For this reason, we sent all the fans to the experts at Intertek, a company that specialises in comparative testing of consumer electronic devices. Obviously, the only way we can really compare the sound level of each fan is by testing them in exactly the same way. How we Measured Noise Levels (or, More Accurately, Sound Pressure)As few fan manufacturers state specifically how they measure sound level, it would be extremely foolish to compare the claimed figures of each manufacturer. The lowest-performance fan that completely filled the sack was the Revoltec RL037, which has a calculated airflow of 7cfm therefore, any fan that couldn’t fill the bag provided a level of airflow that was less than this. Also, even though we used a black sack made from lightweight plastic, it was still too heavy to fill completely for the fans that have a particularly low airflow or low static air pressure, so we were unable to measure their airflow accurately. Obviously, the ‘black sack’ method introduces a degree of human error, which is why we tested each fan three times, and used the average time (to the nearest second) to calculate the airflow. Using this method also allowed us to compare the airflow of fans with different diameters, simply by adjusting the size of the hole through which the fan blows air into the bag. This tells us how many cfm (cubic feet per minute) of air the fan is moving. So, for this group test, we devised a method of measuring both the airflow and noise of a fan to find out which fans provide the ideal balance between the two. While a fan may be content with simply moving air around, we’d also like it to do this quietly. However, human beings are slightly more complex and demanding than your average fan. Whether the fan is mounted on a CPU heatsink or radiator, blowing over the motherboard or acting as an input or output chassis fan, moving air is all that it has to do. How we TestedUnlike most other PC components, a fan only has to perform a single task, which is to move air through your PC to help keep the components cool. So, to find out which fans are worth installing in your PC and which are best left on the shelf, read on! Airflow is crucial, as this figure determines how effective the fan is at moving air through your PC, while a noisy fan is an irritant everyone could do without. We've scientifically measured the performance of each fan by measuring its airflow and noise. We've tested 22 120mm fans, so that we can give a definitive verdict on which fans are best for either an air-cooled PC or for a 120mm-wide radiator. IntroductionAlthough the choice of heatsink or waterblock/radiator has a huge effect on the temperature of the components they cool, without a suitable fan blowing air over said components and fans mounted in the case, your PC will soon overheat, wither and die.įortunately, bit-tech is here with a well-timed group test of 120mm fans, ideal for cooling and reducing the noise signature of an existing PC, or including as part of a new build.
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