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NF-P12 120mm Fan Review.
Official Specification.
- Pressure-optimized Nine-Blade Design - Specifically developed for high-impedance applications such as CPU coolers, water-cooling radiators or cases with tight fan grills, the NF-P12 provides superior pressure and airflow performance.
- Vortex-Control Notches -Psycho-acoustic optimizations like the staggered Vortex-Control Notches make the NF-P12 surprisingly quiet.
- Smooth Commutation Drive - The NF-P12's new drive system reduces torque variations and thereby ensures improved running smoothness.
- Self-stabilizing oil-pressure bearing - Noctua's well proven SSO-Bearing technology guarantees supremely quiet operation and exceptional long-term stability.
- Size 120x120x25 mm
- Bearing SSO-Bearing
- Blade Geometry Nine Blade Design with VCN
- Rotational Speed (+/- 10%) 1300 RPM
- Rotational Speed with L.N.A. (+/- 10%) 1100 RPM
- Rotational Speed with U.L.N.A. (+/- 10%) 900 RPM
- Airflow 92,3 m³/h
- Airflow with L.N.A. 78,5 m³/h
- Airflow with U.L.N.A. 63,4 m³/h
- Acoustical Noise 19,8 dB(A)
- Acoustical Noise with L.N.A. 16,9 dB(A)
- Acoustical Noise with U.L.N.A. 12,6 dB(A)
- Static Pressure 1,68 mm H2O
- Static Pressure with L.N.A. 1,43 mm H2O
- Static Pressure with U.L.N.A. 1,21 mm H2O
- Input Power 1,08 W
- Input Current 0,09 A
- Voltage Range 12 V
- MTBF > 150.000 h
- Scope of Delivery
- * Ultra-Low-Noise Adaptor (U.L.N.A.)
- * Low-Noise Adaptor (L.N.A.)
- * 4 Vibration Compensators
- * 3:4-Pin Adaptor
- * 4 Fan Screws
- Warranty 6 years
Nine Blade design with Vortex-Control Notches.
Summary.
The detail set out below summarises into three unique Noctua features:
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Nine blade design gives better pressure and higher airflow at lower RPM than 7 blade fans.
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Vortex Control Notches reduces turbulence and velocity loss
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Psycho-acoustic Optimization - Placement of the Vortex notches are used to tune the fan noise to a sound that is more acceptable to the ear.
Detail.
"The pressure-optimized Nine Blade Design of the NF-P12 (P stands for pressure, power and performance) has been specifically developed for high-impedance applications such as CPU coolers, water-cooling radiators, power supplies or cases with restrictive fan grills. It achieves outstanding static pressure and high airflow at very low noise levels.
While most conventional 120mm rotors possess seven comparably narrow fan blades, the NF-P12's Nine-Blade Design uses nine large, closely spaced blades with a relatively low angle of attack in order to achieve maximum static pressure and high airflow. As a result, the NF-P12 provides no less than 1.68 mm H2O at 1300 rpm, which is something that other fans merely achieve at 1600 rpm or more."
"As a matter of principle, increasing the number of blades involves the risk of increasing the aerodynamic noise in general and noises caused by rotor-stator interaction in particular. Basically, an increase in static pressure usually brings about higher noise emissions. In the case of the NF-P12, this problem is dealt with by adding Vortex-Control Notches to the blades' trailing edges. Due to the two notches at the trailing edge, the flows along the suction and pressure side mix more smoothly. This allows for less turbulence and velocity loss, which leads to a significant reduction in noise emission as well as increased efficiency. In order to achieve the smoothest possible transition and maximum noise reduction, the Vortex-Control Notches are rounded in shape."
"In addition to optimizing the joining of the flows at the trailing edge, the Vortex-Control Notches fulfil the task of psycho-acoustic optimization: Due to the Vortex-Control Notches, trailing edge vortices are split up into several smaller vortices. Thus the noise is spread over a wider range of frequencies and therefore perceived as much less annoying."
The Vortex-Control Notches' effect of psycho-acoustic optimization is further enhanced by the staggering of the notches. The Vortex-Control Notches are staggered from blade to blade so that each blade creates a different vortex pattern. As a result, the fan's noise emission is better spread over the frequency spectrum and thereby makes it yet more pleasant to the human ear.
The Package And Contents.
The rear of the box has a fold open flap, with a Velcro fastener, showing the fans features.
The fan and accessories are neatly arranged in a plastic blister pack.
NF-P12 - Front.
Rear.
Accessories.
Rubber anti vibration mountings.
Other goodies.
From the top:
- U.L.N.A - (Ultra Low Noise Adaptor) adjusts current to give lower 900RPM fan speed with 12.6db(A)
- 4x self tapping fan mounting screws
- Molex to fan header adaptor
- L.N.A - (Low Noise Adaptor) gives 1100rpm 16.9db(A)
My wife and I have been running two of these fans, for two months now on the DFI LANParty DK X58-T3eH6 I7 920 and lately on DFI LANPARTY DK 790FXB-M3H5, using the Noctua NH-U12P SE1366 CPU Cooler. The fans are the quietest I have used with a pleasant unobtrusive sound, it's one of the few features that the wife has noticed  .
To provide a comparison I've used my one of my favourite fans the Yate Loon D12SH-12 This has a balance of high power, but can be powered down to lower RPM to give reasonably low noise.
Specifications:
- Model: D12SH-12
- 7 blades
- Rated Voltage: 12V
- Operating Voltage Range: 6.5 ~ 13.8V
- Rated Current: 0.30A
- Thickness: 25mm
- Rated Speed: 2200 RPM ± 10%
- Max Air Flow: 88 CFM = 149.16 m3/h (x1.695 to m3/h
- Sound Level: 40 dB
Testing.
I'll be testing using the DFI LANPARTY JR 790GX-M3H5 with the Noctua NH-U12P SE1366 CPU Cooler running with a single fan and Prime95 one Hour Blend test. Average, maximum and minimum Temperatures will be taken from the Coretemp log. Ambient temperature is an average of two readings taken at the beginning and the end of the test with a Hilka Digital Infra Red Thermometer.
Three runs were completed:
- Noctua NF-P12 on full 1300 RPM
- Yate Loon D12SH-12 on full 2000 RPM
- Yate Loon D12SH-12 using Ultra Low Noise Adaptor which reduced rpm to 1225.
Test results 1 and 3 give close results with the Noctua fan just edging it.
Noise.
As you'd expect, Test 2 with the DS12SH-12 at full power is very loud, but the DS12SH-12 scales down well and the fan noise becomes pretty quiet at 1225rpm, test 3.
The Noctua is very quiet, slightly less than the low speed DS12SH-12 On the Noctua sound is smooth whilst the DS12SH-12 has an occasional fluctuation, almost a rattle, perhaps the result of a poorer quality bearing and the impact of the Psycho-acoustic Optimization, mentioned earlier in the specification for the Noctua.
Conclusion.
Price***
Using Google as my guide, the lowest price I found was £15.65 (including VAT at 15% = $21.6 ex vat)
By comparison the Yate Loon can be had for £4.50 (including VAT at 15% = $6.22 ex vat). That's not really a true comparison as the Yate Loon comes without any accessories such as the ULNA & LNA (see above). You need to add something like Asetek PCI FAN Speed Adjuster Kit 3pin Fan/Fan Controller £2.86 plus a set of screws and ant vibration mounts, say another £2.
That makes a comparable shopping list of £9.36 (including VAT around $13 ex vat). That also lines up pretty well with the price of Silverstone FM122B 120mm which comes with a fan speed controller etc.
The premium charged by Noctua is around £6 ($8) This leaves the question does the Cooling performance and Noise justify the premium? - The quality that is inherent in all Noctua products that I've seen so far, makes me reasonably happy to pay a premium, yes.
It maybe that there are times when you may not want the extras that come with this pack. For example if someone wants to use these as case fans, it would be great to see a basic pack or even a 2 or 3x fan multi pack without the speed adaptors, just the mounting options. Such an option with a more competitive price would be very attractive to anyone going for a high end water cooling or new case build.
Cooling Performance****
I consider the Yate D12SH-12 to be one of the best cooling fans available, at comparable RPM to the Noctua NF-P12. the latter has cooled slightly better.
However the Noctua was on full power, whilst the D12SH-12 was at 60% of it's rated speed. I would like to see a little more power in the Noctua maybe a higher RPM say 1500~1600 would let the Noctua match the D12SH-12 full speed performance.
Noise *****
Without doubt this is where the Noctua scores heavily, being the quietest fan I've found that actually also cools.
Pros
- Quality and build
- Low Noise
- High Performance for low RPM
- Extras - Speed adjusters, though may be a double edged as it adds to price.
- Sleeved fan cable
- Six year Warranty
Cons
Next, the Noctua NF-P92...
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