Noctua

Noctua NF-A12x15 PWM chromax.Black.swap, Premium Quiet Slim Fan, 4-Pin (120x15mm, Black)

Name: Noctua NF-A12x15 PWM chromax.Black.swap, Premium Quiet Slim Fan, 4-Pin (120x15mm, Black)
Brand: Noctua
SKU: B0813X9G8T

Status: Noctua NF-A12x15 PWM chromax.Black.swap: Unavailable on Amazon as of 2026-10-21 16:27 UTC. SpecPicks has no in-stock listing with matching specs on file; the search below lists current offers. eBay sellers may still list this model new or used.

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Bottom line: The Noctua NF-A12x15 PWM chromax.Black.swap: 15mm depth clears low-profile coolers and drive cages a 25mm fan cannot; main trade-off: 15mm thickness moves less air than a 25mm fan at the same RPM.

Unavailable on Amazon as of 2026-10-21 16:27 UTC

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Currently unavailable on Amazon. Not the same product — an in-stock alternative:

Similar: Noctua NF-A12x15 PWM — $23.95 on Amazon as of 2026-10-21 16:25 UTC (price may vary).

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By Mike Perry, Founder & Editor-in-Chief · Listing data updated 2026-10-21

Mike Perry — Hardware researcher since 2014, focused on GPU performance across gaming, rendering, and local-LLM inference. Synthesises community benchmarks, manufacturer specs, and public forum data into actionable buying guides. About the author →

Pros & Cons

Pros

✓ 15mm depth clears low-profile coolers and drive cages a 25mm fan cannot
✓ Max 23.9 dB(A) at full 1850 RPM, quiet even at ceiling speed
✓ Stops completely at 0% PWM for silent semi-passive idle
✓ Wide 450-1850 RPM PWM range for fine motherboard fan-curve control
✓ 8 anti-vibration pads each in 6 colors to match your build accent

Cons

✗ 15mm thickness moves less air than a 25mm fan at the same RPM
✗ 1850 RPM ceiling is high for a slim fan; audible if the curve is aggressive
✗ All-black chromax finish costs more than the standard brown NF-A12x15
✗ 4-pin header required; 3-pin boards lose PWM stop-at-0% behavior

Manufacturer description

The Noctua NF-A12x15 PWM chromax.black.swap solves the problem every ITX and HTPC builder runs into eventually: a standard 25mm fan simply will not clear the case panel, the drive cage, or a low-profile CPU cooler. At 120x120x15mm, this slim A-series fan gives you real 120mm airflow in a 15mm slot. Noctua's Flow Acceleration Channels and Advanced Acoustic Optimisation frame do the quiet work, keeping the fan to a maximum of 23.9 dB(A) even at its 1850 RPM ceiling. The 4-pin PWM connection gives your motherboard a broad 450-1850 RPM range to work with, and the fan stops entirely at 0% PWM, so…

SpecPicks Verdict

SpecPicks scored Noctua NF-A12x15 PWM chromax.Black.swap 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

Will this fit in a low-profile ITX build?

Yes, that is its main use case. At 120x120x15mm it is 10mm thinner than a standard 120mm fan, which Noctua targets at low-profile CPU coolers, HTPCs, ITX cases and other space-restricted mounts.

How loud is the NF-A12x15 at full speed?

Noctua rates it at a maximum of 23.9 dB(A) at its top speed of 1850 RPM. Below that, the PWM curve scales it down to 450 RPM, where it is substantially quieter.

Does the fan stop completely when idle?

Yes. The 4-pin PWM version stops at 0% PWM, so you can run a semi-passive fan curve where the fan is fully off at low temperatures and only spins up under load.

What do the colored pads in the box do?

The chromax.black.swap edition ships with self-adhesive anti-vibration pads in red, black, white, blue, yellow and green, 8 of each color, so you can change the corner accents to match your build.

How long is this fan rated to last?

Noctua rates it at more than 150,000 hours MTTF. Check the product listing for current warranty terms, as coverage can vary by seller and region.

Key Features

Premium quiet slim fan, 120x120x15mm, 12V, 4-pin PWM, max. 1850 RPM, max. 23.9 dB(A), >150,000 h MTTF
Award-winning 120x15mm A-series fan with Flow Acceleration Channels and Advanced Acoustic Optimisation frame for superior quiet cooling performance
120x15mm slim design ideal for low-profile CPU coolers, HTPCs, ITX builds, space-restricted applications etc.
4-pin PWM version for automatic speed control via 4-pin PWM fan headers, broad 450-1850rpm speed range, stops at 0% PWM for semi-passive systems
chromax.black.swap edition with all-black design and self-adhesive red, black, white, blue, yellow and green anti-vibration pads for colour-customising (8 pads of each colour)

Full Specifications

Brand	Noctua
Model	NF-A12x15 PWM chromax.black.swap
Voltage	12 Volts
Wattage	1.56
Material	Fibre-glass reinforced PBT
Dimensions	120x120x15mm
Unit Count	1.0 Count
Noise Level	23.9 Decibels
Part Number	NF-A12x15 PWM CH.BK.S
Material Type	Fibre-glass reinforced PBT
Cooling Method	Air
Item Type Name	DIY
Number of Items	1
Vibration/Rumble	Yes
Air Flow Capacity	94.2 Cubic Meters Per Hour
Compatible Devices	Desktop
Included Components	Box contents: 1 piece
Power Connector Type	4-Pin
Warranty Description	6 years manufacturers warranty
Maximum Rotational Speed	1850 RPM

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