With the FT12 fans, DeepCool has departed somewhat from the aerodynamic design of the older FK120 models, which is also reflected in their different functioning. In some ways it’s a change for the better, in some ways for the worse, but overall the fans are attractive. One of the reasons is the unconventional design, which allows you to see inside the motor. The housing is in fact clear and you can also light up underneath.
Explanatory note: For a quick overview of how manufacturers “spice up” specifications, we have a sort of “truthfulness” coefficient. We calculate this by putting our measured values in proportion to those given in the specifications by the fan manufacturers. A result of “1.00” means that the claimed parameters match the values we have recorded. After such a finding, we can conclude that the manufacturer has done his job honestly and the way he presents the fan agrees. The more the coefficient number is different from 1.00, the less accurate the claimed specifications are. Of course, the better case for the user is if the coefficient is higher than 1.00 (and it is, for example, 1.20), then the real parameters exceed the paper ones. Conversely, if the coefficient starts with zero, then the fan does not reach the parameters on paper. For example, a value of 0.80 means that the real airflow or static pressure is 20 % lower than the manufacturer claims. If a value is missing from the chart, it is because the fan manufacturer does not specify the airflow or static pressure.
The results seem to indicate that this fan is optimized for RPM-normalized performance instead of noise-normalized performance, and little attention being paid to its behaviour on obstacles. Surprisingly disappointing to me especially vs. the excellent FT14.
In addition to facing significantly less competition, the FT14 has a narrower blade inclination. It’s significantly larger on the FT12 and although the frontal profile of the fan looks great, even for use on obstacles, it does have some weaknesses. Similar in nature to Arctic’s F fans, for example, although in the case of the FT12 they don’t manifest themselves as noticeably. With fans, an overall aerodynamic design is significantly more efficient for all scenarios. 🙂