Frequently Asked Questions about Noctua Case Fans
When building or upgrading a computer, selecting the right computer case fan for your PC can help to keep the system cool. Noctua is an Austrian based hardware manufacturer that produces CPU coolers and case fans for computers. When selecting a Noctua cooling fan for your computer, you can choose from a variety of models and features.
What types of case fans can you choose from?- Airflow fan: This type of cooling fan is designed to spread air evenly throughout the case and is used for general cooling in the case.
- Static pressure fan: This type will focus the airflow in a single direction. Static Pressure PWM fans are used for cooling a specific component.
This feature is available on several of the Noctua case cooling fans. PMW control allows your computer to control the speed of the fan. Software monitors the temperature of your CPU and other components inside of the case. During times where thereu001as a low load on the system, the cooling fans can be slowed down or stopped instead of running at full speed all of the time.
How do you choose a Noctua computer case fan?Before selecting a computer case fan, you will want to review your motherboard and case to see what types of fans will fit and how many. Motherboards will have either 3-pin, 4-pin, or both for power connections. 120mm sized fans are a standard size, and Noctua offers a variety of bearing types that affect the performance of the fans. Once youu001ave decided on a fan, you can select from different features such as LED lighting and other features that can enhance your fan usage.
What is the difference between the bearings used in case fans?- SSO: This type stands for self-stabilizing oil-pressure bearings use magnets to stabilize the rotor axis of the fan blades. These magnets allow the fan to stay centered, and this style uses hydrodynamic pressure in its design.
- Rifle: This type has grooves along the exterior of the bearing that allows it to hold additional lubricant for the fan.
- Ball: These can come in single and double ball bearing assemblies that can be installed either horizontally or vertically in your computer case.
- Airflow: This will determine how much air can be moved around the case. This factor will be measured in CFM, cubic feet per minute. A 120mm fan will generally have around 70 CFM or more.
- Rotation rate: This component will be measured in RPM (revolutions per minute). 120mm fans will have an average RPM of 2000. Heavy duty fans may have higher speeds of up to 3000 RPM.
- Noise: The noise level will be based on the speed of the fan. At 2000 RPM, a 120mm fan will have a noise level of 40 decibels. Some features such as PWM control can adjust the noise level based on the workload needs at the time.