Buying a new cooling fan

[erik8ant]

I would like to buy a new cooling fan as side intake fan for cooling graphics card. I think of buying Noctua NF-S12A. It comes with three types which are FLX, ULN, and PWM and I don't know buy which one.

 

[jji7skyline]

PWM (4-pin, but not molex) is the best connection as it allows full speed control by the motherboard, but also plugs into 3-pin headers.

 

[erik8ant]

PWM (4-pin, but not molex) is the best connection as it allows full speed control by the motherboard, but also plugs into 3-pin headers.

If I buy PWM, will it be loud? Can I hear the noise? My CPU is placed besides my desk on the floor. How about ULN? I'm silent freak.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Noctua 120 mm PWM fans will typically spin down below 500 rpm. Not likely you would hear it at that speed, even at close range.

The S12A PWM is rated at 300 to 1200 rpm; with a maximum of 900 if you use LNA


The S12A ULN has a max speed of 800; 600 if you use the LNA adapter, but you'd be very very hard pressed to detect a difference in noise level unless your ear was within 6 inches.

The FLX spins at 1200, 900 with LNA, and at 700 with ULNA.

Generally--it's tough to hear a high quality 120 mm at speeds under 1000 rpm if they are inside a decent case that doesn't have a lot of mesh or openings in it.

Your motherboard will have a varying degree of control over the fans from the BIOS.

The S12A is specifically designed as a case, not to attach to a cooler. But I'm using a Noctua PWM cooler fan (NF-F12) as a case fan and can't hear it at all.