Noctua's brown fans became the status symbol of PC building—here's why it actually worked

Did someone accidentally order Volvo parts for a PC build? They're a visual shorthand for "I know what I'm doing"Flaunt it if you've got itCredit: NoctuaCredit: Patrick Campanale / How-To GeekCredit: Patrick Campanale / How-To GeekCredit: Patrick Campanale / How-To GeekCredit: Pulsar / NoctuaClose Credit: NoctuaCredit: Patrick Campanale / How-To GeekCredit: Patrick Campanale / How-To GeekCredit: Patrick Campanale / How-To GeekCredit: Pulsar / NoctuaThere are some brands and products that start off as the choice for those "in the know" and then eventually become the thing you buy when you want to look like you're one of those people. Noctua fans are an aesthetic now, so of course it's partly a performative social media thing. Because of the focus on quality, conservative engineering, and lack of pointless flashiness, Noctua fans also tend to last. Some of the products, like the mice (and even a PSU), are partner products that have Noctua fans in them, and share that color scheme.