When I reviewed Noctua NH-D15 G2 back in July, I dubbed its two NF-A14x25r G2 fans “the star of the show,” with a sound-conscious profile that doesn’t sacrifice performance. My only disappointment was that I couldn’t fill my case with them. After all, their rounded frames mean they simply don’t fit in standard slots without jerry-rigging your entire system.
Fortunately, my long wait has come to an end, as the company’s standalone 140mm fans are designed to deliver the same impeccable cooling as their cornerless cousins. Now, with a traditional squared-off build, NF-A14x25 G2 PWM brings the same aerodynamic innovations to a more friendly form factor.
| NF-A14x25 G2 PWM | NF-A14x25 G2 LS-PWM | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 140mm | 140mm |
| Thickness | 25mm | 25mm |
| Motor | 4-pin PWM | 4-pin PWM |
| Speed | 1,500rpm 1,250rpm (LNA) | 800rpm 600rpm (LNA) |
| Airflow | 155.6m³/h 127.1m³/h (LNA) | 86.1m³/h 67.5m³/h (LNA) |
| Static pressure | 2.56mm Hâ‚‚O 1.3mm Hâ‚‚O (LNA) | 0.71mm Hâ‚‚O 0.43mm Hâ‚‚O (LNA) |
| Noise level | 24.8dBA 19.7dBA (LNA) | 11.4dBA 8.6dBA (LNA) |
| Warranty | Six years | Six years |
| Price | £34 / $40 | £34 / $40 |
Most brands differentiate their fans depending on their purpose. High-pressure models end up on radiators because they’re better at pushing air through obstacles but not so good with large amounts of air at once. Meanwhile, airflow fans have the opposite problem, excelling at general cooling around your PC case but dead in their tracks when something’s in the way. This is why you see be quiet! Silent Wings come in standard and high-speed flavours.
By comparison, NF-A14x25 G2 PWM acts as the best of both worlds, pushing an impressive 2.56mm H20 of static pressure and 155.6m3/h of airflow. It’s the sum of all its parts, but you can largely thank its nine slim yet extra-thick blades, which Noctua has specially engineered for performance.
Each fin features a harsh curve with several angular protrusions to amp up the air pressure differential nearer the centre. They also sit extremely close to the frame, leaving minimal clearance to prevent leak flows, which is ideal for both heatsinks and AIO coolers. Grooves and gaps don’t necessarily make better fans, depending on your desires, but they’re a large contribution to the overall architecture.
Noctua understands that every little helps and remains determined to optimise every inch of its blowers. This includes SS02 bearings with magnetic stabilisation promising an extra-long life, reinforced corners to better brace the frame against warping, and carving channels in just about any place it could give an advantage.
Usually, you see anti-vibration pads relegated to each corner of the frame, but not here. Noctua pre-installs the outlet side with a full-body NA-AVG2-LR gasket, complete with relief rings at the point of connection. This won’t eliminate the gap between the fan and radiator, but it does help minimise it alongside any unwanted rumblings and shudders.
You won’t have any trouble reaching those pesky fan headers, as there are 30cm extension cables among the accessories. Add this to the built-in cable’s 20cm, and you get a full 50cm to reach just about anywhere in your case. Use the low-noise adaptor, and you’ll reduce the speed of your fans from 1,500rpm on the standard model to around 1,250rpm. Noctua even packs the same low-noise cable in the 800rpm G2 LS-PWM model, but this version doesn’t really need to be any slower than it already is.
Even at full pelt, the 1,500rpm version is extremely quiet, forgoing any buzz or clicks that often plague other 140mm models. This is particularly apparent on NF-A14x25 G2 PWM Sx2-PP, which is a push-pull set of two. Despite more or less being the same fans included in the regular kit, Noctua offsets the speed of each push-pull fan by 25rpm to prevent harmonic resonance. It’ll also stop completely if it registers a 0rpm signal, rather than being beholden to a minimum speed like most PWM fans.
Comparatively, sound profiles aren’t worlds apart from be quiet! Silent Wings 3, but Noctua NF-A14x25 G2 fares far better with temperatures. Pitting the two against each other on top of a Pure Loop 280 that’s cooling Intel Core i9-13900K, Noctua’s latest fans shave up to 5°C off while running Cinebench 2024 using a stable 153W. This gap could very well narrow compared to the more contemporary Silent Wings 4 Pro, but it goes to show just how much a generational leap can benefit.
It’s safe to say there currently aren’t many fans on the market that go toe to toe with Noctua NF-A14x25 G2, but you’ll pay a premium for the luxury at £34 / $40 apiece. Currently, these are only available in the company’s iconic beige and brown, which might throw an aesthetic spanner in the works for some of you. Rest assured that a chromax.black model is on the horizon, with the company aiming for early 2025.
