Which of these fans best for radiator?

Tizzle · 23 Mar 2020 at 11:33

Hi all,

My current setup in a P350X case is a front mounted 240mm radiator with 2x Blacknoise PL-PS fans pushing air through.

I have an Akasa AK-FN059 as the rear exhaust set to 800RPM so it is silent and the stock Phanteks fan as a top exhaust also around 700RPM.

I was wondering since I have an old spare AK-FN059 would it be better to have these as the 2 radiator fans as they have 2.98 mm H2O static pressure vs the 1.42 mm max of the PL-PS? Obviously the PL-PS are supposed to be quieter but that's a potential 52% increase in pressure.

Or would I be better off putting 2 Noctua NF-A12x25 as the radiator fans, proving to run quiet and rated at 2.34 mm H2O SP.

Fan Overview

AK-FN059: 83.63CFM / 2.98mm H2O / 28.9 dBA

NF-A12x25: 60CFM / 2.34mm H2O / 22.6 dBA

Blacknoise PL-PS: 50CFM (I think) / 1.42mm H2O / 23.7 dBA

Ross Thomson · 26 Mar 2020 at 17:16

want better fans get arctic P12's. no point spending over £25 on a fan.

Disco_P · 26 Mar 2020 at 18:39

There is no standardised method of testing fans so the numbers on the box are nothing more than marketing. Only thing you can really trust is the size and the RPM within 10%.

Try the fans you've got, maybe get the arctic P12s if you aren't happy.

EsaT · 26 Mar 2020 at 20:32

Disco_P said:
There is no standardised method of testing fans so the numbers on the box are nothing more than marketing.

Actually there is.
Those numbers are just comparable to measuring car's top speed in free fall when dropped from airplane and how much noise its engine can make with gear at neutral and car sitting on parking lot.
As in they tell very little about real world performance.
Both numbers could be better than in other fan, while still losing in actual performance.
https://martinsliquidlab.wordpress....w-specs-are-poor-measures-of-fan-performance/

clifbel · 27 Mar 2020 at 13:58

Do you need more cooling or are you worried about having quiet operation?

Obviously the Noctua offers best performance vs noise. But if you're not struggling for cooling then I'd keep the Noiseblockers on.

But if you want to spend money on the Noctua's then yea.

But the Arctics would get my vote

ttaskmaster · 27 Mar 2020 at 14:48

A lot also depends on the radiator. Lower fin density (FPI) rads tend to prefer fans with a narrower airflow spread like the ML120s, while high FPI rads often (but not always) are better with a wider spread such as the Vardar F4 120ER. High FPI will potentially result in more airflow noise too, as will having the intake point very close to meshes, grilles, filters, etc. Some of this may be alleviated by putting fans in a pull configuration.