Page 3 - Performance Tests
While these tests are not the most objective method for fan testing, they do give us some information of important fan attributes, such as airflow, airflow consistency, and the amount of static pressure generated. The fans are set at the edge of a surface to prevent air from bouncing back, which could hide the true characteristics of the fan. I had to set up another little tower next to the case to ensure I could test all four fans and compare them to each other.
Starting at the furthest end, we have the 1300 PWM, then the 1700 PWM, followed by the 1300 and the 900 versions. For the most part, all of the NF-P12 Redux fans did a great job at raising the tissue paper. The 900 RPM version struggled the most as it is running at such a low RPM, but there was some slight lift. Otherwise, the other fans were able to lift the paper and keep it fairly constant throughout, meaning airflow consistency was up to par. The 1700 PWM version lifted the paper slightly higher, but the end fluttered more than the 1300 PWM and the 1300 versions. The middle part of the tissue paper was kept quite still, ensuring the static pressure was good. Overall, the Noctua NF-P12 Redux fans performed well.
Noctua has always made silent fans, and these are no different. We use a scale to rate the noise from 1 to 10, where 1 is the quietest and 10 is the loudest. The loudest of the bunch was the 1700 PWM version coming in at 5.5/10 at full speed, but at more reasonable speeds this rating improved to 2.5/10. For the 1300 PWM and 1300 versions, they rated in at 4.5/10 at full speed and 2.5/10 at lower speeds. The 900 version is of course the quietest as it spins the least, and at full speed it was surprisingly quiet at 3.5/10, while at lower speeds it came in at 2.0/10. These fans are slightly louder than the Noctua NF-A12x25 fans, but still quiet nonetheless.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. A Closer Look - Hardware
3. Performance Tests
4. Conclusion
