103 Fans Compared (mother of all fans comparison )

[ahhming]

Over 103, 23 brands 12cm case fans reviewed and compared
 
Aerocool Akasa Antec Arctic Be quiet! Bitfenix Cooler Master Cooltek Corsair DeepCool Enermax Fractal Design Gelid Lepa Nanoxia Noctua Noiseblocker Scythe SilenX SilverStone Spire Thermalright
 
Some of the test they conducted
Noise level @ 10 cm. (12V)
Noise level @ 10 cm. (7V)
Voltage @ 30 dB(A)
Air flow (12V)
Air flow (7V)
Air flow (12V + Radiator)
Air flow (7V + Radiator)
Air flow @ 30 dB(A)
Power consumption (12V)
Power consumption (7V)
Power consumption @ 30 dB(A)
 
Click Source for chart

 

 
 
 
Source:
chart
http://us.hardware.info/comparisontable/products/209720-207887-172469-207867-115496-148836-129249-97872-196643-130177-130182-180863-220413-151333-255136-255135-225145-232931-232933-232929-232930-225146-198800-150359-150357-232642-181434-181433-242738-242739-207868-118242-128931-114469-128930-211635-207094-203876-209749-161245-143867-95163-237059-216688-134396-133511-237017-242961-237018-164607-164608-229977-225137-225142-237014-237013-134020-134021-183456-192932-183457-237015-237016-236381-236382-142699-155962-107195-49539-162404-162408-162528-162526-162523-198443-198444-198442-198445-198446-49505-49507-49503-98487-70323-49481-130200-234449-234448-234450-114438-235132-198448-237012-251298-251299-251300-251301-159638-184801-242737-225125-232575-232577
 
introduction
http://us.hardware.info/reviews/5770/103-12cm-case-fans-review
 
Best performer

Noise level @ 10 cm :(12V)               Scythe Slip Stream 120mm 500rpm                           20.1 dB(A)

 

Noise level @ 10 cm:(7V)                  Scythe Slip Stream 120mm 500rpm                           17.4 dB(A)

 

Air flow (12V):                                    Scythe Ultra Kaze 120mm 3000rpm High Pressure    98.0 cfm

 

Air flow (7V):                                      Scythe Ultra Kaze 120mm 3000rpm High Pressure    56.5 cfm

 

Air flow (12V + Radiator):                  Noctua NF-F12 Industrial PPC-3000 PWM                  60.2 cfm

 

Air flow (7V + Radiator):                    Noctua NF-F12 Industrial PPC-3000 PWM                  34.3 cfm

 

Air flow @ 30 dB(A):                          Enermax Twister Pressure 120mm                              30.3 cfm

 

Power consumption (12V):                Cooler Master Silencio FP 120 3PIN                            0.3 W

                                                           Scythe Grand Flex 120mm 800RPM                            0.3 W

                                                           Noctua NF-S12A ULN 120mm                                     0.3 W

 

Power consumption (7V):                  Cooler Master Silencio FP 120 3PIN                            0.1 W

                                                          Scythe Grand Flex 120mm 1200RPM                          0.1 W

                                                          Scythe Grand Flex 120mm 800RPM                            0.1 W

                                                          Noctua NF-S12A ULN 120mm                                     0.1 W

 

Power consumption @ 30 dB(A):      Akasa Dead Silence 120mm White                              0.2 W

                                                          Noctua NF-F12 IndustrialPPC-2000PWM                    0.2 W

[Enderman]

Awesome, thanks

 

EDIT- too bad they didnt measure static pressure

[TheUnknown]

Thank you

[CartertheCOCguy]

Cool

[EarthboundHero]

Should be a sticky for when people ask what fans to get.

[KoenC]

Here's the review that this comparison table belongs to:

http://us.hardware.info/reviews/5770/103-12cm-case-fans-review

[patrickjp93]

Awesome, thanks

EDIT- too bad they didnt measure static pressure

That requires extremely expensive barometric equipment. You'll never see a definitive static pressure test because of this.

[Lays]

Airflow @ 30dB(A)

 

SP120 QE: 28.9 CFM

 

NF-F12: 25.9 CFM

 

 

lol i been sayin dis 4 awhile doe

[OhhTee]

I'm just gonna leave a comment here for future references.

[Enderman]

That requires extremely expensive barometric equipment. You'll never see a definitive static pressure test because of this.

I've seen this one...

[silberdrachi]

I feel sorry for the intern that had to do all this.

[cesrai]

Airflow @ 30dB(A)

 

SP120 QE: 28.9 CFM

 

NF-F12: 25.9 CFM

 

 

lol i been sayin dis 4 awhile doe

But it's Noctua it's better I'm laughing my ass out at people who thought the Noctua fan was better than the Corsair one.

 

@Slick I think you should have gone with the SP120 in your build, I'm really intrested in your opinion and do you have reason to pick Noctua(s) now ? 

[cesrai]

I feel sorry for the intern that had to do all this.

I would happily do it, just give me instruction and a guy to ask some question also Internet connection.

[patrickjp93]

I've seen this one...

An incomplete one. You saw a demo and explanation on a borrowed $700,000 cheap machine, not a comprehensive array of tests.

[cesrai]

An incomplete one. You saw a demo and explanation on a borrowed $700,000 cheap machine, not a comprehensive array of tests.

Shit that is expensive.

[ForsakenLive]

I new Enermax and Noiseblocker were going to win! . Right know I'm using Scythe Slipstreams, I always thought they were a good middle of the road, now I estimate them a lot more.

[Enderman]

An incomplete one. You saw a demo and explanation on a borrowed $700,000 cheap machine, not a comprehensive array of tests.

$700,000 is cheap to you?

 

I was just saying that yes i've seen a proper static pressure test. Sure its not over 100 fans, but he did do it for some of the most common fans, and the charts are in the description.

[cesrai]

I new Enermax and Noiseblocker were going to win! . Right know I'm using Scythe Slipstreams, I always thought they were a good middle of the road, now I estimate them a lot more.

I old Corsair was good and it would beat Noctua. *knew.

[patrickjp93]

$700,000 is cheap to you?

I was just saying that yes i've seen a proper static pressure test. Sure its not over 100 fans, but he did do it for some of the most common fans, and the charts are in the description.

Compared to the most accurate ones which are on the order of 5 million USD...comparatively cheap, but they're used in industrial testing and weather/environment simulation, so you'll never see a lengthy consumer review of fans using this tech because it's very expensive for consumers, even on the cheapest machines.

[Enderman]

Compared to the most accurate ones which are on the order of 5 million USD...comparatively cheap, but they're used in industrial testing and weather/environment simulation, so you'll never see a lengthy consumer review of fans using this tech because it's very expensive for consumers, even on the cheapest machines.

I wouldn't expect a consumer to use one of those machines, but I would expect a hardware reviewer like the one you posted to have access to one of those machines, even if they didnt own it...

 

Like linus did. If he had more time with the machine he borrowed he could review as many fans as he wanted...but he only had a few hours to use that machine.

[Tataffe]

EDIT- too bad they didnt measure static pressure

 

Relax. Not only is measuring air flow with a radiator in the way good for a static pressure comparison, but also you can't really measure an absolute "static pressure" because that depends on the aerodynamic resistance of the flow path behind the fan*. For instance one and the same fan will come out with a higher static pressure reading if you narrow down the flow path behind it.

 

Edit: That means that you can only compare "static pressure capabilities" of different fans if you use exactly the same test bed for all of them.

 

*) and technically, also in front of the fan.

[Enderman]

Relax. Not only is measuring air flow with a radiator in the way good for a static pressure comparison, but also you can't really measure an absolute "static pressure" because that depends on the aerodynamic resistance of the flow path behind the fan*. For instance on and the same fan will come out with a higher static pressure reading if you narrow down the flow path behind it.

 

*) and technically, also in front of the fan.

The point of static pressure is to measure the highest possible pressure it can give...which is important when using fans on radiators because of the restricted airflow.

Comparing fan's static pressure will give a good idea of which will perform better when you put it on a radiator.

[Tataffe]

The point of static pressure is to measure the highest possible pressure it can give...which is important when using fans on radiators because of the restricted airflow.

Comparing fan's static pressure will give a good idea of which will perform better when you put it on a radiator.

 

My words exactly. Comparing is fine, absolute numbers are useless

[patrickjp93]

I wouldn't expect a consumer to use one of those machines, but I would expect a hardware reviewer like the one you posted to have access to one of those machines, even if they didnt own it...

Like linus did. If he had more time with the machine he borrowed he could review as many fans as he wanted...but he only had a few hours to use that machine.

Except reviewers don't generally have access. That's why most tests published online are run on dense fin radiators. Also, just renting such a thing would be obnoxiously difficult.

[Real_PhillBert]

That requires extremely expensive barometric equipment. You'll never see a definitive static pressure test because of this.

I've done a lot of fan testing. I do it for a living, I am a mechanical engineer that specializes in fluid flow analysis.

 

This is not an overly complicated task. It does require some specialty equipment, but it's not a limiting factor.