Noctua fans odd humming noise at 1000 rpm+

CAC1291 · May 24, 2015

I bought a couple Noctua NF-F12s earlier this week to replace the standard corsair fans that come with my H100i. at the same speeds I had the corsair fans at, they did a better job cooling. I lowered the custom curve to 900 RPM until the CPU hits 50C, then ramping up to 1250 RPM.

The first day I didn't notice any odd noises, but since then, whenever gaming, I've heard a high-pitched... humming? Whenever the NF-F12s really spin up. It's quite annoying. At first I thought I might have installed them oddly, thinking the noise was coming from vibrations, but even after taking them off the radiator and screwing them back on, I have the same issue. I'm guessing that means they're just actually loud at that RPM.

Is this normal? Or am I expecting too much from these fans?

If so, I need fans that can run at roughly 1200-1300 RPM (or else the cooling gains from installing new fans are erased) while not making a tremendous amount of noise. Any good suggestions? I've heard silverstone and Be quiet! make good silent fans, but don't know which models to buy.

Thanks in advance for suggestions!

Ahsan041 · May 24, 2015

Are you using the rubber screws?

Deli · May 24, 2015

You can't expect complete silence when the fan hits 1250rpm. I also recently going from Corsair SP120 to NF-F12. What I notice is Noctua fan produces a lower pitch than Corsair fan, while gives better cooling(2*C) at the same speed and noise level, in my case. I run them 850rpm at idle and reach 1250rpm max under load, similar to your setting.

For me the Noctua fan's sound profile is less annoying, although I won't call them more quiet compares to Corsair at the rpm range I use.

CAC1291 · May 25, 2015

Are you using the rubber screws?

No, actually. I don't think they'll fit into the holes for the radiator, but I'll give that a try when I open the case tomorrow to install a new video card.

You can't expect complete silence when the fan hits 1250rpm. I also recently going from Corsair SP120 to NF-F12. What I notice is Noctua fan produces a lower pitch than Corsair fan, while gives better cooling(2*C) at the same speed and noise level, in my case. I run them 850rpm at idle and reach 1250rpm max under load, similar to your setting.

For me the Noctua fan's sound profile is less annoying, although I won't call them more quiet compares to Corsair at the rpm range I use.

The thing is I hear that buzzing even when they're down to 1000 rpm, like right now, when all I've got open is Chrome.

Deli · May 25, 2015

The thing is I hear that buzzing even when they're down to 1000 rpm, like right now, when all I've got open is Chrome.

It could be you get a fan with bad motor. Mine are really quiet at 850-900rpm. Can't hear any noise even at midnight(so quiet I can hear my own breathing).

WoodenMarker · May 25, 2015

The thing is I hear that buzzing even when they're down to 1000 rpm, like right now, when all I've got open is Chrome.

Are you sure it's the NF-F12's?

Also, NF-F12's aren't quiet at higher rpm's. The point of getting Noctuas is that they have a pleasant sound signature and still perform well at low rpm's. I don't see the need for running them at such high speeds unless your temps are too high.