Noctua NF-S12B redux-700, Ultra Quiet Silent Fan, 3-Pin, 700 RPM (120mm, Grey)
Bottom line: The Noctua NF-S12B redux-700 ($16.95 on Amazon as of 2026-10-06): 6.8 dB(A) rated noise at 700 RPM, close to silent in most rooms; main trade-off: 700 RPM top speed limits airflow under heavy GPU or CPU heat.
As an Amazon Associate, SpecPicks earns from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure →
*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated 2026-10-06. Price and availability subject to change.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- ✓ 6.8 dB(A) rated noise at 700 RPM, close to silent in most rooms
- ✓ Standard 120x120x25mm frame fits common 120mm case fan mounts
- ✓ Rated MTTF over 150,000 hours suits always-on systems
- ✓ Blade design moves a lot of air for its speed in open case layouts
- ✓ Can run even quieter at reduced voltage or with NA-SRC10 adaptors
Cons
- ✗ 700 RPM top speed limits airflow under heavy GPU or CPU heat
- ✗ Not suited to radiators, dense filters or tower heatsinks
- ✗ 3-pin connection: no PWM, speed control depends on voltage
- ✗ Redux package is minimal; mounts, splitters, extensions cost extra
Manufacturer description
The Noctua NF-S12B redux-700 is a 120mm case fan for builders who want the quietest system possible. It runs at 700 RPM and is rated at just 6.8 dB(A), so in most rooms you will not hear it over normal background noise. It measures 120x120x25mm, runs on 12V and connects with a 3-pin plug, so it fits standard 120mm fan mounts in most PC cases. Its blades are shaped to move a lot of air for how quietly it spins. That makes it a good fit for case intake and exhaust, chassis ventilation and other spots with little resistance to airflow. If you want it even quieter, you can run it at reduced…
SpecPicks Verdict
SpecPicks scored Noctua NF-S12B redux-700 using a rating × review-volume × price-fit model applied to published specs and reviews across the cooling & fans category. Noctua's cooling & fans lineup sits within the broader category mid-tier; price and specs are the deciding factors over brand loyalty here. Judge it on the specification table and the price rather than on sentiment: check the figures that decide your use case, then put it side-by-side with two or three close alternatives in the Compare tool before clicking through.
Common buyer scenarios for cooling & fans of this kind: matching it to an existing build, replacing a failing part, or upgrading from a previous-generation equivalent. Check the spec table below against your current setup — particularly socket / form-factor / power-rating fields — and confirm compatibility on the retailer's listing before purchase. Prices and stock are set by the retailer and may have moved since this page was last updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Noctua NF-S12B redux-700 a PWM fan?
No. It is a 3-pin, 12V fan. You control its speed by changing the voltage, either from a motherboard header in DC mode or with the optional NA-SRC10 Low-Noise Adaptors. It does not take a PWM signal.
Can I use this fan on a radiator or CPU heatsink?
It is not the best choice for that. Noctua designed it for low-noise case cooling and chassis ventilation where there is little resistance to airflow. At 700 RPM it is a poor match for radiators, dense dust filters or tower heatsinks.
What size is the NF-S12B redux-700?
It measures 120x120x25mm, the standard size for 120mm case fans, so it fits most 120mm intake and exhaust mounts in PC cases.
How long will the fan last?
Noctua rates its MTTF (mean time to failure) at more than 150,000 hours. For current warranty coverage, check the product listing or Noctua's support site.
Does it come with anti-vibration mounts or adapters?
The redux edition is a stripped-down package. Noctua sells anti-vibration mounts, S-ATA adaptors, y-splitters, extension cables and NA-SRC10 Low-Noise Adaptors as optional extras. Check the product listing for the exact box contents.
Key Features
- Ultra low noise fan, 120x120x25mm, 12V, 3-pin Molex, 700 RPM, 6.8 dB(A), >150,000 h MTTF
- Renowned NF-S12B high-end 120x25mm 12V fan, more than 100 awards and recommendations from international computer hardware websites and magazines, hundreds of thousands of satisfied users
- Airflow-optimised blade design with high CFM and outstanding quietness of operation, ideal for low-noise case cooling, chassis ventilation and other applications with low airflow resistance
- Low-speed ultra-quiet 700rpm 3-pin version for demanding silent enthusiasts, virtually inaudible with optional NA-SRC10 Low-Noise Adaptors or at reduced voltage
- Streamlined redux edition: proven Noctua quality at an attractive price point, wide range of optional accessories (anti-vibration mounts, S-ATA adaptors, y-splitters, extension cables, etc.)
Full Specifications
| Brand | Noctua |
|---|---|
| Model | NF-S12B redux-700 |
| Voltage | 12 Volts |
| Material | Fibre-glass reinforced PBT |
| Dimensions | 120x120x25mm |
| Unit Count | 1.0 Count |
| Noise Level | 6.8 Decibels |
| Part Number | NF-S12B redux-700 |
| Material Type | Fibre-glass reinforced PBT |
| Cooling Method | Air |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Vibration/Rumble | Yes |
| Air Flow Capacity | 56.9 Cubic Meters Per Hour |
| Compatible Devices | Desktop |
| Power Connector Type | 3-Pin |
| Warranty Description | 6 year manufacturer’s warranty |
| Maximum Rotational Speed | 700 RPM |
| Item Dimensions L x W x H | 0.98"L x 4.72"W x 4.72"H |
| Global Trade Identification Number | 04716123315308 |
Ready to buy?
Noctua NF-S12B redux-700, Ultra Quiet Silent Fan, 3-Pin, 700 RPM (120mm, Grey) is listed on Amazon. Price, availability, shipping and returns are set by Amazon and its sellers — check the listing for current terms. SpecPicks earns a small commission on qualifying purchases — thank you for supporting independent review work.
*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated 2026-10-06. Price and availability subject to change.
Related Cooling & Fans
More guides & deep dives from the SpecPicks archive
Browse all articles & guides →- Best Budget Gaming PC Build 2026 — ~$1,000 ($800 on Sale)
- Best 1440p Gaming GPUs in 2026
- The Complete Voodoo5 5500 AGP Driver Guide (2026 Edition)
- Emulation Hardware in 2026: FPGA, Software, and Cart-Reader Ecosystems
- Best Retro Handhelds in 2026 — From $35 to $500
- How to Build a Windows 98 Retro PC in 2026
- RTX 4070 Super vs RX 7800 XT — Which to Buy in 2026
More reviews from the SpecPicks archive
Browse all reviews →- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X + RTX 5060 Combo Hits $439 With Free Cooler
- Best Amazon Workstation Parts for a Quiet Home Office in 2026
- Build a Low-Power Pi Home Server with NVMe in 2026
- Qwen3.7-Plus Goes Agentic: Cloud Model vs Your Local 12GB Rig
- Claude Fable 5: Anthropic Admits 'Wrong Tradeoff' on Throttling
- Best NVMe SSD for Gaming PCs in 2026
- Best SSD for a PS4 Pro Upgrade in 2026
- ComfyUI Ideogram 4: Setup, GPU Needs & Hardware Guide
- Self-Host Immich on a Ryzen 5 5600G Mini-PC: Power, Storage, Real Throughput
- Best CPU Coolers for Ryzen and Intel Builds in 2026
- Ollama vs vLLM for Single-User Local Chat on an RTX 3060 12GB (2026)
- Troubleshooting Local LLM Inference on Raspberry Pi 4 8GB and Pi 5: OOM, Swap, Quantization Crashes, and…
- Kimi-Dev-72B Local Coding Benchmarks: VRAM Required, Tok/s, and How It Stacks Against DeepSeek V4 and…
- Linux Now Boots on a Sega Genesis — Here's What That Actually Means
- Best SATA SSD to Upgrade a PlayStation 4 Pro in 2026
- Best Budget Gaming PC Build Parts in 2026: 5 Core Picks
- NVIDIA Nemotron 3 Ultra: What It Takes to Run Locally
- Best Gaming Setup for Kids and Teens in 2026: 5 Picks
- Best 4K Monitor for PS5 and PC Under $500: KOORUI QD-Mini LED vs Samsung Odyssey
- Open Weights Are Reshaping Agentic Coding: A 2026 Local-Rig Reality Check
- Best GPU for an AI rig in 2026 — the shortlist
- Jellyfin on Raspberry Pi 4 8GB with an SSD (2026 Guide)
- Best Gaming Headsets and Audio Gear for Console Players in 2026
- AI-Driven Driver Hunt: Installing Vintage Sound Cards on Windows 98 With Claude
Earliest SpecPicks reviews
Browse full archive →- Best GPU for Llama 3.1 8B (2026)
- Best GPU for Qwen 3 14B (2026)
- Best GPU for Qwen 3 32B (2026)
- Best GPU for Llama 3.1 70B (2026)
- Best GPU for DeepSeek-R1 32B (2026)
- Best GPU for Llama 3.1 405B (2026)
- How to run Llama 3.1 8B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Qwen 3 14B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Qwen 3 32B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Llama 3.1 70B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run DeepSeek-R1 32B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Llama 3.1 8B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090