Endorfy Fluctus 140 PWM: High efficiency “cheaply”, but…

Cooling, Extra tests, Fans | | Ľubomír Samák

Evaluation

A fan does not have to be expensive to achieve high airflow at reasonable noise levels. A good example of this is the 140mm Fluctus, which is very high on the price/performance charts. It is outperformed virtually only by fans with more significant shortcomings in some aspects. The Fluctus 140 PWM is not flawless either, but it is still a hot favourite in its price range for many scenarios.

Evaluation

Given the lower price, Endorfy Fluctus 140 PWM fans are attractive for all types of use cases. Aside from the potential clash with nylon filters, they achieve high efficiency both in the position of system fans in a case and on the radiators of coolers.

On a plastic filter, the Fluctus 140 PWM is significantly more efficient across the entire speed range than high-end fans in the 120mm format. This means that it achieves a higher airflow at the same noise level. And often on a hexagonal grille as well. Replacing the smaller fans pre-installed in the case with these will always result in a significant improvement, an increase in cooling performance with a simultaneous reduction in noise. Beware, however, of nylon filters without a reinforced mesh. If they are in contact with the frame and therefore in close proximity to the rotor, unwanted collisions can occur which will cause the rotor to rub against the dust filter. The distance between the frame and the rotor is too small. But no other situations should surprise you as far as compatibility is concerned.

Compared to 120 mm fans for similar money the Fluctus 140 PWM is clearly more efficient even on radiators. We’ve only seen higher airflow at the same noise levels for smaller fans in high-end models, such as NF-A12x25 PWM (Noctua) or Gentle Typhoon D1225C (Nidec Servo). In its price range, however, the Fluctus 140 PWM’s good positioning is relatively unthreatened. Sure, the elite 140mm BeQuiet Silent Wings Pro 4 fan always looks down on the Fluctus 140 PWM, but that one is significantly more expensive, costing twice as much. The relatively small losses of the Fluctus 140 PWM are thus a good thing for the Endorfy fan.

Compared with the lighted variant (Fluctus 140 PWM ARGB), the the Fluctus 140 PWM typically achieves higher tonal peaks at the same noise levels, that “hold it back” when adjusting the speed, which is why this fan often ends up lower in the results charts than the ARGB LED model. This is especially the case when operating on obstacles (without them, the Fluctus 140 PWM is sometimes quieter and thus faster, with a better predisposition to higher airflow). But the differences are usually quite small, cosmetic.

But in this case, too, the following must be stated – the Fluctus 140 PWM’s sound is rumblier due to the more pronounced peaks at lower frequencies. In some places audibly more than the Fluctus 120 PWM, this for example in combination with a plastic filter, where there is a more pronounced difference in tonal peaks even compared to the ARGB variant. Its blades may be more flexible, but that doesn’t automatically mean they have to be noisier. Nor does it mean that they have to transmit more vibrations to the frame.

With Endorfy Fluctus 140 (ARGB) fans, what was true with the DeepCool FK120 and FC120, where the ARGB variant with more flexible blades (FC120) carried more intense vibrations, doesn’t apply. In the case of the Fluctus 140 fans, the vibration is significantly higher in the unlighted variant (Fluctus 140 PWM) with stiffer blades. That is, those vibrations that reach the frame (and which affect the secondary noise, for example, by vibrating the case). On the way from the main source (blade tips) to the frame, the vibrations naturally weaken due to various characteristics. From the profile (of the blades) to the weight and thus the force they exert on the frame (the ARGB variant is slightly lighter despite having an extra LED array) or the stiffness of the material.

So once again: Due to a combination of circumstances, among which is, for example, the precision of the rotor mounting, the Endorfy Fluctus 140 PWM is characterised by significantly more intense vibrations – especially at higher speeds, from 1100 rpm upwards. At lower speeds (below 1000 rpm) the vibrations are already quite low, practically negligible. But we have always measured some vibration, even at very low speeds, with a linearly decreasing tendency. This suggests that part of the vibration may also be due to a reduction in rotational frequency, i.e. motor action. And such results are obtained across several samples, which we always base our tests on. But we probably don’t need to elaborate any further, lest by paying too much attention to small details we create the illusion that perhaps this is not a perfect fan. Of course it is.

Think of our dissecting of the details around resonant frequencies and vibrations as more of a “scientific” note. However, once they’re published, you’ll know the Fluctus 140 PWM like the back of your hand, and you can never complain about anything once you’ve chosen it. You can’t count on technical “perfection” for any fan with peak airflow per euro. (a the Fluctus 140 PWM also holds its own in this in practice, on obstacles, due to its above-average static pressure). With less expensive fans, it’s always about trade-offs. But at lower speeds, when you avoid higher vibrations and higher tonal peaks of sound, there aren’t as many of those with the Fluctus 140 PWM.

English translation and edit by Jozef Dudáš




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