (120mm)
*NOCTUA NF-B9 redux-1600 PWM (92mm)
*NOCTUA NF-R8 redux-1800 PWM (80mm)
Each fan comes packaged in a slim box inside a cardboard insert, underneath which are the 4 screws. There rear of the packaging outlines the specifications of the fan such as airflow rate and static pressure. The fans come fitted with a 4-pin connector (compatible with both 3 and 4 pin headers) where the 4th pin allows for the motherboard to control its rotation speed.
These fans were each tested running in an obstruction free environment outside the case. The mean revolutions per minute (RPM) was recorded with a voltage of 5V, 7V, 9V and 12V being supplied by the 4 pin header. This was done using the SpeedFan software by switching the control mode from PWM to DC voltage and changing the header controller to manual. The results of this test were recorded in Excel and a column graph was produced. Similarly, the calculated CFM for maximum airflow was recorded and present in a bar chart for each fan.
The results found at 12 Volts for all fans were in keeping
of the stated rotation speed on the packaging. The NF-P14r rotation speed at 12
Volts was on the upper side of the stated rotation speed of 1500rpm+-150rpm spinning
at 1612rpm, whereas the other fan rotation speeds were in the centre of the
stated rotation range. I am unsure why the round frame fan performed better
that the square framed equivalent as the specifications on the packaging for
these fans is identical. All fans were operational under 5 Volts and were near
silent out of the case and all fans were deemed to be loud at 12 Volts (this
would be dampened if fitted inside the case).
The larger sized fans (NF-P14s/r) performed quieter due to
them having the longer fin size. These fans also have a better airflow shifting
78.69 cubic feet per metre. The NF-S12B has a CFM of 59.21 and the slowest
rotation speed at all voltages throughout. This is because this fan is designed
for application where there is little to no obstruction to airflow (such as a case
fan) or in applications where the quiet operation of the fan is first priority.
The NF-B9 has an optimised blade design which allows it to achieve an exceptional
level of airflow and static pressure. It is able to move 37.85 CFM of air and
has a static pressure of 1.61mm H20. Whereas the NF-R8 has a blade design
geared toward ultra low noise applications. It has a lower CFM of 31.37, but
operates up to 10% quieter than other fans operating at the same flow rate.
This range has allowed Noctua to provide its award winning
fans at a reduced price in a colour scheme that is more fitting for the
computer cooling scene. Each fan is designed for a specific application in
mind. If you are unsure what to buy you should check out the Noctua website
which has plenty of interesting information on their various technologies. Also
generally speaking in the computer cooling world bigger is better as larger
fans operate quieter with a higher CFM (as shown by the results in this article). The following image shows the specification printed on the rear of the fan packaging:
Product links:
These fans are available to purchase on Amazon UK and at the time of writing, these
items are priced as follows:
*NOCTUA NF-P14r redux-1500 PWM (140mm) £12.39
*NOCTUA NF-P14s redux-1500 PWM (140mm) £12.39
*NOCTUA NF-S12B redux-1200 PWM (120mm) £10.89
*NOCTUA NF-B9 redux-1600 PWM (92mm) £9.29
*NOCTUA NF-R8 redux-1800 PWM (80mm) £8.49
*NOCTUA NA-SAV2 £4.59 (chromax colours £5.49)
