Overview of manufacturer specifications
We consider the Corsair AF120 Elite to be one of the most pleasant surprises of last year when it comes to fans. There wasn’t much to complain about with the simple but effective design… Someone may have missed the lighting though. The “RGB” model added this after some time. However, this is not the only change, there are more and these include, for example, higher speeds. However, the wide range (with low minimum speeds) remains.
Brand and model of fan | Paper specicifations * | Price [EUR] | ||||||||
Format (and thickness) in mm | Connecting | Speed [rpm] | Airflow [m3/h] | Static pressure [mm H2O] | Noise level [dBA] | Bearings | MTBF [h] | |||
Motor | RGB LED | |||||||||
Corsair AF120 RGB Elite | 120 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | 4-pin (5 V) iCUE | 550–2100 | 23.45–111.40 | 0.17–2.68 | 5.0–34.1 | fluid | N/A | 29 |
Enermax SquA RGB White | 120 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | 3-pin (5 V) | 300–1500 | 41,67–115,99 | 0.17–1.90 | 12.0–23.0 | N/A | 100 000 | 20 |
Endorfy Fluctus 140 PWM | 140 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | N/A | 250–1800 | N/A | N/A | N/A | fluid | 100 000 | 13 |
Endorfy Fluctus 140 PWM ARGB | 140 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | 3-pin (5 V) | 250–1800 | N/A | N/A | N/A | fluid | 100 000 | 17 |
Arctic P12 Slim PWM PST | 120 (15) | 4-pin (PWM) | N/A | 300–2100 | 71.53 | 1.45 | 10.6 | fluid | N/A | 7 |
BeQuiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 (BL099) | 140 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | N/A | 2400 | 165.50 | 3.64 | 36.8 | fluid | 300 000 | 33 |
Fractal Design Prisma AL-14 PWM | 140 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | 3-pin (5 V) | 500–1700 | 176.44 | 2.38 | 34.1 | sleeve | 100 000 | 21 |
Gigabyte Aorus 140 ARGB | 140 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | 3-pin (5 V) | 800–1700 | 51.48–103.03 | 0.59–2.18 | 8.9–35.8 | sleeve | 73 500 | 28 |
BeQuiet! Light Wings (BL075) | 140 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | 3-pin (5 V) | 2200 | 121.82 | 2.30 | 31.0 | rifle | 60 000 | 29 |
Fractal Design Aspect 14 RGB PWM | 140 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | 3-pin (5 V) | 500–1700 | 33.98–132.52 | 0.09–1.93 | 10.0–35.5 | rifle | 90 000 | 18 |
DeepCool FK120 | 120 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | N/A | 500–1850 | 117.21 | 2.19 | 28.0 | fluid | N/A | 11 |
Asus TUF Gaming TF120 | 120 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | 3-pin (5 V) | 1900 | 129.12 | 2.50 | 29.0 | fluid | 250 000 | 14 |
BeQuiet! Light Wings (BL072) | 120 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | 3-pin (5 V) | 1700 | 70.53 | 1.66 | 20.6 | rifle | 60 000 | 26 |
DeepCool FC120 | 120 (25) | 6-pin (PWM) | 6-pin (5 V) | 500–1800 | 105.19 | 1.83 | 28.0 | hydrodynamic | N/A | 20 |
Nidec Servo Gentle Typhoon D1225C (2150/12) | 120 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | N/A | 2150 | 117.23 | 2.87 | 30.0 | ball | 100 000 | 20 |
BeQuiet! Shadow Wings 2 (BL085) | 120 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | N/A | 1100 | 65.41 | 0.82 | 15.9 | rifle | 80 000 | 15 |
Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM | 120 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | N/A | 450–2000 | 102.10 | 2.34 | 22.6 | SSO2 | 150 000 | 28 |
Corsair AF120 Elite (black) | 120 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | N/A | 400–1850 | 18.52–100.41 | 0.09–1.93 | 31.5 | fluid | N/A | 24 |
Cooler Master MasterFan SF120M | 120 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | N/A | 650–2000 | 105.33 | 2.40 | 5.5–22.0 | ball | 280 000 | 33 |
Akasa Alucia SC12 | 120 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | N/A | 500–2000 | 95.65 | 1.94 | 33.1 | hydrodynamic | N/A | 12 |
BeQuiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 (BL098) | 120 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | N/A | 3000 | 142.50 | 5.31 | 36.9 | fluid | 300 000 | 32 |
Thermalright X-Silent 120 | 120 (25) | 3-pin (DC) | N/A | 1000 | 61.31 | N/A | 19.6 | fluid | 50 000 | 5 |
Fractal Design Aspect 12 RGB PWM | 120 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | 3-pin (5 V) | 500–2000 | 22.09–95.14 | 0.23–2.34 | 10.0–33.2 | rifle | 90 000 | 16 |
BeQuiet! Silent Wings 3 (BL066) | 120 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | N/A | 1450 | 85.80 | 1.79 | 16.4 | fluid | 300 000 | 21 |
Gelid Zodiac | 120 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | 3-pin (5 V) | 700–1600 | 111.29 | 1.47 | 35.0 | hydrodynamic | N/A | 10 |
Fractal Design Dynamic X2 GP-12 PWM | 120 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | N/A | 500–2000 | 148.83 | 0.51–2.30 | 10.0–32.2 | rifle | 100 000 | 12 |
BeQuiet! Pure Wings 2 (BL039) | 120 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | N/A | 1500 | 87.00 | 1.25 | 19.2 | rifle | 80 000 | 11 |
Gigabyte Aorus 120 ARGB | 120 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | 3-pin (5 V) | 800–1700 | 31.47–69.40 | 0.37–1.48 | 7.3–28.6 | sleeve | 73 500 | 25 |
Arctic BioniX P120 A-RGB | 120 (30) | 4-pin (PWM) | 3-pin (5 V) | 400–2300 | 81.55 | 2.10 | 33.4 | fluid | N/A | 21 |
Akasa OTTO SF12 | 120 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | N/A | 0–2000 | 164.84 | 3.59 | 7.1–31.7 | ball | 80 000 | 22 |
Cooler Master SickleFlow 120 ARGB | 120 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | 3-pin (5 V) | 680–1800 | 105.34 | 2.50 | 8.0–27.0 | rifle | 160 000 | 15 |
Alphacool SL-15 PWM | 120 (15) | 4-pin (PWM) | N/A | 600–1800 | 71.40 | 1.20 | 32.0 | ball | 50 000 | 11 |
Arctic BioniX F120 | 120 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | N/A | 200–1800 | 117.00 | 2.10 | 20.0 | fluid | N/A | 10 |
SilverStone SST-AP123 | 120 (25) | 3-pin (DC) | N/A | 1500 | 96.84 | 1.46 | 23.8 | fluid | 50 000 | 25 |
Noctua NF-P12 redux-1700 PWM | 120 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | N/A | 400–1700 | 120.20 | 2.83 | 25.1 | SSO | 150 000 | 13 |
SilentiumPC Fluctus 120 PWM | 120 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | N/A | 300–1800 | N/A | N/A | N/A | fluid | 100 000 | 12 |
MSI MEG Silent Gale P12 | 120 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | N/A | 0–2000 | 95.48 | 2.21 | 22.7 | hydrodynamic | 50 000 | 31 |
Asus ROG Strix XF120 | 120 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | N/A | 1800 | 106.19 | 3.07 | 22.5 | „MagLev“ | 400 000 | 23 |
Akasa Vegas X7 | 120 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | 4-pin (12 V) | 1200 | 71.19 | N/A | 23.2 | fluid | 40 000 | 11 |
Reeven Coldwing 12 | 120 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | N/A | 300–1500 | 37.54–112.64 | 0.17–1.65 | 6.5–30.4 | sleeve | 30 000 | 12 |
Reeven Kiran | 120 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | shared | 400–1500 | 110.10 | 2.95 | 33.6 | fluid | 120 000 | 17 |
SilentiumPC Sigma Pro 120 PWM | 120 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | N/A | 500–1600 | 79.00 | N/A | 15.0 | hydraulic | 50 000 | 7 |
SilentiumPC Sigma Pro Corona RGB 120 | 120 (25) | 4-pin (PWM) | 4-pin (12 V) | 1500 | 56.58 | N/A | N/A | hydraulic | 50 000 | 12 |
SilverStone SST-AP121 | 120 (25) | 3-pin (DC) | N/A | 1500 | 60.08 | 1.71 | 22.4 | fluid | 50 000 | 18 |
SilverStone SST-FQ121 | 120 (25) | 7-pin (PWM) | nemá | 1000–1800 | 114,68 | 0,54–1,82 | 16,4–24,0 | fluidné | 150 000 | 20 |
Xigmatek XLF-F1256 | 120 (25) | 3-pin (DC) | nemá | 1500 | 103,64 | N/A | 20,0 | rifle | 50 000 | 16 |
* When reading performance values, a certain amount of tolerance must always be taken into account. For maximum speeds, ±10 % is usually quoted, minimum speeds can vary considerably more from piece to piece, sometimes manufacturers will overlap by as much as ±50 %. This must then also be adequately taken into account for air flow, static pressure and noise levels. If only one value is given in a table entry, this means that it always refers to the situation at maximum speed, which is achieved at 12 V or 100 % PWM intensity. The manufacturer does not disclose the lower limit of the performance specifications in its materials in that case. The price in the last column is always approximate.
- Contents
- Corsair AF120 RGB Elite in detail
- Overview of manufacturer specifications
- Basis of the methodology, the wind tunnel
- Mounting and vibration measurement
- Initial warm-up and speed recording
- Base 6 equal noise levels…
- ... and sound color (frequency characteristic)
- Static pressure measurement…
- … and airflow
- Everything changes with obstacles
- How we measure power draw and motor power
- Measuring the intensity (and power draw) of lighting
- Results: Speed
- Results: Airlow w/o obstacles
- Results: Airflow through a nylon filter
- Results: Airflow through a plastic filter
- Results: Airflow through a hexagonal grille
- Results: Airflow through a thinner radiator
- Results: Airflow through a thicker radiator
- Results: Static pressure w/o obstacles
- Results: Static pressure through a nylon filter
- Results: Static pressure through a plastic filter
- Results: Static pressure through a hexagonal grille
- Results: Static pressure through a thinner radiator
- Results: Static pressure through a thicker radiator
- Results: Static pressure, efficiency by orientation
- Reality vs. specifications
- Results: Frequency response of sound w/o obstacles
- Results: Frequency response of sound with a dust filter
- Results: Frequency response of sound with a hexagonal grill
- Results: Frequency response of sound with a radiator
- Results: Vibration, in total (3D vector length)
- Results: Vibration, X-axis
- Results: Vibration, Y-axis
- Results: Vibration, Z-axis
- Results: Power draw (and motor power)
- Results: Cooling performance per watt, airflow
- Results: Cooling performance per watt, static pressure
- Airflow per euro
- Static pressure per euro
- Results: Lighting – LED luminance and power draw
- Results: LED to motor power draw ratio
- Evaluation