Noctua shows off 'custom-built torture-test rigs' for testing fans, and now I'm afraid of ever setting foot in the Noctua factory
I've only just heard of it, but I'm now afraid of being put in Noctua's torture-test rig.
Noctua, a renowned fan manufacturer, has unveiled a unique approach to testing its fans. The company has constructed "custom-built torture-test rigs" to subject fans to extreme conditions, ensuring they can withstand the rigors of everyday use. A video showcases six fans undergoing rapid sideways movements, mimicking the actions of gamers.
These custom-built rigs subject the fans to forces up to 20g and hundreds of thousands of cycles, validating their performance. The new Noctua mouse features an integrated fan, which blows air on the user's palm during gameplay. PC Gamer had the opportunity to test the mouse at the company's office, finding it surprisingly pleasant.
However, gamers often engage in sideways movements and frequently lift and tap their mice, posing potential challenges for the fan. Noctua has documented its testing process, including a "drop test" where fans are rapidly picked up and dropped from a motor. In this test, all eight fans remained functional after 20,000 vertical drops.
However, a horizontal push of 12 fans resulted in one fan failing after 280,000 cycles, due to a bearing issue. Despite this, Noctua remains confident in the durability of the NF-A4x10 fans, stating they can survive such torture for a surprisingly long time.
Written by urgent.news from PC Gamer's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
