Half a centimeter doesn't seem like much, especially when you're talking about a small piece of plastic. But it turns out that when it comes to fan spacing, it could make all the difference. Noctua (opens in new tab), known for producing some of the best PC fans, has introduced a new inlet spacer that is only 5 mm thick.

The new NA-IS1 (opens in new tab) is a spacer designed to sit on top of fans placed at any intake point (possibly the side of the machine). It creates extra space between the fan and the grille or plating, preventing the computer from sucking up dust.

Usually, when these grilles and fans are in close proximity, there is greater turbulence as the air is sucked in. This is inefficient for the fan and causes a significant amount of noise; Noctua claims that these spacers significantly reduce incoming turbulence, improving both efficiency and noise

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The spacer is made in both the common 14 cm and 12 cm Noctua square sizes and should fit all current brand models in this format. To install, first remove the anti-vibration pads, then install the spacer between the grille and the fan using the self-tapping screws or anti-vibration mounts provided. Screws are also provided for radiator mounting.

Given that the NA-IS1 costs about US$15 for a set of two (opens in new tab), it seems only natural that Noctua would include these tools. If you are already a fan of Noctua, upgrading is easy and a bit of a no-brainer. Especially if you're rocking the classic Noctua browns shared by the Asus X Noctual RTX 3070 (opens in new tab). Black is also available, though.

Along with the NA-IS1, Noctua also introduced the NA-AVG2 (opens in new tab), an anti-vibration gasket for systems that want to increase fan sealing. These are made of high-quality silicone rubber and are ideal for connection to water-cooled radiators. This material also helps reduce noise and is highly efficient with respect to air loss. The gaskets are available in sets of three for about US$10. (Open in new tab)

Nevertheless, if not a large fan with rotating blades, Noctua also offers passive coolers like the NH-P1 (open in new tab) that keep the CPU cool without a fan. These will definitely set you back a bit more than a few millimeters of plastic, but they are also basically quieter.