Noctua NF-A14 iPPC-2000 PWM, Heavy Duty Cooling Fan, 4-Pin, 2000 RPM (140mm, Black)

As the title suggests is this $30 fan worth your money? I've compiled some figures that I find interesting and hopefully they will help you in choosing. I purchased this fan to upgrade the NZXT FX-140 PWM fan that came with my Kraken X40 liquid cooler. It was between this fan and the Noctua NF-A14 Premium Quiet fan. I got the PPC version because of its superior static pressure and wider range of RPM, while hoping I can find the perfect balance between cooling performance and sound.Due to the design of my Ibuypower Revolt Mini ITX case there is no room for a case fan. My Kraken X40 Liquid Cooler and its single 140mm fan is the only thing I have extracting heat out of the case. So with that in mind I needed something that had very good static pressure and could hopefully be quieter than the stock fan my cooler comes with. Even the fan intake is obstructed by the CD/DVD Drive, making a high static pressure fan even more important. Based on the specifications the Noctua should easily out-perform with lower RPMs and more pressure.My method for testing might not be the most scientific but the results are repeatable and I'm confident in their figures. Your numbers may vary based on your own system, location, software and tools but my purpose is just to compare and demonstrate the various properties of this fan compared to the one it is replacing.Software for testing~ NZXT Kraken ControlI can manually control fan speeds using the NZXT software as well as monitor liquid temps. Fans will be running the stock 12 volts.~ Intel Extreme Tuning UtilityIntel Extreme Tuning Utility allows me to test the cooling performance gains if any. Each Stress test will run for 10 minutes, waiting until liquid temperatures settle back under 37c before testing again.~ Sound Meter via Smartphone AppThis is an application that turns your smartphone's microphone into a Decibel meter. The decibel reading won't be an exact representation of the fan dBA but it will give me something to compare the sound of the two fans I'm testing, while removing my own ears from trying to guess which one sounds quieter. The fan will be installed within the computer with the case closed. The computer is inside its own cabinet within an enclosed entertainment center (backing removed). The phone is about 6 inches away from the computer itself and not the fan.Noctua NF-A14 PWN fan500-2000 RPM4.18 mm-H2O31.5 dBA107.4 CFMNZXT FX-140 PWM fan800-2000 RPM0.8-2.2 mm-H2O21-37 dBA54.0 - 98.3 CFMThe NZXT FX-140 PWM Stress tests100% [*1950 RPM] fan speed keeps the liquid temperature at 41.8c Decibels: 64.550 % [*1350 RPM] fan speed keeps the liquid temperature at 44.3c Decibels: 53.525 % [*950 RPM] fan speed keeps the liquid temperature at 48.0c Decibels: 51.5* Fan speeds are +/- 30 RPM, observed with NZXT Kraken Control.The Noctua NF-A14 Industrial PPC Stress tests100% [*1800 RPM] fan speed keeps the liquid temperature at 39.8c Decibels: 56.050 % [*1075 RPM] fan speed keeps the liquid temperature at 43.0c Decibels: 50.525 % [*540 RPM] fan speed keeps the liquid temperature at 46.8c Decibels: 49.5* Fan speeds are +/- 30 RPM, observed with NZXT Kraken Control.ConclusionThe Noctua fan only has 7 blades with a gap large enough to fit a finger between them. This is by no means a quiet fan, anything over 50% fan speed is quite audible but its smooth operation makes the noise less annoying even at 100%. It's build quality holds up to its reputation and the results are in black and white. This is quite an expensive fan ($30) but for me it offers a lot of advantages over cheaper alternatives. For my purposes, and lucky to only need a single fan, I feel slightly ok with its price but of course wish they were a little less expensive. Open Hardware Monitor and Kraken Control both show the Noctua fan reaching maximum speeds of 1850 RPM, so within the +/- 10%. The fan simply outperforms the outgoing fan in every category offering lower temperatures, RPMS, and noise. The static pressure is definitely showing its worth and it's unfortunate to not know the minimum specs of this fan since Noctua doesn't advertise them. Still though even at 100% this fan is much quieter and because of its awesome cooling it won't need to stay at 100% for very long.So to answer the question... is it worth $30? That's for you to ultimately decide. I'm happy as I can now live in relative peace without the ramping up of a loud fan while also and getting cooler system temperatures. It didn't make as big of an impact on cooling as I would have liked, but that shows the radiator isn't that restrictive. I can also set my fan curve to be a little more aggressive without the obvious added noise. I think this may be the current king of 140mm SP fans, but not without a price.

Was 'pseudo' thermal throttling under full load on my 5950X with the stock Arctic Fans (280mm rad) - I say 'pseudo' because while I wasn't nearing the 90 C limit, my clocks were dropping drastically past 80 C. Now, they stay stable right at 79 C.I originally bought two Chromax fans to make the upgrade (1500 RPM), but ended up getting 4 used in a row...being sold as new through Amazon...be sure to check your stuff. It's clear in 2023, fraud is up, even though prices on things like these fans haven't changed in price.So watch out for that.Pros:- Great airflow, even at low RPM. Comparable in noise to the standard brown NF-A14 at lower speeds.- Noise generated is not fan motor noise, it's the noise of air whooshingCons:- The fan's cable is super long and management can be a pain. Noctua has it right with the NF-A14 Chromax - those fans have a stub where you can choose to attach your own extension, or plug directly into an AIO without lots of excess cable, all right at the fan. I wish this was the standard on all of their fans, not just the Chromax line.- Airflow is noisy at higher RPM's, similar to that of a slim/quiet bathroom exhaust fanOpinion:Anyhow, after I returned all four Chromax fans, I debated whether to jump for the 2000 or the 3000 iPPPC. I think the 3000 iPPPC would be the best fan to get if you don't mind the noise of a tiny jet engine; however, some people are saying to just adjust your fan curves to account for that noise; only let them hit 3000 RPM when absolutely necessary. While that may be an acceptable venture for some, I think the motor in the 3000 is still louder than the 2000 at the same RPM. Plus, you should consider the diminishing returns on that extra 1000 RPM: noise being the biggest one and power draw being the second. Sure, there is an additional 2.4 mm H2O gained from the 2000 to the 3000 iPPC.And sure, the 3000 is going to move more air; but I think at those numbers of airflow and pressure, the limit of cooling is the thermal capacity of the radiator and not necessarily how fast the radiator's fins can be cooled.I think if you're in the market for fans that 'get the job done' on an radiator (AIO or otherwise), you'd probably do best to get the fan that most closely scales to the size of the radiator. For example:Standard NF-A14 (1500 RPM) on a 420mm radiatorIndustrial NF-A14 iPPC (2000 RPM) on a 280mm radiatorIndustrial NF-A14 iPPC (3000) on a 140mm radiatorOn a 280mm radiator, the 2000 iPPC is just fine. I think even the Chromax or the standard NF-A14 would be fine, depending on your CPU. Of course, it's just an opinion.