So fans....

[Tuloth]

I've been planning an air cooled rebuild of my current rig (with terrible air flow) and have decided on getting a Define S case but I would need more than just the 2 fans it came with. Been looking around at various fans and the choice seems clear to Noctua.  I'm not getting a windowed case, and with air flow and sound being my main concerns rather than looks, it seems no one comes close to Noctua.  This leaves me only the choice of WHAT noctua.  I know Linus loves the NF-F12, but since the case can handle 140s in every mounting position it seems to make more sense to get the larger fans.  

 

I was mainly looking at the:

 

NF-P14S

vs

NF-A14 PWM

 

my main concern is... I don't really know what the difference is.  Obviously the P14S has a less abhorrent coloration, but without a window that's not terribly important. 

[SkywardKkalox]

I'd go with the PWM model since you can change the RPM on which the fan spins

[C0LL0SS0S]

Why not the new venturi fans from Fractal Design ?

[Guest]

I believe the P14S is for pressure (rads and stuff) and the A14 for airflow

[Fictionvl]

Fractal Design just released Venturi fans

[Tuloth]

I watched Jays video on the Venturi fans, but are they better than the Noctuas?  They definitely look better but I assumed Noctuas were still king of performance. 

 

also just to clear this up, the P14S is also PWM, it's just not part of the title.  It is the redux version, they all have P in the name, and all of the original 140s have A in the name.

[SuperShires]

I watched Jays video on the Venturi fans, but are they better than the Noctuas?  They definitely look better but I assumed Noctuas were still king of performance. 

 

also just to clear this up, the P14S is also PWM, it's just not part of the title.  It is the redux version, they all have P in the name, and all of the original 140s have A in the name.

Im also interested if the Venturi fans hold their own against the Noctuas, I shall be lurking in this thread

[Tuloth]

bump?

[stconquest]

bump?

 

If you are okay with spending a shit ton on fans, go ahead with the Noctua's.  If you have a fan controller, 3 or 4 pin does not matter.  If they are for radiators, prioritize static pressure. 

 

I am not okay with $20+ dollar fans.  Each of my PCs has a fan controller.  The only fan I select particularly for static pressure is the CPU heat sink.  Even that I cheaped out on.  Instead of buying a Noctua I spent $12 for a Lepa Vortex.

 

My case fans are 140mm Bitfenix Spectres... not because they are great, but because I got them for $7 CDN each.  They are okay, they move air. 

[Majestic]

If you are okay with spending a shit ton on fans, go ahead with the Noctua's.  If you have a fan controller, 3 or 4 pin does not matter.  If they are for radiators, prioritize static pressure

 

Except you don't need a fan controller for noctua fans. They're 0.96W / 0.08A per fan. A fan header can handle up to 1A on new motherboards. That's 12 fans you can hook up, PER fan header.

 

And you get tons of stuff in the package to split that many fans off of a single header. I guess you get what you pay for.

[stconquest]

Except you don't need a fan controller for noctua fans. They're 0.96W / 0.08A per fan. A fan header can handle up to 1A on new motherboards. That's 12 fans you can hook up, PER fan header.

 

And you get tons of stuff in the package to split that many fans off of a single header. I guess you get what you pay for.

 

Oh, I get it.  That is why they are expensive.  They are very good fans for what they do.  It is not the only option though.  I have 7 case fans and one on the CPU cooler.  That would be over $100 in Noctuas... I personally can't justify it.

[Majestic]

Oh, I get it.  That is why they are expensive.  They are very good fans for what they do.  It is not the only option though.  I have 7 case fans and one on the CPU cooler.  That would be over $100 in Noctuas... I personally can't justify it.

 

Yes, they are expensive if you're replacing all fans. Granted, you'll not be needing to replace them for years to come.

 

Regarding the Fractal Venturi's. Their specs aren't really inspiring. 0.2 amp req. for 1400rpm, which is not very efficient. 1.21mm/h20 static pressure at 1400rpm, (noctua nf-f12's have 2.8). They have FDB bearings though (MTBF is 150.000hrs, you can guarantee they're genuine FDB bearings), so there's that.

 

It depends on how they're priced to judge whether they're worth it. And what is in the package.

 

EDIT;Ok so they retail about the same as the NF-F12's in the netherlands (2 euro's cheaper).

 

Package contents;

• Venturi Series fan
• Screw pack with 4 metal screws
• [HF models] Low speed adapter
• [HP models] 1->2 PWM signal splitter cable

That's...ok-ish. No rubber mounts though, and no sleeved cables or extension cable. I think noctua still has the best value, judging by these criteria's.

[FunkyFeatures]

Majestic, where do you get those specs? The website says the HP-14 does 1.94.

 

Also, my opinion:

I have NF-F12s, NF-A14s and a single venturi HF-14. The Noctuas perform well, but are quite loud. They are sorta tolerable at 500RPM, but anything higher is audible. The Venturi fan however remains nice and quiet till the 1000RPM mark, but I prefer having it at 800.

Also about rubber mounts. An FDB wont make alot of vibration, at the same time the corners of the fan are FULL rubber, don't see the issue there.