3000RPM vs 2000RPM Noise

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NS_frostbite

NS_frostbite

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This is kinda a weird question, but i'm thinking of getting a Noctua NF-F12 2000RPM or the 3000RPM variant. Obviously the 3000RPM will be louder at full speed, but is the 3000 fan any louder than the 2000 when running at the SAME speeds? Say if I ran them both at 1500RPM, would for some reason one be louder than the other (fan blade design etc?)
Thanks
 
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Eggz
The 3,000 RPM fans are MUCH louder when they ramp up than the 2.000 RPM version!

I had this same question, so I just ordered both to check. I immediately returned the 3,000 RPM versions. They didn't cool any better (maybe a degree or two), but they were way louder. Just go with the 2,000 RPM version. They are otherwise the same.

They are annoying even if you turn down the speed in software or BIOS because they will spin up when you restart and boot. The 3,000 RPM versions are definitely not aimed at being quiet.
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Gingerbread

Gingerbread

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According to Noctua's website as you say at 1500RPM both the 2k and 3k fans will have the exact same noise levels. (since we are talking about both being industrial versions)
2000 version - (24.7 / 4) * 3 = 22.275
3000 version - (43.5 / 6) * 3 = 21.750
So yeah seem pretty similar.
 
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Eggz

Eggz

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The 3,000 RPM fans are MUCH louder when they ramp up than the 2.000 RPM version!

I had this same question, so I just ordered both to check. I immediately returned the 3,000 RPM versions. They didn't cool any better (maybe a degree or two), but they were way louder. Just go with the 2,000 RPM version. They are otherwise the same.

They are annoying even if you turn down the speed in software or BIOS because they will spin up when you restart and boot. The 3,000 RPM versions are definitely not aimed at being quiet.
 
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NS_frostbite

NS_frostbite

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Dec 20, 2015
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Just to be clear though, do they sound exactly the same when running at the same RPM? I heard people say the 3000rpm is naturally louder/higher pitched (not sure why). I don't think i'd ever run them above 2000rpm anyway, but I thought i'd get the the 3k version for extra headroom, just in case the 2k didn't quite reach max RPM.

 
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Eggz

Eggz

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Which cooler are you using? The added airflow and pressure from the extra 1,000 rpm won't significantly impact temperatures for most coolers.

As for noise equivalence, I alluded to that briefly above when I wrote "They [the 3,000 rpm fans] are annoying even if you turn down the speed in software or BIOS because they will spin up when you restart and boot," and also when you wake the machine from sleep. Both fan models are identical besides the speed, and motor noise isn't an issue on these fans. So the only noise variable is the rotational speed (i.e. 2,000 vs. 3,000). That said, you're always choose the 3,000 rpm version. I didn't.

I personally asked myself whether I foresaw any reasonable use for the fan that would benefit from spinning up the fan to more than 2,000 rpm. Luckily there wasn't. If there had been, I would have been listening to the fans ramp up every time I wake the computer from sleep, restart it, or boot it.

To find that out, I tested temperatures using the GPU and CPU meters, as well as the HDD, SSD, and motherboard read outs. I also have 4 temperature probes placed in key airflow locations in my case, in addition to having the ambient temperatures. Running Prime 95 and Furmark, nothing came close to a temperature of concern even when the fans are spinning at 600 rpm. Testing different rpms, I also found that the fans aren't audible until you spin up to 1,000+ rpms. So for me it turned out that even the 2,000 rpm version left about 60% overhead. On my setup, that meant that adding any additional overhead with a faster fan would have been worse than useless because of the unwanted noise.

Keep in mind that whether this applies to you will depend on your setup's cooling, components, airflow, and cleanliness. But if you have those things under control, there you'll likely be in a similar situation.
 
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