I am wondering if these fans (either the blue or the upcoming black revision) would be good replacement fans to put at the front (intake) and top (exhaust) of an NZXT H440 case? I have heard this case works best with high static pressure fans, which the stock ones aren't so great at. Would the FQ121 be a good choice? This isn't relating to watercooling, so I'm not sure if the fan is fit for the purpose I am thinking.
** GT REPLACEMENT - Watercooling Optimised Fan **
- Thread starter rjk
- Start date
I'm sure they would fare just as well as any other static pressure fan if they're as good as OCuk people say. You'd notice a 2-4c temp difference, like other users.
Cool they must have revised them over the years, if these can do the same then I'll buy a boatload
it depends on the fan controller you use. a good fan controller will be able to run it like that fairly easily.
Soldato
hey rjk
Any update on the black fans?
They gonna be in in time for a Christmas present to myself?
Any update on the black fans?
They gonna be in in time for a Christmas present to myself?
I'm just wondering, as a CASE FAN (not for watercooling or rads), given the high static pressure rating (and great price right now), wouldn't the Akasa Piranha be a better choice?
Is there a reason for that? I'm not questioning, just that on paper it seems like it would be a good option. I'm always a bit baffled by fans tbh.
Thing I don't understand is that the FQ121 has a static pressure of between 0.54–1.82mm H2O. The Noiseblock Blacksilent has 0.730-1.420 (depending which model you go for). Yet the Akasa Piranha has 3.04! So, given a case like the H440 benefits from max static pressure fans (so I understand and have read anyway), why wouldn't the Piranha be the better choice? As I say, I'm a bit clueless when it comes to all this fan stuff, so I'm just looking at numbers and making an assumption which may be entirely wrong, so I will gladly be corrected. Just want to make sure I get the best fans for the job. 
Soldato
Got them running off Kaze master 2 using 3 fans in 1 ch and 2 in another. Full speed control and can run very at very low rpm. Out of 5 I received 1 is faulty.
the colour is ..meh.
is there any other rad fan with very similar specs as GT ?
Black or white colour or combination(LED is ok as well)
NoN-PWM(3 pin)
Can go up to 2000rmp(will be regulated anyway).
Also looking for 14cm one as well.
Anyone ?
EDIT://
I'm using Noiseblocker NB-eLoop Fan B12-3 - 120mm (1900rpm) for now.
They have 1.997 H2O. Seems great to me.
is there any other rad fan with very similar specs as GT ?
Black or white colour or combination(LED is ok as well)
NoN-PWM(3 pin)
Can go up to 2000rmp(will be regulated anyway).
Also looking for 14cm one as well.
Anyone ?
EDIT://
I'm using Noiseblocker NB-eLoop Fan B12-3 - 120mm (1900rpm) for now.
They have 1.997 H2O. Seems great to me.
Last edited:
Static pressure by itself (especially manufacturer specs) isn't the full story. I am testing out these new Phanteks rad optimized fans here for example (not released yet and dunno if I can share everything), and you need to have something that has a good compromise between unrestricted airflow and also static pressure.
Soldato
the colour is ..meh.
is there any other rad fan with very similar specs as GT ?
Black or white colour or combination(LED is ok as well)
NoN-PWM(3 pin)
Can go up to 2000rmp(will be regulated anyway).
Also looking for 14cm one as well.
Anyone ?
EDIT://
I'm using Noiseblocker NB-eLoop Fan B12-3 - 120mm (1900rpm) for now.
They have 1.997 H2O. Seems great to me.
Earlier in this thread It says,
These fans are being made available through OCUK in black, 3 pin scroll back a couple pages, you'll find it
When you say 'unrestricted airflow', what do you mean exactly? As I understand it, in a compromised space (i.e restricted airflow), you NEED high static pressure for the fan to be effective. There will be some situations, in certain cases like the H440 for example, where the design creates a restricted airflow space, and in those situations it would appear that high static pressure fans that also feature a high CFM are essential.
Unrestricted airflow means when the is nothing restricting the airflow, a good example would be a desk fan.
Not trying to be anal but a high pressure fan with high CFM is a actually a high performance "all round" fan (and is going to be loud).
The designs needed to produce airflow and pressure are sort of in competition but this isn't that bad an issue as airflow and pressure both create each other, however if you want lots of both they it will result in noise, this is why companies usually sell PC fans specializing in one or the other.
In example, a desk fan is designed for great airflow that lets it blow air across an empty room but its pressure is pretty poor (in relation to it's airflow, it's still a giant fan chucking out a lot of air and that in itself means a lot of pressure compared to a PC fan), whereas the fan on a car's radiator has great pressure but relatively low airflow (as it only needs to move the air a few inches).
Last edited:
They are well respected as rad fans and I use a couple on a rad myself
although speed controlled as they are load at full tilt.
Pretty much this. Don't go overboard with both and also not in just one either. That's why get an optimized rad + fan combo together is best in my opinion.
So what's the catch with the Akasa Piranha then... 3.04 mm-H2O and max of 27.2 dB. That seems powerful AND relatively quiet given that power. Or am I missing something?
From the "manufacturers specs" that looks like a good fan, compared to the £9.49 Akasa Venom Viper it has 0.06mm more pressure (so basically the same), 4.5 CFM less (not that much as a %), and is almost two dB quieter, so on paper it looks like a great deal, the logical reason it's hitting all those boxes would be because it's a £14 fan on offer. By comparison OcUK Golf ball fans could push the same pressure at even higher CFM, but were louder hence why they were cheaper as they only hit two of the targets (pressure/airflow/noise).
NB: just to note, the is no standard way of measuring dB for computer fans, it differs from manufacturer to manufacturer, some are very honest like Noiseblocker (who even have their fans tested to German standards), some are the opposite (looking at you Silenx!). From the reviews of the Pirana seen so far it would appear that the 27dB rating is a bit low (which may explain why the fans are 65% off aTM.