And with very clever daisy‑chaining from one fan to the next. This is what can fill in the ellipsis in the headline. The aerodynamic efficiency remains top‑tier, built on a design that Arctic revised some time ago (with the P12 Pro fans), but which can still be considered “new.” The BioniX P12 A‑RGB fans certainly are (new), and in this in‑depth analysis we focus on how they work.
At least initially, Arctic is releasing these fans only in an illuminated variant, with A‑RGB in the name (BioniX P12 A‑RGB). The fans are available individually (in both black‑ and white‑frame versions) or in packs of three, but always with a milky impeller that diffuses the light. This applies to the 120 mm models (the subject of this article) as well as the 140 mm versions (which we will examine next time…).
The fan’s impeller is based on seven blades whose tips are reinforced with a ring. Its main role is to reduce vibrations even at high speeds and generally ensure that everything stays together even at the maximum ~3000 rpm. It should be noted that these are still inexpensive fans, associated with the use of cheaper materials with lower mechanical strength, so the ring is useful for that reason as well. And of course, to some extent one can also speak of higher pressure at the blade tips, because airflow does not separate from them as it does with fans without a ring. “Multi‑purpose” is probably the right word.
In any case, despite the blades being shorter, they have an efficient geometry (i.e., with more rounded leading edges) and are further reinforced by the ring. These elements should also suppress undesirable tonal peaks.
You already know the fan geometry from the P12 Pro (A‑RGB) models, and not much has changed compared to them. We did not encounter anything specific, and given the attractive results of those fans, top‑tier characteristics are expected here as well—whether in airflow or static pressure. The combination of these two parameters answers the question of how much air passes through an obstacle, for example when the fan is used on a liquid‑cooler radiator.
One of the characteristic features of the BioniX P12 A‑RGB fans is the way multiple fans can be interconnected. The frame has a slot into which a contact “token” is inserted. It somewhat resembles a memory card, with half of a token protruding from the fan after insertion so that the adjacent fan can connect to it.
Once you have enough fans chained together, you attach a cable to the end using the same technique. On the other side are the connectors you already know: a 4‑pin for PWM and a 3‑pin for RGB lighting.
Please note: The article continues in the following chapters.
By the way, just a little curiosity—we have samples of the Ocypus Sigma F12 ARGB fans in the test lab. 🙂