Viewing page 5 of 7 pages.
Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Next
TEST RESULTS
1) Stock Fan
The fan included with the NH-C12P is the NF-P12. To maximize pressure,
the nine fan blades have less curvature than typical fans and there is very
little separation between them. This results in more noise, so Noctua
implements "vortex-control notches" designed to reduce turbulence and spread the noise generated
over a wider frequency range, making for a more pleasant sounding fan. A summary
of their claims can be read here.
| Brand |
Noctua |
Power Rating |
0.09A |
| Model Number |
NF-P12
|
Airflow Rating |
92,3 m³/h |
| Bearing Type |
SSO (Sleeve variant)
|
RPM Rating |
1300 |
| Hub Size |
1.61" |
Noise Rating |
19.8 dBA |
| Frame Size |
120 x 120 x 25 mm |
Header Type |
3-pin |
| Weight |
170g |
Starting Voltage |
4.8V |
|
Noctua NF-P12 Measured Data
|
|
Voltage
|
Noise
|
RPM
|
|
12V
|
32-33 dBA@1m
|
1330 RPM
|
|
9V
|
22 dBA@1m
|
1060 RPM
|
|
7V
|
16 dBA@1m
|
840 RPM
|
|
5V
|
<15 dBA@1m
|
600 RPM
|
Fan @ 12V: The fan was fairly loud at 32-33 dBA@1m. It also throbbed with resonant
beats. Analysis of the acoustic profile revealed a tonal peak centered at 380Hz. The
throbbing, while less aggressive sounding than the normal buzz and whine common
to high speed fans, can be just as irritating.
Fan @ 9V: The fan became much quieter, registering only 22 dBA@1m. However, it
generated an unusual sound effect — that of an aircraft flying overhead. We
interrupted testing twice, believing that a plane was in the vicinity, but
it turned out to be the fan itself. We never thought a fan would be capable
of producing such a noise, but apparently it hit just the right frequency
and tone to create the effect. Spectrum analysis showed tonality around
360Hz with multiple harmonic overtones at lower amplitudes.
Fan @ 7V: The fan was almost silent and very smooth. Close-up it was still
audible, and the same airplane-type noise persisted though to a lesser degree.
Fan @ 5V: The fan was effectively silent.
|
Low-Noise-Adaptor on top, Ultra-Low-Noise-Adaptor on the bottom. Each appears to have an in-line zener diode to drop the voltage to the fan to about 9V and 7V.
|
2) Cooling Results
The NH-C12P showed itself to be an exceptional performer with
the stock Noctua NF-P12 fan. While unpleasantly loud at 12V, setting the fan
to 9V provided almost equal performance but with less than half the subjective noise. At
either voltage the thermal rise was well below 20°C, which is superb. 7V is probably the best trade-off between noise and performance.
At 16 dBA it is unlikely to be audible in most environments, and the 20°C temperature rise is excellent. Going to 5V provided very little acoustic benefit
and resulted in an additional 5°C increase in temperature.
|
Noctua NH-C12P w/ stock fan
|
|
Fan Voltage
|
Noise @1m
|
Temp
|
°C Rise
|
°C/W
|
|
12V
|
32-33 dBA
|
37°C
|
16
|
0.21
|
|
9V
|
22 dBA
|
38°C
|
17
|
0.22
|
|
7V
|
16 dBA
|
41°C
|
20
|
0.26
|
|
5V
|
<15 dBA
|
46°C
|
25
|
0.32
|
Load Temp: CPUBurn for ~10 mins.
°C Rise: Temperature rise above ambient (21°C) at load.
°C/W: based on the amount of heat dissipated by the CPU (measured
78W); lower is better. |
| Help support this site, buy the Noctua NH-C12P CPU Cooler from one of our affiliate retailers! |
|
