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Remember the phrase “start small”? Sometimes it works out that way – and that’s great. But sometimes things unfold differently, as they did for me: my first encounter with the almost mythologized Austrian brand Noctua happened not with an entry-level product, but with what is arguably their best offering to date. In this case, it’s the Noctua NF-A12x25 G2 PWM fans, along with the NF-A12x25 G2 LS PWM and NF-A12x25 G2 S2-PP PWM variants.
Read also: Reviews of cooling systems (coolers) for PCs
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Market position and price
However, to be clear, these fans are neither the most expensive nor the most affordable products in Noctua’s lineup.
At the time of writing, each individual fan was priced at roughly $34 on Amazon, or about $65 for a two-fan pack.
- Noctua NF-A12x25 G2 PWM (Amazon)
- Noctua NF-A12x25 G2 PWM Sx2-PP (Amazon)
- Noctua NF-A12x25 G2 LS-PWM (Amazon)
Importance
Why am I emphasizing where these fans stand in the lineup? Because fans are the alpha and omega of Noctua as a brand. They are among the most expensive non-RGB fans on the market, and among the most efficient when considering the balance between performance and noise.
They are also some of the most instantly recognizable fans on the market, largely due to their signature color scheme that loosely resembles wood tones. The resemblance is mostly in color rather than texture – the surface finish is closer to bakelite, and even then only in certain plastic elements.
What matters here is that fans are the foundation for many of the company’s other products, as well as those from its partners. Tower coolers? Their quiet, highly efficient performance is possible largely because of the fans. An entire line of accessories designed not only for PC use but also for household applications? Those exist because of the fan ecosystem as well.
Fans also form the basis for Noctua’s high-profile collaborations. Take the ASUS RTX 5080 Noctua Edition, which uses three NF-A12x25 G2 units, or the Seasonic PRIME TX-1600 Noctua Edition, which includes an NF-A12x25 – the previous generation version.
Meanwhile, the rest of the company’s products, from keyboards to hoodies, are tied together by the brand’s signature color palette.
Read also: Impressions of the Artline Gaming Desk PC 1200 Black: A Concentrated “Wow”
Package contents and specifications
At the same time, don’t be fooled. The fact that the Noctua NF-A12x25 G2 is essentially the cheapest product of the current generation (not counting accessories) does not limit its configuration in any way. The set comes in a separate box and includes:
- four mounting screws
- four NA-AV2 anti-vibration mounts
- an NA-RC7 noise-reduction adapter
- a Low-Noise Adapter (L.N.A.), also the NA-RC7 model
- an NA-YC1 PWM splitter
- a 30 cm NA-EC1 PWM extension cable
The fan’s dimensions are fully standard at 120 × 120 × 25 mm. It weighs 193 g, the cable length is 20 cm without the extension, the warranty period is six years, and the rated lifespan exceeds 150,000 hours. From here, the specifications get more interesting. The operating voltage is listed as 12 VDC, with a current draw of 0.15 A and a maximum power consumption of 1.8 W. These figures apply to both the NF-A12x25 G2 and the NF-A12x25 G2 LS models.
What sets them apart are the rotational speed and airflow characteristics. The NF-A12x25 G2 has a maximum speed of 1,800 RPM, an airflow of up to 107.3 m³/h, an air pressure of 3.14 mm H₂O, and a maximum noise level of 22.5 dBA.
When using the NA-AV2 noise-reduction adapter – a specialized PWM extension – the performance is reduced. The speed drops to 1,500 RPM, airflow to 87.2 m³/h, air pressure to 1.71 mm H₂O, and noise level to 18.1 dBA.
The Noctua NF-A12x25 G2 LS, with LS standing for Low Speed, operates at reduced speeds of 1,100 or 850 RPM, also using the NA-AV2 adapter. Its airflow reaches 66.3 or 45.2 m³/h, air pressure 1.08 or 0.56 mm H₂O, and noise levels are 11.8 or 7.8 dBA.
Benefits of the Noctua NF-A12x25
To put these numbers in context, typical background noise in an apartment is around 20–23 dBA.
Considering that these fans will operate inside a case, near components that already generate at least some noise, it raises the question of whether it’s practical to use an 8 dBA fan when an 18 dBA fan would be equally imperceptible. That said, some users might notice the difference, and Noctua’s reputation is built on quiet operation, so it makes sense to prioritize it.
From this point on, I will focus primarily on the Noctua NF-A12x25 G2. All models share the same SSO2 motors, a proprietary Noctua technology that combines a hydrodynamic bearing with magnetic stabilization. The frame uses the AAO (Advanced Acoustic Optimization) design, and with the NA-RC7 adapter, noise can be further reduced.
Could you build a PC equivalent to a passive system using only Noctua NF-A12x25 G2 fans? Not entirely. In terms of noise, yes, you could get close. But passive PCs aren’t just about silence – they also offer extreme reliability, low airflow requirements, no need for dust filters, and no maintenance or replacement of failed fans, whether after one year, six years, or even ten years.
Of course, the question arises: would a ten-year-old passive PC still perform its tasks as effectively as a newly built one, given the increasing resource demands of modern software? Not every thermal compound lasts a decade either – for that, you’d need either liquid metal or an industrial-grade thermal pad. That said, if maximum silence and long-term reliability aren’t priorities for your workstation, these considerations are largely irrelevant.
When it comes to whether the NF-A12x25 G2 is worth its price – or whether you should just go for the previous-gen G1 – here’s my take. I can’t say for sure, because I haven’t had a G1 for testing (this is, after all, my first Noctua ever). But based on other reviewers’ feedback, the NF-A12x25 G2 is often compared favorably not only to thick 30 mm fans but also to much cheaper alternatives.
Conclusions
Yes, there are some specific models on some markets that can be more effective at specific fan speeds. Yes, most 30-mm models are more powerful, and cheaper. And yes, this fan has no support of hard-linked daisy-chaining and/or RGB lighting, like I’ve reviewed recently.
But the fact is – Noctua NF-A12x25 G2 excels in being the most efficient, the most silence-optimised, the most reliable and battle-tested product on the fan market today. So yea, if you valut balance between silence, productivity and reliability, then Noctua NF-A12x25 G2, Noctua NF-A12x25 G2 LS і Noctua NF-A12x25 G2 S2-PP PWM – are just for you.
Read also:
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Where to buy Noctua NF-A12x25