ID-Cooling AM-120-K: Bet on an Elegant Geometry

It has exactly the elements that make an inexpensive fan aerodynamically efficient and acoustically unobtrusive. Or rather, not too obtrusive—at least at lower, non‑high speeds. At higher speeds, every fan is “noisy,” but making a low‑cost fan that can still be described as pleasant to the ear is already something of a feat. We can, however, state that ID‑Cooling has achieved this with the AM‑120‑K model.

Evaluation

The aerodynamic results are overall rather average (although its relative placement on a radiator is quite high), but considering the lower price, we can definitely say these fans are highly attractive. This is also supported by the airflow‑per‑euro coefficient.

The tested ID‑Cooling fan excels especially on grills or radiators (thin, thick). There it benefits from its higher static pressure. This means airflow (and thus cooling performance) does not collapse as much as, for example, on older Arctic BioniX “F” fans. Speaking of them, the newer “P” variants will most likely appear in upcoming fan tests. When? Very soon. But back to the AM‑120‑K fans.

Even at high speeds (around 2500 rpm), vibrations are relatively low. This is largely thanks to the impeller ring, which suppresses excessive torque ripple. The speed range of this IDC fan is truly wide, and the maximum rpm is high as well. This allows for applications where high cooling performance is the priority, albeit at the cost of noisy operation.

Importantly, the fan can be slowed down significantly, to somewhere below roughly 410 rpm. At that point, the fan motor (under PWM control) shuts off. This is also a good trait in this class, as many competing or similarly cheap fans do not allow this and remain active under PWM control at all times. Under DC (linear voltage regulation), every fan transitions to passive mode—it only depends on where the voltage threshold lies at which it stops spinning.

The sound is fairly pleasant, although at medium speeds (i.e., ~1200 rpm) there is a tonal peak at approximately 135 Hz. The sound character is more drony at that point. But otherwise, neither at low nor high speeds did we detect anything that wasn’t caused by airflow. At higher speeds, the fan is aerodynamically louder, which is natural, and at lower speeds it is pleasantly quiet, so the acoustic spectrum does not include the buzzing typical of some cheaper fans. The acoustic profile is clean. Occasionally, at lower speeds it is louder on a grill at 320–340 Hz.

Overall, the ID‑Cooling AM‑120‑K is a universal, affordable fan (remarkable both for heatsinks and for system cooling in cases) that deserves attention.

English translation and edit by Jozef Dudáš