Noctua NF-F12 PWM chromax.black.swap Fans Review: Cooling In Style

Today we are reviewing the Noctua NF-F12 PWM Chromax.black.swap 120mm fans. Noctua has been the go-to brand for PC enthusiasts when looking for high performance cooling and fans. However, one request from system builders over the years has been to add different color schemes to their renowned fans. Their Chromax range fulfills that request and more by introducing arguably some of the best-looking minimalistic fans with customizable accent colors in the form of anti-vibration pads.

Unboxing & Review

The Chromax range are compatible out of the box and made to work with nearly every Noctua cooler. Box contends include colored cables, heatsink covers and anti-vibration pads. Chromax fans make it easier to color-coordinate cooling solutions with other build components such as, ram, custom sleeved cables and water-cooling coolant color.

The NF-F12 PWM Chromax.black.swap 120mm fans are identical to the standard “beige and brown” fans in all technical aspects. They both feature an SSO2 bearing, fiber glass reinforced PBT frame, 6-year warranty, max of 1,500rpm (min 300rpm), static pressure of 2.61 mm H₂O, airflow of 93.4 m³/h and acoustical noise of 22.4 dB(A).

For planning to water cool their build, these make excellent static pressure radiator fans and are featured and used in our upcoming water cooled 9900K/2080 Ti Antec Torque build.

The only difference between their non- Chromax variants are the included accessories. The Chromax fans include swappable colored anti-vibration mounts and an extension cable. The colored anti-vibration pads work extremely well at absorbing vibration and noise emanating from the fan during load.

Noctua’s understanding of the importance of noise, vibration and their impact on performance is yet another reason why they should be considered first when shopping for fans for your next build. Simply put, they know their stuff; as with all our experiences with Noctua products, we’ve been thoroughly impressed with the quality, performance and experience with the NF-F12 PWM Chromax.black.swap 120mm.

Conclusion

Overall, we are extremely happy with the NF-F12 PWM Chromax.black.swap fans. They offer extreme performance, especially for radiator-based cooling due to their high static pressure. They are also extremely quiet, making minimal noise until they are close to their upper RPM limit.

We see the Chromax range as a major step in an exciting direction for a proven company like Noctua. Now let’s convince them to make some RGB fans, to please the remaining system builders out there!