Conclusion:

There should be no doubt that a cooling fan from Noctua is going to be a high quality product. The NF-S12A FLX, NF-S12A ULN, NF-S12A PWM, NF-A14 FLX, NF-A14 ULN, and NF-A15 PWM provided for this review confirmed this, and showed that even in the narrower field of 120mm and 140mm fans that there are plenty of things you can do to distinguish one model from another.

While we covered the bulk of the highlights within the body of the review, there is one key feature found on all of the fans that I really like... AAO (Advanced Acoustic Optimisation). This marketing term is in part used to describe the rubber pads placed in the corners of the fan's frame to reduce noise from vibration. It seems like such a simple concept, but go back a few years and no one was offering it, and very few manufcaturers have anything like that now. Complete your installation of one of Noctua's fans with their tool-less "Vibration-Compensators" instead of a screw and you can make your install so much quieter than a hard framed fan screwed directly on to a sheet metal case.



Another great thing about each of these fans that was not covered in detail within the review is the bundle of accessories. The promotional image above shows what you get with one of these fans, and with all the adapters and mounting hardware options provided, you have the flexibility to custom tailor your installation to meet your expectations.

If you head over to Amazon.com you will find a large selection of Noctua products. The fans in this review can be found there, with prices all hovering in the range of $20 each. Whether you want one of the 140mm or 120mm units, the prices are all about the same, which clearly makes them much more expensive then the cheap fan your system may presently be sporting. Of interest to me is that the biggest and my most favorite fan in the roundup is also about the cheapest. The NF-A15 PWM is $19 with free shipping if you qualify, which makes it very appealing for use in systems where low noise and high airflow are required.

The fans are all high quality and will help keep your system cool and quiet. That said, they universally earn the Bigbruin.com "Recommended" and "Whisper Quiet" awards.



Pros:

» Very well made
» Low noise thanks to advanced designs and included adapters / mounting hardware
» Generous bundle of adapters and mounting hardware
» Flexibility to find the right balance or airflow / noise / speed
» 6-year warranties

Cons:

» Premium fans come with a premium price of around $20 each

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