One New Product and a LOT of Excuses

The video coverage from Linus TechTips at Computex 2016 focuses on Noctua and a product that has been in development for three years, described as the unnamed successor to the NF12 fan and featuring a balanced blade design aimed at improving performance for radiators and heatsinks. The host explains the extreme difficulty of achieving tight tolerances required for a true successor, noting that blade clearance to the frame needed to be about 0.5 millimeters, which caused reliability concerns as blades tend to flatten over time and contact the frame during testing. In addition to the fan, Noctua demonstrates chromax heat sink covers that enable cosmetic customization for existing NH-D15 and NH-U12S models, available in different variants and colors to match user setups. Although no concrete upcoming product is shown, the video presents five prototype fin designs intended to address boundary layer effects and airflow dynamics, including copper aluminum composite fins and an offset split fin, plus a hood-like scoop design meant to alter airflow and pressure. The discussion touches on the tradeoffs between higher airflow and increased noise, with Noctua acknowledging that many approaches may not yield significant gains and that some ideas add complexity or cost without clear benefits. The host notes Noctua’s emphasis on research and transparency, contrasting it with the idea of rushing new products to market, and closes with thanks to sponsors Corsair and MSI and a reminder to subscribe for more Computex coverage.

Topics · technology · computer_hardware · cooling_systems · product_design