Results: Frequency response of sound w/o obstacles
While the Silent Gale P12 isn’t the first fan in MSI’s lineup (like the Strix XF120 from Asus), it beats anything previous from the company by a mile. This is by the efficiency of the rotor, which is suitable for radiators as well as for a case, but also by the overall robust design. There’s a big, powerful but quiet motor, and you won’t even know about the hydrodynamic bearings.
Results: Frequency response of sound w/o obstacles
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.
| Fan | Dominant sound freq. and noise level, no obstacle@33 dBA | NF-F12 PWM | NF-A15 PWM | ||||
| Low range | Mid range | High range | |||||
| Frequency [Hz] | Noise level [dBu] | Frequency [Hz] | Noise level [dBu] | Frequency [Hz] | Noise level [dBu] | ||
| MSI MEG Silent Gale 12 | 50,4 | -81,7 | 369,7 | -81,0 | 19897,0 | -90,8 | |
| Asus ROG Strix XF120 | 50,4 | -80,2 | 329,4 | -76,2 | 19330,5 | -90,8 | |
| Akasa Vegas X7 | 123,4 | -77,0 | 369,7 | -83,3 | 19330,5 | -90,7 | |
| Reeven Coldwing 12 | 38,9 | -79,7 | 1317,5 | -84,0 | 19330,5 | -90,7 | |
| Reeven Kiran | 138,5 | -80,6 | 369,7 | -83,3 | 19330,5 | -90,8 | |
| SilentiumPC Sigma Pro 120 PWM | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| SilentiumPC Sigma Pro Corona RGB 120 | 92,4 | -83,0 | 369,7 | -78,0 | 18780,2 | -90,8 | |
| SilverStone SST-AP121 | 47,6 | -77,5 | 261,4 | -86,4 | 19330,5 | -91,0 | |
| SilverStone SST-FQ121 | 31,3 | -87,5 | 1208,2 | -79,9 | 19330,5 | -90,9 | |
| Xigmatek XLF-F1256 | 41,8 | -69,7 | 213,6 | -77,3 | 19330,5 | -91,0 |
| Fan | Dominant sound freq. and noise level, no obstacle@39 dBA | NF-F12 PWM | NF-A15 PWM | ||||
| Low range | Mid range | High range | |||||
| Frequency [Hz] | Noise level [dBu] | Frequency [Hz] | Noise level [dBu] | Frequency [Hz] | Noise level [dBu] | ||
| MSI MEG Silent Gale P12 | 23,1 | -73,5 | 380,5 | -73,3 | 18780,2 | -90,9 | |
| Asus ROG Strix XF120 | 130,7 | -70,9 | 369,7 | -75,2 | 19330,5 | -91,0 | |
| Akasa Vegas X7 | 127,0 | -77,8 | 369,7 | -76,1 | 19330,5 | -90,9 | |
| Reeven Coldwing 12 | 160,0 | -74,0 | 369,7 | -76,8 | 19330,5 | -90,9 | |
| Reeven Kiran | 184,9 | -75,2 | 369,7 | -75,2 | 17726,2 | -89,8 | |
| SilentiumPC Sigma Pro 120 PWM | 97,9 | -81,7 | 369,7 | -78,1 | 2635,0 | -86,2 | |
| SilentiumPC Sigma Pro Corona RGB 120 | 20,3 | -67,8 | 380,5 | -77,3 | 2487,1 | -85,6 | |
| SilverStone SST-AP121 | 103,7 | -76,2 | 339,0 | -73,4 | 2031,9 | -86,5 | |
| SilverStone SST-FQ121 | 138,5 | -75,2 | 1208,2 | -71,1 | 18780,2 | -90,9 | |
| Xigmatek XLF-F1256 | 190,3 | -77,1 | 761,1 | -75,5 | 19897,0 | -91,1 |
| Fan | Dominant sound freq. and noise level, no obstacle@45 dBA | NF-F12 PWM | NF-A15 PWM | ||||
| Low range | Mid range | High range | |||||
| Frequency [Hz] | Noise level [dBu] | Frequency [Hz] | Noise level [dBu] | Frequency [Hz] | Noise level [dBu] | ||
| MSI MEG Silent Gale P12 | 28,3 | -73,5 | 380,5 | -71,0 | 2487,1 | -85,9 | |
| Asus ROG Strix XF120 | 23,1 | -62,9 | 369,7 | -71,7 | 2347,5 | -89,1 | |
| Akasa Vegas X7 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Reeven Coldwing 12 | 195,8 | -68,3 | 380,5 | -71,3 | 2031,9 | -90,0 | |
| Reeven Kiran | 130,7 | -73,1 | 219,8 | -70,2 | 17726,2 | -89,4 | |
| SilentiumPC Sigma Pro 120 PWM | 138,5 | -70,0 | 1522,2 | -71,9 | 2560,0 | -82,9 | |
| SilentiumPC Sigma Pro Corona RGB 120 | 190,3 | -70,5 | 369,7 | -66,5 | 2416,3 | -82,4 | |
| SilverStone SST-AP121 | 130,7 | -66,8 | 439,7 | -66,1 | 2347,5 | -90,9 | |
| SilverStone SST-FQ121 | 127,0 | -71,2 | 369,7 | -66,5 | 2031,8 | -81,4 | |
| Xigmatek XLF-F1256 | 130,7 | -71,5 | 239,7 | -60,9 | 18780,2 | -91,1 |
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.
- Contents
- MSI MEG Silent Gale P12 in detail
- The basis of the methodology, the wind tunnel
- Mounting and vibration measurement
- Initial warm-up and speed recording
- Base 7 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: Airflow 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 grille
- 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
