I ran a 7950 right above a PSU with the reference GTX 480 above it, and the 480 was actually running cooler (then again, my card hasn't passed 80C under load so I'm special).

Optional coloured anti-vibration mounts - To complement the coloured anti-vibration pads included with the fans, users can purchase chromax line NA-SAV2 anti-vibration mounts that enable the convenient, quick and vibration-free installation of fans in standard mounting holes for case fans. The anti-vibration pads made of extra-soft silicone reduce the transmission of the smallest vibrations and are also compatible with all standard screws and commercially available mounting systems or fan clips used with CPU coolers.Featuring sophisticated aerodynamic design measures such as Flow Acceleration Channels, the NF-A14 further improves the renowned quiet cooling performance of the iconic NF-P14. By speeding up the airflow at the crucial outer blade regions, this measure reduces suction side flow separation and thus leads to better efficiency and lower vortex noise.

By accelerating airflow in the critical outer regions of the fan blades, suction-side vortex shedding is reduced, resulting in higher efficiency and lower turbulence-related noise emissions. Topped off with Noctua’s trusted reliability and six year manufacturer’s warranty, the NF-A14 industrialPPC is an ideal choice for highly demanding applications that require superior flow rates and ultimate dependability. The fan will potentially run at full speed, so if you would like to reduce the speed of the fan you will need to adjust the fan speed setting in your BIOS or use fan control software such as SpeedFan in Windows. This material can withstand temperatures up to 140°C and makes the fans even more robust and break-proof than Noctua’s standard fibre-glass reinforced PBT fans.The size of fan you need will generally be determined by the size of the fan fitting position in your PC case. I'd want a blower-fan GPU, as those pull air in from the front of the GPU and exhaust it out the back. Supporting fully automatic PWM speed control, the NF-A14 PWM uses Noctua's novel, custom-designed NE-FD1 PWM IC that integrates Smooth Commutation Drive (SCD) technology. For even greater cooling performance on current high-end CPU coolers, the width has been extended to 150 mm and complemented by advanced aerodynamic design measures such as Flow Acceleration Channels, which again improve the silent performance.

Like all Noctua fans, the chromax edition models feature an MTBF of more than 150,000 hours rating and come with a full 6-year manufacturer's warranty. The NF-A14 is equipped with the further optimized second generation of Noctua's proven SSO bearing system. I don't know why you've convinced yourself otherwise, but there's plenty of room for airflow between the shroud and the GPU, and even more since the shroud is perforated. Thanks to its elevated 2000rpm top speed, the NF-A14 industrialPPC-2000 provides a significant performance boost over the 1500rpm retail version.

I use it on a 140mm radiator and under 1000rpm its silent and at full speed it moves a tone of air through the radiator with decent noise levels. So you can plug the 4-pin fan connector onto the 3-pin motherboard fan header, leaving the fourth pin not connected to anything. The PWM fans lend themsleves better to being controlled by PWM cycles through your motherboard, rather than decreasing the voltage with, say, a fan controller.