Question on fan types

[martward]

Hi all,

 

Yesterday I asked recommendations for new case fans and I got quite a few. I'm looking at them now and I am a little bit lost on the whole static optimized fans.

Right now I have a Fractal Design Arc Midi R2 and I'm thinking of exchanging this for a Corsair Carbide Air 240 when I upgrade later this year.

the Arc Midi R2 has a pretty dense fan filter in the front, and the Air 240 has mesh in the front. Would I need static optimized fans? What are the advantages of one or the other?

I was looking at the Arctic P12 or F12, they cost about the same but the P12 are pressure optimized.

 

Cheers

[Tristerin]

7 minutes ago, martward said:

Hi all,

 

Yesterday I asked recommendations for new case fans and I got quite a few. I'm looking at them now and I am a little bit lost on the whole static optimized fans.

Right now I have a Fractal Design Arc Midi R2 and I'm thinking of exchanging this for a Corsair Carbide Air 240 when I upgrade later this year.

the Arc Midi R2 has a pretty dense fan filter in the front, and the Air 240 has mesh in the front. Would I need static optimized fans? What are the advantages of one or the other?

I was looking at the Arctic P12 or F12, they cost about the same but the P12 are pressure optimized.

 

Cheers

SP/Static Pressure/Pressure Optimized = fans that are curved to shove air (or pull) through something (radiators, thick filters) by ensuring the circulation is centered not "throwing" the air out the other side

 

If its not static pressure its a typical fan (typically).  SP fans USUALLY have a very high RPM as well so when needed can REALLY move air (at the cost of high sound) SP cans are recommended to have on some sort of fan controller or motherboard control as you don't want them running full boar at all time - unless you don't mind jet engines.  I run my Corsair SP 120's @40% which moves the air well and is silent.  My Arctic P12's I run at full boar because while they are pressure optimized (SP) however as the price reflects the motor only goes up to (at work I off the top of my head I believe its) 1600 RPM.  Corsairs SP 120's are like 2800rpm max.

 

Bearing type matters to orientation of the fan.  Example - Ball Bearing fans can go in any orientation (vertical or horizontal) without affecting the life of the fan.  Google each type and its orientation.  There are fluid dynamic, ball bearing, double ball bearing, etc etc etc  I prefer ball bearing because sound and I don't have to care how it sits in the case.

 

Right now everyone says MAG LEVS are the 'ish - I cant afford them for the price to unit ratio.  Just doesn't make sense to me. 

 

Let me know if you have any specific questions, Ive done a lot of research on fans to keep my space heater running icy cool.

 

 

 

 

[martward]

3 minutes ago, Tristerin said:

SP/Static Pressure/Pressure Optimized = fans that are curved to shove air (or pull) through something (radiators, thick filters) by ensuring the circulation is centered not "throwing" the air out the other side

 

If its not static pressure its a typical fan (typically).  SP fans USUALLY have a very high RPM as well so when needed can REALLY move air (at the cost of high sound) SP cans are recommended to have on some sort of fan controller or motherboard control as you don't want them running full boar at all time - unless you don't mind jet engines.  I run my Corsair SP 120's @40% which moves the air well and is silent.  My Arctic P12's I run at full boar because while they are pressure optimized (SP) however as the price reflects the motor only goes up to (at work I off the top of my head I believe its) 1600 RPM.  Corsairs SP 120's are like 2800rpm max.

 

Bearing type matters to orientation of the fan.  Example - Ball Bearing fans can go in any orientation (vertical or horizontal) without affecting the life of the fan.  Google each type and its orientation.  There are fluid dynamic, ball bearing, double ball bearing, etc etc etc  I prefer ball bearing because sound and I don't have to care how it sits in the case.

 

Right now everyone says MAG LEVS are the 'ish - I cant afford them for the price to unit ratio.  Just doesn't make sense to me. 

 

Let me know if you have any specific questions, Ive done a lot of research on fans to keep my space heater running icy cool.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the elaborate answer. I don't really know when the obstruction is enough to use static pressure fans. So my current case has a thick filter in front, I guess SP fans would be more suited. On the Air 240 I'm not really sure how thick the filter is and whether I should be using SP fans or regular fans. I found some Cooler Master Silencio  FP 120 Performance Edition fans that can go to 2400rpm, but sound like a jet engine. Running them at 1200RPM is about bearable.

[martward]

@Tristerin I am looking to buy intake fans by the way, not sure if that's important to note.

[thinwalrus]

2 hours ago, martward said:

@Tristerin I am looking to buy intake fans by the way, not sure if that's important to note.

P12 should be fine. All 120mm fans are loud over 1200rpm.

[geo3]

8 hours ago, thinwalrus said:

All 120mm fans are loud over 1200rpm. 

Definitely not.   The Noctua NF-A12 only gets loud over 1800rmp. Bequiet SW3 maxes out at 1400rmp and is completely inaudible at that speed.

[thinwalrus]

45 minutes ago, geo3 said:

Definitely not.   The Noctua NF-A12 runs only gets loud over 1800rmp. Bequiet SW3 maxes out at 1400rmp and is completely inaudible at that speed.

Check your hearing.

[Tristerin]

6 hours ago, martward said:

@Tristerin I am looking to buy intake fans by the way, not sure if that's important to note.

So I have about 20x 120mm random fans (Cooler Master, Corsair, Rosewill, Silence, and a bunch of no name fans) - A single Arctic P12 pulls as much air as 1.5 - 2 of those fans in use in any situation (radiator push/pull intake or exhaust).  And at only .3 sone at max speed (sone is different than dBA - sone is like...how tolerable is the noise that its emitting - the larger the number the less tolerable to the human senses)

 

My Rosewill Nautilus case has a thick front filter (probably .125" thick) - prior to replacing with the Arctics I had to clean that filter about every 6 months to keep good airflow.  I swapped out the Arctics...2 weeks ago?  I need to clean the filter again (did it two weeks ago) or will have to in another couple weeks for sure. 

 

I have to say, if you are going to BUY fans - I prefer bulk packs, pay now have when needed later so I can get a good price reduction - I REALLY like the performance for intake on the Arctic P12's.  Ive seen the single fans on sale for 6-7$ each but the bulk pack on Newegg puts them @ $5.60 shipped to your door each (5 for $27.99 shipped)

 

I will be buying another case or two (P12's) when I get ready to do my custom loop in my gaming rig for all the fans in that rig.

 

For reference - I have bought the Cooler Master standard bulk packs, I got them for SUPER cheap on sale paid $2 per fan.  None of those fans are in use now because the Arctics are easily twice the performance at the same sound level.

 

 

What is important to me is SOUND.  I hate hearing my PC on.  So for me I am recommending the Arctic P12's because they have a healthy mix of performance/cost/sound that meets my criteria's and are going to be my go-to's (until Noctua or Mag Levs become reasonably priced - it would take me over $200 in Noctua fans just to replace the fans in my personal rig)

[martward]

4 hours ago, Tristerin said:

So I have about 20x 120mm random fans (Cooler Master, Corsair, Rosewill, Silence, and a bunch of no name fans) - A single Arctic P12 pulls as much air as 1.5 - 2 of those fans in use in any situation (radiator push/pull intake or exhaust).  And at only .3 sone at max speed (sone is different than dBA - sone is like...how tolerable is the noise that its emitting - the larger the number the less tolerable to the human senses)

 

My Rosewill Nautilus case has a thick front filter (probably .125" thick) - prior to replacing with the Arctics I had to clean that filter about every 6 months to keep good airflow.  I swapped out the Arctics...2 weeks ago?  I need to clean the filter again (did it two weeks ago) or will have to in another couple weeks for sure. 

 

I have to say, if you are going to BUY fans - I prefer bulk packs, pay now have when needed later so I can get a good price reduction - I REALLY like the performance for intake on the Arctic P12's.  Ive seen the single fans on sale for 6-7$ each but the bulk pack on Newegg puts them @ $5.60 shipped to your door each (5 for $27.99 shipped)

 

I will be buying another case or two (P12's) when I get ready to do my custom loop in my gaming rig for all the fans in that rig.

 

For reference - I have bought the Cooler Master standard bulk packs, I got them for SUPER cheap on sale paid $2 per fan.  None of those fans are in use now because the Arctics are easily twice the performance at the same sound level.

 

 

What is important to me is SOUND.  I hate hearing my PC on.  So for me I am recommending the Arctic P12's because they have a healthy mix of performance/cost/sound that meets my criteria's and are going to be my go-to's (until Noctua or Mag Levs become reasonably priced - it would take me over $200 in Noctua fans just to replace the fans in my personal rig)

Well I've ordered 2 of them. Didn't buy the bulk pack because the only place that had them in stock sold them for the same cost per fan as I'm paying now, and I already have like 7 fans I'm not using lying around :P. 

I paid as much for these two fans including shipping as I would for NF-F12s without shipment, so I think I made the right choice going by your info.

Thanks for the elaborate answer once again good sir!