Read First Before Buy Noctua 40x10mm A Series Bearing Premium
I purchased this 40mm Noctua fan as an upgrade to replace a 35mm fan included with my Asus Z77 Sabertooth motherboard. The board comes with an alternate plastic attachment which allows users to install a 40mm behind the rear I/0.
The fan produces next to no sound. At full speed (Approx 4300 RPMs), I must put my ear directly over the fan to detect any sort of noise. The noise I do detect is a faint but high pitched sound comparable to that of a mosquito's wings: innocuous at a distance of more than six inches.
In comparison to generic 35mm fans I have two observations.
First, unlike my 35mm fans from Asus, the 40mm Noctua does not seem to produce any motor or coil whine as I perceived it. The Z77 Sabertooth's stock fans produce a high pitched hum similar to an inexpensive RC Car. This humming is clearly heard at any RPM over my PC's other components.
Second, the 40mm Noctua's cooling performance is unmistakably superior. In my opinion, the Noctua's high pressure is the primary factor contributing to its cooling success. Before installing the 40mm Noctua I ran tests recording temperatures at various locations on the Z77 Sabertooth. After comparing results, only VCCIO/VCCSA temperatures benefited from using the "Center Board". No cooling effect from the rear I/0 fan could be detected when using the included 35mm fan from Asus. I decided to remove and not replace the center board fan because it only supports a 35mm fan size of which I could find no silent alternatives. After installing the 40mm Noctua behind the rear I/0, the VCORE(Back) temperatures dropped 7 to 10 degrees Celsius. Furthermore, the back panel of my computer case is now noticeably cooler to the touch when the CPU is pushed to full load.
In conclusion, the 40mm Noctua fan is a great investment for my particular setup. The NF-A4x10 provides improved cooling performance to the most thermally stressed area of my Z77 Sabertooth. Because the 40mm Noctua produces no detectable sound, it eliminates a major flaw in the original product sold by Asus.
I purchased this 40mm Noctua fan as an upgrade to replace a 35mm fan included with my Asus Z77 Sabertooth motherboard. The board comes with an alternate plastic attachment which allows users to install a 40mm behind the rear I/0.
BalasHapusThe fan produces next to no sound. At full speed (Approx 4300 RPMs), I must put my ear directly over the fan to detect any sort of noise. The noise I do detect is a faint but high pitched sound comparable to that of a mosquito's wings: innocuous at a distance of more than six inches.
In comparison to generic 35mm fans I have two observations.
First, unlike my 35mm fans from Asus, the 40mm Noctua does not seem to produce any motor or coil whine as I perceived it. The Z77 Sabertooth's stock fans produce a high pitched hum similar to an inexpensive RC Car. This humming is clearly heard at any RPM over my PC's other components.
Second, the 40mm Noctua's cooling performance is unmistakably superior. In my opinion, the Noctua's high pressure is the primary factor contributing to its cooling success. Before installing the 40mm Noctua I ran tests recording temperatures at various locations on the Z77 Sabertooth. After comparing results, only VCCIO/VCCSA temperatures benefited from using the "Center Board". No cooling effect from the rear I/0 fan could be detected when using the included 35mm fan from Asus. I decided to remove and not replace the center board fan because it only supports a 35mm fan size of which I could find no silent alternatives. After installing the 40mm Noctua behind the rear I/0, the VCORE(Back) temperatures dropped 7 to 10 degrees Celsius. Furthermore, the back panel of my computer case is now noticeably cooler to the touch when the CPU is pushed to full load.
In conclusion, the 40mm Noctua fan is a great investment for my particular setup. The NF-A4x10 provides improved cooling performance to the most thermally stressed area of my Z77 Sabertooth. Because the 40mm Noctua produces no detectable sound, it eliminates a major flaw in the original product sold by Asus.
BalasHapusThis fan has many good reviews and for good reason. I have a media centre that gets quite hot as I live and work in Africa most of the time. My worst enemy was the cpu fan that went nuts in the middle of a movie... it was quite annoying. This fan (kit) has all the parts to fit many applications and even a pigtail to modify your connection in case they forgot one. The install was a cinch and I had to shine a light in to make sure the fan was moving, it was so quiet. Even full tilt in video my cpu runs cooler and no noise. We have enough noise in our lives we don't need our homes to add any more... thanks guys for a great product.
BalasHapusThe Noctua NF-A4x10 FLX fan is certainly specialized but I bet if you look around you'll see they're more common than you think. The fan itself works very well and of course it's well made, as it is Noctua after all. What really sets this fan apart though, I think, is what's included with it, everything you need to replace that old or dying fan you might have. Noctua has included a kit that works very well and easily let's you use any type of connector you might come across with the fan.
BalasHapusIf you're looking for a high quality and quiet fan then check out these new specialized ones from Noctua. They also have them in 92mm and 60mm sizes, so one of them should fit your needs I'm sure.
Pros:
+Small and thin
+Quiet
+Includes adapters
+Lots of extras included
+Simple installation
+Inexpensive
Cons:
-None really
I replaced all my atom CPU fans. No more annoying rattle, and everything runs cool now. I like all the extra connectors that come in the package.
BalasHapusI just installed the fan, so I can't speak to long-term reliability or performance, but I have to say I'm pleased. Well, it's certainly a reputable brand, although it's my first Noctua, personally.
BalasHapusIt's very quiet. It moves about the amount of air you'd expect given its size and speed, but I did not find the need to use the enclosed fan speed reducer cable at all.
The reason to get this product is the accessories it comes with. Screws, rubber noise-isolating mounts, an extension cable, a 3 to 2 pin cable converter, a speed reducing cable (it just has a resistor), and a kit for splicing wires from nonstandard connectors onto a compatible one (for replacing fans in routers, etc.) are all included, and make this fan a better value proposition than the headline price suggests.
It's also... cute. The photo makes it look normal sized, but it's actually really small. It looks like a play-Noctua fan.
I'm using it on an Atom heatsink. The stock fan from Gigabyte was l-o-u-d. High frequency, too. So I installed this one, and put the fan speed reducer on my other system fan. Now my system is blissfully silent!
great fan quiet yet effective.
BalasHapusFirst time noctua user and i am sure i will be getting more of noctua fans.
Unbelievably quiet. Extremely well built. Ample spares and alternate hook - up options included. A really impressive little piece of engineering, certainly far superior to the failed OEM fan it replaced.
BalasHapusIt's quick, quiet, and has an awesome warranty. I've had many bad experiences with other brands... so far this is golden!
BalasHapus