Corsair AF120 Quiet vs Performance

Swi1ch · 20 Jul 2015 at 14:03

Are there any differences between the Quiet and Performance editions of the Corsair AF/SP 120s other than max RPM? I can't really find anything on google.

If max RPM is the only difference, then being able to reduce the RPM of the Performance fans would make them functionally the same as the Quiet editions right? Or did I miss something here?

For context, i'm looking to upgrade my Air 540 case fans, and probably going to go with 3x AF120s for front intake and PWM SP120s for top exhaust through the rad. The rad fans are for my CPU and controlled through speedfan, and the front intakes are controlled through an external fan controller.

ttaskmaster · 20 Jul 2015 at 14:13

Max rpm is what gives the Performance Editions higher airflow, static pressure and thus noise.
The QEs are somewhat quieter, but much lower in performance as well.

If it were a choice betwixt just these, I'd take the PE every single time.
TBH, there are better fans out there for both performance and silence, in my experience.

Swi1ch · 20 Jul 2015 at 15:11

Fancy suggesting any? I've looked around a little, but I really like the looks and colour of Corsair's fans, and they match my case.

I've heard good things about Noctua's, and have used them in the past but I really can't deal with the "Grandma's bathroom" colour scheme.

ttaskmaster · 20 Jul 2015 at 15:30

Swi1ch said:
I've heard good things about Noctua's, and have used them in the past but I really can't deal with the "Grandma's bathroom" colour scheme.

Everyone says that.
Few people seem to realise that Noctua's REDUX series does come in non-beige!

Basically the big three at the moment seem to be, Noctua, EK-Varder and Blacknoise NB eLoop.
Silverstone are good for what you pay, but still cheap for a reason. Enermax are more pricey, but recently seem to break quite easily (now had 5 out of 6 break on me).
Akasa keep getting mentioned, though I've no personal experience of them.

MrMD · 20 Jul 2015 at 16:11

If its case fans with no restrictions take a look at the cougar 120mm fans.Look good,shift s lot of air and very quiet.Im extremly immpresed by mine used as the single exhaust in my rig,Equal to noctua AF fans for a lot cheaper IMO

Robzere31 · 20 Jul 2015 at 16:13

I'm happy with my Alaska Piranha's. I changed from Corsir SP120's & find them no louder but performance is better IMO.

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=FG-073-AK

badbiddy · 20 Jul 2015 at 16:14

Swi1ch said:
Are there any differences between the Quiet and Performance editions of the Corsair AF/SP 120s other than max RPM? I can't really find anything on google.

If max RPM is the only difference, then being able to reduce the RPM of the Performance fans would make them functionally the same as the Quiet editions right? Or did I miss something here?

For context, i'm looking to upgrade my Air 540 case fans, and probably going to go with 3x AF120s for front intake and PWM SP120s for top exhaust through the rad. The rad fans are for my CPU and controlled through speedfan, and the front intakes are controlled through an external fan controller.

Honestly mate.

Forget Corsair.

Noctua fans are the way forward (you can get black ones I think, although I personally quite like the beige/brown) are killer. Just get them, you can't see them behind the grills anyway.

Swi1ch · 20 Jul 2015 at 16:20

badbiddy said:
Honestly mate.

Forget Corsair.

Noctua fans are the way forward (you can get black ones I think, although I personally quite like the beige/brown) are killer. Just get them, you can't see them behind the grills anyway.

Unfortunately you can with the Air 540 with an H100 in the top. All the fans are super visible.

I've had a look at the non-beige offerings from Noctua, but I think budget constraints are going to put them out of my range.

evsknight · 20 Jul 2015 at 16:50

I'm also very interested in peoples thoughts as well.

I've got the same case and have 2 x 140mm bequiet silentwings2 in the front and I don't really notice any noise from it. I put tape over the metal wings/holes where the 120's would screw in to it and it stopped any small air rushing noise that used to be there when the fan ramped up.

I've got an MSI 980ti running in there and a H110iGTX thing on the CPU and temps even thrashing the graphics card go to 74 degrees. It's about 21 ambient in here so doesn't seem to bad really.

I'm wondering if the 3 x 120's would help and also if it's a big jump in noise. At the moment I'm on the 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' fence but it's not hard to push me off said fence...

ttaskmaster · 20 Jul 2015 at 16:50

Swi1ch said:
Unfortunately you can with the Air 540 with an H100 in the top. All the fans are super visible.

Doesn't matter if you switch the lights off, as they just reflect whatever colour your LEDs are anyway!

I find my build is spoiled more by things like Warranty Void stickers, and brand names, many of which are upside down.

Swi1ch · 20 Jul 2015 at 17:01

ttaskmaster said:
Doesn't matter if you switch the lights off, as they just reflect whatever colour your LEDs are anyway!

I find my build is spoiled more by things like Warranty Void stickers, and brand names, many of which are upside down.

I don't have LEDs in my case where I could help it. It's pure black and red. The only LEDs are red from the mobo, and white from the logos on the H100 and my gpu.

If I could afford the black Noctuas, I would get those. However for 3x 120, 2x PWM 120 and 1x 140, it will cost me over three times as much for Noctua as it would Corsair.

ttaskmaster · 20 Jul 2015 at 17:06

Swi1ch said:
I don't have LEDs in my case where I could help it. It's pure black and red. The only LEDs are red from the mobo, and white from the logos on the H100 and my gpu.

Pretty much anything will give off a notable amount of light.
Within my case I only have lights on RAM, GPU, Mobo and H100, but it still looks like "Darth Vader's Bathroom".

badbiddy · 20 Jul 2015 at 17:15

Swi1ch said:
Unfortunately you can with the Air 540 with an H100 in the top. All the fans are super visible.

I've had a look at the non-beige offerings from Noctua, but I think budget constraints are going to put them out of my range.

I have an Air540 too mate and have had a H100i fitted too :cool:

But I had the fans underneath the rad so couldn't see **** from above. I have since replaced the H100i with a Noctua DH15 and have kept the Corsair fans in use as I couldn't bring myself to spend £80 on fans.

But next time I plan to change things (this weekend now my car's sold) I'll be putting Noctua fans all round as they really are a different level of quality than I've been used to with this Corsair stuff littering my PC

MrMD · 20 Jul 2015 at 17:26

badbiddy said:
I have an Air540 too mate and have had a H100i fitted too

But I had the fans underneath the rad so couldn't see **** from above. I have since replaced the H100i with a Noctua DH15 and have kept the Corsair fans in use as I couldn't bring myself to spend £80 on fans.

But next time I plan to change things (this weekend now my car's sold) I'll be putting Noctua fans all round as they really are a different level of quality than I've been used to with this Corsair stuff littering my PC

I decked my 540 out with 5 noctua f12's as intakes on my rads and a single cougar for an exhaust.Worth every penny

dacads · 20 Jul 2015 at 17:33

People seem to go with Corsair mainly because of the looks, performance wise there are better options like the ones already mentioned.

ttaskmaster · 20 Jul 2015 at 17:36

dacads said:
People seem to go with Corsair mainly because of the looks, performance wise there are better options like the ones already mentioned.

I wonder if it's even that.
Corsair fans used to be pretty good, but other models have crept up past now. Noctua are holding steady, but that's just what they do - They're a nice balance of noise, performance and quality.

MrMD · 20 Jul 2015 at 17:54

ttaskmaster said:
I wonder if it's even that.
Corsair fans used to be pretty good, but other models have crept up past now. Noctua are holding steady, but that's just what they do - They're a nice balance of noise, performance and quality.

dacads said:
People seem to go with Corsair mainly because of the looks, performance wise there are better options like the ones already mentioned.

Its mostly just brand awareness,even people not massively into their PC hardware tend to know of corsair as they have such a wide array of products,plus most high street retailers that stock PC stuff always sell corsair products.

Their fans are pretty bad overall IMO.Especially the abominations they supply with their expensive AIO's

ttaskmaster · 20 Jul 2015 at 18:04

MrMD said:
Especially the abominations they supply with their expensive AIO's

Oh, hey, don't you go hating on the AIO stock fans, now...!!
I deliberately repurposed mine. :cool:

They might well sound like a jet turbine spinning up, but they still kick some serious butt on the Static Pressure side... Heck, they even beat BOTH the NF-F12 Industrials and the Furious Varders, with higher SP at lower RPM and lower noise levels!!

Plus they come in black!!

Greebo · 20 Jul 2015 at 18:09

SANYO DENKI - SANACE FANS 9G1212H101

Still IMO the best fan ever made and i have 6 of them so I may be biased

Greebo · 20 Jul 2015 at 18:10

MrMD said:
Its mostly just brand awareness,even people not massively into their PC hardware tend to know of corsair as they have such a wide array of products,plus most high street retailers that stock PC stuff always sell corsair products.

Their fans are pretty bad overall IMO.Especially the abominations they supply with their expensive AIO's

Their fan on their AIO's gets really good reviews. It has really good static pressue???????