Noctua 140mm Fan recommendations?

[Fallengod]

Looking for a little help here from someone who may know...

I have a Fractal Design R5 with the stock fans running, as well as some type of cooler master cpu cooler with a fan I forget off the top of my head. I have decided recently to try and lower the noise level of my computer a bit so after doing some researching it seems the Noctua fans are pretty highly rated for decent airflow and noise.

My question is, there seem to be many different type of 140mm Noctua fan models. I need help on figuring out which ones to get. Which are better? Theres like NF-A14 PWM, NF-P14 Flex, etc, etc Someone narrow down which are the best to get. I am looking for quiet but good airflow. From what I read, the NF-A14 Flex is good for case fans and the PWM is for headsink fans?

I will need three 140mm fans and one 120mm fan.

Thanks.

 

[ClockHound]

And narrow we shall. Then expand again... ;-)

The A14 PWM is overkill for a case intake fan - 1500rpm 140mm fan, even a Noc, isn't what I call quiet. Would use it only with the LNR adapters to keep it at 1200rpm max.

The 1200rpm NF-P14 Flex is a great case fan. If you want to run your intake fans from 3pin voltage-controlled headers, it's a simple choice. The new NF-A12x25 3pin would be the 120mm voltage-controlled choice to match.

I like to use PWM fans for intake connected to a PWM spliter using the CPU cooler header to control both the CPU & intake fans. This config is great for an air-cooled, overclocked system. At idle the intakes spin down to inaudible levels - lower than 3pin voltage controlled fans can go. At load the intake fans spool up to provide cool air to the cpu cooler fans. I don't mind a little noise from the
system when it's doing actual work.


I use the 1200rpm A15 PWMs as intakes - uses 120mm mount spacing. I also make my own intake fan shrouds - usually from old noisy 'donor' fans. Keeping a little distance from the intake filters/grilles helps reduce noise. At load the A15 intakes rarely spin above 1,000rpm. And idle around 320rpm.

On a PWM controlled rig, the new NF-A12x25 PWM is a great 120mm exhaust option - if an exhaust fan is required. In most of my air-cooled rigs with D14s/D15s/R1s, I don't use any case exhaust fans - instead I snip out the restrictive exhaust fan grilles & add a 2nd/3rd fan to the rear tower. Also removing extra PCI slot covers helps get the heated air out. Efficient front-to-back airflow is also efficient noise reduction.

The simple, narrow choice is 3X NF-P14 Flex and 1 NF-A12x25.

And you may want to replace the noisy coolermaster CPU fan with a Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM - all the CM CPU cooler fans are noisy sleeve bearing models that will require replacement sooner or later. I choose sooner.

Getting wider... the Thermalright TY-147a/sq are great intake fans as well. PWM only, lower-cost than Noc, but harder to find. I've also used the Fractal HP14-PWMs as intakes. Not quite as quiet as the Noctuas, but on sale, they're a great value. Their low static pressure Venturi HF-14s are very good voltage-controlled intake fans - if installed with a little space (shroud or thick gasket) between the filters/grilles.

All of these options are provide much better airflow with less noise than the stock Fractal case fans...which imo are only suitable for cooling powered-down hard drives - in open air. But they make awesome shroud donor units! ;-)

 

[Fallengod]

Yeah thanks man. That helps clear some things up. Ill have to do some shopping around now.

For the moment, I actually just use 1x exhaust fan in the back, 1x fan in the front and 1x for the CPU, but was considering 2x in front which is why I said three. I cant remember what fan I have on my headsink at the moment, but I definitely am replacing it with something. I am searching for pretty much any good rated fans for cooling that are quiet but provide decent airflow, but Noctua kept coming doing research so I figured id make it easy on myself and just go with those.