Second revision of the Arctic P14 Slim PWM PST
If you bought the P14 Slim PWM PST some time ago (and by that I mean earlier this year), its design differs from its current form. And quite significantly so. It is in fact that it has quietly advanced to the second revision. But it did so so quietly that many, including us, missed it. What are the changes and how do you identify the new version so that you don’t order the older, inferior one?
The P14 Slim PWM PST fan is one of the few 140mm models with reduced thickness (to 16mm). As such, this format struggles with more delicate blades, and especially when they are significantly curved, as Arctic does it, they flex significantly. Not only are they long, but the profile of the blades is also very low, meaning they are slim, and that doesn’t add to the stiffness either.
The excessive vibration that occurs at the tips of the blades has been solved by Arctic in the same way as it has done on other fans recently – with a rotor frame. At first, it was not on the P14 Slim PWM PST fans, but now only variants with it are produced and shipped. Arctic got to those in March this year, and their distribution is already well underway.
Most stores should only stock these new variants now, but it may be possible to buy a fan without a frame as part of a clearance sale. To avoid this, you need to ask the retailer if this is the second revision. This marking is on the back of the packaging, where it must say “rev. 2” above the EAN code. If it is not there like that, it is the original design. It is also possible to check by the box graphic, this has also changed. The long code designation of the fan (ACFAN00268A) has remained the same, do not navigate by it.
The main benefit of implementing a rotor frame is in the suppression of tonal peaks that arise with certain vibrations. Stabilizing the blade tips does not mean that the fan is completely free of vibrations (they will be there), but it eliminates oscillations that degrade acoustic performance (by accentuating critical/resonant frequencies).
The direct framing of the blades also has a certain effect on the aerodynamic properties, because the airflow is not torn away from the tips (blades). However, the addition of such a frame is often associated with a small shortening of the blades, reducing their surface area, which in turn reduces the airflow at the same speed.Thus, in the final analysis, there may be no performance improvement, which is substantially evidenced by the parameters across the revisions – the airflow is quoted at 88.35 m³/h and the static pressure at 1.55 mm H2O. If these specs are correct, Arctic has incorporated the frame so that the specs of the new revision will scale with the old one. The speed range of both fans is the same 150–1800 rpm similar to the motor or (fluid) bearings used.
The price in the Arctic e-shop is unchanged – 12.99 EUR, but elsewhere you can buy the P14 Slim PWM PST rev. 2 fan for 2–3 euros cheaper.
English translation and edit by Jozef Dudáš