Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM - PC System Fan Review

The Noctua NF A12x25 PWM, Is it worth all the hype… let's find out.
What's up everyone, Erik here and welcome to hardware for gamers, for those of you who are new to the channel I review and test PC cases, CPU coolers, PC case fans, and graphics Cards. Before I get into the overview, to have full disclosure, I did buy this fan myself, to test and review, so all the opinions expressed in this video are mine, if you end up liking this video, please hit that like button and subscribe to the channel. It helps a lot.
I would also like to thank my patrons or… patron… for supporting the channel. Okay, let’s take a quick look at NF-A12x25 line up.
So there is the NF-A12x25 5V, The NF-A12x25 5V PWM, The NF-A12x25 ULN, The NF-A12x25 FLX, The NF-A12x25r PWM, The NF-A12x25 LS-PWM, and The NF-A12x25 PWM.
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Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
0:50 Fan overview
2:58 PWM Range
4:08 Charts - Fan under review
6:38 Charts - Comparing to other fans
8:40 Final Thoughts
About HardwareForGamers: This channel is about gaming, computer hardware, and computer accessories. I will be testing how to properly set up your system hardware and accessories, to get the most out of your game experience. If that sounds like something you'd be interested in how about clicking that subscribe button.
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[@osardegozar2581]

It's a good review, but let me point out that you fail to consider acoustic performance, so to speak, sufficiently. Although a fan's performance may be considered by many to consist only in airflow, pressure, and resulting temperature, fan's noise and sound quality are the most important things for some people including me. Those people seek for a fan that produces the lowest and least annoying noise at a certain acceptable level of airflow from the fan. Instead of noise nomalized performance, they rather focus on airflow or temperature normalized noise level. Some of them use a fanless PSU, and their noise floor is lower than an environment of a PC with a normal PSU which has a fan running. Some of them may be running NF A12x25 at RPM below 1000, even around 500. For such a minority of PC builders, A12x25 PWM has a much more value than suggested by your testing and is worth its price unless it's priced too high. The Amazon price you mentioned is acceptable if not satisfactory. If you don't care about the color of fans, however, the original brown version can often be found at a lower price. The brown version is actually better as it comes with anti-vibration mounts, which do not come with the chromax version.

[@dennistomsen5822]

Strong and correct points which I agree 100% with. In addition, QC is also top-notch with basically no variations or duds between individual samples in my personal experience. The Chromax version does come with anti-vibration mounts tho. And yes, I run my three 120mm Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM fans at max. 600 rpm on a Thermalright Peerless Assassin (and have a fanless Seasonic psu too). Enough to be able to run my 5700G at 100% all cores and keep max. temp below 75°C without hearing anything at all even with my ear next to the case 🙂 My four case fans are 140mm Arctic P14 PST ARGB fans though, all running at even lower max. rpm than 600 😁

[@osardegozar2581]

@@dennistomsen5822 Thank you for pointing it out that the Chromax version actually comes with anti-vibration mounts contrary to what Noctua's product page indicates. Perhaps the page hasn't been updated. I agree that their QC is excellent. I'm using three brown NF-A12x25 PWM fans as intake fans at the bottom of Alta F1 and a NF-A12x25 LS-PWM on NH-P1 mounted on 12900, which is undervolted by adjusting AC/DC Load Line. Fans are controlled by a program named "Fan Control," according to the temperature of CPU, DIMM, and SSD. As for PSU, I use Silverstone NJ700.

[@thirtyacres7504]

Excellent points. I want to run case fans between 500-800 RPM with the highest air flow and lowest noise level. And I think that the NF-A12x25 is one of few fans that can do that.

[@esotericjahanism5251]

Not to mention Noctua has incredible Customer Service as well. But yes many reviewers when testing noise usually only look at airflow, noise volume, noise normalized temps, and don't test the actual frequency of the noise a fan is making. Some fans like the Phanteks T30 for example might be quieter than the Nf-a12x25 at some rpm levels but the noise it makes is a higher pitch which many people find annoying. Similar Story with the Arctic p12, Great fan that is uncontested for price to performance, but around 800 to 1000rpms it makes this horrible buzzing noise.

[@anub1s15]

@@thirtyacres7504 well depending on your "noise goal" you could actually end up running your fans higher then you expected. i ran my corsair ML's at 800-900 rpm at idle but with a minimum watertemp of 35 otherwise it just could not maintain it and got noticeably loud. i've given my NF-A12X25's a starting point of 20 degree's (unachievable even in winter) and they are currently spinning at 1200 rpm making equal to / less noise then the corsair ML's. i've had noctua's before some P12's but was not impressed and then spent some time hoping brands untill i ended up with corsair's ML's and LL's both of those started to fail in different ways (motors for the ML's/dead green LED's for the LL's and i went noctua/lian li, it cost me an arm and a leg but i regret nothing.

[@hyllen]

thanks for the test. In my country (Brazil) the noctua usually has an average value of R$250, (50 usd) and the p12 has an average value of 10 usd, recently there was a super promotion and I ended up paying 32 usd for the noctua, I came from a gentle typhoon , which I loved, but as my focus is mini itx with extremely low noise, their bearing noise drove me crazy, I also had the p12 and they are simply incredible, but they also have an annoying buzzing noise at certain speeds, finally the noctua solved it That's my problem, I don't hear buzzing or annoying noises in any speed range, I'm very satisfied with them!

[@falcconplanes]

Ela tem 102 de cfm é muito potente

[@thirtyacres7504]

I have read nothing but good things about the Noctua NF-A12x25. I have Arctic P12 for intake and exhaust and I was looking to replace the intake fan with the NF-A12x25. I bought a Arctic P12 5-pack back in 2020 and it was only $20 back then. Appreciate the unbiased review and testing covered panel and mesh panel.

[@hentailogic3354]

Your testing is excellent. I appreciate you not holding anything back and speaking your mind. Hah maybe I will buy 1 of these Noctua and 1 Artic P12, both meet my desire for low noise, good cooling and long warranty. Noctua is known for good build quality. Yes it's expensive for a fan but still a small percentage in the total price of a PC build. I've never own a Noctua or Artic btw, just super cheap case fans.

[@wjajr84]

there is a thought for the price. quality. This includes reliability, longevity, and consistency of the product. P12 Arctics have a wide spectrum of Good to bad noise profiles. Lots of lemons and some golden samples. Noctuas are pretty much uniform. But no one i have seen has really done this testing. Longevity.

[@esotericjahanism5251]

Yeah Arctic certainly doesn't have as good of a QC process or customer service as Noctua. Arctic is definitely my go to for fans when I don't want to spend much on fans or I am recommending hardware for a budget oriented build. I've gotten Arctic fans that had bad bearings and even broken wires right out of the box, and I've had a couple that had bearings wear out after just a few months and didn't get much help from Arctic with them. Meanwhile I've had the same Noctua air cooler on one of my rigs since 2nd gen Intel and everytime I've upgraded Noctua sent me new mounting hardware for the new socket after only a single email that included my proof of purchase at the cost of shipping only which was only a few dollars. Not to mention of the dozens of Noctua fans I've bought over the years not a single one had a problem out of the box or failed prematurely on me. This may all be anecdotal evidence but they are two very contrasting experiences between the two brands.

[@NGreedia]

Totally agree with you about the price. I only purchased it to see if it's all that great, plus I have a tendency of collecting fans inlcuding the T30 but both are overpriced and more of a novelty and won't give a performance uplift proportionate to the price premium over an Arctic or Thermalright fan

[@croatiagunner]

Noise, it's all about the noise and performance! BeQuiet Silent Wings 4 hs is not that quiet for me, and artic bionix f120 goes only to 1800 rpm. So for intake, I'm okay with 3 x bionix p120, but since I did swap 5600x for 5800x3d, my Esports 34 duo was not good enough, CPU was on the hot side and it was loud, so I did take u12a. exhaust silent wings 4 hs are making weird noises on 1300 to 1450 rpm then again around 1800 rpm and over 2000 rpm it's just too loud. With a12x25 as exhaust, all is quiet and stable. Do I like Noctua prices, far from it, but do I get what I'm paying for with Noctua, I sure do.

[@dennistomsen5822]

I bought two pricy 140mm Be Quiet! Silent Wings 4 Pro. One was fine indeed but no better than the 140mm Noctua NF-A14 PWM counterpart at lower rpm. The other one had a pretty whinny motor out of the box. Poor QC in my particular case with a sample of just two. The much cheaper 140mm Arctic P14 PST ARGB fans actually beat both in noise level at lower rpm with slightly better airflow too and without the annoying resonance at certain rpm like the standard Arctic P12 😅

[@croatiagunner]

@@dennistomsen5822 Yeah sadly Silent Wings 4 a big disappointment for me, bionix p120 doing great as intake for me

[@krider7296]

Thank you for this excellent comparison of these fans. If you ignore the warranty and require a fan for a system critical application where reliability is key, which fan would you choose?

[@HardwareForGamers]

Reliability is pretty much impossible for me to test, so this is a tough question to answer. I personally would pick from between Arctic, Be Quiet or Noctua. They seem to have the better track record when it comes to reliability. Hope that helps you.

[@nameless-user]

Noctua, any day of the week. Their long-term post-purchase support is legendary, as is the actual durability of their gear long-term.

[@LuisDiaz-qg3eg]

Have you tested Thermaltake Toughfan 12 turbo and Toughfan 14 pro. This last one as just released may be a very opportunistic review, I have it and the previous 14 non-pro and they are monsters of airflow

[@HardwareForGamers]

I'll add it to my list.

[@39zack]

I think you convinced me, the Arctic Cooling P12 PWM looks like a much better deal cost vs performance

[@bralis2]

Use your Arctics and live with the noise around you while computing. I cherish my Noctuas for that. Not that expensive if you consider approx. 10-15 organic Hass avocados cost the same.

[@bluessrv1]

Another good review with great testing specs! Don't waste yout time on defending your position on a product...you tested it, you produced your data, you gave your take. Tweekers are gonna tweek! Your rationale in regrds to purchasing this product, based on price and your test results, is logical.

[@HardwareForGamers]

Haha thanks, you're probably right about those tweekers going to do what they do.

[@dennistomsen5822]

Logical for some, even most but not all. So his points are valid but the counterpoints are just as valid. It all boils down to individual use cases - this isn't a rational buy for loud or even slightly noisy systems 😉

[@HardwareForGamers]

@@dennistomsen5822 agreed, which is the point that I was trying to get across. Not sure if I did a good job on that, but I tried...

[@dennistomsen5822]

@@HardwareForGamers Don't worry. It sure did for me. I'm not sure though it'll for everybody though but that's why we have the comment section 🙂

[@bluessrv1]

@@dennistomsen5822 Totally agree! My point is that Erik provides the information based on his testing methods. (There's videos showing all how he tests.) Unless I'm seeing different or hearing incorrectly, Erik has NEVER tried to come across as "his tests prove the ONLY true tests, therefore anything he say's is 100%". I've heard (and continue to hear) this attitude from many other channels that cover these topics. You're spot on, Dennis, and said it better than I could! And Erik has been the same way...shows his results, then gives his personal take on it - and let's everyone know it's his personal opinion! He's also always added the, "But that's for you to decide.", statement thus, IMO, giving his channel honesty.

[@carl-marvin]

10:30 Is '500% less' actually a term used in the US? To me, it seems like it would imply not only getting the cheap fan for free (which is 100% less), but also receiving four Noctua NF12-A fans at no cost! I definitely wouldn't turn down an offer like that! 😂

[@OfficiallyOrca]

2000 RPM and 🤫. Noctua fans aren't perfect but top tier. I purchased 2 120mm PWM Noctua fans. Not for performance but for low DB levels at 2000RPM and I'm beyond satisfied.

[@Rakanay_Official]

I cant say it to me. Even 900rpm is not "low noise" for me, am i doing something wrong?!

[@Jake-mn1qc]

Why are all those damn fans that we can buy so focused on heatsinks and radiators? I just want a good performing case fan that moves a lot of air, but not as loud as other brands!!!

[@HardwareForGamers]

if your case can hold them, try looking at 140mm fans.

[@sonatturkoglu33]

Hi mate:) you are saying its a high price your right but.. Artic P and F series terrible Humming sound.. İ got F14 and F12 P12.. İ cant head to head with any Noctua with Arctic. İ got P14'S 12 series and more. İts a mistake arctic fans. So low quality and bad sound issiue. Thanks for testing. Noctua make always better products.

[@HardwareForGamers]

I understand what you're saying, but some people don't care about the noise profile of the Arctic fans. I only have issues with the noise coming from the Arctic fans when they're above 90% PWM, so I keep them below 90% PWM.

[@sonatturkoglu33]

@@HardwareForGamers Yes your right cooling performance and price its amazing without humming! :) thanks for Answer you have great videos. İ am learning a lot of things from you. Thanks again

[@HardwareForGamers]

@@sonatturkoglu33 thank you, and glad to hear that learning new things.

[@justanobody4983]

Heres the deal, noctua fans are at the pinnacle of pc fans. Their is a diminishing return when you go high end. I did a comparison by myself before: p12, a12x25, t30, and the silent wings. P12 and t30 are just garbage compared to silent wings and noctua. You can have all the charts in the world it wont tell you how annoying the sound is. Silent wings are ok but the noctuas are really above and beyond with all the test i did. And yes im willing to spend money to not go mental because of the sound my pc is doing. But with 140s i would go silent wings over the a14. Those a14s are annoying as crap.

[@mgoogyi]

I have a similar experience. I had a few arctic P14 fans and i just hated them. dBa is one thing, sound tone is another thing and at certain rpms (which was a different rpm for each of my 3 pieces of P14s) the P14 has a strange noise. Noctua A14 is okayish until 1000-1100 rpm where it's rotor noise gets annoying. Silent Wings 3 and Noctua A12x25 fans are just great for my ears, I love them.

[@thirtyacres7504]

Arctic P12 when just web browsing, watching movies, and nothing intensive has decent noise levels. Much better than the low quality NZXT case fans that come with the case. But during heavy gaming, I do not like the "sound signature" of the Arctic P12. I honestly do not like any noise if probable. I purchased the NF-A12x25 and I am going to try it first-hand.

[@justanobody4983]

@@thirtyacres7504 yeah go try noctuas. They are great! Actually if your just browsing, ms office, etc any cheap fan will do.

[@esotericjahanism5251]

yeah noise level isn't the only factor when it comes to sound. Frequency and Pitch are just as important. My p12 Max fans produce a horrible buzzing sound around 1000rpm, and of course near 3000rpm any fan is loud but the pitch is bearable at least. Glad my rigs with those fans are in my storage closet cause if I had to listen to them right next to me on my desk constantly I'd stab my eardrums out with a pencil

[@iikatinggangsengii2471]

noctua fans are best, they just dont bling

[@AutodidactEngineer]

Nope

[@marcelovidal4023]

Paid 4us per akasa fans... with rgb lol. Noctua fans are great but not for me.

[@williamtopping]

I buy noctua because it's not how loud they are, but the sound profile is second to none. Trust me, EVERYONE prefers a louder fan with a better noise profile than a quieter one with a terrible one. Noctua do a great job of removing those annoying frequencies that drive you mad. The human ear perceives frequencies at different volume levels even at the same dB. Theoretically you could have a fan that is double in dB as another, but can sound half as quiet due to sound profile alone! This is what noctua do, and this is what you pay for.