A totally different type of fan than the ones we normally deal with. The Arctic S12038-4K is designed for high-performance servers, which is also reflected in its features. Very high airflow is provided by as much as 4000 rpm. And in order to ensure that the cooling performance does not drop significantly even through obstacles, the “extreme” Arctic fan has a profile that is as thick as 38 mm. Read more “Arctic S12038-4K: Massive fan for harsh conditions”
Gigabyte has put together a fan that combines ARGB LEDs, clever daisy chaining using connectors in the frame, and very good results on radiators. All of that for an attractive price. The design of the Aorus EZ Chain Fan 120 Ice seems to be optimized for use on radiators in particular. In fact, these are the cheapest ARGB fans with daisy chaining and this kind of efficiency that we’ve ever tested. Read more “Elegant first. The Aorus EZ Chain Fan 120 Ice is a neat piece”
Some fans are “too expensive”, others suffer from several technical imperfections. Naturally, these come from being made cheaper, but there is also an attempt to strike a sort of… balance. This, for example, from BeQuiet!, with its Pure Wings models. We compared the latest variants with serial number 3 (Pure Wings 3) in detail with massive competition in 120mm format. And they can be described as the most perfect in history. Undoubtedly. Read more “BeQuiet! Pure Wings 3 (BL105): Silent, efficient, okay price”
We were very excited to see the results of the Grand Tornado 120. It looks good geometrically and is also one of the cheapest LCP models out there. Scythe has also informed us that the Grand Tornado 120 is set to outperform the legendary Gentle Typhoon (D1225C). And it’s true, it does outperform it, though perhaps in different ways than you’d expect. But the LCP fan from Scythe gets along really well with radiators. Read more “Scythe Grand Tornado 120: Even an LCP fan can be “cheap””
With the FT12 fans, DeepCool has departed somewhat from the aerodynamic design of the older FK120 models, which is also reflected in their different functioning. In some ways it’s a change for the better, in some ways for the worse, but overall the fans are attractive. One of the reasons is the unconventional design, which allows you to see inside the motor. The housing is in fact clear and you can also light up underneath. Read more “DeepCool FT12: Evolution in 120mm format”
It took years, but finally DeepCool managed to modernize its fans in the 140mm format as well. The DeepCool FT14s present themselves with very attractive specs – both the airflow and static pressure are above standard, but the key is how these fans will fare in practice compared to competing models. What makes the FT14 visually different from those at first glance is that you can see inside the motor. Read more “DeepCool FT14: More revealing (than others) and more capable”
The range of 140mm fans is now expanded by the Noctua NF-A14x25 G2 PWM. The wait for this model was very long, but finally, after various hardships, everything was brought to a successful end. This, by the way, is also indicated by our in-depth tests, from which the NF-A14x25 G2 fan takes away the “best” results across many usage scenarios. This is also due to the significant innovations in the aerodynamic design. Read more “Noctua NF-A14x25 G2 PWM: Finally a first-class 140mm fan”
Due to the atypical spacing of the mounting holes for its format, the new Noctua NF-A14x25r G2 PWM fans cannot be installed in 140mm positions as standard. You need a conversion frame for that, and one such frame was designed, made and sent to us by an HWCooling reader. So, we were able to simulate and test one of the most anticipated fans of recent years (NF-A14x25 G2 PWM) already now. Read more “Noctua NF-A14x25r on a radiator. Tested with DIY frame”
This is a first – a fan with the leading edges of the impeller blades on the opposite side to normal ones. This is primarily done for a better view of “fans without stator struts” in cases with glass side panels. In addition, such an unconventional design also has quite clear and measurable advantages and disadvantages, also in terms of functional characteristics. Let’s take everything in turn. Read more “Asus TUF Gaming TR120 (ARGB) Reverse: A nicer look? Yes, but…”
Close up of the new Noctua NF-A14x25r G2 PWM fan and its first tests. However, consider these as material for a “rough idea”, since as you already know, the pilot 140 mm LCP fans have atypical mounting holes for their format, so their mounting to the wind tunnel was necessarily non-standard. However, a few things can be concluded from these partial measurements as well. Read more “Details of the Noctua NF-A14x25r G2 PWM fan + minitest”
Go for the variant with nine longer blades or seven shorter blades? That’s the question we’ll tackle in this test of the Pure Wings 3 140mm fan. In addition to the different geometries, you can also choose between different speed ranges with differently placed maximums. The high-speed variant has the upper hand, as expected, when it comes to needing to achieve the highest possible airflow. But it also excels in other situations. Read more “More and faster blades, BeQuiet! Pure Wings 3 (BL113)”
The culmination of our trilogy of tests of Arctic’s 140mm fans is here. With the P14 Max, the designers have worked on improvements that change both the acoustic properties and performance of the fan. The main new feature, the hoop, allows for, among other things, a significant speed increase, due to which this fan can have a really high airflow. On the other hand, fans of extra low speeds will not be too pleased. Read more “Arctic P14 Max: The best yet? Well, it depends…”
Longer life in exchange for more noise? These are also some of the agenda items we’ll cover in our comparison of the Arctic P14 CO fan with the fluid bearing variant (P14). These are actually the main points. In any case, the ball bearings in the more expensive variant of these fans also have specific features that can be easily observed and distinguished even in normal, “home” use. Read more “Arctic P14 PWM PST CO or ball vs. fluid bearings”
What is fascinating about the Arctic P14 is the particularly high contrast of price to (cooling) efficiency. These fans are among the cheapest, while at the same time achieving top results with respect to all 140 mm fans in terms of airflow per unit of noise. And that’s even through obstacles. Arctic has made almost the maximum out of the funds available to produce the fan, and it is definitely worth it. Read more “Arctic P14 PWM PST: Unbeatable in its segment”
The Silent Wings (Pro) 4 represent the pinnacle of computer fan range. The non-Pro variants stand out especially in system positions and are not well suited for radiators. This is by design and in line with the sort of “micro-segmentation” of BeQuiet. In a white design, like the one tested, it will be quite difficult to find other 140 mm fans that are quieter at comparable airflow. Read more “BeQuiet! Silent Wings 4 (BL117): A white choice for your case”
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