A 40mm fan that doesn't act like an annoying screaming child? The impossible might just have become possible.
Here's the spec: Max RPM Max Airflow (m3/h) Noise (dB(A)) Static Pressure (mmH2O) | Without L.N.A 4500 8.2 17.9 1.78 | With L.N.A 3700 6.6 12.9 1.21 |
Accessories: Low noise adaptor(L.N.A), OmniJoin Adaptor set, 3:2 Adaptor set, 30cm Extension cable, Anti-vibration mounts, fan screws.
Design:
As soon as I was aware of the release of the A-series it was this fan I was interested in. 40mm fans have been the nightmare of pc cooling for years now and with Noctua entering the 40mm race we can straight off see the features Noctua puts into their fans that even other standard 120mm fans (thank god we re past the days of the 80mm standard) don't have.
| To cover the small features first, the NF-A4x10 features anti-vibration pads! Granted they are incredibly small, on smaller fans that spin as fast as these you could argue they are even more necessary than on the larger fans. I don't personally like the size and perceived fragility of these pads, they look like they will just fall off with a slight knock. That being sad unless you intentionally rip them off, they will stay put happily, though take note that these are not designed to be removed so you will have to stick them back on if you do take them off. You might also notice that even their 40mm fan is cable sleeved. Yes they really do care about the little details as you will see even more of further into the review. Expressed in the picture to the right is a size comparison of the fan compared with the anti-vibration mounts supplied with it. To maximise static pressure it is also equipped with a 7 blade fan design, these take up a good part of the fan as the motor is quite small. |    |
Accessory wise the fan comes with a lot more than what we see on regular Noctua fans. This is because with the fan being such a small format, it is generally capable of being used in many different scenarios, each of which will use a different power connection.
 Keep in mind guys that to use this kit you will have to murder the fan your are replacing for its bespoke connector. Needing to murder another fan may be the Marmite to this adaptor however the capabilities it delivers make it worth a 2nd glance as it provides a 3 pin adaptor for ANY bespoke header. This blatantly obvious yet ingenious design makes this fan compatible with any header.  | It comes with 2 accessories specifically for compatibility. The 1st one being the Omni-join adaptor set which is designed to create an an adaptor rather than being one itself. It is designed to be used on systems in which the fan you are replacing uses a bespoke connector and come with 2 sets of adaptors which I assume is for if you want to re-attach the connector at a later date.  The 2nd being a standard adaptor for 2 pin fan headers. This is here so you don't have to keep murdering your beloved equipment for a connection that is really quite common. Just like the rest of Noctua's accessories this adaptor comes wrapped in their extremely high quality cable sleeving, I just wish they would start using black connectors as well. |
To kill 2 birds with 1 stone we have the rest of the AAO frame (Advanced Acoustic Operation). The inner surface microstructures and the stepped inlet design. Both designed to reduce noise albeit from different noise issues. The microstructures to create an air buffer between the blade tips & chassis and then the inlet design to reduce the noise of the air as it is pulled into the fan.
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Looks wise the fan is gorgeous, especially for a 40mm fan. We see just about everything on this fan hat we see on the much larger fans, quite surprising really because at such a small size you might say it really wasn't worth the effort, clearly to Noctua it is. Even the flow acceleration channels make an appearance which if you have read the previous A-series reviews I feel really sharpen up the look of these fans.
To add as a final note, this fan does come equipped with the highly regarded SSO2 bearing system though we don't see a brass bearing shell.
Performance:
Previous experience of 40mm fans left nothing but contempt. Noctua entering the 40mm race could have either been good for them or ruined them. Thankfully it wasn't the latter. the general consensus for 40mm fans is that they are loud and obnoxious, put this up against ever the NF-P12 and it suddenly seems quieter than a mouse.
It is actually so quiet I feel that the 17.9 decibel rating is too high. Granted the fan doesn't push a ton of air even for a 40mm fan, but it does produce a static pressure rating of 1.78, an irrefutably high rating. This fan is perfect for any of your 40mm needs.
It is actually so quiet I feel that the 17.9 decibel rating is too high. Granted the fan doesn't push a ton of air even for a 40mm fan, but it does produce a static pressure rating of 1.78, an irrefutably high rating. This fan is perfect for any of your 40mm needs.
Conclusion:
40mm fans, a market in which Noctua's colour scheme is actually what people are looking at, with the release of motherboards like Asus' Sabertooth range. With all the features of their higher end fans, this really is a sight to behold.
If you are looking for a fan that pushes the most air then this is not for you however unless you are deaf this wont be you. 40mm fans are loud and obnoxious, Noctua have found the middle ground here with their product. Meeting the requirements of most 40mm needs but keeping the fan silent at the same time, not to mention it has amazing static pressure performance.
If you are in the market for a small fan then this is Definitely going to be worth a 2nd glance,while being rather expensive the list of features and accessories that compliment this product make it worth every penny. It's only downfall in my eyes is that it was released at a very similar price point to the NF-A9x14, an utterly outstanding 92mm fan. I think they could have actually pushed it a little faster as well it's that quiet.
This fan receives our gold award, missing out just a tiny bit to the Platinum because we feel that a few slight tweaks could have been made to make this fan a product to truly behold.
If you are looking for a fan that pushes the most air then this is not for you however unless you are deaf this wont be you. 40mm fans are loud and obnoxious, Noctua have found the middle ground here with their product. Meeting the requirements of most 40mm needs but keeping the fan silent at the same time, not to mention it has amazing static pressure performance.
If you are in the market for a small fan then this is Definitely going to be worth a 2nd glance,while being rather expensive the list of features and accessories that compliment this product make it worth every penny. It's only downfall in my eyes is that it was released at a very similar price point to the NF-A9x14, an utterly outstanding 92mm fan. I think they could have actually pushed it a little faster as well it's that quiet.
This fan receives our gold award, missing out just a tiny bit to the Platinum because we feel that a few slight tweaks could have been made to make this fan a product to truly behold.
Verdict:
Rating: 9/10
Value: 9/10
Value: 9/10
