Choosing the Best 120mm Radiator Fan: Testing Eight Fans with Corsair's H80
by Dustin Sklavos on August 23, 2012 12:01 AM ESTCorsair H80 Stock Fan
When I met with Corsair, I asked them specifically which fans they would recommend using with the H80 since they had just released their new SP120 line. Surprisingly, they suggested that unless you're going for extreme silence, the stock fans that come with the H80 would provide the most balanced performance. Part of the reason for this is that the H80 has a built-in three speed fan controller that can change settings just by pressing a button on the waterblock; you can read more about it in our review of the H80 itself here.
| Airflow (in CFM) | Static Pressure (in mm/H2O) | RPM | Rated dBA |
| 46-92 | 1.6-7.7 | up to 1300 (Low), 2000 (Medium), 2500 (High) | 22-39 |
Our own testing with the H80 on its own revealed a decent range of performance, with the Medium setting seeming to be the ideal one, but we'll be able to compare them to a broader range of fans this time to see if the H80's stock fan continues to be the best choice.
Corsair SP120 Quiet Edition and High Performance Edition
The "SP" in "SP120" stands for "Static Pressure"; Corsair recently released a series of fans geared for radiator and case use, with the SP line targeting radiators. The designs are fairly slick, with removable colored trim and rubber mounting posts to mitigate vibration noise. The Quiet Edition has its fan speed capped and is designed, as its nomenclature suggests, for quiet operation. Meanwhile, the High Performance Edition runs at a higher speed and produces more noise as a result.
| Fan | Airflow (in CFM) | Static Pressure (in mm/H2O) | RPM | Rated dBA |
| SP120 Quiet |
37.85 |
1.29 | 1450 | 23 |
| SP120 High Performance | 62.74 | 3.1 | 2350 | 35 |
The rated performance of these fans is interesting, especially taking into account the SP120 Quiet's specifications actually being lower than the lowest setting of the H80's stock fan.
SilverStone Air Penetrator AP121
It's interesting to note that this fan has been the subject of a lot of debate on forums as to how fit it is for use as a radiator fan. SilverStone advertises a high static pressure for the AP121 and its grill is designed to direct air, suggesting that it would be a potentially ideal radiator fan. At the same time, its grill also potentially obstructs a decent amount of airflow.
| Airflow (in CFM) | Static Pressure (in mm/H2O) | RPM | Rated dBA |
| 35.36 | 1.71 | 1500 | 22.4 |
The AP121 isn't much for airflow, bested even by the quiet SP120, but it sure fires that air with a decent amount of force. This is going to be one to watch; it should be a strong performer due to its solid static pressure, but we'll see.
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Kougar - Sunday, September 2, 2012 - link
I have to second this. The P12's are known for their silence yet, amongst other things, are specifically stated to deliver higher pressure for radiator use.Comparing the F12 against the P12 would be even better though, of course.
JPForums - Thursday, August 23, 2012 - link
Great review.Leaves me wanting more.
I vote for a follow up.
I second this. Noctua's fans specify pretty reasonable noise, airflow, and static pressure. By what I've heard, they may live up to their specs.
Also, like below, I'd be interested to see if Noiseblocker's excellent case fans make good radiator fans.
While we are at it, throw Thermaltake's Hydrodynamic bearing fans on the list to see if they are really as good as thermaltake claims. The versions pair with Thermaltake coolers should be ideal.
Finally, an old school Thermaltake Thunderblade would be a good point of comparison to see how far they've progressed.
Guspaz - Friday, August 24, 2012 - link
Yeah, the very first thing I thought when I opened this article was "Wait, there's no Noctua fans in that picture, where are they?"A 120mm fan review without a Noctua fan in it is certainly incomplete.
sam1337 - Saturday, August 25, 2012 - link
i agree, wheres the nf-f12 and scythe GT :POCedHrt - Thursday, August 23, 2012 - link
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/coolers/display/1...The SickleFlow comes nowhere near 69.69 CFM. Though even at 33 CFM it performs quite poorly here.
jackstar7 - Thursday, August 23, 2012 - link
I'm using Noiseblocker fans and find that in normal conditions they perform very well and keep quiet. Mine are on an H60. I believe Idontcare might have some stats in the forums about their performance.Grooveriding - Thursday, August 23, 2012 - link
Really surprised not to see Scythe GTs included.Mr. Pedantic - Thursday, August 23, 2012 - link
I would have really liked to see how the Gentle Typhoons stack up as well.Rick83 - Thursday, August 23, 2012 - link
Yes, after all often they are claimed to be -the- fan for radiators (and many other applications)sicofante - Thursday, August 23, 2012 - link
Absolutely. It kind of discredits the whole review, when the GTs are considered the best for this task almost everywhere.