Best 120mm fans

X

xCWolf

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Aug 12, 2011
Messages
1,521
So what are the best 120mm fans? I'm looking mostly CFM vs. Noise level here
 
Scythe Gentle Typhoon from www.svc.com (These fans are never in stock anywhere)
Scythe S-Flex from www.svc.com (These fans are never in stock anywhere)
Yate Loon from www.petrastechshop.com (Petra and Sidewinder are the same company and one of the only place to get non-knock off Yate Loon fans)

The Scythe can be mounted horizontal and verticle. The Yate Loon fans can only be mounted vertical due to their inferior bearings. Yate Loon uses sleeve bearings that can wear out. Scythe uses fluid bearings. Basically anything but sleeve bearings are good. But the Yate Loon fans work just fine and are DIRT CHEAP. I currently use one Scythe S-Flex for my top blow hole (horizontal) and Yate Loon for my front intake and rear fans (vertical).

For Scythe and Yate Loon buy whatever fans fit the bill. None of the these three models are excessively loud. If so you can always throttle their speed in your bios as long as you have 3 pin headers connected to the mobo and your mobo is capable of throttling. If you buy a low CFM fan there is no way to get more out of them. You can only throttle them from silent to dead silent.
 
I use the gentle typhoons and yate loons. Both are excellent.

I have always had bad times with fans. Every other fan I have ever had goes loud long before it should. I have a whole box of old 120mm fans that went tits-up on me.

The yates and the gentle typhoons are gods gift to cooling.
Only wish the typhoons wernt so expensive.
 
I use Yate Loons and Scythe S-Flex fans, both are great but the Scythes are better hands down, but much more expensive.
 
lol pretty obvious choices than! Thanks for the info! Definitely buying about 8 of the scythes
 
BurntToast said:
Scythe Gentle Typhoon from www.svc.com (These fans are never in stock anywhere)
Scythe S-Flex from www.svc.com (These fans are never in stock anywhere)
Yate Loon from www.petrastechshop.com (Petra and Sidewinder are the same company and one of the only place to get non-knock off Yate Loon fans)

The Scythe can be mounted horizontal and verticle. The Yate Loon fans can only be mounted vertical due to their inferior bearings. Yate Loon uses sleeve bearings that can wear out. Scythe uses fluid bearings. Basically anything but sleeve bearings are good. But the Yate Loon fans work just fine and are DIRT CHEAP. I currently use one Scythe S-Flex for my top blow hole (horizontal) and Yate Loon for my front intake and rear fans (vertical).

For Scythe and Yate Loon buy whatever fans fit the bill. None of the these three models are excessively loud. If so you can always throttle their speed in your bios as long as you have 3 pin headers connected to the mobo and your mobo is capable of throttling. If you buy a low CFM fan there is no way to get more out of them. You can only throttle them from silent to dead silent.
Click to expand...
careful with the 3$ knock off yates. They rattle after a while. try to get the real ones, they last quite a bit longer.

However, if you run them at half speed, then you don't have to worry.
 
I'm surprised nobody mentioned any Noctua fans. I've always thought they were really good. Is it the price, or is there something else I don't know?
 
Ryun said:
I'm surprised nobody mentioned any Noctua fans. I've always thought they were really good. Is it the price, or is there something else I don't know?
Click to expand...
They are pricey and meant only for the silent build,not for high performance build AFAIK.
 
I've got 8 (Im guessing knock-offs) yate loons running just fine after 2-3 months, even one of them has a broken blade is running just fine. I also have 2 YLs from petras that I just got, and they look more like knockoffs than the knockoffs lol.
 
curious, how do you tell a YL knock-off.
bought a bunch (120mm x 20mm) off performancePCs so wondering if they are the real deal?
 
aphasia said:
curious, how do you tell a YL knock-off.
bought a bunch (120mm x 20mm) off performancePCs so wondering if they are the real deal?
Click to expand...

If its from PPC's its real. The knock offs only come from that one site where they cost like 2$ afaik.
 
for being as cheap as they are i'm a big fan (PUN) of these

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835426015
Gelid silent 12 PWM

i've replaced the stock fans on my two hyper212+ coolers with these performance was about the same but noise levels much lower.

$10 sleeved kewl looking (white blades / black frame) == win


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835426015


i've had mine ~6mos now so far so good no increased noise / bearing issues to report. they are also generally pretty easy to find (except that they are so awesome apparently that newegg frequently sells out then you have to wait for more.)


they are really honestly pretty near silent especially at lower rpm ..much easier to sit next to than the stock CM fans on the hyper212+


edit oh yeah they come with rubber noise isolating mounts instead of screws also.
 
Someone should make a website listing fans (with pics) by CFM:dBa ratio. Would be a very excellent way of determining the best fan for airflow with the least noise. :) I could easily get this done . . . : o
 
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000O8I474/

These are my favs, you get 4 for $15 and it's silent. I don't know how good they move air but I'm more concerned about noise.

COOLER MASTER R4-S2S-124K-GP 120mm Case Fan

Bearing Type: Sleeve
RPM: 1200 RPM±10%
Air Flow: 44.73 CFM
Noise Level: 19.1 dBA
 
Last edited:
As an Amazon Associate, HardForum may earn from qualifying purchases.
Cerulean said:
Someone should make a website listing fans (with pics) by CFM:dBa ratio. Would be a very excellent way of determining the best fan for airflow with the least noise. :) I could easily get this done . . . : o
Click to expand...

Nothing to list/compare.

Gentle typhoons for the best ratio, Yate loons for budget alternative
 
Cerulean said:
Someone should make a website listing fans (with pics) by CFM:dBa ratio. Would be a very excellent way of determining the best fan for airflow with the least noise. :) I could easily get this done . . . : o
Click to expand...

well since you say its easy.. feel free to do so :D
 
proof as they say is in the puddin'


single Gelid silent 12 PWM on hyper212+ on about a million degree (28.1c in the house) day on i5-2500K @4.3Ghz



two silent 12 case fans
 
thesecond said:
careful with the 3$ knock off yates. They rattle after a while. try to get the real ones, they last quite a bit longer.

However, if you run them at half speed, then you don't have to worry.
Click to expand...
Wrong.
www.petrastechshop.com is selling REAL Yate Loons. Actually one of the FEW doing so.

CHECK OUT THIS REVIEW IN REGARDS TO YATE LOON KNOCK OFFS
http://www.overclock.net/air-cooling/819736-yate-loon-d12sh-12-round-up.html

FYI I hear that SVC has recently become aware of the issue and will soon be only dealing with Yate Loon directly.
 
I prefer to let the mobo run them at quiet low speed all the time then ramp them automatically when needed and never have to think about it. :cool: Plus if you want to control them manually you can also do so with software.
 
Cooler Master R4s around 2.000-1600 rpm. Can be found at $8-12 prices, called "scicle " blade, good airflow for case or cooler. Use these and Yate Loons mostly
I like the Gelids if the price is right/ need PWM fan.
I like the NEXUS PWM ( SPCR stardard) too, if the price is right.
Cases effect perceived noise in my opinion (or my ears maybe).
There are various fan listings, "scientific" and subjective. Some, for me, are more useful than others.
I don'tknow any list for restrictive conditions common on case fronts, IE thru case front anf hard drive cages.
I keep meaning to try the beter Thermalright fans.
 
BurntToast said:
Wrong.
www.petrastechshop.com is selling REAL Yate Loons. Actually one of the FEW doing so.

CHECK OUT THIS REVIEW IN REGARDS TO YATE LOON KNOCK OFFS
http://www.overclock.net/air-cooling/819736-yate-loon-d12sh-12-round-up.html

FYI I hear that SVC has recently become aware of the issue and will soon be only dealing with Yate Loon directly.
Click to expand...

thanks for the linkage. had no idea.
it appears the YL's 120mm x 20mm (D12SM-12C) i bought from performance PC's are knock-offs. the stickers on them are a little light on info;
yateloond12sm12c.jpg


a little annoyed.
 
aphasia said:
thanks for the linkage. had no idea.
it appears the YL's 120mm x 20mm (D12SM-12C) i bought from performance PC's are knock-offs. the stickers on them are a little light on info;
yateloond12sm12c.jpg


a little annoyed.
Click to expand...
Something else that stands out like a sore thumb is the single hole per corner (4). Real Yate Loons have 3 per corner(12).

If Yate Loons are give or take $5 fans, I wonder what the value of the knock offs are?

You should try contacting performance pcs for a refund.
 
Cerulean said:
Exactly like that. I just could never figure out a keyword to use to find a website like that through Google. :(
Click to expand...

Oh don't feel bad, I didn't google it. I mean I kind did. I was looking for reviews on the silverstone AP141 and it popped up.

They don't update often, but it's a pretty good site all the same.
 
Not "knock offs" just cheaper spec'd version of the same fan.

As with anything, you get what you pay for.
 
shawnoen said:
Not "knock offs" just cheaper spec'd version of the same fan.

As with anything, you get what you pay for.
Click to expand...
Regardless this is not what he ordered.

It's like buying a Mustang GT and what you really receive is a Fiesta with a GT body kit. Are consumers really suppose to just sit there and take it? The user deserves a refund regardless if Performance PC knew of the bait and switch or not.

BTW how is it that every vendor that orders directly from Yate Loon receives the real deal, yet everyone who orders from a different supplier get the crap version? It's either rebadged or fake.
 
I have real YL's from over 5 years back still working decently while the fakes popped their spindle/bearing. The only difference between the 2 are that the fakes have a smaller motor and from the start, you can feel more resistance, more wobbling and noisy bearings when you spin it with your fingers.
 
Fans last forever, what's $12.99 when you can have the peace of mind that it'll be silently reducing your temps and increasing reliability for years to come :D
 
I like Gelid too.
Noctua are pretty good but the price is a bit high on them and I think Gelid are just as good but much cheaper won't bother with Noctua again!
 
I think the whole "knock off" Yate Loon argument is retarded.
You're buying a cheap fan. Either way, you're still buying a cheap fan.
Every Yate I've bought from Jab-Tech, aka "one of the knock off sellers". :rolleyes:
I've had no problems or complaints with any YL from JT, whether it's a legit YL or a knockoff YL, it's a cheap fan, it serves it's purpose, it pushes respectable airflow with a respectable amount of quiet and I could give a shit whether it's a knockoff or a legit one.

People can go nuts all day over whether a $6 YL is a knockoff or not; have fun with that.
You're still paying for a cheap fan that outperforms anything cheaper than an S-Flex.

IMHO there are 2 tiers of fans.

cheap: YL
expensive: [low end] S-Flex, [high end] Scythe GT or a Noctua P12.

FWIW JT now lists YL "direct from YL" for $5.99 which is $2.39 over the "other" ones @ $3.60. [shrug]
I'll keep buying the "fakes" and let everyone else argue over how great a $6 fan is to a $3 fan. :rolleyes:

~my $0.02
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top