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Then it’s very strange. We use spectrograms instead of sound recordings for sound analysis precisely because we do not want a dispute to arise at the level of subjective perception of individual frequencies. Everyone sees their intensity in spectrograms in the same way and the results of NF-A12x25 PWM clearly show that there is practically no noise that can be perceived by a person when using PWM control. Or if you can hear some sound in the frequency band we are talking about, you should also hear it with Silent Wings 3. As always when we have to test fans, we do it “in the air”, that is, without installing them in a box, radiator or heatsink, so that we can see their behavior without other external restrictions that have nothing to do with the fan itself. In addition, by doing it this way, we can compare its operation with that of other fans that have passed through our laboratory. Let’s start by measuring the loudness, the aspect that can worry us the most in a fan as fast as this one. To measure the noise it emits, we have used a Protmex PPM-SM001 sound level meter at an exact distance of 50 centimeters, since by doing it this way the data we obtain is measured in dBA. As always, we have made two measurements: one letting the fan work by PWM, and another forcing it to work at maximum speed with a rehobús. This is the result.
These fans are using Fluid Dynamic Bearings. ARCTIC has mentioned that they have used a combination of alloy/lubricant developed in Germany to reduce the friction within the bearing. This in turn would generate less heat and improves efficiency. This will increase the service life of the fans. These new Arctic P12 Max are further proof of the good work done by the Arctic engineering and R&D department, since they have managed to create a fan that, despite being the fastest in its catalog with 3,300 RPM, does not it is excessively noisy and in return offers performance beyond any doubt. In addition, with the simplicity that has always characterized this manufacturer, we do not have RGB or extra flourishes beyond what most users really want and need, something that also helps to offer these P12 Max at a very competitive price: €12.99 per unit. The design of the frame of the P12 is very simple and differs from the others only by the shaped protrusions in the corners where you would expect anti-vibration pads. Arctic doesn’t supply these with this fan, although they would be useful. But again, considering the price, this is something we can’t fault this fan for. In short, a necessary compromise. We are not recording the noise output due to certain uncontrollable environment noise. Based on our actual hearing which is subjective, these fans don’t make a loud noise at full speed. Conclusion ARCTIC has provided long and short screws which would help the user in convenient installation in the case or on the radiator as the case may be. TestingThere are a lot of droning or downright rumbling fans out there, but none have been as popularized by this sound profile as the Arctic P12. Probably also because this acoustic deficiency is really pronounced here and has pushed the manufacturer to make design changes in newer models that are aimed at suppressing critical tonal peaks. But even so, the base model P12 PWM PST is a remarkable fan and is unbeatable in its price range. Now coming to the next round of testing, since P12 PWM fans were operated at 43 dB(A), we normalized the P12 MAX fans to operate at 43 dB(A). The ARCTIC P12 MAX fans reached this sound level at roughly 50% PWM duty cycle. When the test was repeated, we found both fans giving the same thermal performance. This shows the thermal headroom that P12 MAX have even when operating at half of their rated speed. And an additional detail: the fan blades are linked together, with the aim of generating less turbulence and less noise; we could say that this fan is more of a turbine due to this design. In addition, it should be noted that since the motor has a double ball bearing, the plastic piece that makes up the blades does not move at all on the vertical axis, something that will also help reduce noise. ARCTIC has mentioned that their newly developed fan motor has a low noise output even at full speed. It is also mentioned that there is no startup jerk and that this motor produces less commutation vibration. This is why there are no anti-vibration pads on the mounting corners. ARCTIC P12 SLIM PWM Cable
The signal quality of the motherboard/hub should not make a difference in noise, it is determined by the NE-FD1 IC inside the fan. Noctua often has complaints about the PWM signal quality of third party devices and states that it can be misinterpreted at lower speeds. But this is not the case with Noctua fans and it should not affect the noise level anyway, as long as the fan is running stable at the given speed. The misinterpretation of PWM that Noctua mentions is that the fan operation may not correspond to the set PWM duty cycle ( we have discussed this in more detail in this article, where we also discuss the key features of the new Noctua NA-FH1 hub). ARCTIC has employed Dynamic Fluid Bearings and their newly designed fan motor which is mentioned to be producing less computational vibration. This is why there is no anti-vibration pad on any mounting corner as the motor does not produce any jerk as well. It is also mentioned that the motor produces less heat which enhances the life of the fan.There are two small arrows on one side of the frame. These provide a visual clue to the users in determining the direction of airflow through the fans and the direction in which blades will spin. So I must admit that I missed that there are also different revisions of the P12 PWM PST. In this case, ours, tested, will be the rev. 1. – 0.08 A and without the revision specified next to the EAN code. That’s how Artcic usually does it when it’s the first revision…
Eight times more intensity than 70 dBA. Maintaining this level for 8 hours causes damage to the eardrums. Please note that not every run of the stress test may yield the same result. This could well be due to many factors like mounting pressure, thermal paste application and varying ambient temperature. Not to mention the silicon differences even among the same category of chips. Hence, it is pertinent to mention the testing methodology along with the specifics.These fans feature 0dB mode as these would stop spinning at or below 5% PWM cycle. Please note that you would need a supporting motherboard and would also need to enable the Auto Stop or what settings your motherboard’s UEFI BIOS provides. This would come in handy when the system is idling or at no load. However, these fans don’t have ARCTIC PST technology. Simply put you can’t daisy-chain these fans. This is what PST is all about – a fancy name. These fans are powered by a 4-pin PWM connector cable. These cables are flat in design.
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