ARCTIC F12-120 mm Standard Case Fan, quite motor, Computer, Push- or Pull Configuration, Fan Speed: 1350 RPM - Black, White

Product Information

Noctua makes a few different versions, but the ones we’re interested in are the 3000 RPM versions, which are the best airflow fans in the range. Both the 120 mm and 140 mm versions offer more than 100 CFM of airflow, with the 140 mm fan, in particular, impressing with its 158.5 CFM. Static pressure is also impressive, and the 120 mm fan takes the cake here with a staggering 7.63 mm-H2O.

Let’s take Arctic’s 140 mm P14 and 120 mm P12 for example. The P14 boasts 72.8 CFM of airflow and 2.40 mm-H2O of static pressure at 1700 RPM. The P12, on the other hand, offers 56.3 CFM and 2.20 mm-H2O at a slightly higher 1800 RPM. First, make sure you measure your PC case to make sure the fan you want will fit in the mounts your case has. Standard sizes range from 80mm to 250mm, and you’ll generally need larger fans for larger PC cases, since they’ll need to move more air. 120mm and 140mm also (normally) have the same mount size, and larger fans are generally quieter and move more air. Choosing the best case fans for your rig depends a lot on what you need out of your PC’s cooling solution. Some fans excel at near-silent running, while others crank the fan speeds up to push as much air as possible to feed your hot, power-hungry PC components regardless of noise. It’s all about finding the right fan for the job. The NF-A12x25 PWM and the NF-A14 PWM are static pressure-focused fans, but they also offer more than enough airflow to make them viable for every position in a PC case. We particularly like the NF-A14 as an all-purpose cooling solution. Its 82.5 CFM of airflow trumps even some airflow-focused fans while still offering a decent 2.08 mm-H2O of static pressure for pulling air through dust filters and other intake obstructions. Passive CPU coolers, however, have no fans. The biggest advantage is the completely silent operation. The heat is conducted into the heatsink and discharged from there into the surrounding air. Since air, without additional airflow, is a poor conductor of heat, passive coolers need to have quite large heatsinks to achieve adequate cooling performance, yet are not as powerful as active coolers.

I have to admit that I hadn’t heard of the Cooler Master Mobius before the case fan review of the 120mm fans, and I was definitely surprised by them. The same goes for the MSI Silent Gale P12s, which at first glance seem similar in design to the Noctua NF-A12x25s, but perform better as case fans. Due to the lower maximum speed, they fall a bit short in the final test, but they offer excellent performance in a normal volume setting. If you’re building in a case that supports larger fan sizes like the Fractal Torrent and its 180 mm front fans, then you’ll almost always want to take advantage and use the largest fans possible. Especially if, as with the Torrent, the case already comes equipped with them. Most of the fans on our list use PWM, or pulse width modulation. PWM allows for fine-grained control of fan speeds without manipulating fan voltage. The main advantage of this approach is that it lets you slow fans down and even stop them without any adverse effects. Most voltage-controlled fans will stall below 5 volts, which stops them from working at ultra-low speeds. So PWM is important for achieving those 200 to 500 RPM speeds that silence enthusiasts may want. Most gaming PC cases will support 120 and 140 mm fans, letting you choose between the two. While both will be fine, 140 mm fans tend to be the better choice overall. Why? 140 mm fans’ increased diameter means they can perform better than 120 mm fans at a given RPM. So you can run your 140 mm fans slower for reduced noise while maintaining equal airflow to a 120 mm fan. By far the weakest fans in this test remain the Alseye X12, apart from that the last places are occupied by the NZXT F120 RGB and the Alphacool Aurora Rise. Case fan at maximum power

With a name like be quiet!, you’d expect their products to focus on low-noise operation above all else. And that’s exactly what you get with the Silent Wings 3 PWM fans, in both 120 mm and 140 mm guises. There are two types of PC case fans: static pressure fans and airflow fans. Static pressure fans excel at pulling or pushing air through restrictions such as dust filters, radiators, and drive cages. On the other hand, airflow fans work best at moving air as fast as possible, at the cost of reduced performance through the restrictions mentioned above. We think most average gamers will be more than happy with the Arctic P12 PWM or P14 PWM. They’re quiet, high-performance fans that compete with Noctua’s offerings at less than half the price. Of course, if you want the prestige of a high-end, premium fan, then Noctua’s NF-A12x25 PWM and NF-A14 PWM are still the fans to go for. Just remember that you’re not paying entirely for the performance there. At the lower performance end remain the Alseye Xtreme X12, which not only provide the lowest performance, but are also many times louder than the next two fans at the lower performance end. The be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 and the Fractal Design Aspect 12 do not offer high peak performance, but they remain quiet enough on uncontrolled full power that they do not attract negative attention. Observation over all results

Our Favorite Case Fans

Although nicer fans still aren’t that expensive (relative to other PC components), you still get what you pay for. Ball bearings, often found in the least expensive fans, tend to fail more often, while sleeve bearings are a step up in quality and longevity, and fluid bearings tend to be the most reliable, with the longest lifespans. Unlike most PC components, fans are mechanical systems meant to run continuously for years, so get good ones! Active CPU coolers have a fan, which ensures continuous airflow to dissipate the heat generated by the CPU. The larger the fan diameter and the higher the speed of the fan, the better the cooling performance. Since an increase in the speed also causes an increased noise level, it is important to find an appropriate balance between the fan diameter, fan speed, and size of the heatsink for an effective CPU cooler.