Fan Round-up - nine 120mm Fans tested on Heatsink and Radiator
-Heatsink Testing-
Heatsink - Cogage True
A ~700g aluminium heat-sink with copper heat pipes. This small dense heat-sink will require decent static pressure to force air through the angled fins. Fans will be tested how well they can keep an i7 920 cooled to 3.4Ghz at 1.18 volts. These settings have been chosen to avoid any unusual results by potentially bottlenecking the heat pipes. Fans will be tested in a HAF 932 with case fans set to medium speed. The temperature was maintained as best as possible at 20c, with room window and door open, and a desk fan set up to circulate air around the PC. If the temperature deviated from 20c on any of my three sensors, testing was aborted untill the temperature returned to 20c.
Fans will be tested twice, first they will be set up to run at approximately 800rpm while the CPU idles. The fan will be allowed to speed up automatically via the Bios fan control to keep the CPU at a target temperature range. This will show us the cooling potential of the fans at low-mid rpm range and how dependant the fan is on rpm. After the end of the 5min Prime 95 session, the max temps on all four cores will be recorded and also averaged. The fan speeds will also be recorded.
Next all the case fans are turned off with the fan controller, leaving only the slight noise of the PSU and the hardrives. With Prime 95 still running an assessment of the fans acoustic profile will be taken from approximately 20cm horizontal to the centre of the heat-sink. (Note the tests are conducted with the HAF 932 side panel off)
The second heatsink test will repeat the above, with two changes. Fans will be set to their maximum rotation speed in the bios. Fans will be tested with a three minute Prime 95 load session, and the maximum temps will be recorded at the end of this. Therefore only load temperatures will be tested. Fan noise will be measured as before.
Noise Assessment:
Noise assesment will be tested via my ability to hear the fan. Two important criteria will be used to give an assessment, noise level and noise quality. Noise level will be a little more weighted in the final score for each fan.
Any score above 20 means the fan is basically inaudible, and any scores below 10 means I would consider the fan to be at the limit of acceptable levels. Do bare in mind I am judging the fans up close with the side-panel off, in a real world scenario the noise levels would be much harder to discern.
The fans we will be looking at:
Akasa Apache Black
Cogage Reference fan
Enermax Magma
San Ace 9G1212H1011
Scythe Gentle Typhoon 1850rpm
Scythe Kama Flow II
Xilence XQ Dual Wing PWM
Yate Loon D12SL-12C
Zaward Golf II
Akasa Apache Black
Features:
HDB (Hydro Dynamic bearing
S-FLOW fan blade design (30% higher airflow)
IP54 moisture and dust protection
4 Pin Sleeved PWM Cable
Specifications:
1300rpm
2.64mm-H20 Max Pressure
16.05dBA
12V
0.33A
50,000 hours at unspecified temperature
165g
Accessories:
Rubber isolator mounts
RRP: £11.50-£14
The first fan of our round-up is the Akasa Apache Black and it's rather eloquent curved S-FLOW blades.
Akasa claim this will offer 30% more airflow. While this does seem like an optimistic assessment, it will be interesting to see what impact this has on airflow. The Akasa is a well built solid fan with a rather nicely sleeved black cable; which is perhaps a little on the short side for larger cases.
The Akasa's nine blades have an aggressive angle of attack particularly at the centre base of the blades. The motor measures around 40mm in diameter, one of the smallest motors in this round-up. The sheer scale of blade cross-section means this fan should push a lot of air at low rpm, so it will be interesting to test the impact on the acoustic characteristics.
Idle Speed: 825
Idle Temperatures: 32-32-33-29 (average 31.5c)
Load Speed Maximum: 1126
Load Temperatures: 65-64-61-61 (average 62.75c)
Good results here then, especially considering that the Akasa is spinning at a lower speed compared to the other fans of this round-up. The fan definitely produces good airflow at the lower speeds due to it's blade design and small motor hub.
Spinning up to a speed of 1126rpm, the Akasa produces a low level of medium pitch motor drone, and a low pitch airflow noise. There also seems to be a lower level of motor buzz present. Overall at these speeds the Akasa is an agreeable fan, if somewhat non-exceptional compared to some of the other fans.
Acoustic Profile: 17
Load Speed: 1369
Load Temperatures: 61-60-58-56 (average 58.75c)
At it's maximum speed the Akasa produces strong performance results, putting it in the higher end of today's testing.
At this speed the Akasa produces a moderate amount of medium pitch motor drone. The airflow noise is of moderate pitch with a choppy (or turbulent) element to the sound. While the noise levels were certainly not high, the sound quality was not brilliant here.
Acoustic Profile: 11
The Akasa Apache is a powerful fan, pulling out very impressive results considering it's low rotation speed. Clearly the Apache's design has been focused towards producing maximum airflow, and this does show in it's imperfect acoustic profile. The Akasa is well built, but also comes at a high RRP. The Sleeved cable is also shorter than that of other fans tested today. It is a shame that this better looking Apache Black comes at such a price premium to the standard model, as if the pricing was closer to the standard I could definitely give it a higher score.
7/10
Cogage True Spirit Included Fan
Features:
Sleeve Bearing
4pin PWM cable
Specifications:
1000-1800rpm
35.0 - 66.5CFM
19.6 - 37.4dBA
0.21A
12V
95g
RRP: n/a
A distinctive fan because of it's unusual dark amber transparent fan blades, this fan serves as a good reference to the other fans of what a generic, reasonable priced fan can do. Heat-sink manufactures, especially ones with overclocking pedigree's such as Cogage (subdivision of Thermalright) will definitely want their bundled fans to achieve good performance, possibly at the compromise of noise and sound quality as many reviews do not heavily test this aspect. A fan built for a heat-sink designed for the toasty Bloomfield i7 platform will be no exception to this rule. This fan offers no miracles, it is light, feels cheap and uses generic aggressively curved blades tapering towards the centre motor to produce high static pressure.
I did notice in my preliminary examination of the fan while running that it produces a very high amount of resonating, throbbing vibration on the vertical. This fan would definitely need vibration dampening.
Idle Speed: 811
Idle Temperatures: 32-32-31-28 (average 30.75c)
Load Speed Maximum: 1049
Load Temperatures: 65-64-61-60 (average 62.5c)
Surprisingly good results for a cheap fan, especially considering the low revolution speed. The idle temperatures were among the best in this testing session.
The fan emitted a moderate motor buzz and a high pitch squeal which was rather annoying at close range. Not great here then.
Acoustic Profile: 11
Load Speed: 1687
Load Temperatures: 61-61-58-58 (average 59.5c)
Nothing out of the ordinary here, an ok result. Interestingly the fan was way off it's rated speed of 1800rpm.
At his speed the fan emitted a rather loud low pitch motor drone, and a moderate background airflow drone. Thankfully the squealing was gone.
Acoustic Profile: 9
Built to a budget, it shows with this fan. The rated rpm specifications and those tested were way off. If the squealing could be removed, which seems to peak at 1000rpm, this fan would be a decent choice for its good low speed performance assuming a low cost , considering it is PWM.
4/10
Enermax Magma
Features:
Twister Bearing
Batwing Blade Design (20~30% more airflow)
Detachable water resistant blades
Silver/Clear 3pin cable
Specifications:
1500rpm
69.15CFM
1.4mm-H20 max Pressure
18dBA
12V
0.4A
100,000 hours at 85c
125g
Accessories:
Isolator-mounts
Peripheral 4 pin Cable
RRP: £8~£9
The two features that stick out about this fan is the unusual Enermax batwing blades and the Twister bearing. The twister bearing is a Nano-magnetic bearing rated for ~100,000 hours at 85c. This rating is far in excess of that of even high quality standard fans, that are typically rated at ~40,000 hours at <60c. Generally fans with superior bearings demonstrate a smoother noise characteristics, and have a smoother more consistent rpm range.
The Batwing blades supposedly produce 20~30% more airflow than standard blades. An impressive claim, however standard blades could really mean any old obsolete design. The 9 blades have a moderate angle of attack and a slight sweeping curve towards the outside of the fan. The blades only increase in diameter to the outside edge by a few millimetres. One thing I have noticed about this fan is their is quite a large gap between the trailing edge of the fan blades and the fan exterior casing. While not huge, at ~3mm, this could cost the Magma airflow and static pressure.
The motor diameter is 40mm. In my experience small hub fans generally produce higher airflow but weaker static pressure than those fans with large motor diameters. This would seem to be reflected in the Magma's very average specification of 1.4mmH20.
They are also often noisier at the same rpm as a consequence of this.
Idle Speed: 808
Idle Temperatures: 36-35-35-31 (average 34.25c)
Load Speed Maximum: 1153
Load Temperatures: 66-65-62-60 (average 63.25c)
The Enermax maintained decent temperatures under load. The idle temperatures were however poor, it would seem this fan does not like low revolution speeds.
At his speed there was a medium pitch drone and a low moderate pitch background noise of airflow. At his speed the fan has both a low overall volume and high sound quality.
Acoustic Profile: 17
Load Speed: 1591
Load Temperatures: 60-59-59-55 (average 58.25c)
A good thermal performance at this speed, the Enermax clearly scales well with rpm.
At this speed the Magma emitted a moderate/high level of moderate pitch airflow drone, and also a discernible slightly lower pitch motor drone. The airflow was a little choppy and irregular, but not to alarming levels. Unfortunately, the Magma's overall noise level at this speed was quite high, and defiantly on the distracting side of things. The sound quality was good however.
Acoustic Profile: 8
Overall the Enermax Magma is a decent, but unexceptional fan on a Heat-sink. Semi straight bladed designed fans often have quite specific ranges that optimal performance is achieved. The Enermax defiantly improves past 900rpm, and is acoustically excellent below 1200rpm. A reasonable price, a cable of >45cm length, and Isolator-mounts makes the Enermax decent value for money, a solid long term investment fan. Removable blades will make maintenance easier as an added bonus.
6/10
San Ace 9G1212H1011 120mm
Features:
Dual Ceramic Ball Bearing
3 pin cable
Specifications:
2600rpm
99CFM
7.21mm-H20 Max Pressure
39dBA
12V
0.38A
40,000 hours at 60c
315g
RRP: £14~£17
The massive San Ace series of 38mm fans are well known in the benching and Overclocking enthusiast community as great performance fans, but can it can perform the role of a standard performance heat-sink fan? This industrial fan is equipped with a Dual Ceramic Ball Bearing rated for 40,000 hours at 60c. The fan has a very large motor hub like most server fans, spanning 60mm.
The 7 fan blades have sweeping rounded edges and a high angle of attack.
The sweep is aggressive and almost no clearance is left between the tips of the blades and the fan casing to maximise available airflow and static pressure.
The blades utilise the height on offer to extend vertically upwards from the center point towards the top edge of the shroud. This upwards sweep should ensure the fan grasps air in huge swathes and powers it through the depth of the fan, achieving static pressure that is unattainable to smaller 25mm thick fans. The rear of the fan has 3 rather than the standard 4 supports to reduce resistance to airflow.
Idle Speed: 810
Idle Temperatures: 31-30-31-27 (average 29.75c)
Load Speed Maximum: 1229
Load Temperatures: 62-61-58-57 (average 59.5c)
The San Ace gave us the best idle temperatures of this roundup. The load temperatures were even better, so good that the San Ace was neck and neck with some fans on their maximum rotation speed, and better than others.
So the catch? Unfortunately the San Ace emits a slightly annoying motor squeal at lower speeds, it also emits a gentle motor buzz which is less noticeable. Not a great result in these regards.
Acoustic Profile: 9
Load Speed: 1928
Load Temperatures: 58-57-55-53 (average 55.75c)
Because the San Ace can run at a ludicrously fast and loud maximum speed of 2600rpm (2544 in my tests) I allowed it to spin up to 1928rpm on full load to better compare with other fans in this testing session. At this speed the San Ace produced the best results of all the fans tested, and by a good margin too.
Unfortunately, at these speeds the San Ace produces a relatively loud medium pitch motor whine, a high pitch irregular motor squeal and a moderate airflow whoosh that seems to reverberate around the case.
Acoustic Profile: 4
The San Ace is the best performing fan in this session by a considerable margin, and has the feel of a reliable solid piece of engineering. It is this drive for performance and reliability that rules this fan out as a great low-medium speed heat-sink fan for the acoustic conscious user, but for bench runs I can think of no better fan.
6/10
Scythe Gentle Typhoon 1850rpm
Features:
Dual Ball Bearing
3 pin cable
Specifications:
1850rpm
57.5CFM
28dBA
12V
0.083A
60,000 hours at 60c
200g
Accessories:
4-pin Molex Adapter
RRP: £13~£14
Next up is the venerable Scythe Gentle Typhoon. These fans have long been hailed as one of the top noise to CFM ratio fans for use on radiators and heat-sinks. The 9 deeply curved blades should maximise static pressure, Scythe claims an impressive figure of 2.1mm-H20, which is a fair bit higher than many other other fans in this roundup will be able to manage.
The Scythe fan has two unusual nibs at the lower motor edge of each blade. Presumably these will slightly alter the airflow characteristics of the blade to produce a more pleasant sound to the human ear.
The Gentle Typhoon has a very large motor hub of 51mm. The layout of this fan is one which emphasises higher static pressure at higher rpm's, with lower noise and a lower CFM/rpm ratio than other fans.
The Scythe utilizes a quality double ball bearing with a double vibration reduction structure and coil dampeners. I say quality because the Scythe has a rather remarkable feature, the blades just keep spinning for ages after the fan is turned off, they will spin for 2 to 3 times longer than standard fans, and this is reflected in the very low current that the fan draws.
Idle Speed: 804
Idle Temperatures: 32-32-32-28 (average 31c)
Load Speed Maximum: 1153
Load Temperatures: 64-63-61-59 (average 61.75c)
These results are amongst the best of this roundup, and the Gentle Typhoon did so emitting only a slight low pitch drone and tinniest hiss of airflow.
Acoustic Profile: 18
Load Speed: 1785
Load Temperatures: 60-60-57-56 (average 58.25c)
At full speed, we indeed see the Gentle Typhoon gives extremely impressive results.
At this speed the Scythe produced generally agreeable acoustic characteristics, a moderate level of air movement and slight moderate pitch motor drone. The fan produced a slight hiss of airflow which fades pretty easily into the background noise as I moved away from the heat-sink.
Acoustic Profile: 13
The Gentle Typhoon proves to be a strong performer here, and a very usable fan for the acoustically conscious user, staying acoustically excellent in quality up to ~1400rpm. The fan is exceptionally sturdy, with a reassuring weight of 200g. Perhaps this fans slight let down is due to the hype (rightly so) of it's strong performance, combined with exchange rate fluctuations and production difficulties in Japan mean that it is in short supply, and current prices stand at £14. You don't get much in the way of accessories either.
7/10
Scythe Kama Flow II
Features:
Extra Fluid Dynamic Bearing
Specifications:
1900rpm
63.23CFM
33.8dBA
12V
0.38A
120,000 hours at 30c
169g
Accessories:
Peripheral 4 pin Cable
RRP £7~£9
The second Scythe fan from our roundup, the Kama Flow II is a relatively new fan, taking the place as a new revision premium model in Scythe's range. The fan is equipped with the popular Sony EX-FDB which is rated for 120,000 hours at 30c. The fan motor is 48mm in diameter, making it one of the larger motors in this roundup. Consequently the fans rated airflow is quite low, but as the Gentle Typhoon proved this has little relation on the fans performance. The fan has a conventional 7 blade layout, similar to that of the Cogage fan but with slightly more aggressively spiked edges. I would therefore suspect it is the bearing that will be the deal maker for this fan.
Idle Speed: 817
Idle Temperatures: 32-32-32-28 (average 31c)
Load Speed Maximum: 1202
Load Temperatures: 64-63-61-60 (average 62c)
These were solid results, and just a fraction below it's heavier relative the Gentle Typhoon. Despite the higher rotation speed, the Kama Flow II produced a superbly clean sound at this speed, with only a faint motor hum and low pitch airflow sound.
Acoustic Profile: 18
Load Speed: 1824
Load Temperatures: 59-59-57-55 (average 57.5c)
This was not a good result, it was a fantastic one, the second best in this roundup below the colossal San Ace.
The Kama was able to achieve this level of performance with an excellent acoustic profile, producing a metallic low pitched motor hum, and a low pitch airflow sound. A great result here then.
Acoustic Profile: 13
I went into this roundup expecting the Kama Flow to do well, as it has been spoken highly of in reviews. Its performance proved brilliant, especially at higher speeds where it's acoustic profile remained very forgiving. I would say it's acoustic profile remained comfortable slightly past 1400rpm.
The Kama Flow does not have a huge amount of glamour, it is a plain fan, with a basic non-braided 3pin cable and limited accessories. The packaging, true to the Scythe way is not amazing either. These sacrifices pay off in the end though, as the Kama Flow II 1900rpm model retails around £8, really making it an unbeatable performance fan in this range, and all price ranges for that matter. Compared to the Gentle Typhoon, the Kama looses out by a fraction at the slower speeds, and claws back the advantage and a little extra when the two clash at the maximum rotation speeds. Around the 1500rpm speed, they pretty much seem to perform neck and neck.
9/10
Xilence XQ Dual Wing PWM
Features:
Nano Dynamic Fluid Bearing
Small upper blade fan wings for uniform airflow and higher fan performance
4pin Sleeved PWM cable
Specifications:
1600rpm
66.5CFM
17dBA
12V
0.2A
300,000 hours at 25c
116g
Accessories:
Silicon Screw Mounts
Full sized rubber frame
RRP: £7
Xilence, a long term manufacturer of fans and computer cooling components has released many popular fans, especially its PWM and standard versions of the Red Wings series. Xilence's new range of fans comes in 80mm and 120mm led and non-led fans. This model is the non-LED PWM version.
The fan in question boosts a beautiful white frame and high quality black sleeving. The fan itself uses a design of multiple blade layers. The only over fan I have seen that uses this is the Phobya 2-G Nano.
The motor is 45mm across and on the top layer are 7 transparent short length fan blades with a moderate angle of attack and slightly curving blade shape. Below this top layer are the main blades, 7 of them. These blades are slimmer than those of standard fans and have the same shape as the top blades. The outer edge of the blades have a small ridge with a small nook at the tail end. This design is almost certainly there to focus airflow, perhaps in a similar way to wing-lets on modern aircraft.
Idle Speed: 915
Idle Temperatures: 33-32-32-29 (average 31.5c)
Load Speed Maximum: 1156
Load Temperatures: 66-65-61-60 (average 63c)
The Xilence minimum idle rotation speed was 915rpm, higher than the specification of 600. The load temperatures were at the weaker end of the scale for this roundup running at these speeds.
The sound profile of the fan at these speeds was exemplary, emitting only the faintest whisper of airflow and a tiny low pitch motor hum. I would say this fan was the closest to inaudible of all the fans in this testing session at his speed.
Acoustic Profile: 19
Load Speed: 1781
Load Temperatures: 60-59-58-55 (average 58c)
This was a good result in the line-up of fans, although achieved at a rather high rotation speed.
At these speeds it produced a slight metallic motor hum, with a high pitched airflow rush. While definitely quite far outside the comfort zone at these speeds, the sound itself produced no particularly undesirable traits. It is a too loud though.
Acoustic Profile: 7
The Xilence was not the best performer in this roundup and it's results seemed to be a little inconsistent. The semi-straight blade design seemed to mean that it required slightly higher rpm to push air in its optimal range. The quality of the design was evident in the noise quality, providing it was kept below ~1370rpm. The fan blows a lot of air at that rpm, but I did notice that an unusually high amount seemed to escape round the sides of the heat-sink possibly due to the blade layout, so perhaps a shroud or the upcoming radiator testing will rectify this. In the end it will not turn any heads purely based on it's heatsink performance, and does run rather loud past 1500rpm. I do feel that this fan probably lacks static pressure when running at the higher speeds.
Retailing at around £7, the Xilence offers great value for money, with a sleeved cable, anti-vibration mounts and a rubber mount dampener and PWM support.
6/10
Yate Loon D12SL-12C (Slim)
Features:
Sleeve Bearing
3 pin cable
Closed corners
Specifications:
1300rpm
44.5CFM
20.8dBA
12V
0.3A
115g
The well known manufacturer Yate Loon produces many fans that are popular, particularly in watercooling circles due to their low cost. This Yate Loon is unusual in today's roundup in that it is the only 20mm thick fan. It will be interesting to see if this negatively impacts it's static pressure.
The fan has a 40mm diameter motor and moderately swept blades which extend in width towards the edges. The blades have a moderate angle of attack. Closed corners meant the fan had to be mounted via cable-ties.
Idle Speed: 832
Idle Temperatures: 32-32-33-28 (average 31.25c)
Load Speed Maximum: 1112
Load Temperatures: 65-65-62-61 (average 63.25c)
While the load temperatures were not brilliant, it is interesting to see that the 5mm of reduced thickness has not severely reduced the fans performance.
Running at this speed the fan produces a gentle motor /airflow hum and slight faint motor ticking that is not very noticeable.
Acoustic Profile: 14
Load Speed: 1391
Load Temperatures: 64-62-59-59 (average 61c)
This was a respectable performance by the slim fan.
The fan produced generally agreeable acoustics at this rotation speed, with a faint motor rustle and a deep motor + airflow hum. Not hugely different from it's slower speeds in this regard.
Acoustic Profile: 11
The Yate Loon comes out fighting and proves that losing 5mm is not a huge disadvantage. While it's temperatures were a little weaker than some of the other fan offerings, it's noise profile was generally agreeable. Coming in at less than £5, it makes a decent investment, although the Sleeve bearing means it will not last as long as other bearing type fans.
In the end it is not the performance this fan looses points for, but the fact that it should only really be necessary when space is an absolute premium, as there are other fans which for only slightly more outlay have better bearing types and more accessories.
5/10
Zaward Golf II
Features:
Duro Bearing
Unique patented Gold dimple blade (15% less noise at same airflow)
4 Pin PWM Sleeved cable
Specifications:
1300rpm
56.05CFM
1.36mm-AQ Max Pressure
20.8dBA
12V
0.2A
60,000 hours at 40c
156g
Accessories:
Anti-vibration rubber mounts
RRP: £7~£8
Zaward, a derivative of one of the leading server and industrial fan producers Globefan produces a Golf dimple line-up of fans. Golf dimple fans are not unique, as Sharkmoon also produces the highly regarded Silent Eagle fan series.
The Zaward Golf II is an improvement on the Golf I which used ceramic bearings.
The test fan uses PWM control, and is able to start spinning at an impressive 450rpm. The fan has a motor of 44mm diameter, and 7 rounded dimple surfaced blades will a moderate angle of attack narrowing towards the centre. My experience of straight bladed fans with relatively low angles of attack is that they produce less static pressure than swept blades, and often have more specific optimal rpm ranges. The fan has an impressive solid feel, with a healthy weight and attractive sleeved cable. Heavier fans tend to have lower vibration than lighter fans, and are usually better built at the same time.
Idle Speed: 827
Idle Temperatures: 33-33-33-28 (average 31.75c)
Load Speed Maximum: 1120
Load Temperatures: 64-63-61-60 (average 62c)
Nothing out of the ordinary with these results then. The acoustic quality was excellent at this speed, with only a very faint low pitch motor/airflow drone at this revolution speed. The fan was very close to being inaudible at this speed.
Acoustic Profile: 19
Load Speed: 1295
Load Temperatures: 62-61-59-57 (average 59.75c)
This was a slightly above average result here, but fantastic considering it was at less than 1300rpm, low compared to the other fans in this roundup.
The Zaward's acoustic profile was very agreeable at this speed, producing a moderate low pitch motor drone and a slight moderate pitch airflow sound. The sound was high in quantity and comfortable to the ear, earning it an excellent result in this category.
Acoustic Profile: 15
The Zaward Golf II is an attractive, well built fan with excellent longevity and very good acoustic properties. Combined with it's excellent accessories, PWM support, it makes a great low-moderate speed performance fan and I would suspect it would compare very well to the other popular PWM fans in the 1300rpm range. Coming in at around £7, it undercuts the competition on price. It would be interesting to see what a higher rpm version of this fan could do. Globefan has cryptic information on 1600 and 2000rpm models and I would love to get my hands on some of them for testing, alas they do not seem to be for sale through the normal channels.
8/10
Conclusion
Looking at the graph and working our way from the top right hand corner we can get an idea of how the fans stack up. Each fan has two points plotted, one for it's medium speed run and the other for the maximum speed test. Fans in the lower right hand corner are the best performers with good acoustic properties. Here we have the Scythe Kama Flow II, Scythe Gentle Typhoon and the Zaward Golf II with just a little higher temperatures but leading in acoustics.
A fan that falls just a little short of these leaders is the Akasa Apache, a fan that just is not as good acoustically as the leaders.
After the Apache we have the mid range performance of the Magma at the higher speed. The Xilence manages decent results at lower speed as-well. Fans that achieve poorer results are the Yate Loon, Cogage and the Xilence when running at maximum speed.
Best fan of the round-up: Scythe Kama Flow II
Best value purchase: Zaward Golf II
Ultimate Performance pick: San Ace
-Heatsink Testing-
Heatsink - Cogage True
A ~700g aluminium heat-sink with copper heat pipes. This small dense heat-sink will require decent static pressure to force air through the angled fins. Fans will be tested how well they can keep an i7 920 cooled to 3.4Ghz at 1.18 volts. These settings have been chosen to avoid any unusual results by potentially bottlenecking the heat pipes. Fans will be tested in a HAF 932 with case fans set to medium speed. The temperature was maintained as best as possible at 20c, with room window and door open, and a desk fan set up to circulate air around the PC. If the temperature deviated from 20c on any of my three sensors, testing was aborted untill the temperature returned to 20c.
Fans will be tested twice, first they will be set up to run at approximately 800rpm while the CPU idles. The fan will be allowed to speed up automatically via the Bios fan control to keep the CPU at a target temperature range. This will show us the cooling potential of the fans at low-mid rpm range and how dependant the fan is on rpm. After the end of the 5min Prime 95 session, the max temps on all four cores will be recorded and also averaged. The fan speeds will also be recorded.
Next all the case fans are turned off with the fan controller, leaving only the slight noise of the PSU and the hardrives. With Prime 95 still running an assessment of the fans acoustic profile will be taken from approximately 20cm horizontal to the centre of the heat-sink. (Note the tests are conducted with the HAF 932 side panel off)
The second heatsink test will repeat the above, with two changes. Fans will be set to their maximum rotation speed in the bios. Fans will be tested with a three minute Prime 95 load session, and the maximum temps will be recorded at the end of this. Therefore only load temperatures will be tested. Fan noise will be measured as before.
Noise Assessment:
Noise assesment will be tested via my ability to hear the fan. Two important criteria will be used to give an assessment, noise level and noise quality. Noise level will be a little more weighted in the final score for each fan.
Any score above 20 means the fan is basically inaudible, and any scores below 10 means I would consider the fan to be at the limit of acceptable levels. Do bare in mind I am judging the fans up close with the side-panel off, in a real world scenario the noise levels would be much harder to discern.
The fans we will be looking at:
Akasa Apache Black
Cogage Reference fan
Enermax Magma
San Ace 9G1212H1011
Scythe Gentle Typhoon 1850rpm
Scythe Kama Flow II
Xilence XQ Dual Wing PWM
Yate Loon D12SL-12C
Zaward Golf II
Akasa Apache Black
Features:
HDB (Hydro Dynamic bearing
S-FLOW fan blade design (30% higher airflow)
IP54 moisture and dust protection
4 Pin Sleeved PWM Cable
Specifications:
1300rpm
2.64mm-H20 Max Pressure
16.05dBA
12V
0.33A
50,000 hours at unspecified temperature
165g
Accessories:
Rubber isolator mounts
RRP: £11.50-£14
The first fan of our round-up is the Akasa Apache Black and it's rather eloquent curved S-FLOW blades.
Akasa claim this will offer 30% more airflow. While this does seem like an optimistic assessment, it will be interesting to see what impact this has on airflow. The Akasa is a well built solid fan with a rather nicely sleeved black cable; which is perhaps a little on the short side for larger cases.
The Akasa's nine blades have an aggressive angle of attack particularly at the centre base of the blades. The motor measures around 40mm in diameter, one of the smallest motors in this round-up. The sheer scale of blade cross-section means this fan should push a lot of air at low rpm, so it will be interesting to test the impact on the acoustic characteristics.
Idle Speed: 825
Idle Temperatures: 32-32-33-29 (average 31.5c)
Load Speed Maximum: 1126
Load Temperatures: 65-64-61-61 (average 62.75c)
Good results here then, especially considering that the Akasa is spinning at a lower speed compared to the other fans of this round-up. The fan definitely produces good airflow at the lower speeds due to it's blade design and small motor hub.
Spinning up to a speed of 1126rpm, the Akasa produces a low level of medium pitch motor drone, and a low pitch airflow noise. There also seems to be a lower level of motor buzz present. Overall at these speeds the Akasa is an agreeable fan, if somewhat non-exceptional compared to some of the other fans.
Acoustic Profile: 17
Load Speed: 1369
Load Temperatures: 61-60-58-56 (average 58.75c)
At it's maximum speed the Akasa produces strong performance results, putting it in the higher end of today's testing.
At this speed the Akasa produces a moderate amount of medium pitch motor drone. The airflow noise is of moderate pitch with a choppy (or turbulent) element to the sound. While the noise levels were certainly not high, the sound quality was not brilliant here.
Acoustic Profile: 11
The Akasa Apache is a powerful fan, pulling out very impressive results considering it's low rotation speed. Clearly the Apache's design has been focused towards producing maximum airflow, and this does show in it's imperfect acoustic profile. The Akasa is well built, but also comes at a high RRP. The Sleeved cable is also shorter than that of other fans tested today. It is a shame that this better looking Apache Black comes at such a price premium to the standard model, as if the pricing was closer to the standard I could definitely give it a higher score.
7/10
Cogage True Spirit Included Fan
Features:
Sleeve Bearing
4pin PWM cable
Specifications:
1000-1800rpm
35.0 - 66.5CFM
19.6 - 37.4dBA
0.21A
12V
95g
RRP: n/a
A distinctive fan because of it's unusual dark amber transparent fan blades, this fan serves as a good reference to the other fans of what a generic, reasonable priced fan can do. Heat-sink manufactures, especially ones with overclocking pedigree's such as Cogage (subdivision of Thermalright) will definitely want their bundled fans to achieve good performance, possibly at the compromise of noise and sound quality as many reviews do not heavily test this aspect. A fan built for a heat-sink designed for the toasty Bloomfield i7 platform will be no exception to this rule. This fan offers no miracles, it is light, feels cheap and uses generic aggressively curved blades tapering towards the centre motor to produce high static pressure.
I did notice in my preliminary examination of the fan while running that it produces a very high amount of resonating, throbbing vibration on the vertical. This fan would definitely need vibration dampening.
Idle Speed: 811
Idle Temperatures: 32-32-31-28 (average 30.75c)
Load Speed Maximum: 1049
Load Temperatures: 65-64-61-60 (average 62.5c)
Surprisingly good results for a cheap fan, especially considering the low revolution speed. The idle temperatures were among the best in this testing session.
The fan emitted a moderate motor buzz and a high pitch squeal which was rather annoying at close range. Not great here then.
Acoustic Profile: 11
Load Speed: 1687
Load Temperatures: 61-61-58-58 (average 59.5c)
Nothing out of the ordinary here, an ok result. Interestingly the fan was way off it's rated speed of 1800rpm.
At his speed the fan emitted a rather loud low pitch motor drone, and a moderate background airflow drone. Thankfully the squealing was gone.
Acoustic Profile: 9
Built to a budget, it shows with this fan. The rated rpm specifications and those tested were way off. If the squealing could be removed, which seems to peak at 1000rpm, this fan would be a decent choice for its good low speed performance assuming a low cost , considering it is PWM.
4/10
Enermax Magma
Features:
Twister Bearing
Batwing Blade Design (20~30% more airflow)
Detachable water resistant blades
Silver/Clear 3pin cable
Specifications:
1500rpm
69.15CFM
1.4mm-H20 max Pressure
18dBA
12V
0.4A
100,000 hours at 85c
125g
Accessories:
Isolator-mounts
Peripheral 4 pin Cable
RRP: £8~£9
The two features that stick out about this fan is the unusual Enermax batwing blades and the Twister bearing. The twister bearing is a Nano-magnetic bearing rated for ~100,000 hours at 85c. This rating is far in excess of that of even high quality standard fans, that are typically rated at ~40,000 hours at <60c. Generally fans with superior bearings demonstrate a smoother noise characteristics, and have a smoother more consistent rpm range.
The Batwing blades supposedly produce 20~30% more airflow than standard blades. An impressive claim, however standard blades could really mean any old obsolete design. The 9 blades have a moderate angle of attack and a slight sweeping curve towards the outside of the fan. The blades only increase in diameter to the outside edge by a few millimetres. One thing I have noticed about this fan is their is quite a large gap between the trailing edge of the fan blades and the fan exterior casing. While not huge, at ~3mm, this could cost the Magma airflow and static pressure.
The motor diameter is 40mm. In my experience small hub fans generally produce higher airflow but weaker static pressure than those fans with large motor diameters. This would seem to be reflected in the Magma's very average specification of 1.4mmH20.
They are also often noisier at the same rpm as a consequence of this.
Idle Speed: 808
Idle Temperatures: 36-35-35-31 (average 34.25c)
Load Speed Maximum: 1153
Load Temperatures: 66-65-62-60 (average 63.25c)
The Enermax maintained decent temperatures under load. The idle temperatures were however poor, it would seem this fan does not like low revolution speeds.
At his speed there was a medium pitch drone and a low moderate pitch background noise of airflow. At his speed the fan has both a low overall volume and high sound quality.
Acoustic Profile: 17
Load Speed: 1591
Load Temperatures: 60-59-59-55 (average 58.25c)
A good thermal performance at this speed, the Enermax clearly scales well with rpm.
At this speed the Magma emitted a moderate/high level of moderate pitch airflow drone, and also a discernible slightly lower pitch motor drone. The airflow was a little choppy and irregular, but not to alarming levels. Unfortunately, the Magma's overall noise level at this speed was quite high, and defiantly on the distracting side of things. The sound quality was good however.
Acoustic Profile: 8
Overall the Enermax Magma is a decent, but unexceptional fan on a Heat-sink. Semi straight bladed designed fans often have quite specific ranges that optimal performance is achieved. The Enermax defiantly improves past 900rpm, and is acoustically excellent below 1200rpm. A reasonable price, a cable of >45cm length, and Isolator-mounts makes the Enermax decent value for money, a solid long term investment fan. Removable blades will make maintenance easier as an added bonus.
6/10
San Ace 9G1212H1011 120mm
Features:
Dual Ceramic Ball Bearing
3 pin cable
Specifications:
2600rpm
99CFM
7.21mm-H20 Max Pressure
39dBA
12V
0.38A
40,000 hours at 60c
315g
RRP: £14~£17
The massive San Ace series of 38mm fans are well known in the benching and Overclocking enthusiast community as great performance fans, but can it can perform the role of a standard performance heat-sink fan? This industrial fan is equipped with a Dual Ceramic Ball Bearing rated for 40,000 hours at 60c. The fan has a very large motor hub like most server fans, spanning 60mm.
The 7 fan blades have sweeping rounded edges and a high angle of attack.
The sweep is aggressive and almost no clearance is left between the tips of the blades and the fan casing to maximise available airflow and static pressure.
The blades utilise the height on offer to extend vertically upwards from the center point towards the top edge of the shroud. This upwards sweep should ensure the fan grasps air in huge swathes and powers it through the depth of the fan, achieving static pressure that is unattainable to smaller 25mm thick fans. The rear of the fan has 3 rather than the standard 4 supports to reduce resistance to airflow.
Idle Speed: 810
Idle Temperatures: 31-30-31-27 (average 29.75c)
Load Speed Maximum: 1229
Load Temperatures: 62-61-58-57 (average 59.5c)
The San Ace gave us the best idle temperatures of this roundup. The load temperatures were even better, so good that the San Ace was neck and neck with some fans on their maximum rotation speed, and better than others.
So the catch? Unfortunately the San Ace emits a slightly annoying motor squeal at lower speeds, it also emits a gentle motor buzz which is less noticeable. Not a great result in these regards.
Acoustic Profile: 9
Load Speed: 1928
Load Temperatures: 58-57-55-53 (average 55.75c)
Because the San Ace can run at a ludicrously fast and loud maximum speed of 2600rpm (2544 in my tests) I allowed it to spin up to 1928rpm on full load to better compare with other fans in this testing session. At this speed the San Ace produced the best results of all the fans tested, and by a good margin too.
Unfortunately, at these speeds the San Ace produces a relatively loud medium pitch motor whine, a high pitch irregular motor squeal and a moderate airflow whoosh that seems to reverberate around the case.
Acoustic Profile: 4
The San Ace is the best performing fan in this session by a considerable margin, and has the feel of a reliable solid piece of engineering. It is this drive for performance and reliability that rules this fan out as a great low-medium speed heat-sink fan for the acoustic conscious user, but for bench runs I can think of no better fan.
6/10
Scythe Gentle Typhoon 1850rpm
Features:
Dual Ball Bearing
3 pin cable
Specifications:
1850rpm
57.5CFM
28dBA
12V
0.083A
60,000 hours at 60c
200g
Accessories:
4-pin Molex Adapter
RRP: £13~£14
Next up is the venerable Scythe Gentle Typhoon. These fans have long been hailed as one of the top noise to CFM ratio fans for use on radiators and heat-sinks. The 9 deeply curved blades should maximise static pressure, Scythe claims an impressive figure of 2.1mm-H20, which is a fair bit higher than many other other fans in this roundup will be able to manage.
The Scythe fan has two unusual nibs at the lower motor edge of each blade. Presumably these will slightly alter the airflow characteristics of the blade to produce a more pleasant sound to the human ear.
The Gentle Typhoon has a very large motor hub of 51mm. The layout of this fan is one which emphasises higher static pressure at higher rpm's, with lower noise and a lower CFM/rpm ratio than other fans.
The Scythe utilizes a quality double ball bearing with a double vibration reduction structure and coil dampeners. I say quality because the Scythe has a rather remarkable feature, the blades just keep spinning for ages after the fan is turned off, they will spin for 2 to 3 times longer than standard fans, and this is reflected in the very low current that the fan draws.
Idle Speed: 804
Idle Temperatures: 32-32-32-28 (average 31c)
Load Speed Maximum: 1153
Load Temperatures: 64-63-61-59 (average 61.75c)
These results are amongst the best of this roundup, and the Gentle Typhoon did so emitting only a slight low pitch drone and tinniest hiss of airflow.
Acoustic Profile: 18
Load Speed: 1785
Load Temperatures: 60-60-57-56 (average 58.25c)
At full speed, we indeed see the Gentle Typhoon gives extremely impressive results.
At this speed the Scythe produced generally agreeable acoustic characteristics, a moderate level of air movement and slight moderate pitch motor drone. The fan produced a slight hiss of airflow which fades pretty easily into the background noise as I moved away from the heat-sink.
Acoustic Profile: 13
The Gentle Typhoon proves to be a strong performer here, and a very usable fan for the acoustically conscious user, staying acoustically excellent in quality up to ~1400rpm. The fan is exceptionally sturdy, with a reassuring weight of 200g. Perhaps this fans slight let down is due to the hype (rightly so) of it's strong performance, combined with exchange rate fluctuations and production difficulties in Japan mean that it is in short supply, and current prices stand at £14. You don't get much in the way of accessories either.
7/10
Scythe Kama Flow II
Features:
Extra Fluid Dynamic Bearing
Specifications:
1900rpm
63.23CFM
33.8dBA
12V
0.38A
120,000 hours at 30c
169g
Accessories:
Peripheral 4 pin Cable
RRP £7~£9
The second Scythe fan from our roundup, the Kama Flow II is a relatively new fan, taking the place as a new revision premium model in Scythe's range. The fan is equipped with the popular Sony EX-FDB which is rated for 120,000 hours at 30c. The fan motor is 48mm in diameter, making it one of the larger motors in this roundup. Consequently the fans rated airflow is quite low, but as the Gentle Typhoon proved this has little relation on the fans performance. The fan has a conventional 7 blade layout, similar to that of the Cogage fan but with slightly more aggressively spiked edges. I would therefore suspect it is the bearing that will be the deal maker for this fan.
Idle Speed: 817
Idle Temperatures: 32-32-32-28 (average 31c)
Load Speed Maximum: 1202
Load Temperatures: 64-63-61-60 (average 62c)
These were solid results, and just a fraction below it's heavier relative the Gentle Typhoon. Despite the higher rotation speed, the Kama Flow II produced a superbly clean sound at this speed, with only a faint motor hum and low pitch airflow sound.
Acoustic Profile: 18
Load Speed: 1824
Load Temperatures: 59-59-57-55 (average 57.5c)
This was not a good result, it was a fantastic one, the second best in this roundup below the colossal San Ace.
The Kama was able to achieve this level of performance with an excellent acoustic profile, producing a metallic low pitched motor hum, and a low pitch airflow sound. A great result here then.
Acoustic Profile: 13
I went into this roundup expecting the Kama Flow to do well, as it has been spoken highly of in reviews. Its performance proved brilliant, especially at higher speeds where it's acoustic profile remained very forgiving. I would say it's acoustic profile remained comfortable slightly past 1400rpm.
The Kama Flow does not have a huge amount of glamour, it is a plain fan, with a basic non-braided 3pin cable and limited accessories. The packaging, true to the Scythe way is not amazing either. These sacrifices pay off in the end though, as the Kama Flow II 1900rpm model retails around £8, really making it an unbeatable performance fan in this range, and all price ranges for that matter. Compared to the Gentle Typhoon, the Kama looses out by a fraction at the slower speeds, and claws back the advantage and a little extra when the two clash at the maximum rotation speeds. Around the 1500rpm speed, they pretty much seem to perform neck and neck.
9/10
Xilence XQ Dual Wing PWM
Features:
Nano Dynamic Fluid Bearing
Small upper blade fan wings for uniform airflow and higher fan performance
4pin Sleeved PWM cable
Specifications:
1600rpm
66.5CFM
17dBA
12V
0.2A
300,000 hours at 25c
116g
Accessories:
Silicon Screw Mounts
Full sized rubber frame
RRP: £7
Xilence, a long term manufacturer of fans and computer cooling components has released many popular fans, especially its PWM and standard versions of the Red Wings series. Xilence's new range of fans comes in 80mm and 120mm led and non-led fans. This model is the non-LED PWM version.
The fan in question boosts a beautiful white frame and high quality black sleeving. The fan itself uses a design of multiple blade layers. The only over fan I have seen that uses this is the Phobya 2-G Nano.
The motor is 45mm across and on the top layer are 7 transparent short length fan blades with a moderate angle of attack and slightly curving blade shape. Below this top layer are the main blades, 7 of them. These blades are slimmer than those of standard fans and have the same shape as the top blades. The outer edge of the blades have a small ridge with a small nook at the tail end. This design is almost certainly there to focus airflow, perhaps in a similar way to wing-lets on modern aircraft.
Idle Speed: 915
Idle Temperatures: 33-32-32-29 (average 31.5c)
Load Speed Maximum: 1156
Load Temperatures: 66-65-61-60 (average 63c)
The Xilence minimum idle rotation speed was 915rpm, higher than the specification of 600. The load temperatures were at the weaker end of the scale for this roundup running at these speeds.
The sound profile of the fan at these speeds was exemplary, emitting only the faintest whisper of airflow and a tiny low pitch motor hum. I would say this fan was the closest to inaudible of all the fans in this testing session at his speed.
Acoustic Profile: 19
Load Speed: 1781
Load Temperatures: 60-59-58-55 (average 58c)
This was a good result in the line-up of fans, although achieved at a rather high rotation speed.
At these speeds it produced a slight metallic motor hum, with a high pitched airflow rush. While definitely quite far outside the comfort zone at these speeds, the sound itself produced no particularly undesirable traits. It is a too loud though.
Acoustic Profile: 7
The Xilence was not the best performer in this roundup and it's results seemed to be a little inconsistent. The semi-straight blade design seemed to mean that it required slightly higher rpm to push air in its optimal range. The quality of the design was evident in the noise quality, providing it was kept below ~1370rpm. The fan blows a lot of air at that rpm, but I did notice that an unusually high amount seemed to escape round the sides of the heat-sink possibly due to the blade layout, so perhaps a shroud or the upcoming radiator testing will rectify this. In the end it will not turn any heads purely based on it's heatsink performance, and does run rather loud past 1500rpm. I do feel that this fan probably lacks static pressure when running at the higher speeds.
Retailing at around £7, the Xilence offers great value for money, with a sleeved cable, anti-vibration mounts and a rubber mount dampener and PWM support.
6/10
Yate Loon D12SL-12C (Slim)
Features:
Sleeve Bearing
3 pin cable
Closed corners
Specifications:
1300rpm
44.5CFM
20.8dBA
12V
0.3A
115g
The well known manufacturer Yate Loon produces many fans that are popular, particularly in watercooling circles due to their low cost. This Yate Loon is unusual in today's roundup in that it is the only 20mm thick fan. It will be interesting to see if this negatively impacts it's static pressure.
The fan has a 40mm diameter motor and moderately swept blades which extend in width towards the edges. The blades have a moderate angle of attack. Closed corners meant the fan had to be mounted via cable-ties.
Idle Speed: 832
Idle Temperatures: 32-32-33-28 (average 31.25c)
Load Speed Maximum: 1112
Load Temperatures: 65-65-62-61 (average 63.25c)
While the load temperatures were not brilliant, it is interesting to see that the 5mm of reduced thickness has not severely reduced the fans performance.
Running at this speed the fan produces a gentle motor /airflow hum and slight faint motor ticking that is not very noticeable.
Acoustic Profile: 14
Load Speed: 1391
Load Temperatures: 64-62-59-59 (average 61c)
This was a respectable performance by the slim fan.
The fan produced generally agreeable acoustics at this rotation speed, with a faint motor rustle and a deep motor + airflow hum. Not hugely different from it's slower speeds in this regard.
Acoustic Profile: 11
The Yate Loon comes out fighting and proves that losing 5mm is not a huge disadvantage. While it's temperatures were a little weaker than some of the other fan offerings, it's noise profile was generally agreeable. Coming in at less than £5, it makes a decent investment, although the Sleeve bearing means it will not last as long as other bearing type fans.
In the end it is not the performance this fan looses points for, but the fact that it should only really be necessary when space is an absolute premium, as there are other fans which for only slightly more outlay have better bearing types and more accessories.
5/10
Zaward Golf II
Features:
Duro Bearing
Unique patented Gold dimple blade (15% less noise at same airflow)
4 Pin PWM Sleeved cable
Specifications:
1300rpm
56.05CFM
1.36mm-AQ Max Pressure
20.8dBA
12V
0.2A
60,000 hours at 40c
156g
Accessories:
Anti-vibration rubber mounts
RRP: £7~£8
Zaward, a derivative of one of the leading server and industrial fan producers Globefan produces a Golf dimple line-up of fans. Golf dimple fans are not unique, as Sharkmoon also produces the highly regarded Silent Eagle fan series.
The Zaward Golf II is an improvement on the Golf I which used ceramic bearings.
The test fan uses PWM control, and is able to start spinning at an impressive 450rpm. The fan has a motor of 44mm diameter, and 7 rounded dimple surfaced blades will a moderate angle of attack narrowing towards the centre. My experience of straight bladed fans with relatively low angles of attack is that they produce less static pressure than swept blades, and often have more specific optimal rpm ranges. The fan has an impressive solid feel, with a healthy weight and attractive sleeved cable. Heavier fans tend to have lower vibration than lighter fans, and are usually better built at the same time.
Idle Speed: 827
Idle Temperatures: 33-33-33-28 (average 31.75c)
Load Speed Maximum: 1120
Load Temperatures: 64-63-61-60 (average 62c)
Nothing out of the ordinary with these results then. The acoustic quality was excellent at this speed, with only a very faint low pitch motor/airflow drone at this revolution speed. The fan was very close to being inaudible at this speed.
Acoustic Profile: 19
Load Speed: 1295
Load Temperatures: 62-61-59-57 (average 59.75c)
This was a slightly above average result here, but fantastic considering it was at less than 1300rpm, low compared to the other fans in this roundup.
The Zaward's acoustic profile was very agreeable at this speed, producing a moderate low pitch motor drone and a slight moderate pitch airflow sound. The sound was high in quantity and comfortable to the ear, earning it an excellent result in this category.
Acoustic Profile: 15
The Zaward Golf II is an attractive, well built fan with excellent longevity and very good acoustic properties. Combined with it's excellent accessories, PWM support, it makes a great low-moderate speed performance fan and I would suspect it would compare very well to the other popular PWM fans in the 1300rpm range. Coming in at around £7, it undercuts the competition on price. It would be interesting to see what a higher rpm version of this fan could do. Globefan has cryptic information on 1600 and 2000rpm models and I would love to get my hands on some of them for testing, alas they do not seem to be for sale through the normal channels.
8/10
Conclusion
Looking at the graph and working our way from the top right hand corner we can get an idea of how the fans stack up. Each fan has two points plotted, one for it's medium speed run and the other for the maximum speed test. Fans in the lower right hand corner are the best performers with good acoustic properties. Here we have the Scythe Kama Flow II, Scythe Gentle Typhoon and the Zaward Golf II with just a little higher temperatures but leading in acoustics.
A fan that falls just a little short of these leaders is the Akasa Apache, a fan that just is not as good acoustically as the leaders.
After the Apache we have the mid range performance of the Magma at the higher speed. The Xilence manages decent results at lower speed as-well. Fans that achieve poorer results are the Yate Loon, Cogage and the Xilence when running at maximum speed.
Best fan of the round-up: Scythe Kama Flow II
Best value purchase: Zaward Golf II
Ultimate Performance pick: San Ace
Last edited:
