Overall and Final Verdict
Honestly, when I heard that Noctua was working on a desk fan years ago I was expecting something simple, similar to what I had before from Silverstone only quieter maybe. I should have known better though, they never go halfway into anything. Not only did they design a better desk fan, but somewhere in that process they realized that there are other applications where a PC fan can be used around a house for cooling other things. You see people cut holes in routers and other electronics and zip-tie fans to improve cooling. With a lot of what Noctua has to offer in their Home line, they are just giving options for that type of user. The NV-FS2 Fan just has its gaskets on top and bottom so you can sit it on top of equipment or prop it up on its side to get good airflow. The NV-FS1 has its stand to be mounted in different locations and the air amplifier takes the already good performance of the NF-A12x25 fan inside and helps it reach farther and with more volume. They have the NV-FH2 fan hub which isn’t new but works well here if you are trying to run multiple fans and of course the NV-PS1 power supply to power everything. You can buy each component individually and piece together what works for you.
Now with all of that in mind, none of this is cheap. Noctua has always put performance, quality, and design ahead of pricing and that is no different here. If the price is your main concern, you could get away with a cheap fan and zip ties. I have most of the Noctua Home lineup pricing below but the two main components I was curious about on pricing is the NV-FS2 fan and the NV-FS1 Fan. The FS2 is the gasketed fan and the FS1 has the stand and amplifier built in. Both come with a power supply. The FS2 sells for $79.90 and the NV-FS1 sells for $99.90. If someone told me that there would be a desk fan for almost $100, I wouldn’t have believed them. It’s a lot of money and frankly, I can think of other ways to spend it. But that doesn’t mean that you are getting fleeced. The build quality and versatility of the stand and the performance that you see with the NF-A12x25 fan paired up with the airflow amplifier is impressive. There is still room to improve, especially around the controller and I do wish there was a USB option, I already have multiple USB power options at my desk but the 5 volts that USB outputs complicates that.
NV-FS2 Fan - $79.90
Live Pricing: HERE
NV-FS1 Desk Fan - $99.90
Live Pricing: HERE
NV-SPH1 Powered Fan Hub Set - $59.90
Live Pricing: HERE
NV-FM1 Pivoting Multi-Purpose Fan Mount – 39.90
Live Pricing: HERE
NV-AA1-12, Airflow Amplifier – 14.90
Live Pricing: HERE
