Noctua NF-A4x20 PWM 5V 5000RPM 40x20mm Quiet Cooling Fan
After the success of Noctua’s NF-A4x10 40mm fans we are delighted to offer the 20mm wide version that offers increased static pressure performance.
Features
- 40 x 20mm quiet PC cooling fan, 5V version
- Supports fully automatic PWM speed control
- Feature packed
- Perfect for proprietary cooling
- From 5.5 CFM, 14.9 dBA at 5000 RPM
Featuring advanced aerodynamic design measures such as Flow Acceleration Channels and an AAO frame, the NF-A4x20 5V PWM is a PWM enabled 5V variant of Noctua’s highly optimised, premium quality quiet 40x20mm fan. The custom designed NE-FD3 PWM IC that integrates Smooth Commutation Drive technology and Noctua’s reference class SSO2 bearings guarantee superb running smoothness and excellent long-term stability. Topped off with modular cabling, the OmniJoin Adaptor Set and 6 years manufacturer’s warranty, the NF-A4x20 5V PWM is a premium choice for demanding 5V applications that require PWM control.
PLEASE NOTE: Being a 5V fan, the NF-A4x20 5V PWM cannot be run at 12V and will be damaged when used with typical 12V power sources such as PC motherboard fan headers.
40x20mm size
Compared to Noctua’s award-winning NF-A4x10, the NF-A4x20 is twice as thick, which allows for increased static pressure performance and makes the NF-A4x20 ideal for demanding applications with high flow resistance.
5V PWM version
Many devices such as network or storage solutions use 5 volt 40mm fans with PWM speed control. With the same operating voltage, PWM support and the included OmniJoin™ adaptor set that makes it compatible with proprietary fan headers, the NF-A4x20 5V PWM is ideal for replacing noisy or broken 5V 40mm fans with PWM.
Polarity protection
As many devices using 5V fans feature proprietary connectors and documentation of the pin alignment may not be available, the fan features an integrated diode for polarity protection. This way, you’re on the safe side if you accidentally connect it with reverse polarity.
Flow Acceleration Channels
The NF-A4x20 impeller features suction side Flow Acceleration Channels. By speeding up the airflow at the crucial outer blade regions, this measure reduces suction side flow separation and thus leads to better efficiency and lower vortex noise.
AAO Frame
Noctua’s AAO (Advanced Acoustic Optimisation) frames feature integrated anti-vibration pads as well as Noctua’s proprietary Stepped Inlet Design and Inner Surface Microstructures, both of which further refine the fan’s performance/noise efficiency.
Stepped Inlet Design
Noctua’s Stepped Inlet Design adds turbulence to the influx in order to facilitate the transition from laminar flow to turbulent flow, which reduces tonal intake noise, improves flow attachment and increases suction capacity, especially in space-restricted environments.
Inner Surface Microstructures
With the tips of the fan blades ploughing through the boundary layer created by the Inner Surface Microstructures, flow separation from the suction side of the blades is significantly suppressed, which results in reduced blade passing noise and improved airflow and pressure efficiency.
Integrated Anti-Vibration Pads
Integrated Anti-Vibration Pads made from extra-soft silicone minimise the transmission of minute vibrations while maintaining full compatibility with all standard mounting systems and fan clips used on heatsinks.
SSO2 bearing
The NF-A4x20 features the further optimised second generation of Noctua’s renowned, time-tested SSO bearing. With SSO2, the rear magnet is placed closer to the axis to provide even better stabilisation, precision and durability.
Custom-designed PWM IC with SCD
Supporting fully automatic PWM speed control, the fan uses Noctua’s custom-designed NE-FD3 5V PWM IC that integrates Smooth Commutation Drive (SCD) technology. By providing smoother torque impulses, SCD suppresses PWM switching noises and thus makes the fan quieter at low speeds.
OmniJoin adaptor set
Many devices featuring 40mm fans use proprietary fan headers, so the NF-A4x20 comes with Noctua’s OmniJoin adaptor set. Just cut the original fan’s cable, fix it to the adaptor using the supplied 3M Scotchlok connectors and you can plug the NF-A4x20 to proprietary fan headers!
Extensive cabling options
The fan’s short 20cm primary cable minimises cable clutter in typical applications while the supplied 30cm extension provides extended reach when necessary. Both cables are fully sleeved and a 4-pin y-cable allows the connection of a second fan to the same PWM fan header for automatic control.
6-year manufacturer’s warranty
Noctua fans are renowned for their impeccable quality and outstanding longevity. Like all Noctua fans, the NF-A4x20 features an MTTF of more than 150.000 hours rating and comes with a full 6-year manufacturer’s warranty.
Specifications | NF-A4x20 PWM 5V |
---|---|
Dimensions | 40 x 40 x 20 mm |
Screw hole spacings | 32 mm |
Connector | 4-Pin PWM |
Bearing | SSO2 |
Blade Geometry | A-Series with Flow Acceleration Channels |
Frame Technology | AAO (Advanced Acoustic Optimisation) |
Rotational Speed (±10%) | 5000 RPM |
Min. Rotational Speed (PWM, ±20%) | 1100 RPM |
Airflow | 5.5 CFM |
Acoustical Noise | 14.9 dB(A) |
Static Pressure | 2.26 mm H2O |
Max. Input Power | 0.5 W |
Max. Input Current | 0.1 A |
Voltage | 5 V |
Voltage PWM signal | 5 V |
MTBF | 150,000 h |
Accessories | 4-pin y-cable, 30cm extension cable, OmniJoin adaptor set, NA-AV3 anti-vibration mounts and Fan screws |
Warranty | 72 months |
EAN barcode | 9010018100136 |
Specifications | NF-A4x20 PWM 5V |
---|---|
Dimensions | 40 x 40 x 20 mm |
Screw hole spacings | 32 mm |
Connector | 4-Pin PWM |
Bearing | SSO2 |
Blade Geometry | A-Series with Flow Acceleration Channels |
Frame Technology | AAO (Advanced Acoustic Optimisation) |
Rotational Speed (±10%) | 5000 RPM |
Min. Rotational Speed (PWM, ±20%) | 1100 RPM |
Airflow | 5.5 CFM |
Acoustical Noise | 14.9 dB(A) |
Static Pressure | 2.26 mm H2O |
Max. Input Power | 0.5 W |
Max. Input Current | 0.1 A |
Voltage | 5 V |
Voltage PWM signal | 5 V |
MTBF | 150,000 h |
Accessories | 4-pin y-cable, 30cm extension cable, OmniJoin adaptor set, NA-AV3 anti-vibration mounts and Fan screws |
Warranty | 72 months |
EAN barcode | 9010018100136 |
Customer Reviews
Used as a Jetson Nano heatsink fan
I planned on using a Noctua 40mm fan on the Jetson Nano before finding out that they are the recommended fan anyway. The NF-A4x20 Fan appears well built. After tapping the heatsink I used M3x8mm screws to attach the closest “ears” of the fan to the heatsink. I also tried the NF-A4x10 which is possibly a little quieter, but according to my basic “finger test”, the 10mm fan passes MORE air than the 20mm fan. I think this might be because the 10mm fan has more blade area and the Nano heatsink doesn’t have a lot of air resistance. I recommend the 10mm fan slightly over the 20mm but both work well.
Product Resources
FAQ
How do I measure fan size?
The size of fan you need will generally be determined by the size of the fan fitting position in your PC case. The sizes of all the fans on our website are shown as measured along any one of the fan’s four sides, NOT the distance between the fan’s screw holes! Our most popular fan size is 120mm, followed by 80mm. This isn’t really dictated by customer preference, but more by recent designs of PC cases.
As for the thickness (depth) of the fan, generally 25mm (1 inch) is by far the most common depth, although smaller fans can have shallower depths such as 15mm or even 10mm. All our fans are 25mm thick unless otherwise stated. If you have any questions about which fan you should order, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
If you know the distance between the fan mounting screw holes but don’t know what fan size to order, please see the following table. Note that the mounting hole measurements shown below are taken horizontally or vertically between the holes and not diagonally.
Screw hole spacings and fan sizes
Space Between Screw Holes Fan Size 32mm 40mm 40mm 50mm 50mm 60mm 60mm 70mm 72mm 80mm 83mm 92mm 105mm 120mm I received a small cable (resistor) with my fan; what is it for?
The resistor cable (also called Ultra Low Noise or ULN cable) is designed to allow the fan to run slightly slower for even quieter operation. The benefit in lower running noise is significant. Although the airflow will be reduced slightly, this usually has minimal effect on PC temperature. We would generally recommend using the ULN resistor cable for best results in almost all circumstances.
How can I tell which way the air blows through the fan?
Hold the fan so that the round fan sticker is facing you. You are looking at the rear of the fan. When you plug the fan in, the air will be blowing towards you. If you want a fan to act as an air intake, then the fan sticker will be facing the inside of the case. Some fans also have two small arrows moulded into their plastic housing - one arrow shows the direction of airflow, and the other (at 90°) shows the direction of blade rotation.
Is it possible to use a 4-pin PWM fan or CPU cooler with a motherboard which has only 3-pin fan headers on it?
Electrically, there is no problem doing this - the fourth pin on the fan cable is used purely for PWM control and is not needed in order for the fan to run. So you can plug the 4-pin fan connector onto the 3-pin motherboard fan header, leaving the fourth pin not connected to anything. The fan will potentially run at full speed, so if you would like to reduce the speed of the fan you will need to adjust the fan speed setting in your BIOS or use fan control software such as SpeedFan in Windows.
The only other problem to consider is that occasionally, components immediately adjacent to the motherboard fan header can get in the way of the larger 4-pin fan connector, physically preventing connection. This problem also occurs if you try to use an in-line fan speed controller such as the one made by Gelid.
Another avenue to explore is the possibility of using a bay-mounted fan controller. Several models are available now which provide 4-pin fan headers, so this is an easy way to use 4-pin PWM fans in a PC system which has only 3-pin fan headers on its motherboards. When using this method, you may find it necessary to disable any fan warning settings in your motherboard BIOS, since the motherboard may incorrectly believe that its CPU fan has failed when the fan is connected to a fan controller rather than directly to the motherboard itself.
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