Corsair AF120 Elite: Beware, this fan is a force to be reckoned with

Cooling, Extra tests, Fans | | Ľubomír Samák

Results: Frequency response of sound with a dust filter

You know, the less you expect from something, the bigger the surprise can be in the end. Not that we approach Corsair’s elite fan with any preconceived notions, but for an absolutely top-notch fan, its design seems a bit simple. And that’s the magic of the AF120 Elite fan. Someone who knows what they’re doing was behind its design, because they did a hell of a job.

Results: Frequency response of sound with a dust filter

Measurements are performed in the TrueRTA application, which records sound in a range of 240 frequencies in the recorded range of 20–20,000 Hz. For the possibility of comparison across articles, we export the dominant frequency from the low (20–200 Hz), medium (201–2,000 Hz) and high (2,001–20,000 Hz) range to standard bar graphs.

However, for an even more detailed analysis of the sound expression, it is important to perceive the overall shape of the graph and the intensity of all frequencies/tones. If you don’t understand something in the graphs or tables below, you’ll find the answers to all your questions in this article. It explains how to read the measured data below correctly.

Noise levels in the tables below -85 dBu (but watch out for the negative sign, -70 dBu is louder than -80 dBu) can be ignored. They are in fact extremely weak and always far below the limit of human perception, and are often defined by the “noise” of the measurement string. Therefore, do not take even the dominant frequencies within the treble band that exceed 12 kHz too much into account.

Note: For these measurements, a plastic filter is used, which, compared to a situation without an obstacle, bends the sound considerably more than a non-obstructive nylon filter.







Why is there a missing value sometimes? There may be more reasons. Usually it is because the fan could not be adjusted to the target noise level. Some have a higher minimum speed (or the speed is low, but the motor is too noisy) or it is a slower fan that will not reach the higher decibels. But the results in the graphs are also missing if the rotor is brushing against the nylon filter mesh. In that case, we evaluate this combination as incompatible. And zero in the graphs is naturally also in situations where we measure 0.00. This is a common occurrence at extremely low speeds with obstructions or within vibration measurements.


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Comments (3) Add comment

  1. Hi, After your test I decide to buy it to replace the fan on an ArcticCooling Liquid Freezer 280 mm (so I take the AF140 Elite). The aio will be on the right side of a Lian O11 Dynamic mini and in this order from the right to the left : box panel, radiator, fan in aspiration. And I’ll will mesure if a push pull is possible to it too.

    TPu make the review thr same fan, but their conclusion is not good as yours on radiator. What did you think about teir test ? https://www.techpowerup.com/review/corsair-af120-elite-fan/

    Thanks for your help

    Reply

    1. Thank you for your comment, very good decision. As far as cooling performance is concerned you will not get significantly better results, but you will definitely avoid resonant frequencies and secondary noise from higher vibration of Arctic fans. The torque undulation is considerably smaller in the Corsair AF1x0 rotors due to the choice of a stronger material.

      Please don’t take offense, but I won’t comment on the TPU tests (just, let’s say we have some reservations about their procedures…). You know our conclusions.

      Reply

      1. Hi,

        Thank you for your reply. I’m conforted in my choice. No soucy for TPU.
        As always, felicitation for your amazing work.

        Have a great day 😉

        Reply

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