Among the many manufacturers showcasing their latest developments at Computex, there is one booth that simply cannot be skipped. The Austrian cooling specialist came to this year’s show with an impressive lineup. Athena’s owl has spread its wings through a broader product portfolio and a number of new partnerships. In addition to products already known from published roadmaps, Noctua also unveiled several unexpected surprises.
Noctua certainly did not hold back at this year’s Computex and, alongside products already known from its roadmaps, introduced several unexpected new developments. Since covering everything in a single article would either make it disproportionately long or, conversely, too superficial regarding individual products, we decided to split the report. First, we will focus on the expected new products whose arrival Noctua had already announced earlier. A follow-up article will then cover the larger and smaller surprises that did not appear on official roadmaps.
Before getting to the products themselves, one thing deserves mention regarding how Noctua differs from many manufacturers. While most trade show presentations focus primarily on product photos and marketing slogans, Noctua has long built its identity around technical details, measurement methodologies, and explaining the real-world benefits of individual technologies. This year was no exception. The manufacturer dedicated a significant portion of its presentation space to extensive areas filled with graphs, diagrams, measurements, and detailed descriptions of the methods used. These materials are based on objective measurements and methodologies grounded in scientific knowledge as well as acoustic and thermodynamic principles. There was so much information that one could jokingly say Noctua had to reduce the font size just to fit everything onto two large walls. Therefore, beyond photographs of the products themselves, this article will also attempt to convey the most interesting technical explanations, graphs, and measurement results accompanying these new products.
Not just blowing air anymore—now there’s liquid flow too
Already at last year’s Computex, Noctua introduced both its conventional liquid cooler with a pump and its pump-free thermosiphon cooler, which it first showcased a year earlier. The fact that this Austrian company—known primarily for air coolers—is serious about entering the liquid cooling market was demonstrated once again at this year’s Computex. In this part, we will focus on conventional pump-based AIOs.
NL-LC1 Liquid Cooler
Last year’s AIO cooler appearance returned to Computex again. The difference is that actual market availability is now truly just around the corner (planned for June 2026). We have already known for some time what pump (interview with Jakob) and fans their AIO would use. We have also already tested the NF-A12x25 G2 and NF-A14x25 G2 fans and know what they are capable of. The radiator thickness should be 30 mm and versions will be available in 420, 360, and 240 mm formats. Interestingly, for some reason Noctua has skipped the 280 mm format for now.
The pump block mounting uses the SecuFirm2+ system, and there is an optional supplementary module called NL-ACF1 equipped with an 80 mm fan for VRM cooling. The AIO warranty is announced at six years, but Noctua also placed major emphasis during NL-LC1 development on minimizing coolant permeation through tube walls and ensuring long-term stability. According to the manufacturer, the system is designed for long-term maintenance-free operation without requiring coolant refills. Coolant retention should therefore be at a very high level, and during the presentation, a lifespan of around ten years was also mentioned.
Pump Noise Absorber—NL-PNA1
The main advantage over competitors and one of the most interesting technologies in Noctua’s new NL-LC1 AIO cooler is the pump noise absorber—NL-PNA1. Some of these materials were already partially known from the first presentation of Noctua’s liquid cooler, but they have now been expanded upon in much greater depth. Noctua also shifted its evaluation from individual component measurements to complete system-level measurements (note: this is why measured values may differ from previous results). Laboratory measurements of the pump itself were supplemented with tests in a complete system installed in the Antec Flux Pro—Noctua Edition case, where resonances and interactions with other structural elements become fully apparent. As a result, these measurements better reflect cooler behavior inside a real PC than isolated component measurements.
So let us take a closer look at this modification. Unlike ordinary pump covers, which often serve only aesthetic purposes, this is a solution whose primary goal is reducing noise and structure-borne vibrations. Noctua combines two principles here—multi-layer acoustic insulation (Three-layer soundproofing structure) and a vibration damping system (Tuned Mass Damper, TMD).
The foundation is a three-layer sound-insulating structure. Directly above the pump is a soft acoustic foam layer (1), which primarily absorbs higher frequencies. This is followed by a very dense material layer acting as a mass barrier (2), whose task is reflecting and blocking lower frequencies. The final layer consists of another acoustic foam layer (3) that captures residual noise penetrating the first two layers. Flexible silicone mounting (4) also ensures vibrations do not bypass this structure.
As mentioned above, the second pillar of the design is the vibration damping system. The TMD principle is also used in construction and automotive industries to suppress unwanted vibrations. In the NL-PNA1, the soft acoustic foam layers and silicone mounting function as springs. The massive barrier layer and outer plastic cover act as the system’s mass elements—essentially weights on springs—that move opposite to the direction of the vibration source.
Positive impact on noise levels and sound characteristics
According to Noctua’s measurements, the positive effect manifests not only through lower noise levels but also through more favorable sound characteristics. Compared to a pump without the cover, the NL-PNA1 typically achieves a noise reduction of 1–4 dBA. You can listen to this comparison here:
Noctua also points out that many decorative covers can increase noise even further. Compared to certain competing covers with integrated displays, measured differences reached as much as 6.4 dBA.
An important aspect is not only the noise level itself, but also its frequency composition. Frequency spectrum analysis shows that the NL-PNA1 very effectively suppresses higher frequencies, especially above approximately 1400 Hz. The result is a shift in sound characteristics toward lower frequencies, which most people perceive as less disturbing. Smaller reductions were also recorded for certain pronounced tonal peaks in lower frequency ranges (340, 500, and 670 Hz), but the most significant effect appeared in ranges above 1.4 kHz. These frequencies are often responsible for the unpleasant “electrical” or “buzzing” character commonly associated with pump noise.
Psychoacoustic Optimization
Noctua also focused on psychoacoustic parameters, which evaluate sound in a manner closer to how it is perceived by human hearing. The results indicate lower perceived loudness, reduced sharpness, and lower roughness of sound characteristics across most operating modes. According to the applied models, the overall level of psychoacoustic “annoyance” (on the pa—psychoacoustic annoyance scale), which is a dimensionless composite metric of psychoacoustic parameters (loudness, sharpness, roughness, and tonality), was reduced across practically the entire pump speed range.
It is precisely this combination of acoustic insulation and mechanical vibration damping that distinguishes the NL-PNA1 from most existing solutions. While competitors often focus on appearance, ARGB elements, or supplementary features such as movable or articulated displays, Noctua approached the pump cover as a standalone acoustic component designed to improve the operating acoustics of the AIO cooler without negatively affecting cooling performance.
More expected updates
Pulsar Feinmann F01 Noctua Edition—When the fan moves into the mouse
Noctua’s collaborations with other manufacturers have long extended beyond coolers and fans alone. Following ASUS graphics cards, Seasonic power supplies, and Antec cases, the Austrian manufacturer is now entering the gaming peripherals segment as well. At Computex, the company once again (first appearing at last year’s Computex) showcased the Pulsar Feinmann F01 Noctua Edition mouse, created in collaboration with Pulsar. Compared to last year’s presentation, the sensor has reportedly been improved and a different material is now used for the mouse’s external frame (exoskeleton).
At first glance, the characteristic beige-and-brown color scheme immediately stands out, but the real point of interest is hidden inside. The mouse contains a small integrated fan designed to create airflow directed toward the user’s palm area. The goal is reducing overheating and hand perspiration during long gaming or work sessions, which could prove especially beneficial during summer months or in environments without air conditioning.
This is a product where expertise in airflow optimization and low-noise operation can be applied outside the traditional PC cooling segment. The question remains whether this will remain an interesting technological curiosity or evolve into a concept that finds broader adoption among users. Either way, it is one of the more unconventional products—not every day do we see a CPU cooler manufacturer addressing user thermal comfort rather than processor temperatures.
140mm size desk fan
In this regard, Noctua is somewhat different, as this represents only its second product directly targeting thermal and acoustic comfort following its desk fan, which you could win in our giveaway and whose larger 140 mm revision was first shown at last year’s Computex. The planned launch timeframe for this larger desk fan is sometime during the first quarter of 2027.
Smaller power supply, same ambitions—Seasonic Prime TX Noctua Edition
The collaboration with Seasonic also continues, having previously produced the highly successful Prime TX-1600 Noctua Edition (first introduced back in 2024). Computex now brought its smaller sibling, whose length should be a more compatibility-friendly 180 mm instead of the original 210 mm. Additionally, it will reportedly exist in a 1300 W version alongside the existing 1600 W model. As with the longer retail model, the primary attraction remains the combination of Seasonic’s top-notch platform and cooling optimized by Noctua. Moreover, this power supply already uses the second generation of the NF-A12x25 fan.
It is somewhat unfortunate that the smaller PX variant did not appear this year. It was introduced at last year’s Computex and, according to the roadmap from January this year, was expected to launch during the third quarter of this year. Hopefully, its absence from this year’s trade show does not indicate postponement or significant delay, which would not be good news for SFF enthusiasts.
PETG Prusament
Finally, there is good news for 3D printing enthusiasts. Noctua decided to continue its collaboration with Czech company Prusa and, following its PLA filament—which users could previously use for custom prints through us—is now introducing PETG filament in signature brand colors. PETG enables printing parts with greater resistance to mechanical stress and elevated temperatures (up to 80 °C), which is quite useful in the PC hardware space.
In the next report, we will take a look at new products that have not yet appeared on Noctua’s existing roadmaps.
English translation and edit by Jozef Dudáš
By the way, we already have that liquid cooler in the editorial office. So hopefully there will be tests as well. 🙂