The very first LCP fans with LEDs are from Thermaltake

Thermaltake Toughfan 12 RGB and Toughfan 14 RGB

Until now, no fans with ARGB LEDs have been made from liquid crystal polymers. Now, the Toughfan 12 RGB and Toughfan 14 RGB are changing that. And since the aerodynamic performance is heavily dependent on the rigidity of the blades, especially in restrictive environments, Thermaltake’s rendition will be some of the most efficient flashy fans overall. If not the most efficient, the Toughfans have the geometry for it.

Just having a mold for an efficiently shaped rotor isn’t enough for top performance, you already know from tests of the Akasa Alucia SC12 “bendable” fan. In order for a fan in its format to hit the limit of physical possibilities in terms of efficiency, a sufficiently strong material must be used. Strong enough to ensure that the blades are not deformed at all while running.

The strongest material used to make computer fans is LCP (Liquid Crystal Polymers). For their needs/speeds, it is enough to prevent significant blade undulation. We have already encountered this material with the MSI MEG Silent Gale P12 fan and the „sterrox“ Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM is also based on it. And now, illuminated Thermaltake fans in formats 120 mm (Toughfan 12 RGB) and 140 mm (Toughfan 14 RGB). These are based on the older Toughfan 12 and Toughfan 14 without ARGB LED.

The speed of the illuminated variants is the same (500–2000 rpm for both 120 mm and 140 mm) and the rotor looks identical. Despite this, new fans with ARGB LEDs have a claimed 8–10 % lower airflow (91,32 m3/hod and 181,79 m3/hod for the larger model) and the static pressure is also lower (2,40/3,04 mm H2O). This may be due to some differences in the frame or just a slightly different inclination of the blades, it is very difficult to judge from the available illustrations.

In any case, they are guaranteed to be top of the line fans on cooler radiators. While the Toughfan 12 RGB has some competition among the unlit fans, the one number larger Toughfan 14 RGB only in the Toughfan 14 (without RGB). Sure, there’s BeQuiet! Silent Wings 4, but that’s a fan made from PBT. Nobody has LCP fans in this format yet, and until Noctua releases a new generation of 140mm fans, it’s probably going to stay that way. And even then, most likely the Toughfan 14 RGB will be the only option with LEDs. Thermaltake has incorporated this into the frames. Otherwise it wouldn’t even work – LCP can’t be clear and has poor light conductivity in color. So for these reasons, the ARGB LED light is mainly concentrated in the corners of the fans, on either side, and also shines through the dot matrix from the profile.

Thanks to the use of LCP and the stability of the blade shape, you can expect extremely low vibrations with these fans, and the acoustic expression will not be troubled by resonant frequencies. A three-pack of the 120 mm models will set you back around 125 EUR and the 140 mm models around 135 EUR. It is possible that Thermaltake does not plan to sell them individually, and sees the Toughfan 12/14 RGB fans mainly on 360 mm or 420 mm liquid cooler radiators.

English translation and edit by Jozef Dudáš


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One comment Add comment

  1. We kindly request you to submit your quotation for the supply of
    Ventilation fan for LCP
    120mm*120mm 220VAC 50/60Hz 0.13/0.11A
    QTY: 6

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