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Noctua NF-S12A FLX, Premium Quiet Fan, 3-Pin (120mm, Brown)
Purchase options and add-ons
Product Dimensions | 12L x 12W x 2.5H Centimetres |
Brand | Noctua |
Power connector type | 3-Pin |
Voltage | 12 Volts |
Cooling method | Air |
Compatible devices | Desktop |
Noise level | 17.8 dB |
Material | Fibre-glass reinforced PBT |
Maximum rotational speed | 1200 RPM |
About this item
- Premium quiet fan, 120x120x25 mm, 12V, 3-pin Molex, 1200/900/700 RPM, max. 17.8 dB(A), >150,000 h MTTF
- Award-winning third-gen 120x25mm S12 fan with Anti-Stall Knobs and Advanced Acoustic Optimisation frame for superior quiet cooling performance
- Airflow-optimised design for highly efficient, near-silent ventilation of PC cases and other chassis (intake & exhaust), cabinet cooling, etc.
- 3-pin FLX version provides 1200/900/700rpm speed settings via Low-Noise Adaptors to fine-tune the fan for maximum airflow or near-silent operation
- Includes anti-vibration mounts, fan screws, Low-Noise & Ultra-Low-Noise Adaptors, extension cable and 3:4-pin adaptor for powering the fan directly from the power supply
Product details
- Is discontinued by manufacturer : No
- Product Dimensions : 21.59 x 3.81 x 15.24 cm; 249.48 g
- Date First Available : March 6 2013
- Manufacturer : Noctua
- Place of Business : Clarksville, Tennessee 37043,US
- ASIN : B00BEZKX8Y
- Item model number : NF-S12A FLX
- Department : cooling
- Best Sellers Rank: #17,762 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
- #265 in Computer Cooling Fans
- Customer Reviews:
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From the brand
Noctua Cooling Solutions
Noctua's premium cooling components are internationally renowned for their superb quietness, exceptional performance and quality.
Product Description
The NF-S12A marks the third generation of Noctua’s signature S12 series quiet case fans, which have received more than 250 awards and recommendations from the international press. Featuring a further refined blade design with Anti-Stall Knobs that works in tandem with the new AAO (Advanced Acoustic Optimisation) frame, the NF-S12A improves the airflow/noise efficiency of its renowned predecessor by up to 8%. The FLX version provides 1200/900/700rpm speed settings via the supplied Low-Noise Adaptors in order to give you full flexibility in fine-tuning the fan for maximum ventilation performance or near-silent operation. Its superb running smoothness, SSO2 bearing and Noctua’s trusted premium quality make it an elite choice for quiet case cooling.
AAO frame
Noctua's AAO (Advanced Acoustic Optimisation) frames feature integrated anti-vibration pads as well as Noctua's proprietary Stepped Inlet Design and Inner Surface Microstructures, both of which further refine the fan's performance/noise efficiency.
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Integrated anti-vibration padsIntegrated anti-vibration pads made from extra-soft silicone minimise the transmission of minute vibrations while maintaining full compatibility with all standard screws and other mounting systems. |
SSO2 BearingThe NF-S12A features the further optimised second generation of Noctua's renowned, time-tested SSO bearing. With SSO2, the rear magnet is placed closer to the axis to provide even better stabilisation, precision and durability. |
Inner Surface MicrostructuresWith the tips of the fan blades ploughing through the boundary layer created by the Inner Surface Microstructures, flow separation from the suction side of the blades is significantly suppressed, which results in reduced blade passing noise and improved airflow and pressure efficiency. |
Scope of Delivery
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Anti-Stall Knobs
The NF-S12A's Anti-Stall Knobs reduce flow separation phenomena in medium to high impedance situations and thereby increase the fan's stall margin. This means that the NF-S12A is even more versatile than its renowned predecessor and can achieve better performance on heatsinks and radiators.
NF-S12A PWM | NF-S12A FLX | NF-S12A ULN | NF-S12A PWM chromax.black.swap | |
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Customer Reviews |
4.7 out of 5 stars
2,864
|
4.6 out of 5 stars
564
|
4.5 out of 5 stars
15
|
4.8 out of 5 stars
1,624
|
Connector | 4-pin PWM | 3-pin | 3-pin | 4-pin PWM |
Voltage | 12V | 12V | 12V | 12V |
RPM | Max: 1200 / Min: 300 | 1200 | 800 | Max: 1200 / Min: 300 |
RPM with L.N.A. | 900 | 900 | 600 | - |
RPM with U.L.N.A. | - | 700 | - | - |
Acoustical Noise | 17,8 dB(A) | 17,8 dB(A) | 8,6 dB(A) | 17,8 dB(A) |
Acoustical Noise with L.N.A. | 10,7 dB(A) | 10,7 dB(A) | 6,7 dB(A) | - |
Acoustical Noise with U.L.N.A. | - | 7,4 dB(A) | - | - |
Size | 120x120x25 | 120x120x25 | 120x120x25 | 120x120x25 |
Colour | Brown & Beige | Brown & Beige | Brown & Beige | Black with swappable coloured anti-vibration pads |
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Rated at a max of 1,200 RPM you may be looking for something with a bit more power, but according to the figures I've read on Noctua's website, this unit is able to displace just as much air as many of its faster counterparts. However if your are after static pressure optimized fans Noctua offers better options than this unit. This model is an excellent chassis fan.
Note: this unit uses a 3-pin fan header, these do work with 4-pin headers but in order to control the speed you will have to use the included low noise adapters. Although in my opinion you will probably not need to use the low noise adapters since even at its max 1200RPM the fan is extremely quiet.
Probably not worth the price since theirs rapidly diminishing returns for increasing the CFM vs temperature of the cpu, gpu and motherboard. Better off with a cheap 4 pack of cooler masters for 25$.
However if you want the best fans at a given DB, then your probably going to be using a Noctua.
My one complaint is the rubber fan mounting screws. Theirs probably a trick to it, but they only fit with extreme force. Using that kind of force while inside my case at odd angles was not going to happen. The provided metal screws worked perfectly well.
Installation is easy.All i all,i am very satisfied with this purchase and i recommend this fan if you need a good case fan.
Top reviews from other countries
Pros:
-Silent. These are silent killers. You can barely hear these things spin even on max speed. With headphones on you definitely won't hear squat.
-High performance. These bad boys are almost the best in terms of performance compared to any other fans out there on the markets. Tons of reviews will support Noctua.
-Good build quality. You can feel the difference in material used to make these fans. They are a lot sturdier and do not wobble around. They also put rubber around the screw holes to prevent and vibration against the case, adding to the low noise.
-Warranty. You get lifetime warranty with Noctua. Their customer service is excellent. I bought their tower cooler and emailed to ask if they could provide another fan bracket so I can attach another set of fans on it. They obliged and mailed the brackets free of charge to my place.
-Peripherals. They give you several extra cables and anti-vibration "screws. They definitely go well and beyond to ensure your desktop is chilled and quiet.
Cons:
-Colors. Granted this is probably a marketing ploy to make their product stand out with their brown and poo-brown colors. Their marketing strategy is probably to prove that their products are superior and don't need to look cool or gamer-ish to attract customers. It definitely works, because any informed gamer will recognize their products instantly. But honestly at this point it would be GREAT if they had more appropriate colors.
-Price. With great performance comes great expense. These fans are not cheap. I spent well over $140 buying Noctua case fans. But they are definitely genuine premium products.
Conclusion:
You won't regret the purchase if you understand that these are premium products. Their price is truly justified, but if you really don't want to spend that much you should look elsewhere (if you are okay sacrificing some performance and noise). For me, I've had all but great experience and became a die-hard (at times blinded) Noctua fan (pun intended). But yes, they need better colors.
these two 120mm beasts are still running just as good as the day I put them in. I wanted to include some specification information I learned after spending the better part of my day combing through the specs on noctua’s site. They provide a wide range of specs for these fans and it’s helpful because they make several versions of each size. Each version mainly consisting of different fan blade, size, shape and number of blades. Noctua provides a very wide and comprehensive amount of data for each fan variant.
My first conclusion is that the 120mm fan line is by far noctua’s most efficient in power consumption and cfm output at a given power draw. Also the 120mm line is generally the quietest line of fans when compared to the cfm output. 120mm seems to be a sweet spot for the range of fan sizes noctua makes. I had considered gettin 140mm fans for my next build but after learning what I have. I’m sticking to 120mm
Out of the 120mm line up the NF-S12 series moves more air by a wide margin. It generally blows away every other version and even beats out the larger size fans. The only place this fan was slightly beat out was in sustained air pressure.
Basically this fan had slightly lower numbers in sustained air pressure output because of the aggressive angle of attack these blades have but generally unless you are placing this fan rite up against a very restrictive air flow environment like say a densely packed set of fins for a cpu cooler. The slight air pressure deficiency won’t ever become an issue. Keep in mind that it wouldn’t even become a factor unless the fan began to build air pressure in its operating environment. Something that shouldn’t happen with case cooling fans if you are doing it rite. Matter of fact. Noctua uses the higher air pressure output variant fans on there line of coolers. So, perfect example of how knowing your specs and operating environment can enable you to engineer a damn near perfect air flow profile for a given need/situation/preference.
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
NF-S12A FLX - is the fan I ordered and before I ever installed it. I hooked it to a 12.5v constant power source and spun it up in free air at full power. NOT A DAMN SOUND! Completely silent. A mouse fart would have broke the silence. On top of that. The cfm output is astonishing. Just keep in mind. The fan may be silent but what it pushes air through or past can still create noise. Think strategically.
I had two silenX fans go bad after about 13 years in a old rig I use for basic stuff ( the one pictured ) so I figured I’d try these out as a test for my new rig I’m currently planning out. I was blown away by the amount of air flow in and out of the case. Again, the fan may be silent but if the case is not conducive to smooth air flow, you can still experience noise. So using the limiting adapters may be a good idea if you experience this.
Case and point. These are the best fans I’ve used or experienced in my life. Combine that with a VERY aggressive angle of attack from the blades, which is difficult to sustain airflow and keep unwanted volumes down. You can see on the fan blades and inside the fan housing. The little dips and dimples added to counteract the negative effects of that given aggressive blade angle and speed. The engineering and time that went into making these the best fans on the market. that is what elevated them to the amazing status in my book. You know the technical details.
Just do your research. Study the specs and with a little forethought. You can get all the cooling muscle you want and need and keep everything super quiet at the same time.
Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2020
these two 120mm beasts are still running just as good as the day I put them in. I wanted to include some specification information I learned after spending the better part of my day combing through the specs on noctua’s site. They provide a wide range of specs for these fans and it’s helpful because they make several versions of each size. Each version mainly consisting of different fan blade, size, shape and number of blades. Noctua provides a very wide and comprehensive amount of data for each fan variant.
My first conclusion is that the 120mm fan line is by far noctua’s most efficient in power consumption and cfm output at a given power draw. Also the 120mm line is generally the quietest line of fans when compared to the cfm output. 120mm seems to be a sweet spot for the range of fan sizes noctua makes. I had considered gettin 140mm fans for my next build but after learning what I have. I’m sticking to 120mm
Out of the 120mm line up the NF-S12 series moves more air by a wide margin. It generally blows away every other version and even beats out the larger size fans. The only place this fan was slightly beat out was in sustained air pressure.
Basically this fan had slightly lower numbers in sustained air pressure output because of the aggressive angle of attack these blades have but generally unless you are placing this fan rite up against a very restrictive air flow environment like say a densely packed set of fins for a cpu cooler. The slight air pressure deficiency won’t ever become an issue. Keep in mind that it wouldn’t even become a factor unless the fan began to build air pressure in its operating environment. Something that shouldn’t happen with case cooling fans if you are doing it rite. Matter of fact. Noctua uses the higher air pressure output variant fans on there line of coolers. So, perfect example of how knowing your specs and operating environment can enable you to engineer a damn near perfect air flow profile for a given need/situation/preference.
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
NF-S12A FLX - is the fan I ordered and before I ever installed it. I hooked it to a 12.5v constant power source and spun it up in free air at full power. NOT A DAMN SOUND! Completely silent. A mouse fart would have broke the silence. On top of that. The cfm output is astonishing. Just keep in mind. The fan may be silent but what it pushes air through or past can still create noise. Think strategically.
I had two silenX fans go bad after about 13 years in a old rig I use for basic stuff ( the one pictured ) so I figured I’d try these out as a test for my new rig I’m currently planning out. I was blown away by the amount of air flow in and out of the case. Again, the fan may be silent but if the case is not conducive to smooth air flow, you can still experience noise. So using the limiting adapters may be a good idea if you experience this.
Case and point. These are the best fans I’ve used or experienced in my life. Combine that with a VERY aggressive angle of attack from the blades, which is difficult to sustain airflow and keep unwanted volumes down. You can see on the fan blades and inside the fan housing. The little dips and dimples added to counteract the negative effects of that given aggressive blade angle and speed. The engineering and time that went into making these the best fans on the market. that is what elevated them to the amazing status in my book. You know the technical details.
Just do your research. Study the specs and with a little forethought. You can get all the cooling muscle you want and need and keep everything super quiet at the same time.