Noctua aims at establishing a new level of quality and performance "Designed in Austria" through paying attention to the users' needs in a market burdened with all kinds of frills and furbelows and providing sound-optimised premium components, which serve their purpose in a smart, precise and reliable manner.

What does Noctua mean?

The little owl, Athene noctua, is the symbol of the Greek goddess Athene, who represents wisdom, science and strategy. She has a marked preference for the most clever among the Greek heroes, like Odysseus, who endure their adventures by the use of savvy consideration instead of mere force. Until today, the owl symbolises intelligence and prudence, its manlike face emblematises attentiveness and communication. We from Noctua follow the suit of its calm and accurate observation in the dark, its soundless flight as well as the effective, economical use of its powers and precise attack.

Noctua have a justified reputation of silent, yet powerful cooling. Partnering with the Austrian Institute of Heat Transmission and Fan Technology(!) allows some serious science behind their products, and as seen in the performance of their NT-H1 thermal paste and NH-U12P cooler we reviewed recently it seems to work.

Today we will be looking at a couple of Noctua’s fan offerings. The NF-P12 (that was included with the NH-U12P heatsink) and their smaller NF-B9 92mm fan.

Noctua has this to say about their fans:

“The NF-P12 has been specifically developed for applications such as CPU coolers that demand superior pressure and airflow performance. Thanks to psychoacoustic optimizations like the Vortex-Control Notches, the new SCD drive system and Noctua's premium-grade SSO-Bearing, the NF-P12 achieves exceptional quietness and long-term stability.”

“The NF-B9's highly-optimised blade design achieves an exceptional level of airflow and static pressure that most other fans can only reach at much higher speeds. Bevelled blade tips, Vortex-Control Notches as well as Noctua's SCD drive system and premium-grade SSO-Bearing ensure outstanding quietness and long-term stability.”

So now that the fans have been introduced, let’s get on to business.

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