We are dealing with the new range of Noctua fans, a well-known manufacturer in the field of air cooling, which stands out for offering products with excellent manufacturing quality and an extensive guarantee, both well above the norm for these products, all this with restrained sound and performance to match.

Introduction

First of all, we highlight that all the models that we will analyze today follow a new color scheme, which breaks with the usual color combination (light brown for the frame / dark brown for the blades) which is already a hallmark of the brand, to try their luck with much more discreet combinations, completely black models for the Industrial series and two-tone gray models for the Redux series. We are sure that this change will delight many users who were not convinced by the classic aesthetics of the brand for its configurations (an aesthetic that has lovers and detractors in equal parts).

We see that Noctua is not stagnant and is targeting new market sectors, but what do these two series bring us again?

With the Industrial series we see models similar to award-winning Noctua models, in this case very high revs, but with exceptional performance, very good choice for environments where noise does not matter, but we do need high air flow and durability to the test of pumps, that is, Workstations, servers, or even, as its name suggests, industrial environments, whether or not they are related to the world of hardware.

With the Redux series we see old acquaintances, with the new combination of gray colors, but logically this is not the biggest difference. The biggest difference is that, although Noctua has often been criticized for offering high quality products, with a multitude of accessories (Low Noise and Ultra Low Noise adapters, molex adapters…), but at prices in the highest range, in This case seeks just the opposite, adjusting the price as much as possible while maintaining manufacturing quality and performance. It is almost surprising that when we open the box we find ourselves solely and exclusively the fan and its fixing screws, without accessories of any kind. But this is what we are looking for many times, after all, almost any modern board has fan connectors, it allows us to configure them to our liking, and a large part of those extras ended up being saved without taking advantage.

All fans have very good specifications for flow, noise, and static pressure. We present below how some models compare with each other. Note that, obviously, the larger the size, the better the overall performance, at the same noise.

Aside from size, we see that higher yields are accompanied by higher noise levels. It is difficult to distinguish loudness due to the large difference in scale, so let's see how the fans behave in terms of flow and pressure for generated noise.

Obviously, the result is what we intuited, in terms of flow, the 12 and 14cm models stand out much better when compared to their little brother of 8, and although in this analysis we have models for various needs (powerful and noisy ones, others somewhat quieter with medium / high performance) we see that the air flow provided is a quantity that is reasonable in all cases for the noise generated.

Models with higher static pressure are suitable for restrictive uses, such as dense heatsinks, radiators, or filter boxes, while models with higher flow and low pressure are suitable for low restriction tasks, i.e. as box fans or for supply air to hot areas (such as the chipset or the VRM of the motherboard / graphics).

Let's see below what each model can offer us, along with their technical characteristics and particularities.

NF-A14 industrialPPC-2000 PWM

We find a seven-bladed fan in black tones, with anti-vibration joints (these yes, in the classic noctua brown), and the first thing that attracts attention is the three grooves that each fan blade has, designed to reduce noise vortex.

We also observe some small drop-shaped marks on the inside of the frame, as in all those that incorporate AAO technology, to reduce air adherence and make the most of all the flow generated.

In terms of performance, it is obvious, a flow in the high range even for a 140mm fan, and a static pressure in the very high range, making it a perfect choice for very restrictive applications where noise does not matter (or if we are going to regulate them, in any case), such as dense liquid cooling radiators, or large CPU heatsinks.

NF-F12 industrialPPC-2000 PWM

specs

In this case we are dealing with another design of seven blades, again in all black and with anti-vibration joints, and heir to the NF-F12 PWM, known for giving a very high static pressure for the range of noise and revolutions in which it moved (although the performance was highly variable depending on the radiator).

The trick of these fans is the FocusedFlow system, which is simply a smart addition to the frame in the form of small fins that redirect air from the blades increasing the final pressure. Of course, the final thickness does not change, we remain at the 25mm standard, so it is compatible with the vast majority of heatsinks, but as we can see, the pressure rises to really high values, solving one of the biggest deficiencies of the old noctua series (good flow and loudness, but low static pressure)

With this version we see that the revolutions have increased from 1500 of the aforementioned model to 2000, drastically increasing an already excellent static pressure and, of course, the flow.

It is an excellent fan for restrictive applications (such as very dense radiators, large heatsinks, or boxes with very restrictive fabric filters), and again, we recommend using it regulated or in applications where noise is not a problem (remote equipment, or industrial environments as we have mentioned).

NF-P14s redux-1500 PWM

specs

We open the redux range with the NF-P14s. We are going to analyze the highest model of the entire range, with 1500 RPM at maximum speed, but all the comments are equally applicable to the rest.

In this case, anti-vibration seals are not included, which are certainly welcome in promiscuous boxes, rattles and small noises due to vibration, although in our case neither of the two units tested vibrated even one iota, so we understand that they consider it to be unnecessary.

A 9-blade design in this case, with gray tones and sawtooth cuts to minimize turbulence and noise.

It is a 500 RPM model slower and therefore significantly less noisy than the NF-A14 (which we have talked about earlier), although on the other hand we have also lost flow and, above all, pressure. In this fan we see a more suitable model for personal equipment where we need 140mm fans, being a more comfortable and silent solution for environments that do not have the requirements of an industrial environment. We are still at medium / high values ​​for both parameters, so there is no problem mounting them on radiators.

Likewise, if we are going to regulate the fans, we see in the NF-A14 a safer bet, since we can have, even if in exchange for noise, more power if the situation requires it. If our cooling needs are not so high, we recommend taking a look at the 1200 models and especially the 900 RPM models, which is a great option to permanently maximize with very low noise levels, for example, in large radiators with low density (around 10-15 FPI).

NF-S12B redux-1200 PWM

specs

In the second fan of the redux series, we find the version of the well-known NF-S12B FLX. Again, it is a fan in gray tones without anti-vibration rubbers.

In this case we see a very good flow, a low loudness, but the static pressure begins to be in the medium-low range. These characteristics make it an excellent box fan, where we want to move air without excessive restriction apart from the filters.

Of the models tested, it is probably the most bearable at maximum speed, although again the most logical thing is to take advantage of the fact that it is a PWM model and we can regulate it at will.

The performance is quite good even in a heatsink, as we will see in the performance tests, although it is not its natural environment, in case of choosing it we recommend limiting its use to medium restriction heatsinks and very low density radiators (10-15 FPI). In other cases, there are better alternatives, without going any further than the NF-F12.

NF-R8 redux-1800 PWM

specs

The last fan we will review is, for the moment, the smallest in the redux family. It shares tones and characteristics, and again, the absence of anti-vibration joints.

At a time when it seems that the standard that the entire PC industry has taken when designing case and radiator cooling systems is 120mm, it is welcome to see that Noctua has not forgotten less popular sizes such as 80mm, which are always necessary for small format boxes, either for old boxes that, having the source above, cannot accommodate a 12cm fan, or for the increasingly widespread mini-ITX mini-PCs and Steam machines.

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For the size of the fan, we see quite good values ​​of flow and pressure, and in many cases where we have to adapt to the form factor, we do not have many more options, not without drastically increasing the revolutions and noise.

In the cases in which we can use a 120mm fan, it is absolutely recommended to go to his older brothers, we will achieve the same with less loudness.

In case we're limited to 80mm, it has our recommendation, either as support for a low profile heatsink or as a (probably unique) case fan of an HTPC.

Test of performance

The data on paper is good, but logically, what interests us users of these products is the performance we can obtain in real conditions.

Therefore, we are going to mount them in our HTPC, as the only fans cooling an i3 2100 using an excellent NH-D14 as a heatsink. Note that this comparison is not significant, since we are going to compare fans of different sizes and noise levels, but it will give us an idea of ​​the expected performance.

Given the characteristics of the equipment used for the tests, we do not expect to see a significant gain between the different fans, logically except for the passive to active cooling step first, and the 8cm to 12cm step second. From these two jumps, surely we will talk about a difference of 1-2º at most, since any of the bigger fans means “killing flies with cannon shots” for the equipment to be refrigerated.

The results coincide with what was expected, although I have personally been pleasantly surprised by how well the small NF-R8 defends itself in this specific use, being really close to the rest of the options (in higher TDP processors, the difference would be greater, for which unless the space restrictions are great, it is still advisable to opt for any of its older brothers).

With the 12 and 14cm models, as we supposed, although the high revolutions are appreciated, the differences are few, only the NF-S12B goes off a bit, surely due to its lower static pressure, and it is certainly in exchange for gaining in loudness.

Subjectively at maximum revolutions, both the NF-A14 and NF-P14s are somewhat scandalous, along with the NF-F12, fully compressible given the high speed at which they all work (2000, 1500 and 2000 rpm, respectively). But we must not forget that it is in all cases PWM models that we can regulate to our liking, to always have the maximum possible silence without sacrificing a bit the top performance when we want to pass benchmarks or rush our overclock to the maximum.

Final words and conclusion

Many will say that these fans do not bring anything new, and certainly, we will not see anything that we have not previously seen with the equivalent models of the classic series, but what can certainly be said is that what they do, they do it well. We are facing a series that brings a breath of fresh air to the brand with new colors, a fairly good performance in all cases for the noise generated if we use them for the correct applications, 6-year warranty, and with the security of a brand that responds well to any problem.

One of its great virtues is also its great drawback, Noctua had us really well accustomed with the accessories included in its fans, personally I have several low noise and ultra low noise adapters to limit the speed of both Noctua fans and fans from other manufacturers working perfectly for years. That and Y cables, molex adapters… It was a really important added value, although it is undeniable that, in exchange, we have more competitive prices, a necessary thing given the fierce competition that there is right now in the sector, especially in such a size common as 120mm.

ADVANTAGE	DISADVANTAGES
+ GOOD PERFORMANCE FOR THE NOISE GENERATED	+ TOTAL ABSENCE OF EXTRAS AND ACCESSORIES, ITS GREAT ADVANTAGE IS ITS GREAT PEGA.
+ ADJUSTABLE BY VOLTAGE OR BY PWM	+ WITHOUT ANTI-VIBRATION RUBBERS IN THE REDUX SERIES (IF THEY DO NOT APPEAR NECESSARY).
+ 6 YEARS WARRANTY, NIGHT SUPPORT
+ MATERIALS, FIRST QUALITY BEARINGS
+ PRETTY PRICE ADJUSTED, TO BE NIGHT

Not surprisingly, each fan has its use, those of moderate flow but high static pressure for restrictive applications, and vice versa. Valuing each fan in the field where it works best, all of them amply meet our expectations, which is why the Professional Review team awards each of them the gold medal: