The impeller is oriented so that, in the installed position, nothing visually obstructs the view. This refers to the stator struts, which can otherwise “spoil” the appearance. But this is not just about looks—it is about combining them with the efficient geometry of the proven five-blade design with a stabilizing ring (familiar from the P12 A-RGB). It is not exactly the same design, though, if only because what used to be behind the impeller is now in front of it.
We tested the illuminated variant in a white finish. The entire impeller is light-conductive, which means there is truly plenty of light. In other words, a single fan can shine very intensely—although, if needed, the ARGB LEDs can also be dimmed to a relatively low level so the fan does not dazzle the user when that would be undesirable (for example, in the dark).
You are counting correctly—there are five blades. The impeller is based on an older aerodynamic design than that used in the P1x Pro fans. The blades are therefore long, but reinforced at the tips by a ring, primarily to suppress vibrations. This also helps prevent unwanted acoustic effects, for which especially the Arctic P12 fans are known. In this case, the acoustic profile could scale better with the A-RGB variants, which also featured a ring. The Reverse variants differ, however, in that the obstacle formed by the stator struts is positioned in front of the leading edges rather than behind them, as with traditional, non-reverse designs. This, too, has an effect on the sound profile.
At the trailing edge of the blades, the fan essentially ends. Or rather, beyond the trailing edge there are no obstructions. Normally, stator struts would be located here, but with reverse fans it is different—the stator struts are placed on the opposite side so that, in the installed position, they remain out of the user’s sight.
The P12 Pro Reverse A-RGB is meant to be as visually appealing as possible, but Arctic also pays attention to functional aesthetics—not only because of the “reverse” impeller design, but also thanks to the lighting associated with this fan.
And when it comes to “connecting” in another, mechanical sense—linking multiple fans together—up to four connectors are available. Two 4-pin connectors (female and male) for the motor, and the same number of three-pin connectors for the ARGB LEDs. This allows for a cleaner installation when the goal is to connect multiple fans in series to a single header—for example, on a liquid-cooling radiator or inside a case when used as system fans. As usual, there are several possible configurations.
Please note: The article continues in the following chapters.
Hmm, the 100th fan in the database—counting 140 mm models as well. On Thursday, we’ll do a kind of recap or summary, where all fans tested so far will appear together in the charts. 🙂
After reading the methodology section I’m still uncertain about when the tests were performed with the obstacles infront or behind the fan. Could you please clarify that?
Scenario by scenario, it varies. The radiators (both thinner and thicker ones) are behind the fans, as they are more commonly used in practice, while the dust filters (both nylon and plastic) are in front of them, i.e. in front of the impeller. That also makes more sense.
There is also a hexagonal grille in front of the fan, on the intake side, although in PC cases (for example, on the exhaust) it is often located behind it. We chose this placement because having it behind the impeller doesn’t change the acoustic profile very much, whereas with the opposite orientation, the difference can sometimes be quite significant, especially when it comes to tonal peaks. 🙂
Thanks for the clarification!
Your setup is what I was hoping for, for the reasons you already stated yourself. And just to make sure I’m not misunderstanding a fine detail: Whether **reverse blade fan or regular fan**, your dust filter test setup (both nylon an plastic) will always reflect typical real world usage, i.e. air will be “pulled” through the filter instead of being “pushed” through it. Right? Thanks in advance!
Yes, the dust filters are always on the intake side of the fans. 🙂
For the most accurate comparison possible, reverse fans are also positioned in the same relationship to the anemometer (in pull). That’s a more complicated discussion, but this is always the case regardless of the fan. If we did it the opposite way, in push, the area where we measure the wind/air speed—which is subsequently used to calculate the airflow in cubic units—would be too turbulent, and the results would therefore be distorted. 🙂