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Arctic P12 PWM PST vs Noctua NF-A14 PWM: Comparison

Arctic P12 PWM PST and Noctua NF-A14 PWM separate most on airflow: Arctic P12 PWM PST at 56.3 CFM, Noctua NF-A14 PWM at 82.52 CFM, 32% in favour of Noctua NF-A14 PWM. Max Speed splits them by another 17%, this time favouring Arctic P12 PWM PST. They match on 8 other specifications, including bearing type, lighting and fan thickness.

Specs

Specification
Arctic P12 PWM PST (120mm/56.3 CFM/2.2 mmH2O Static Pressure/22.5 dBA Max/Fluid Dynamic Bearing/No RGB/PWM PST Daisy-Chain/6-Year Warranty/~$7-8 per Fan in 5-Pack)
Arctic P12 PWM PST
Noctua NF-A14 PWM (140mm/82.5 CFM/1.99 mmH2O Static Pressure/1500 RPM Max/24.6 dBA/SSO2 Bearing/No RGB/PWM)
Noctua NF-A14 PWM
Fan Size120 mm140 mm
BrandArcticNoctua
ModelP12 PWM PSTNF-A14 PWM
Bearing TypeFluid DynamicFluid Dynamic
LightingNoneNone
Fan Thickness25 mm25 mm
Static Pressure2.2 mmH2O2.08 mmH2O-5%
Max Speed1800 RPM1500 RPM-17%
Airflow56.3 CFM-32%82.52 CFM
PWM ControlYesYes
Min Speed200 RPM300 RPM
Zero RPM CapableYesNo
Start Voltage3.9 V7 V
Connector Type4-Pin PWM4-Pin PWM
RGB LightingNoNo
Lighting TypeNoneNone
Cable Length400 mm200 mm
Weight145 g190 g
Warranty6 years6 years
Source URLhttps://www.arctic.de/en/P12-PWM-PST/ACFAN00120Ahttps://www.noctua.at/en/products/nf-a14-pwm/specifications

Verdict

Arctic P12 PWM PST

9 / 10 Expert Rating

The smartest cheapest meaningful upgrade available — roughly 80% of premium performance at under one-third of the price, with matching warranty.

Noctua NF-A14 PWM

9 / 10 Expert Rating

The default recommendation for a 140mm airflow fan when looks don't matter and quiet running does.

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