NF-A12x25 G2: Further refined performance in all applications

Introduction

With more than 130 awards and recommendations from international hardware media, the original, first-generation NF-A12x25 is one of the most highly decorated PC fans of all time. Introduced in 2018, its superior performance-to-noise efficiency has enabled it to set a new benchmark for 120mm fans and made it a default choice for quiet cooling enthusiasts all over the world. The new G2 model, however, represents another step up in performance, surpassing its renowned predecessor in all typical use cases from water cooling radiators and heatsinks all the way to chassis ventilation.

P/Q analysis

As can be seen from the following P/Q chart, the NF-A12x25 G2 outperforms its predecessor in the entire spectrum from low-impedance, airflow demanding applications all the way to high-impedance, pressure demanding configurations:

Water cooling radiator performance

In real world testing, the performance gains of the NF-A12x25 G2 over its predecessor are particularly significant on water cooling radiators. With both fans adjusted to the same on-application noise level on a highly restrictive 120x49mm radiator, the NF-A12x25 G2 beats its award-winning predecessor by 3.5°C at a heatload of 200W:

This significant performance advantage of the new NF-A12x25 G2 can also be converted into an acoustic advantage by reducing its RPM speed: Depending on the speer range used for comparison, the new G2 model can run around 1.5-3.5dB(A) quieter than the first-generation NF-A12x25 while providing the same cooling performance on the radiator, making it just as attractive for uses who optimise for quietness of operation rather than raw cooling performance.

Heatsink performance

Tested on an NH-U12A heatsink at a heatload of 200W, the NF-A12x25 G2 can provide temperature gains of around 1°C while running at the same noise level as its predecessor:

Again, this performance advantage can be turned into an acoustic advantage: The G2 model can run around 2-2.5dB(A) quieter than its predecessor while providing the same amount of cooling performance on the NH-U12A.

Case cooling performance

The NF-A12x25 G2 is, however, not only superior in higher impedance applications like heatsinks or water cooling radiators, it also provides superior performance than the original NF-A12x25 in low impedance applications like PC case cooling. At a flow resistance typical for PC chassis fans, the G2 version can produce around 9% more airflow:

As with heatsinks and radiators, the superior case cooling performance of the G2 fan can also be converted into a decisive noise level advantage: In order to achieve the same levels of airflow through a chassis as the first-generation NF-A12x25, the G2 version can be run at significantly lower RPM speeds, which will result in a typical ~1-2dB(A) improvement in noise levels.

Other applications

In the early stages of testing and development for the upcoming ASUS GeForce RTX 5080 Noctua Edition graphics card, the first-generation NF-A12x25 fan was directly compared to the G2 version. Noise-normalised GPU cooling performance tests were conducted using the previous-generation ASUS GeForce RTX 4080 Super Noctua Edition GPU and two units of each fan model, where the NF-A12x25 G2 fans demonstrated superior performance, achieving a 2.6°C reduction in GPU core temperature. This confirmed the NF-A12x25 G2 as the optimal choice for integration into the next-generation RTX 5080 Noctua Edition graphics card.

Conclusion

In sum, the NF-A12x25 G2 provides substantial improvements over its predecessor in all applications, enabling customers to either achieve better cooling performance or lower noise levels. The improvements are particularly significant on water cooling radiators where the NF-A12x25 G2 offers a massive boost in efficiency compared to the venerable NF-A12x25.