Viewing page 6 of 7 pages.
Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Next
FAN COMPARISON
We decided to pit
the NF-P12 fan against our reference Nexus fan and a Scythe Slip Stream
(800 RPM model). Whether it was at 12V, 9V, 7V, or 5V, the NF-P12 performed
within one degree of the Nexus fan. One degree is not enough to conclusive
say either fan is the winner; however, at 12V the Noctua fan was more than twice as loud as the Nexus. It was still louder at 9V, though the difference had shrunk to just 4 dBA.
The Scythe Slip Stream's performance was similar, though it managed
to cooling slightly bettern than the other fans when they were all set to the same 16 dBA@1m noise level.
|
Fan Performance: NF-P12 vs. Nexus vs.
Scythe Slip Stream (L)
|
|
NF-P12
|
Nexus
|
Slip Stream (L)
|
|
SPL@1m
|
°C Rise
|
SPL@1m
|
°C Rise
|
SPL@1m
|
°C Rise
|
|
32-33 dBA
|
16
|
21 dBA
|
16
|
N/A
|
|
22 dBA
|
17
|
18 dBA
|
18
|
16 dBA
|
19
|
|
16 dBA
|
20
|
16 dBA
|
21
|
15 dBA
|
21
|
|
<15 dBA
|
25
|
<15 dBA
|
26
|
<15 dBA
|
24
|
|
Note: Slip Stream tested at 12V,
9V and 7V only.
|
These results suggest that....
- The NH-C12P heatsink does not benefit from airflow any greater than that provided by the Nexus 120 at 12V.
- The NF-P12 provides unnecessarily high airflow at 12V.
- The NH-C12P heatsink is optimized for good performance with low airflow.
Hence, a much quieter stock fan could have been used. It's possible that a much hotter CPU or otherwise more extreme thermal conditions could bring out the advantage of the expensive, high pressure NF-P12 fan.
HEATSINK COMPARISONS
Compared to other top-down coolers, the NH-C12P takes the crown
from the Scythe Andy,
beating it at all fan speeds except 12V by a small margin. It also easily outclasses
the more cumbersome Scythe
Zipang.
|
Comparison: NH-C12P vs. Top-Downers
|
|
Scythe Zipang
|
Scythe Andy
|
Noctua NH-C12P
|
|
SPL@1m
|
°C Rise
|
SPL@1m
|
°C Rise
|
SPL@1m
|
°C Rise
|
|
23 dBA
|
18
|
21 dBA
|
16
|
21 dBA
|
16
|
|
18 dBA
|
20
|
18 dBA
|
20
|
18 dBA
|
18
|
|
16 dBA
|
25
|
16 dBA
|
23
|
16 dBA
|
21
|
|
<15 dBA
|
37
|
<15 dBA
|
29
|
<15 dBA
|
26
|
|
Note: Data for Andy and NH-C12P is
with a Nexus 120 fan; the Zipang was tested with its own 14cm fan.
|
|
Comparison: NH-C12P vs. Tower Heatsinks
|
|
Fan Voltage
|
Noise @1m
|
°C Rise
|
|
Xigmatek HDT-S1283
|
Ninja Copper
|
Noctua
NH-C12P
|
|
12V
|
21 dBA
|
13
|
17
|
16
|
|
9V
|
18 dBA
|
15
|
18
|
18
|
|
7V
|
16 dBA
|
18
|
20
|
21
|
|
5V
|
<15 dBA
|
22
|
23
|
26
|
|
The Nexus 120 fan was used for all the heatsinks.
|
Compared to the top tower heatsinks we've tested, the NH-C12P is about on
par with the Scythe Ninja
Copper, and not too far from the the Xigmatek
HDT-S1283. It is the first down-blowing CPU cooler to compare well against best tower coolers.
| Help support this site, buy the Noctua NH-C12P CPU Cooler from one of our affiliate retailers! |
|
