Going back to ?Noctua? Fans after Artic

[ginjaninja]

Ive soured on my ARCTIC P14 case fans. Had 2 fail on me and they are a bit noisier than im used for a given flow (but that could be a case difference)....I chose them on price but im thinking that was a false economy...might of just been unlucky..Any other recommendations?

 

[BornEvil]

I’ve bought my set of NF-F12 ~10 years ago, and they are still going strong. Only started using Arctic P12, so no idea for their longevity.

I would probably buy Noctua again if I need non-rgb fans, as I have personally proved the expensive overlay be worth it.

 

[SpellowHouse]

I normally buy Noctua fans, but recently came in to a number of Antec Tranquil 140's. I was very impressed with them. Compared to a NF-A14 they are more suited as a case fan, because they have a 10% lower static pressure but a 10% higher flow rate. The Antec are 2db louder, which is not unusual considering the higher flow rate. The only major difference is the minimum rotation, which is much better for the Noctua. That's 300rpm for the Noctua and 450rpm for the Antec. Both have a max of 1500rpm, which is going to be pretty noisy for any fan. The Antec are significantly cheaper, though. For a case fan, I would have no hesitation in recommending them.

 

[Tediore]

I like my Noctuas (NF-A12x25 Chromax) and have 8 of them across two systems (6 in an ATX system and 2 in an ITX) and every single one is perfect. The two in the ITX system replaced EK fans on an AIO that did nothing but pulse, resonate, buzz, and generally drive me insane. I'm quite sensitive to all of those sorts of noises so your mileage may vary.

I had Arctic P14s on one of their AIOs in a previous system and found them to be some of the better cheaper end of the market fans, but I'm a Noctua convert. Also heard good things about the Phanteks T30 and you can get a triple pack for about £60 at the moment so a good bit cheaper than the Noctuas which are usually about £30 each.

I had some Fractal case fans that came with an R3 case years ago and found those to be decent. No idea if they still are, but people seem to rate the ones that come with the Torrent cases.

 

[Glanza]

If you don't want to go back to Noctua other option is bequiet silent wings 4 / pro 4. Can usually be found cheaper than what Noctua currently charge.

 

[WARburton]

i found the t30 and d30's to be very good all round fan

 

[doyll]

I normally buy Noctua fans, but recently came in to a number of Antec Tranquil 140's. I was very impressed with them. Compared to a NF-A14 they are more suited as a case fan, because they have a 10% lower static pressure but a 10% higher flow rate. The Antec are 2db louder, which is not unusual considering the higher flow rate. The only major difference is the minimum rotation, which is much better for the Noctua. That's 300rpm for the Noctua and 450rpm for the Antec. Both have a max of 1500rpm, which is going to be pretty noisy for any fan. The Antec are significantly cheaper, though. For a case fan, I would have no hesitation in recommending them.

Sorry, but factory pressure and flowrate specs don't translate very well if at all into usable data of how fan will perform in actual use.

Static pressure rating is how much pressure fan pushes into a sealed container at full speed. Not at all helpful in cooling our computers

Airflow rating is how much air fan flows mounted in open area with no restrictions to it's airflow. Similar to a desktop fan but with no wire cage around it. Again, not very easy to apply to computer cooling.

If anything, fans with higher static pressure tend to flow more air as case fans because higher static pressure rating means fan pushes air harder so more air flows past restictions (like grills, filters, cables, etc.

I can't say if Antec are good or not, but reviews of their newer fans seem to show them doing a decent job.

Phanteks T30 are very good, but also very expensive.

 

[SpellowHouse]

Sorry, but factory pressure and flowrate specs don't translate very well if at all into usable data of how fan will perform in actual use.

Static pressure rating is how much pressure fan pushes into a sealed container at full speed. Not at all helpful in cooling our computers

Airflow rating is how much air fan flows mounted in open area with no restrictions to it's airflow. Similar to a desktop fan but with no wire cage around it. Again, not very easy to apply to computer cooling.

If anything, fans with higher static pressure tend to flow more air as case fans because higher static pressure rating means fan pushes air harder so more air flows past restictions (like grills, filters, cables, etc.

I can't say if Antec are good or not, but reviews of their newer fans seem to show them doing a decent job.

Phanteks T30 are very good, but also very expensive.

So, a quick summary of that is "you don't know".

OK, fair enough.

But they are quite nice fans. Quite comparable to the Noctuas, but cheaper.

 

[doyll]

So, a quick summary of that is "you don't know".

OK, fair enough.

But they are quite nice fans. Quite comparable to the Noctuas, but cheaper.

So, a quick summary of that is "you don't know".

OK, fair enough.

But they are quite nice fans. C comparable to the Noctuas, but cheaper.

Correct, I don't know if they are good or bad.

What I do know is fans with higher static pressure ratings (at similar rpm) will move more air than fans with lower static pressure ratings when used in case. Reason are as I explained above. More pressure means they push air harder, so air flow on past grills and thru filters better.

The above is why fans like T30 and Arctic P do a better job of cooling systems than low pressure rated fans.
You say "quite comparable to Noctuas but cheaper".
Which fan models are you comparing?
What criteria are you using?

 

[SpellowHouse]

Correct, I don't know if they are good or bad.

What I do know is fans with higher static pressure ratings (at similar rpm) will move more air than fans with lower static pressure ratings when used in case. Reason are as I explained above. More pressure means they push air harder, so air flow on past grills and thru filters better.

The above is why fans like T30 and Arctic P do a better job of cooling systems than low pressure rated fans.
You say "quite comparable to Noctuas but cheaper".
Which fan models are you comparing?
What criteria are you using?

Well, no, that's not true. You kinda ruined it by mansplaining! The higher pressure might move more air, it might not, it depends on the case. My understanding of the Noctua is that they are mainly used as heatsink fans while the Antec I was talking about are mainly used as case fans.
The criteria I was using is that they seem about ths same quality, the same noise levels, and similar pressure and airflow. Greatly surprised me, actually, they are decent fans. They also happen to be used in the Antec Flux (unfortunately not all the fans), which, as we all know, is a very well ventiallated case.

 

[WARburton]

this is right.

What I do know is fans with higher static pressure ratings (at similar rpm) will move more air than fans with lower static pressure ratings when used in case. Reason are as I explained above. More pressure means they push air harder, so air flow on past grills and thru filters better.

this is wrong

Well, no, that's not true. You kinda ruined it by mansplaining! The higher pressure might move more air, it might not, it depends on the case. My understanding of the Noctua is that they are mainly used as heatsink fans while the Antec I was talking about are mainly used as case fans.
The criteria I was using is that they seem about ths same quality, the same noise levels, and similar pressure and airflow. Greatly surprised me, actually, they are decent fans. They also happen to be used in the Antec Flux (unfortunately not all the fans), which, as we all know, is a very well ventiallated case.

the thing to take into account is when there blowing through. ive never seen a case that just as a massive hole.. they all have a filter or a mesh or some sort in some way even just the case itself

 

[tamzzy]

mansplaining

the devil, as always, is in the detail

 

[doyll]

I have to laugh at how many fan users have little to no idea how airflow works.
Like thinking our cases need exhaust fan/s if you have intake fans. Airflow is simple displacement. What flow in MUST be be flowing out!
When air is move from one place air from someplace else move into that space .. and the air that is moved out moves the same amount of air away. from it.

Think of air as water.
Think of a computer case as a car unfderwater in a pond.
Car windows are case vents.
A propeller in car window is fan in a case vent.
As propeller moves water thru a window into car the same amount of water moves out other windows in car.

Using both intake and exhaust case fans is "stacking" fans. Stacking fans does not directly increase airflow.
What staking fans does is increases their pressure rating.
2x fans rated 1.5 mm H2O each mounted in push / pull can develop 3.0 mm H2O.

Keep in mind stacking fans spinning same direction against each other does not double their pressure rating.​

They must have a airflow straightener (like cooler fins) or mounted in front and back of case to increase pressure.​

That's why commercial stacked fans spin in opposite directions. ​

Another thing to keep in mind is now little ability computer fans have.

Computer fans create very, very little pressure.

As an example, the difference in barometric pressure at sea level and 30 feet above sea level is 11.013 mm H20. 1/3 of 30 feet is 10 feet and 1/3 of 11.013 mm H2O is3.671 mm H2O.
Divide it and the difference between sea level and 10 feet above sea level is 3.671 mm H2O,
Divide that in half again and we have 1.836 mm H2O difference in pressure at sea level than 5 feet above sea level.
This means we have about 1.836 mm H2O more pressure on our feet than on our chest when standing at sea level.
Or 1.836 mm H2O less pressure on chest than on our feet.

Hopefully this little "mansplaining" helps some people understand a little more about airflow and how it works.

I know some readers understand / know what I'm trying to explain. I know some readers know much more about these things than I do. I just hope my explaining helps at least one reader.