Performance
The performance of the latest Noctua fans has been tested on two test rigs – AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, 16-core CPU with Arctic Freezer III 280 AIO cooler, and AMD Epyc 7532 2x 32-core CPUs with Noctua NH-U14S TR4-SP3 coolers. All tests were performed on the latest version of Windows 11 and Server 2025.
Since the idle temperature provides little information, we focused on the mixed-load and maximum load tests. A mixed load test includes a pretty long PCMark 10 Extended benchmark, while a max load CPU test includes CPU and FPU tests with AVX/AVX2 instructions, performed by the AIDA64 stability test.
All the fans in the comparison are new series. Models like Arctic P12 PWM can be found in the latest AIO coolers. Others, like Phanteks M25G2, are universal series for PC cases and coolers.
In our tests on the Ryzen 9 7950X CPU, the NF-A14x25 G2 fans perform between 2°C and 4°C better than other fans. At the same time, it spins slower, up to 1500RPM. Other brand fans have a speed of 1800-2000RPM. Noctua fans have up to 1500RPM.
The NF-A14x25 G2 not only delivers higher performance, but also generates less noise than other fan series. Measured from about 1m from an open case test rig, we could register about 2dB lower noise compared to the older Noctua NF-A14 fans, and even up to 5dB lower compared to the InWin Jupiter series.
Although the 2-4°C gain may seem minimal, it represents a significant difference that could prevent CPU thermal throttling and maintain the optimal range for frequency boost technology on the latest processor series, like the Ryzen 9 7950X.
In the second test, we focused on the difference between the NF-A15 fans from the last generation, which are pre-installed on coolers like the NH-U14S TR4-SP3, and the new NF-A14x25r G2 series.
The dual-CPU setup used for this test gives us additional data about the stacked noise coming from multiple fans. The difference is lower than expected. Two fans installed on the CPU coolers cause a higher noise level by only 1dB. At the same time, the test setup shows up to about 2.4°C lower CPU temperatures in the dual-fan configuration. Processors are 32-core each, making them pretty demanding, and we can see an average of higher gains than on popular desktop processors.
Below you can see all 64 cores running in a high-load test.
Below are additional photos that show how the fans are installed in the PC case. Even though the motherboard is designed for rack systems, we have no problems with the temperatures of the power section under high load.
The new fans are definitely the best you can buy in stores. They’re not cheap, but if you plan on building a PC and forget about the fans for long years, then Noctua is the answer. I won’t hide that we have reviewed and used Noctua fans for over ten years, and we haven’t had a single issue with them. The presented server was working for over a year with the previous generation of Noctua fans. Since the new generation was just released, we expect to keep them until the end of the life of the computer.
The gains from the new fan series are significant; however, they may not be worth it for users who already keep temperatures and noise at a low level. The upgrade can be worth the money for those who use standard series fans and especially those who run professional, extended tasks without breaks.
As usual with Noctua, not all users like the brownish colors. I like this unique color scheme, but it would be good to see black or even white options in the future.
