Noctua NF-A15 PWM Fan - 140mm

Best Feature:Best quality pc fan out thereProduct Quality:premium quality and authenticPerformance:lowered my temp up to 5percentReplace my old but working fan and is working smooth as always

BE AWARE THESE ARE FOR CPU COOLERS

Don't do what I did and think these were just regular case fans. While these are great fans and can be used as case fans these are mainly to be used for CPU coolers that use a fan of your choice. These fans are weird and mount in 120mm spaces. I regret not buying the NF-P14 FLX to put in my 140mm spaces. I had no idea that this could even be an issue. It was entirely my fault but please be aware when buying these fans. If you want 120mm get the NF-P12. If you want 140mm, get the NF-P14. If you want a CPU cooler that has 120mm mounts and you want a bigger fan, get this.

Good fan; not the same fan as that included with Noctua coolers

Be aware that this fan, the Noctua NF-A15 PWM, is not the same as the Noctua NF-A15 PWM included with Noctua coolers. This fan (called the retail version by Noctua) runs at 1200 RPM and is *slower* than the Noctua NF-A15 PWM included with coolers, which run at 1500 RPM. I have verified this with Noctua, who suggested I use a black chromax.swap fan, which doesn't match the color of the included version on my cooler. Having the same model number is a bit misleading.

If you have room around 120mm mounts--THIS

To round out the review, I wanted to highlight the final comparison with the NF-P14 FLX . Where did I end up putting it? On the Hyper 212 Evo CPU cooler. That's really where it made the most sense. This simple upgrade was worth some noticeable change for the better in CPU temps, though I hate to be specific because there were other variables involved. Just looking at the setup it is obvious that placing the P-type (pressure) 140mm fan which has normal 120mm mounts and a completely round shape on the CPU cooler instead of the bulky square-shaped 120mm fan supplied with the Hyper 212 Evo will be much more effective. Not only does it seem like the CPU is happier, but the fan actually seems both to promote better general air circulation in that region of the case (you ... MoreTo round out the review, I wanted to highlight the final comparison with the NF-P14 FLX . Where did I end up putting it? On the Hyper 212 Evo CPU cooler. That's really where it made the most sense. This simple upgrade was worth some noticeable change for the better in CPU temps, though I hate to be specific because there were other variables involved. Just looking at the setup it is obvious that placing the P-type (pressure) 140mm fan which has normal 120mm mounts and a completely round shape on the CPU cooler instead of the bulky square-shaped 120mm fan supplied with the Hyper 212 Evo will be much more effective. Not only does it seem like the CPU is happier, but the fan actually seems both to promote better general air circulation in that region of the case (you can actually FEEL it pumping air all around it) AS well AS make the atrocious Cooler Master EVO heatsink a bit more interesting to look at. It kind of swallows one side of the block, so I think a second would almost hide the thing and make it look like a fan sandwich. I'm so going to do that. Anyway, as I stated earlier, both this NF-A15 PWM and the NF-P14 FLX (which isn't PWM but quiet at full speed so who cares) are fantastic, but very different and for different applications.

May be too big as a 2nd fan for the NH0D15S CPU cooler

A 2nd fan for the NH-D15S CPU cooler may not be required but I went ahead and installed one while I had everything apart. The goal is to increase airflow so the fans all operate at slower (and quieter) speeds. I bought this after pcpartpicker.com said it would fit in my system, but it didn't. The 140mm fan has to sit "high" in order to not hit the memory modules, but then the side panel of the case wouldn't go on. A 120mm fan fits fine. So, please BEWARE! Mobo: ASRock Z270 Extreme 4 Case: Be Quiet Silent 600 Memory: G.SKILL TridentZ Series 16GB

NF-A15 Exceptional Quality

The anti-vibration pads on this fan may interfere in certain tight places for your application. When it comes to Noctua products, I know from experience that I will not have problems with their design or function. Failures are rare. I have 4 Noctua fans that have been running for 8 years, 24/7. No failures. If you're looking for a 140mm fan, I can highly recommend this one. If you want more air flow, consider the NF-A14.

No longer beige.

Pro's: Great fan. Very silent. Solid construction. Finally in a different colour palette to their traditional brown and beige.Con's: You receive every single colour for the mounts and grips. Once you elected your colour of choice, you're left with a lot of surplus fittings you may never end up using.

Noctua Cools the World

This fan is 1200 RPM. On a related note, the NF-A15's included with the Noctua NH-D15 CPU Heatsink are 1500 RPMs. There's a more detailed explanation on Noctua's website, they claim the NH-D15 needs higher RPM for CPU cooling. As far as I can tell, it's impossible to buy the 1500 RPM NF-A15 model, which is somewhat disappointing. This isn't a PRO or CON but something some people should be aware of. I don't really understand the practical purpose of the square-shaped anti-vibration mounts on the side. I suppose in some situations you might want to orient your fan that way and it will reduce noise and/or make the mount itself more secure. Either way, I own three of these fans and I'm still not fully certain how useful they are. That aside, Noctua is truly the premium ... MoreThis fan is 1200 RPM. On a related note, the NF-A15's included with the Noctua NH-D15 CPU Heatsink are 1500 RPMs. There's a more detailed explanation on Noctua's website, they claim the NH-D15 needs higher RPM for CPU cooling. As far as I can tell, it's impossible to buy the 1500 RPM NF-A15 model, which is somewhat disappointing. This isn't a PRO or CON but something some people should be aware of. I don't really understand the practical purpose of the square-shaped anti-vibration mounts on the side. I suppose in some situations you might want to orient your fan that way and it will reduce noise and/or make the mount itself more secure. Either way, I own three of these fans and I'm still not fully certain how useful they are. That aside, Noctua is truly the premium of premium when it comes to fans and coolers. You will not be disappointed with ANY Noctua products you get your hands on. Been a happy customer of theirs since 2006, now owning 6 Noctua fans in total.

The Best

I originally order the Noctua NH-U14S TR4-SP3, Premium CPU cooler for AMD TR4/SP3 & wanted a 2nd fan for push/pull operation. This was going to be my standby cooling system for the sTR4 I have but it does such a good job as is I use it full time on one of 5 machines. The 2nd fan I ordered was in another order which I determined I did not need and got a return RMA from Newegg. I did not open the PKG the day it arrived because I returned as is in same shipping and packing so the fan went back. Newegg saw my mistake and notified me they would credit my acct and I could just order another, which I did. Newegg is good with these kind of things.