Sure, Noctua's trademark brown fans will stick out like a sore thumb in whatever PC you build, but they're also a sign of quality, and the NF-A12x25 lives up to the legacy. Since those mid-range speeds are generally more likely to come up in day-to-day use, the NF-A12x25 is an excellent choice for your average gaming PC while still giving it the headroom to spin up to 2000 RPM in the middle of a heatwave. Our numbers have it putting out less noise at 1200 RPM than some fans running 300 RPM slower. Of all the fans we tested, this model pumped the most air through our test rig.īut-and this is important-the NF-A12x25 was also the quietest fan we tested when running at lower RPM. The Noctua SF-12B above is a great fan and our overall pick, but if you're looking for a top-tier 120mm model that can move a lot of air, the awkwardly named NF-A12x25 blows away the competition. Here's some good ol' Noctua khaki-and-mud for the diehards. That's a lot of money, even if the results are stellar. To use LL120s, you need to commit to purchasing a three-pack of fans with an included Corsair Lighting Node Pro, a package that lists for $120. At mid-range speeds, we found during testing that they tend to be slightly louder than the competition, but at load, they're quieter than just about any non-Noctua fan we tested-and that's only because most of the Noctua fans top out at 1200 RPM, versus 1500 RPM for the LL120. The LL120s are also solid fans, lighting or no. As a result, the LL120s are the brightest and showiest fans we tested and a perfect fit for any RGB addict. Then, a separate ring of light is embedded around the housing's outer edge. Each has a complement of LEDs shining out from the rotor, diffusing light down the blades' length as they spin. ![]() They can look great in an all-glass case or even through a traditional side window, and if you're chasing that full-cyberpunk aesthetic, then Corsair's LL120 Pro RGB fans are the best you can buy. That's worth something.ĭo you need RGB fans? No. And hey, one more company hasn't dipped into the RGB LED well yet. If you want a decent budget-friendly fan and the SF-12B isn't doing it for you? Scythe's blade-heavy blower might be the right choice. Lots of air goes hand-in-hand with noise, though, and indeed the Kaze Flex 120 PWM is also noisier than the competition at any given speed setting-though since it tops out at 1200 RPM, the noise is never as bad as models that spin up to higher speeds. At 1200 RPM, the Kaze Flex 120 moved more air in our test rig than some of the competition (Corsair, for instance) did at 1400 or even 1600 RPM, presumably due to having eleven blades where most fans have only nine. The Kaze Flex 120 PWM we tested is one of the company's better models, though. Side-by-side with Noctua's Redux packaging, or Corsair's weighty boxes, Scythe feels like a budget fan solution. The Kaze Flex 120 PWM arrives in a cheap plastic package, looking more like it came from an auto shop than a modern PC retailer. ![]() Scythe doesn't make a great first impression, granted. I've picked out some of the best PC fans from those I tested, and brought them together, noting the key points that make them stand out below. ![]() If you plan on overclocking, a couple of extra fans (or the best CPU coolers) will help keep everything running cooly. It'll lead to your PC operating at suboptimal temperatures, which is sure to affect the performance and durability of your machine's important parts. Acceptable is subjective, so I'll let you decide what that means exactly.īut I'm sure we can all agree that poor airflow is bad. ![]() I went through and tested each of the fans below through real-life gaming tests and everyday use cases, and have brought to you the ones with the best airflow, at the most acceptable noise levels. PCs with cheap fans are the bane of my existence, so I've made sure to select fans that do their job without summoning a tornado. Alongside value for money, the best PC fans should quietly maximise cooling. Right now, my testing points to the Noctua NF-S12B redux-1200 as the best PC fan today, thanks to its affordability and great performance.
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