Varder XM3 for radiator fan

alexkyriak · 29 Aug 2021 at 12:30

Hi all, any opinions on the EKWB Varder XM3 120mm rgb fan? Considering it for radiator usage, with a little bit of rgb. It seems to have a good high static pressure rating.

Ideally looking for a white coloured fan with decent performance and very quiet when not being pushed, with a bit of rgb. Thanks.

im4gine3 · 29 Aug 2021 at 17:56

very good fans.. albeit a bit loud for my liking. Pushes a good amount of air

alexkyriak · 29 Aug 2021 at 18:25

Thanks a lot @im4gine3, when you say too loud, is this when the system is ‘idling’ at low rpms, when not gaming? I’ll be using fans on three rads so hoping to take advantage of lots of radiator area and run lower rpms.

im4gine3 · 29 Aug 2021 at 20:42

hmm i'd probably say any over 1500rpm is loud for the X3M.

I use an Octo to control the speeds of the fans so tend to keep the fans below this speed for silence.

alexkyriak · 29 Aug 2021 at 23:26

Thanks mate. I know it’s daft but am agonising over fan selection. I like the looks of other types of fan (https://www.overclockers.co.uk/ther...-tt-premium-edition-5-fan-pack-fg-00v-tt.html), but the xm3 is ok on the looks for the build I want to do, and has very good performance. But secretly I want the looks also. With 3x 360 rads I’m guessing ‘downgrading’ to a lesser fan might still work just fine, I know lots of other system builds I’ve seen work just fine with fans less able on the static pressure front. My system will be cooling an OCed 11900k and a 3080 OCed.

im4gine3 · 30 Aug 2021 at 12:16

i know what you mean. I mainly went with the X3M based on looks too because they look funkier than your traditional fan. Colours are vibrant too.

Having said that, i like to tinker with my builds so i do have my eyes on the LianLi AL120 due to its style and cable management, so will be swapping to those at some point

Other fans which are worth mentioning which are cheaper but offer very good performance... the Arctic P12. They also have an ARGB version of the P12 and come in a 3 pack for around £30

hlennie · 13 Sep 2021 at 14:25

I have arctics and the colour is amazing great fans shift plenty of air a little loud when full wack sweet spot is about 1500 rpm but who runs games with volume down

alexkyriak · 13 Sep 2021 at 14:52

Yes was interested in that P12, looks v good. Wish they did a white one, as am leaning to a white build aesthetic. Reason was leaning to the XM3 was the higher quoted perfomance figures in terms of static pressure, acknowledging the XM3 runs slightly faster:

EK Varder XM3
- Maximum speed: 2200 rpm (+/- 10%)
- Max air flow: 67 CFM = 114 m³/h
- Static pressure: 2.75 mm H2O = 27 Pa

Arctic P12
- Fan Speed: 0 - 2000 rpm
- Airflow: 48.8 CFM | 82,91 m³/h
- Static Pressure: 1.85 mmH2O

Gavster · 13 Sep 2021 at 21:31

alexkyriak said:
Yes was interested in that P12, looks v good. Wish they did a white one, as am leaning to a white build aesthetic. Reason was leaning to the XM3 was the higher quoted perfomance figures in terms of static pressure, acknowledging the XM3 runs slightly faster:

EK Varder XM3
- Maximum speed: 2200 rpm (+/- 10%)
- Max air flow: 67 CFM = 114 m³/h
- Static pressure: 2.75 mm H2O = 27 Pa

Arctic P12
- Fan Speed: 0 - 2000 rpm
- Airflow: 48.8 CFM | 82,91 m³/h
- Static Pressure: 1.85 mmH2O

Here you go, available in white, also the spec sheet gives them as 2.2mm H2O for the P12 PWM PST.
https://www.arctic.de/en/products/c...ed9cb9c267ab|efea9ccfce4449fd8853e9abe80c07a7

alexkyriak · 13 Sep 2021 at 23:37

Top man, thanks. Can you rustle one up with rgb also?

Lian Li fans do rgb actually.

Gavster · 13 Sep 2021 at 23:53

alexkyriak said:
Top man, thanks. Can you rustle one up with rgb also? Lian Li fans do rgb actually.

Unfortunately not, the only rgb fans they do are in black.

Grim5 · 15 Sep 2021 at 12:16

alexkyriak said:
Yes was interested in that P12, looks v good. Wish they did a white one, as am leaning to a white build aesthetic. Reason was leaning to the XM3 was the higher quoted perfomance figures in terms of static pressure, acknowledging the XM3 runs slightly faster:

EK Varder XM3
- Maximum speed: 2200 rpm (+/- 10%)
- Max air flow: 67 CFM = 114 m³/h
- Static pressure: 2.75 mm H2O = 27 Pa

Arctic P12
- Fan Speed: 0 - 2000 rpm
- Airflow: 48.8 CFM | 82,91 m³/h
- Static Pressure: 1.85 mmH2O

IMO I've learnt to stop looking at fan specs. There is a difference between the marketing specs and how they actually perform on a radiator