Totally simply: What is fan static pressure and what does it say?

A trivial topic for some, for others something they didn’t understand as well as they should have. This is also indicated by various activities on discussion forums, including posts like “airflow is irrelevant, you mainly need high static pressure on a radiator”, which somewhat points to a connection of wrong contexts. In this article we will discuss very simply, with examples, what static pressure is and how to grasp it correctly. Read more “Totally simply: What is fan static pressure and what does it say?” »

Seasonic MagFlow 1225 PWM, the “King of Controversy”

The design details here not only look fascinating, they really are. That is, except for one “little thing” that makes the MagFlow 1225 PWM unable to play an equal game with the top 120mm fans, even though it seemingly has all the prerequisites to do so. But at least the Seasonic fan has the added value of a very convenient installation: magnet here, magnet there, no cables in sight. Read more “Seasonic MagFlow 1225 PWM, the “King of Controversy”” »

In vivo fan tests: 14 models in system positions

Here and there we come across the opinion that it is advisable to test fans in real life conditions, which we can easily refute. At the same time, we understand that a layman can best identify with the differences in component temperatures that arise precisely due to different fan airflows. To help you see the correlations of such tests with results from “unnatural” environments, here’s something we remembered. Read more “In vivo fan tests: 14 models in system positions” »

Arctic tweaked the P14 Slim PWM PST fan, but didn’t mention it

If you bought the P14 Slim PWM PST some time ago (and by that I mean earlier this year), its design differs from its current form. And quite significantly so. It is in fact that it has quietly advanced to the second revision. But it did so so quietly that many, including us, missed it. What are the changes and how do you identify the new version so that you don’t order the older, inferior one? Read more “Arctic tweaked the P14 Slim PWM PST fan, but didn’t mention it” »

The kickoff fan season will culminate with an encyclopedia

The small pause in fan testing is coming to an end. The next period will be highly active in this respect. And not only in terms of the standard tests you are used to. These will be interspersed with unusual thematic analyses from areas that historically no one has paid much attention to. Everything will be written simply, poignantly, in a popular way, and eventually, at the finish line of the first stage, we’ll create a dense encyclopedia as well. Read more “The kickoff fan season will culminate with an encyclopedia” »

Thermaltake stepped up. If Toughfan Pros live up to the specs…

And they probably will. There will be significant intergenerational improvements in the latest fans for relatively simple reasons. The higher airflow and higher static pressure at the same speed for the Toughfan Pro has a clear explanation in the design details Thermaltake has worked on. It’s quite possible that you’re looking at fans that finally beat the Noctua NF-A12x25 in efficiency, even with the same profile thickness. Read more “Thermaltake stepped up. If Toughfan Pros live up to the specs…” »

The wait is over, Noctua unveils 140 mm LCP fans

Noctua first revealed the design of the new 140mm fans a few days ago, but we’re just now bringing you the news. We needed to communicate a few details with Noctua to make the intentions behind the key elements clear. After all, these fans certainly don’t look like anything you’ve seen before and it’s likely that some of their unique details will become inspiration for other manufacturers as well. Read more “The wait is over, Noctua unveils 140 mm LCP fans” »

Arctic P12 PWM PST: The most famous rumbling fan

There are a lot of droning or downright rumbling fans out there, but none have been as popularized by this sound profile as the Arctic P12. Probably also because this acoustic deficiency is really pronounced here and has pushed the manufacturer to make design changes in newer models that are aimed at suppressing critical tonal peaks. But even so, the base model P12 PWM PST is a remarkable fan and is unbeatable in its price range. Read more “Arctic P12 PWM PST: The most famous rumbling fan” »

Cooler Master Mobius 120 OC: High airflow above all

With the Mobius 120 OC fan, Cooler Master could prove that it has worked on and avoided the rookie mistakes of older models. Partly yes, it removed some flaws, but it added (or strengthened) others in the process. Still, the current most expensive 120 mm CM fan has one ace up its sleeve, for which it will be extremely attractive in some use cases. Again, though, this is… how to put it… a somewhat “peculiar” execution. Read more “Cooler Master Mobius 120 OC: High airflow above all” »

All trumps to defeat the others: The new Lian Li UNI Fan P28

The parameters of the latest fans are very impressive indeed. Based on the experience of testing and observing the influence of individual elements on the performance of the fans, in this case we have to work with the idea that the UNI P28 has the prerequisites to break through to the very top of efficiency. And, on top of that, with a very practical connection in series that most high-end fans do not have. Read more “All trumps to defeat the others: The new Lian Li UNI Fan P28” »

Corsair AF120 RGB Elite: The lighted variety of a successful fan

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. Read more “Corsair AF120 RGB Elite: The lighted variety of a successful fan” »

White Noctua fans off the radar, 140mm (hopefully) in 2024

Noctua’s May product roadmap does not bring good news. Everything we’ve been waiting for is being pushed back. Even one indefinite delay has been dropped. But that’s so that preparations around the new generation of 140mm fans have as few “obstacles” in their way as possible. But even those, barring a miracle, won’t be available for purchase this year after all. But there is one positive news for AMD Threadripper processor owners. Read more “White Noctua fans off the radar, 140mm (hopefully) in 2024” »

Enermax SquA RGB White: In many ways… unusual

Apart from the all-white design, which is rare in itself, this fan also stands out from the competition in other ways. Some of these need a cautionary finger raised, others deserve praise. Often for trying to differentiate themselves and even in a rather elegant, useful way. In the mix of everything about the SquA RGB fan, one can state its unique identity, for which it may win you over. But it also doesn’t have to. Read more “Enermax SquA RGB White: In many ways… unusual” »

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

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. Read more “Endorfy Fluctus 140 PWM: High efficiency “cheaply”, but…” »

Analysis: RGB LED implementation changes fan noise

The headline may sound strange, but after reading the article it will make sense. After modifying a fan from unlit to lit, its noise level can change for a very simple reason. This is true even if the shape of the rotor or the operating speed has been maintained. As far as noise is concerned, a change by integrating ARGB LEDs does not always lead to a worse result. Still, it is important to know why any differences occur in the first place. Read more “Analysis: RGB LED implementation changes fan noise” »