Cooling the processor is one thing, but cooling its power supply circuit is another. How will the coolers handle this task? We specially focused on testing the heatsinks with Noctua reference fans. Notably, the weird Freezer had some real difficulties. We know where the problem is. We made some tests without fans too, and on this occasion we decided to include top-notch passive cooler Zalman FX70.
There are a lot of droning or downright rumbling fans out there, but none have been as popularized by this sound profile as the Arctic P12. Probably also because this acoustic deficiency is really pronounced here and has pushed the manufacturer to make design changes in newer models that are aimed at suppressing critical tonal peaks. But even so, the base model P12 PWM PST is a remarkable fan and is unbeatable in its price range. Read more “Arctic P12 PWM PST: The most famous rumbling fan”
Low-profile fans are often seen as compromise solutions that will not achieve the efficiency of thicker models. This may or may not be true. In practice, the Arctic P12 Slim beats a number of full-size fans. Sure, Arctic’s 15mm fan has many shortcomings, but these are vindicated by the very low price. In the 120mm format, it is one of the cheapest, but definitely not the “weakest” slim fans. Read more “Top price/performance in 15 mm – Arctic P12 Slim PWM PST”
Arctic has released a successor to the P12 fan, or perhaps more likely a higher-end model of it, as the P12 Max is a bit more expensive. That’s because it has a significantly more sophisticated design that addresses the shortcomings of the P12. In particular, the P12 Max has stiffened blades to counteract the high vibration of Arctic’s 5-blade rotors, and also, it will be one of the most powerful 120mm fans due to its significantly increased speed. Read more “Stiffer and more efficient, improvements of the Arctic P12 (Max)”
