Noctua

Noctua is an Austrian computer-hardware brand specializing in premium cooling components for personal computers, workstations, servers, industrial equipment and other noise-sensitive systems. Its core portfolio consists of air CPU coolers, axial fans, thermal interface materials, mounting hardware and cooling accessories. The brand is particularly associated with high performance-to-noise efficiency, long service life, extensive socket compatibility and unusually long-term product support. The Noctua brand was established in 2005 through cooperation between Vienna-based Rascom Computerdistribution and Taiwanese cooling specialist Kolink International Corporation. Rascom had been founded in Vienna in 2000 by Alexandra and Roland Mossig and had developed expertise in high-grade cooling components and acoustically optimized computer hardware. Kolink contributed manufacturing, thermal-engineering and supply-chain capabilities. The resulting company initially focused on quiet PC cooling at a time when enthusiast computers were becoming more powerful, hotter and louder. Noctua's reputation was built around engineering-led refinement rather than rapid product turnover. Its products commonly use substantial heatsinks, heatpipes, carefully tuned fan geometries, high-quality bearings, low-vibration mounting systems and detailed compatibility documentation. The company also developed a distinctive naming system: NF denotes fans, NH denotes heatsinks and CPU coolers, NT denotes thermal interface materials, NA denotes accessories, NM denotes mounting systems and NV denotes Noctua HOME ventilation products. Earlier NC products covered chipset cooling. The brand's signature brown-and-beige color scheme became one of its most recognizable visual assets. It communicates product continuity and differentiates Noctua from the predominantly black, RGB-oriented gaming market, although the palette has also attracted criticism from some PC enthusiasts who prefer more visually neutral components. Noctua responded partly through the chromax line, which offers selected fans, coolers and accessories in darker or more understated finishes while retaining the company's acoustic and mechanical design priorities. Noctua's best-known product families include the NH-D15 dual-tower CPU cooler, the NH-U12 series of single-tower coolers, the NF-A12x25 120 mm fan, the NF-A14 140 mm family and industrialPPC fans for demanding environments. The company also offers thermal pastes, anti-vibration mounts, low-noise adapters, fan hubs, upgrade kits and accessories that extend the usable life of its products across changing CPU socket standards. Although Noctua remains primarily a cooling-components brand, it has expanded through collaborations. Its partnership with ASUS produced Noctua Edition GeForce graphics cards using Noctua fans and co-developed heatsinks. Other collaborations have included Drop keyboard accessories, a Linus Media Group screwdriver, Seasonic power supplies, Prusa 3D-printing materials and hardware from partners such as Antec and Pulsar. These projects extend Noctua's design language and cooling expertise into adjacent enthusiast markets without displacing its core focus. The company states that it sells internationally in more than 60 countries and serves both individual PC builders and business customers. Its industrial work includes specialized fan and cooling applications, including compact fans designed for demanding equipment and space-related hardware. By 2025, Noctua continued to present itself as a founder-owned, long-term-oriented business with operations centered in Vienna, research and development activity in Sweden, and manufacturing and supply-chain cooperation with Kolink in Taiwan. Its market position is premium and specialist: the brand generally competes on acoustic performance, reliability, engineering quality and support rather than on lowest price or aggressive visual styling.

Noctua's roots lie in Vienna-based Rascom Computerdistribution, founded in 2000 by Alexandra and Roland Mossig. Rascom initially operated as a distributor and specialist in high-grade computer cooling. The growing popularity of overclocking and increasingly powerful PC processors created demand for larger heatsinks, better airflow management and quieter fans. By 2002, Rascom was supplying products for an established European quiet-computing brand as an original-equipment supplier, building practical experience in acoustically optimized cooling. In 2005, Rascom joined forces with Kolink International Corporation, a Taiwanese cooling specialist founded in 1995 by Kuo-Jen (Tim) Chu. Kolink had experience designing and manufacturing heatsinks for international brands and contributed production expertise, engineering capabilities and supply-chain resources. Together, the companies launched Noctua as a dedicated premium cooling brand. The name refers to Athene noctua, the scientific name of the little owl, which is associated with wisdom and intelligence and appears in the company's logo. From its beginning, Noctua differentiated itself through an engineering-first approach. Instead of competing primarily through low prices or frequent cosmetic redesigns, the company concentrated on fan blade geometry, bearing systems, airflow, static pressure, vibration control and the relationship between thermal performance and perceived noise. Its early fan and cooler products established the design language that would become central to the brand: conservative, technically detailed products supported by comprehensive specifications and compatibility information. The company gradually expanded from fans and CPU heatsinks into a broader ecosystem of cooling products. It introduced thermal compounds, low-noise adapters, anti-vibration accessories, mounting kits, replacement fans and upgrade programs for newer CPU sockets. This support model helped users retain Noctua coolers across multiple processor generations and reinforced the brand's reputation for longevity. The NH-U12 and later NH-D15 families became especially prominent among high-performance air-cooling products, while the NF-A12x25 became a reference point for premium 120 mm fan design. Noctua's brown-and-beige color scheme became an important part of its identity. The colors made its products instantly recognizable and signaled continuity across years of product development. They also generated mixed reactions, particularly in a PC market increasingly influenced by black components, tempered-glass cases and RGB lighting. To address demand for more restrained aesthetics, Noctua developed the chromax line, which brought black and other alternative finishes to selected products without abandoning the underlying acoustic and mechanical designs. The brand's core market expanded beyond individual enthusiasts. Noctua products became relevant to workstation builders, system integrators, server applications and industrial customers that value low noise and dependable operation. Its industrialPPC line adapted Noctua's fan engineering for more demanding environments, with models designed around higher airflow, pressure, durability and protection requirements. The company also developed compact fans and application-specific solutions for embedded and industrial hardware. Beginning in 2021, Noctua entered a series of collaborations that broadened its visibility beyond standalone cooling components. Its partnership with ASUS produced the GeForce RTX 3070 Noctua Edition, combining ASUS graphics-card engineering with Noctua fans and a custom cooling solution. Subsequent models extended the concept to newer NVIDIA generations, including RTX 3080, RTX 4070, RTX 4080, RTX 4080 SUPER and RTX 5080 variants. These products demonstrated that Noctua's acoustic priorities could be applied to high-power graphics hardware as well as CPU cooling. Noctua also worked with Drop on keycaps and desk accessories, with Linus Media Group on a screwdriver, and with other partners on products such as power supplies, cases, mice and 3D-printing materials. These projects functioned as brand extensions: they used Noctua's visual identity or cooling expertise while allowing partner companies to supply the primary product platform. The 2025 Seasonic PRIME TX-1600 Noctua Edition and ASUS RTX 5080 Noctua Edition illustrated the company's continuing move into co-branded enthusiast hardware. Organizationally, Noctua remains closely connected to Rascom and Kolink. The Vienna headquarters coordinate strategy, product management, engineering, validation, sales, marketing, support, logistics and industrial-customer relationships. Rascom has also operated a dedicated research-and-development department in Linköping, Sweden since 2012. Kolink remains involved in manufacturing, packaging, quality control, export logistics and parts of research and development, including in-house heatsink production processes. By 2025, Noctua described itself as an internationally established brand present in more than 60 countries, with several hundred sales partners and business customers. Its development trajectory remained consistent: deepen the performance and acoustic characteristics of established product categories, preserve compatibility and support existing users, and selectively enter adjacent categories through partnerships. The company therefore occupies a distinctive premium niche in computer hardware, where engineering credibility, low noise and product longevity are more important than mass-market pricing or visual fashion.

1. 2025Noctua presents an expanded partner-product ecosystem

   At Computex 2025, Noctua presents ASUS graphics cards, an Antec case, a Seasonic power supply and a Pulsar mouse, alongside other prototypes and product developments.

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2. 2025ASUS RTX 5080 Noctua Edition is announced

   The fifth ASUS x Noctua GPU uses three NF-A12x25 G2 fans and a custom vapor-chamber heatsink with eleven heatpipes.

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3. 2023Linus Media Group screwdriver collaboration

   Noctua collaborates with Linus Media Group on a branded screwdriver using Noctua's signature color scheme.

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4. 2021First ASUS Noctua Edition graphics card

   The ASUS GeForce RTX 3070 Noctua Edition becomes Noctua's first major graphics-card collaboration.

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5. 2021Drop collaboration extends the brand into desk accessories

   Noctua and Drop release themed keycaps, a desk mat and a coiled aviator cable for mechanical-keyboard and PC enthusiasts.

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6. 2017Noctua introduces the chromax direction

   The company begins offering selected products in alternative colorways, addressing demand for more understated designs than the signature brown-and-beige palette.

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7. 2012Dedicated research and development activity begins in Linköping

   Rascom establishes a dedicated R&D department in Linköping, Sweden, supporting the brand's long-term engineering program.

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8. 2005Noctua is launched

   Rascom and Kolink launch Noctua as a dedicated brand for premium quiet-cooling products.

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9. 2002Rascom begins OEM supply for a European quiet-cooling brand

   Rascom gains OEM experience supplying cooling products for a leading European quiet-computing brand, strengthening its technical foundation before launching Noctua.

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10. 2000Rascom Computerdistribution is founded in Vienna

    Alexandra and Roland Mossig establish Rascom Computerdistribution, which develops into a specialist in high-grade and acoustically optimized cooling components.

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11. 1995Kolink International is established

    Taiwanese cooling specialist Kolink International is founded and develops expertise in heatsink design and manufacturing for international hardware brands.

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Premium, engineering-led quiet cooling for enthusiasts, professionals, system integrators and industrial customers. Noctua emphasizes acoustic efficiency, mechanical quality, long service life, broad compatibility and long-term support rather than low pricing, RGB styling or rapid model turnover.

• NH-D15Dual-tower CPU air cooler

  The NH-D15 is Noctua's best-known high-end dual-tower CPU cooler. It uses a large heatsink structure and multiple heatpipes to provide high thermal capacity while relying on low-speed, large-diameter fans for comparatively quiet operation. The product became a reference point for premium air cooling and is designed for enthusiast desktops, workstations and other systems where users prefer a durable air cooler over liquid cooling. Its long-term compatibility and upgrade-kit approach are central to its value proposition.

• NH-D15 G2Next-generation dual-tower CPU air cooler

  The NH-D15 G2 is a newer generation of Noctua's flagship dual-tower cooler family. It refines the platform through updated contact and compatibility details while preserving the large heatsink, heatpipe and low-noise fan architecture associated with the NH-D15 name. It is positioned for high-performance desktop processors and users seeking premium air cooling with long service life, careful installation guidance and sustained socket support.

• NH-U12 seriesSingle-tower CPU air cooler

  The NH-U12 family is a long-running single-tower CPU-cooler platform. Its narrower form factor is intended to provide strong processor cooling while improving case and memory compatibility compared with larger dual-tower designs. Across generations, the series has served mainstream enthusiast desktops, workstations and compact builds that require a balance between thermal performance, fan noise and installation clearance.

• NF-A12x25120 mm premium computer fan

  The NF-A12x25 is one of Noctua's signature 120 mm fans. It is designed around high airflow, useful static pressure, low vibration and carefully controlled acoustic output, making it suitable for case ventilation, heatsinks and radiators. Its tight manufacturing tolerances and distinctive material choices support the brand's emphasis on predictable performance and long-term reliability. The fan has also become the basis for several collaborative products, including Noctua Edition graphics cards and power supplies.

• NF-A12x25 G2Next-generation 120 mm premium fan

  The NF-A12x25 G2 is the second-generation development of Noctua's flagship 120 mm fan platform. It is intended to improve the balance of airflow, static pressure and acoustic behavior and is used in newer flagship products such as the ASUS GeForce RTX 5080 Noctua Edition. The fan is positioned as a high-performance component for demanding PC cooling applications where low noise and refined acoustic behavior are priorities.

• NF-A14 family140 mm computer fan

  The NF-A14 family covers large-format 140 mm fans for case ventilation, heatsinks and other PC cooling applications. The larger frame allows the products to move substantial air at relatively low rotational speeds, supporting Noctua's approach of achieving useful thermal performance without excessive noise. The family includes standard and specialized variants intended for different airflow, pressure, control and environmental requirements.

• IndustrialPPCIndustrial cooling fan

  Noctua's industrialPPC line adapts the company's fan engineering for industrial, embedded and other demanding applications. Compared with standard consumer fans, industrialPPC models emphasize higher airflow and static pressure, greater operating robustness and suitability for equipment that may run continuously or in less forgiving environments. They are used by industrial customers and system designers who need dependable thermal management while retaining Noctua's focus on controlled acoustics.

• NT-H1 and NT-H2Thermal compound

  NT-H1 and NT-H2 are Noctua thermal interface materials used between processors or other heat-generating components and their coolers. They complement the company's heatsink and fan portfolio by providing an installation and maintenance consumable with straightforward application characteristics. The products are marketed to enthusiasts, technicians, system integrators and industrial users who require consistent thermal transfer and long storage life.

• Noctua mounting and accessory ecosystemCooling accessories and upgrade hardware

  Noctua provides mounting kits, replacement fans, low-noise adapters, fan hubs, anti-vibration mounts, cables and other accessories intended to improve compatibility and extend product life. Its mounting-kit strategy allows many coolers to remain usable as CPU socket standards change, while replacement and vibration-control parts support long-term maintenance.

• ASUS GeForce RTX 5080 Noctua EditionCollaborative graphics card2025

  This ASUS graphics card combines an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 platform with three Noctua NF-A12x25 G2 fans and a custom-engineered heatsink. The design uses a vapor chamber, seven 8 mm heatpipes and four 6 mm heatpipes, with offset fan speeds intended to reduce undesirable acoustic interaction. It represents the expansion of Noctua's cooling expertise into high-power graphics hardware while retaining the brand's emphasis on low noise.

• Seasonic PRIME TX-1600 Noctua EditionCollaborative power supply2025

  The Seasonic PRIME TX-1600 Noctua Edition is a co-branded high-wattage power supply that extends Noctua's partner-product program into power delivery. It uses Noctua-themed styling and a Noctua cooling fan, combining Seasonic's power-supply platform with the acoustic identity associated with Noctua. The product is aimed at high-end workstations, gaming systems and enthusiast builds requiring substantial power capacity.

• 2025Noctua at Computex 2025

  Global technology industry

  Noctua used Computex to present current and forthcoming partner products, including ASUS graphics hardware, an Antec case, a Seasonic power supply and a Pulsar gaming mouse, as well as prototypes and industrial cooling developments.

  Outcome. The presentation positioned Noctua as an expanding premium cooling ecosystem rather than solely a standalone fan and CPU-cooler supplier.

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• 2021ASUS x Noctua Edition graphics-card collaboration

  Global PC enthusiast market

  Noctua and ASUS created a co-branded graphics-card program centered on quieter cooling for high-performance GPUs. The partnership used Noctua fans, custom heatsinks and the recognizable Noctua visual identity to reach users who prioritize acoustics in gaming and workstation systems.

  Outcome. The collaboration continued across multiple NVIDIA GPU generations and reached the RTX 5080 Noctua Edition in 2025.

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• 2021Noctua x Drop enthusiast accessory collaboration

  North America · Europe · Global online enthusiast market

  Noctua and Drop translated the cooling brand's brown-and-beige identity into mechanical-keyboard and desk accessories, including keycaps, a desk mat and a coiled aviator cable.

  Outcome. The project broadened Noctua's presence within the enthusiast desktop and mechanical-keyboard communities.

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• 2025Advance the ASUS GPU platform to the RTX 5080 generationGeneration change

  Newer graphics processors required greater thermal capacity while maintaining the low-noise objective of the Noctua Edition concept.

  What changed. The ASUS RTX 5080 Noctua Edition adopted three NF-A12x25 G2 fans, a vapor chamber and eleven heatpipes in a custom heatsink design.

  Aftermath. The product became the fifth ASUS GPU to use Noctua fans and demonstrated a substantially expanded cooling architecture compared with earlier generations.

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• 2025Expand into premium power supplies through SeasonicProduct launch

  Noctua's cooling technology and acoustic positioning could be applied to other high-end PC components that benefit from low-noise airflow.

  What changed. Noctua partnered with Seasonic on the PRIME TX-1600 Noctua Edition power supply using Noctua-themed styling and a Noctua fan.

  Aftermath. The collaboration strengthened Noctua's position as a premium component ecosystem partner and not only as a fan and heatsink manufacturer.

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• 2025Use a partner-product ecosystem to enter adjacent enthusiast categoriesStrategy

  Noctua's Computex portfolio included products from ASUS, Antec, Seasonic, Pulsar and Prusa, indicating a deliberate approach to extending the brand through selected collaborations.

  What changed. The company presented Noctua Edition products across graphics cards, cases, power supplies, mice and 3D-printing materials while continuing to develop core fans and coolers.

  Aftermath. The brand's reach expanded into a wider set of enthusiast hardware and maker products without changing its central promise of quiet, durable engineering.

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• 2023Extend the brand into enthusiast tools and adjacent hardwareStrategy

  Noctua's strong recognition among PC builders created opportunities to apply its design language outside core fans and CPU coolers.

  What changed. The company collaborated on a branded screwdriver and continued developing partner products in categories such as graphics cards, peripherals and power supplies.

  Aftermath. Noctua developed a broader partner ecosystem while keeping cooling performance and visual consistency at the center of its brand extensions.

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• 2022Continue and broaden the ASUS graphics-card partnershipStrategy

  The initial RTX 3070 collaboration created a route for Noctua to apply its fan and acoustic expertise to increasingly powerful GPUs.

  What changed. Noctua and ASUS confirmed further graphics-card development, later producing additional Noctua Edition models.

  Aftermath. The partnership expanded to RTX 3080, RTX 4070, RTX 4080, RTX 4080 SUPER and RTX 5080 products.

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• 2021Enter the graphics-card market through ASUSProduct launch

  High-performance graphics cards generate substantial heat and often require fans that can produce considerable noise. ASUS provided the graphics platform while Noctua supplied cooling expertise.

  What changed. The partners released the ASUS GeForce RTX 3070 Noctua Edition with Noctua cooling technology and co-branded styling.

  Aftermath. The collaboration became an ongoing graphics-card program spanning later RTX generations.

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• 2017Offer alternative finishes through the chromax directionStrategy

  Noctua's brown-and-beige colors were highly recognizable but attracted criticism from users who preferred darker or more neutral components.

  What changed. The company introduced selected chromax products in alternative colorways, including darker finishes, while preserving the established fan and heatsink platforms.

  Aftermath. Noctua retained its signature identity while giving builders more options for visually coordinated systems.

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• 2005Launch a dedicated premium quiet-cooling brandStrategy

  Rascom had developed expertise in high-grade and acoustically optimized cooling, while Kolink brought cooling manufacturing and engineering capabilities. The partners created Noctua to focus these resources on a single premium brand.

  What changed. Noctua was established as a specialist brand emphasizing acoustic performance, thermal efficiency, mechanical quality and long-term support.

  Aftermath. The strategy enabled Noctua to build a distinctive position among enthusiasts, system integrators and industrial customers.

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• 2025Noctua presents new products and prototypes at Computex 2025

  At Computex 2025, Noctua displayed the ASUS RTX 5080 Noctua Edition, the Antec Flux Pro Noctua Edition case, the Seasonic PRIME PX HPD Noctua Edition power supply and the Pulsar Feinmann Noctua Edition mouse, among other developments.

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• 2025Noctua marks its 20-year product-development history

  Noctua used its 20th anniversary to explain the evolution of its product naming system and to connect early products such as the NF-S12 and NH-U12 with newer designs including the NF-A12x25 G2 and NH-D15 G2.

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• 2025ASUS GeForce RTX 5080 Noctua Edition launches

  The fifth ASUS GPU collaboration used three NF-A12x25 G2 fans and a custom heatsink with a vapor chamber and eleven heatpipes. It represented the largest and most advanced ASUS x Noctua graphics-card design described by the companies at launch.

  Product launchProduct generation
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• 2025Seasonic PRIME TX-1600 Noctua Edition expands the partner-product portfolio

  Noctua and Seasonic introduced a 1600-watt power supply carrying Noctua Edition branding and incorporating a Noctua fan, extending the collaboration model beyond cooling components and graphics cards.

  Product launch
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• 2025Noctua develops compact cooling for International Space Station hardware

  A Noctua case study described the use of an NF-A4x10 fan in space-related hardware. The application highlights the company's industrial engineering work in compact, reliable and low-noise cooling where natural convection is unavailable.

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• 2023Noctua expands ASUS GPU collaboration to later GeForce generations

  The ASUS partnership progressed to later graphics-card generations, including RTX 4080 and RTX 4080 SUPER Noctua Edition models using Noctua fans and jointly developed heatsinks.

  Product generationProduct launch
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• 2023Noctua partners with Linus Media Group on branded screwdriver

  Noctua collaborated with Linus Media Group on a screwdriver using Noctua's recognizable color scheme, connecting the brand with PC-building tools and the online hardware-enthusiast community.

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• 2022Noctua confirms further ASUS graphics-card collaboration

  Following the RTX 3070 project, Noctua and ASUS confirmed that they would continue developing Noctua Edition graphics cards with an emphasis on low acoustic output and custom cooling hardware.

  Product generation
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• 2021Noctua and ASUS release the GeForce RTX 3070 Noctua Edition

  Noctua entered the graphics-card market through a collaboration with ASUS. The product combined ASUS graphics hardware with Noctua cooling technology and the brand's characteristic brown-and-beige visual treatment.

  Product launchM&A
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• 2021Noctua collaborates with Drop on enthusiast desk accessories

  Noctua and mechanical-keyboard company Drop introduced a Noctua-themed keycap set accompanied by a desk mat and coiled aviator cable, extending the brand into enthusiast desktop accessories.

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1. About Noctua: History & profile
2. Noctua (company)
3. Understanding Noctua's product naming scheme
4. Noctua at Computex 2025
5. ASUS and Noctua announce ASUS GeForce RTX 5080 Noctua Edition graphics card
6. ASUS GeForce RTX 5080 Noctua Edition
7. Noctua partner products
8. Noctua case studies
9. Continue and broaden the ASUS graphics-card partnership