Fan Orientation and Ugliness.

DWD1961

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I'm in the process of fitting out my case fans. I wanted to go with 6 Noctua 140mm grey fans (no RGB) in the Crustal 280 mATX/ITX case below, which takes two 140s in the bottom, two in the front, and two in the top. It would be nice to have white fans, but I couldn't find any quality, silent white fans. So, the next best thing was this lighter grey Noc fans.

Corsair Crystal 280:
612xcAwkW7L._AC_SL1200_.jpg
Corsair Page - mine is the NON RGB moel shown above.

Here is the Noctua fann x6 I want to use:
813Ns9yCnIL._AC_SL1500_.jpg
The picture doesn't do them justice. They are very nice colored fans, very "in the background" and built like tanks, sleek, and the fan and carriage are -when viewing them in person - more offset in their grey/dark grey color (dark grey fan, light grey carriage) Anyway, they look better live.

So the problem is for the bottom I have to flip the fan over because the airflow is from the picture to the rear. In front, no problem. In top, perfect because you can see them from the top as they are pictured above. But in the bottom, I have to flip the nice side down and then then the fan's wires and back fan area is exposed, which is so not hot. Other than leaving the fans out of the bottom, what is the alternative?

BTW, that case is beatiful in person. When I got it, I thought the front was a little busy, but not I don't think that at all. It's a really sexy case. I would liekto get some white thumb screws for it, so if anyone has any links. . . .
 
Fan direction is fan direction unfortunately there is no way around it. I used the same fans in my build and I opted to sleeve the fan cables all the way to the motor. Another option would be to put fan grills on there to direct your eye away from the back.

Here's some examples:
IMG_4344.JPGIMG_4345.JPG
IMG_0712.JPG

I also went with the grey corners over the black, here's a shot of each:
IMG_4377.JPG
IMG_4969.JPG
 
Fan direction is fan direction unfortunately there is no way around it. I used the same fans in my build and I opted to sleeve the fan cables all the way to the motor. Another option would be to put fan grills on there to direct your eye away from the back.

Here's some examples:
View attachment 226434View attachment 226435
View attachment 226436

I also went with the grey corners over the black, here's a shot of each:
View attachment 226437
View attachment 226438
How did you sleeve those wires going into the back of the fan?


I found a fan that I really like. They are 6.00 more than the Noctua fans we're using (redux) with only half the MTBF of the Noctua. The Noc fans are cheaper and better quality, e.g., the beQuite fans have an 80000 hour MTBF, whereas the Noc Redux fans have a 150000 hour MTBF. But the beQuite fan is really nice looking. They both cool with dissimilar specs. The back of the beQuite fan is very clean vs the Noc fan.

BQ fan front:
ImageServer.php?ID=8da3da27772@be-quiet.jpg
And the backside:
Screenshot_2020-02-27 be quiet .png
Backside looks almost as nice as the front.

BQ Specs: 140mm $20.00
----
Air Flow m3/h 85
Air Pressure @ 100% PWM / 12V (mm H2O) 0.58
Noise level @ 100% PWM / 12V (dB(A)) 14.7
Lifespan (h / 25°C) 80000
HUGE difference here though: Power consumption at 100% is 3.6 watt
s
vs

Noc 140mm $15.00
------
Airflow 134 m³/h
Acoustical noise 25,8 dB(A)
Static pressure 1,91 mm H₂O
Max. input power 2,4 W
MTTF > 150.000 h
------
The airflow difference is probably due to rotational speed, but the beQuite site doesn't list the RPM of this fan. However, adjusting for acoustic noise, the Noc fan seems to be turning quite a bit faster. I also assume that the reason the beQuite fan is using 50% more power is a very aggressive angle of attack on the impeller to get the airflow up where it is while using a very low RPM, or they jsut have a VERY inefficient fan.

Obviously the Noc fan is far superior because it can spin slower lowering its DBs and still push the same airflow as the BQ fan, while reducing it's noise signature. I have a hard time paying more for a in inferior product, but it really does look nice and would go perfectly in my white case.
 
How did you sleeve those wires going into the back of the fan?

I pulled the stock sleeving off the wires and then just pulled the wires up out of the frame. Then I cut my paracord to the needed length, applied some super glue to the wires close to the motor, slid the paracord down over the glue and waited for it to set. The shrink wrap is there mostly for a visual it doesn't actually hold the paracord in place, hence the need for the super glue. I removed the one tab that holds the wires down and opened up the opening a bit to allow the now thicker wire with paracord to pass through the frame. Dropped a little more glue in the wire channel and pulled everything tight.

Are you going full air cooling or will you be adding in a radiator or 2?

What about the Fractal lineup: https://www.fractal-design.com/products/fans/dynamic/
EK makes some all white Vardar fans: https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-vardar-evo-120er-white-bb-500-2200rpm
Corsair has their all white LL fans: https://www.corsair.com/us/en/Categ...al-Light-Loop-RGB-LED-PWM-Fan/p/CO-9050091-WW
 
I pulled the stock sleeving off the wires and then just pulled the wires up out of the frame. Then I cut my paracord to the needed length, applied some super glue to the wires close to the motor, slid the paracord down over the glue and waited for it to set. The shrink wrap is there mostly for a visual it doesn't actually hold the paracord in place, hence the need for the super glue. I removed the one tab that holds the wires down and opened up the opening a bit to allow the now thicker wire with paracord to pass through the frame. Dropped a little more glue in the wire channel and pulled everything tight.

Are you going full air cooling or will you be adding in a radiator or 2?

What about the Fractal lineup: https://www.fractal-design.com/products/fans/dynamic/
EK makes some all white Vardar fans: https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-vardar-evo-120er-white-bb-500-2200rpm
Corsair has their all white LL fans: https://www.corsair.com/us/en/Categ...al-Light-Loop-RGB-LED-PWM-Fan/p/CO-9050091-WW
I'll be full air because it's an AMD 5 3600 65 watt TDP and I'm not OCing. With my case and all of the air I'll have passing through it (especially is I use the 6 Noc 140mm fans, I could probably use the stock AMD stealth cooler and have decent temps even under normal gaming type loads, but it's noisey relatively speaking.

Edit: Obviously, Noctua really needs to up its asthetic game for PCs. They aren't just doing industrial applications. The back of their fans look like 1998.
 
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I'll be full air because it's an AMD 5 3600 65 watt TDP and I'm not OCing. With my case and all of the air I'll have passing through it (especially is I use the 6 Noc 140mm fans, I could probably use the stock AMD stealth cooler and have decent temps even under normal gaming type loads, but it's noisey relatively speaking.

Edit: Obviously, Noctua really needs to up its asthetic game for PCs. They aren't just doing industrial applications. The back of their fans look like 1998.

I don't disagree with you about the aesthetics, I wish they made their NF-A12 in something other than tan and brown. But their system is tried and true and the performance backs it up.

What about the other fans I linked in there? I honestly think that 4 x 140 intake and 2 x 140 exhaust you are going to be able to run them at a pretty low RPM anyways. Especially if you get a slightly bigger CPU cooler to make heat removal from the CPU that much better. What GPU are you tossing in there?
 
I don't disagree with you about the aesthetics, I wish they made their NF-A12 in something other than tan and brown. But their system is tried and true and the performance backs it up.

What about the other fans I linked in there? I honestly think that 4 x 140 intake and 2 x 140 exhaust you are going to be able to run them at a pretty low RPM anyways. Especially if you get a slightly bigger CPU cooler to make heat removal from the CPU that much better. What GPU are you tossing in there?
Not only is Noctua quality and precision, they have that new mounting system too, which makes me want to buy Noctua instead of other brands that have some ridiculous mounting system some flunky engineer developed. The fans you listed are all fine, but, for instance, the varder is 25 bucks whereas the Noctua 144mm redux is 14 bucks. The specs on the Noc fans cannot be beaten.The beQuite fan is probably the most aesthetically pleasing fan in the world right now--llol. The specs are good given it's low RPM, but it's also pricey at 20 bucks. Think about that. 4 case fans is almost as much as I paid for my case!

I do really want 6 beQuite fans though. They would just be so nice in my all white case. They give me a tech boner. The beQuite fans would be 120.00USD for 6 !

The GPU is a 2012 AMD Radeon HD 7950 by PowerColor. I don't need anything else at this moment. It will also test the system cooling because it uses as much power as some of the new top end AMD cards at 184 watts wide open.

How did you get that wire sleeve over the ends of the connectors? Where did you get the sleeves and rubber end pieces?
 
I don't disagree with you about the aesthetics, I wish they made their NF-A12 in something other than tan and brown. But their system is tried and true and the performance backs it up.

What about the other fans I linked in there? I honestly think that 4 x 140 intake and 2 x 140 exhaust you are going to be able to run them at a pretty low RPM anyways. Especially if you get a slightly bigger CPU cooler to make heat removal from the CPU that much better. What GPU are you tossing in there?
I was wondering if you had any ideas about how to cleanly mount a 120mm x 25mm fan on this cooler. Noctua doesn't have clips for a 25mm fan forthis cooler, I guess. Or, if you now of any other really nice looking, and efficient coolers that would go with my build. The case only accepts up to a 150mm tower. I was going to put one of those white be Quite fans on top of this cooler (They come in 120mm x 25mm versions too.)
 
I was wondering if you had any ideas about how to cleanly mount a 120mm x 25mm fan on this cooler. Noctua doesn't have clips for a 25mm fan forthis cooler, I guess. Or, if you now of any other really nice looking, and efficient coolers that would go with my build. The case only accepts up to a 150mm tower. I was going to put one of those white be Quite fans on top of this cooler (They come in 120mm x 25mm versions too.)

You might want to consider 3D printing some fan shrouds. (What I plan to do when I next upgrade). Would be relatively easy to design/print if you have access to a 3D printer. (If not, get one - they aren't all that expensive these days and are great for stuff like this. (Example)

I'm still a massive fan (no pun intended) of Nidec Servo GT 1850s when it comes to radiator fans. They simply are one of the best fans out there for pulling/pushing air through a rad. (I've got quite a few 1850s in a push/pull config in my PC that are going on almost 9 years now and are still running solid without any issues - they've carried over through 3 major motherboard and 4 GPU upgrades.) The 1850's simply have a great low noise profile and fantastic static pressure which is what you want in a good radiator fan.

Anyway, some added benefits of using shrouds is that they help eliminate dead air spots on your rad (around motor hubs), reduces air turbulence/noise a bit, and help maximize airflow through your radiator.
 
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You might want to consider 3D printing some fan shrouds. (What I plan to do when I next upgrade). Would be relatively easy to design/print if you have access to a 3D printer. (If not, get one - they aren't all that expensive these days and are great for stuff like this. (Example)

I'm still a massive fan (no pun intended) of Nidec Serve GT 1850s when it comes to radiator fans. They simply are one of the best fans out there for pulling/pushing air through a rad. (I've got quite a few 1850s in a push/pull config in my PC that are going on almost 9 years now and are still running solid without any issues - they've carried over through 3 major motherboard and 4 GPU upgrades.) The 1850's simply have a great low noise profile and fantastic static pressure which is what you want in a good radiator fan.

Anyway, some added benefits of using shrouds is that they help eliminate dead air spots on your rad (around motor hubs), reduces air turbulence/noise a bit, and help maximize airflow through your radiator.

LOL, Nidec Servo GTs! I have 4 of those 120mm 3 pin versions back when they were sold by Sycth. Those are absolutely amazing fans. The blade design was new to computer fans back then, but now many fans looks like the GTs, with their extremely close frame tolerances and cured, scimitar like blades. If you spin one of the GT 120mm 1850s full speed, you can surely hear it, but it is a low pitched, almost bass like brrrrrrrr, instead of a whine. As far as a shroud goes, sure. Back with my old x58 OCed system, I took a Cogage tower cooler and modified it with alimunin tape to make a shroud so no air would leak around the fan or out of the fins, and would have to exit through the fins all the way back through the cooler.

That being said, the Noctua fans are pretty comparable, and maybe a little quieter.
Nidec
Noctua

Right now I'm just trying to figure out a decent cooler with decent aesthetics that will fit my build in the case above. I'm using RAM that is 44 mm / 1.73 inch.
 
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i have arctic P12/14 PSTs and they are all "black" plastic with the logo and info molded in the fan hub, no bright sticker. the 4 pin wire is also mounted sideways so you barely see it. they are pretty decent fans and cheaper than the big names. this is what they look like just that theres lettering/logo molded in the plastic. this side is actually more subtle that the other with its glossy white/black arctic logo.

1583021087439.png
 
Noctua's are definitely high quality fans. They tend to be a bit more pricey though when you look at models that have the higher performance chops needed for radiator application. Definitely would be my second choice over the Nidecs... but I'm still partial to GT 1850s when it comes to rad fans... Killer reliability/performance from first hand experience with them.

Regardless of fan choice, being able to use a 3D printer these days to create the exact shroud/duct you need/want for your particular PC application is a massively cool option.
 
How did you get that wire sleeve over the ends of the connectors? Where did you get the sleeves and rubber end pieces?

I used a razor blade to push the pins out of the connector, wrapped them in some tape and then fed them through the paracord. Paracord can be gotten anywhere in many different colors. It has a limited number of cables you can shove in there, but 4 pin PWN works just fine. As for the shrink wrap I used MDPC black shrink, IMO the best stuff out there. There's quite a few e-tailers that carry it.

I was wondering if you had any ideas about how to cleanly mount a 120mm x 25mm fan on this cooler. Noctua doesn't have clips for a 25mm fan forthis cooler, I guess. Or, if you now of any other really nice looking, and efficient coolers that would go with my build. The case only accepts up to a 150mm tower. I was going to put one of those white be Quite fans on top of this cooler (They come in 120mm x 25mm versions too.)

What cooler? Did you mean to link something?

If you're buying Noctua fans, might as well get their cooler too lol: https://noctua.at/en/products/cpu-cooler-retail/nh-u12s-chromax-black
 
I used a razor blade to push the pins out of the connector, wrapped them in some tape and then fed them through the paracord. Paracord can be gotten anywhere in many different colors. It has a limited number of cables you can shove in there, but 4 pin PWN works just fine. As for the shrink wrap I used MDPC black shrink, IMO the best stuff out there. There's quite a few e-tailers that carry it.



What cooler? Did you mean to link something?

If you're buying Noctua fans, might as well get their cooler too lol: https://noctua.at/en/products/cpu-cooler-retail/nh-u12s-chromax-black

Yes,I did mean to link something.
Noctua NH-L12S
81OVcJxFTXL._SL1500_.jpg

Ok, so that case I'm using has a limit of 150mm on a cooler. My RAM is the Gskill Trident RGB, which is 44 mm / 1.73 inch. The clearance under that Noc cooler is 48mm. It's actually 45mm but I guess once you put in on the CPU, it raises it 3mm.
-48cd-b85d-b691ec7ded36._CR0,0,300,300_PT0_SX220__.jpg
"Run with the NF-A12x15 fan installed on top, the NH-L12S provides extended clearance underneath the fin stack. This way, it is fully compatible with chip-set coolers and RAM modules with heat-spreaders of up to 48mm in height."

So, yeah, after spending more than a week looking fro compatible cooler that will fit, is efficient, and aesthetically pleasing, I think I am going with this one. I want to mount the white beQuit 120mm fan on it, even though that particular model is a case fan. With the speed reducer, the included Noc fan is about equal to the beQuite fan as far as pressure and moving air. So, it's not going to cool any better, just look better. It's not a great cooler,but it's decent. I'd like it in black, but it is what it is. It should cool the stock 3600 better than decently, and with teh beQuite white 120mm fan on top, it should look decent too. I'd probably rather go with a 150mm tower, but they are hard to find.

Now, this one is a good cooler, but they want 70 bucks for it, and then I have to buy another fan to get away from the Noctua dental office brown. It could fit in my case too.
noctua_nh_c14s_1_3.jpg
NH C14S
 
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I have it narrowed down to one of two choices, the Cryorig M9 92mm tower or the Noctua 120mm downdraft, unless there are any other ideas.

Cryorig M9 92mm, $35.00 free shipping on Amazon Prime and have it Tuesday.

61S8lo4aIML._AC_SL1024_.jpg
Link


Noctua NH-L12S $50.00 have it tomorrow free Prime

81OVcJxFTXL._AC_SL1500_.jpg

The Cryorig will be a lot cheaper because I will have to replace the ugly Noc fan, and that will increase price another 20.00. So it becomes a rather expensive cooler. However, with the new fan on top looking into the side glass panel, it will look very nice. The Cryorig is pretty much ready to go. The fan is decent, although I'd like a white option. The top cooler plate is nice, and I can paint that white with absolutely no problem.
 
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I've been seeing mixed reviews about how it cools. Some say it doesn't do any better than the Stealth stock cooler and some much worse than the Prism. The Noc cooler is much more quite. I'm still thinking about it. :) It is their best looking cooler.

I just know that either that Cryorg or the Noc L12S will cool better and with a nicer looking fan sitting on the LS12, it should look pretty decent. The Cryorg mini tower is lso quite and cools very well. I'd probably paint the top cooler cover white, and be done with it. If that Cryorig was a black tower option, or even better, a white option, it would be a done deal.
 
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https://www.funkykit.com/reviews/cooling/noctua-nh-l9a-am4-compact-cpu-cooler/4/
NH-L12S just got posted in the BST section. He wants $45 shipped for it, but might be able to dicker a bit since it's $50 new on Amazon. Save you some money and put it towards a new fan.

https://hardforum.com/threads/fs-fractal-node-304-noctua-nh-d15-noctua-nh-l12s.1993639/
Naw, 5 bucks isn't worth it. The above little 92mm cooler that Denpepe posted I initially dismissed after reading reviews, but now I am rereading and I'm interested in it again. It's a rpetty elegant solution, if it would work. I'm still leaning towards the L12S. It will fit and there are tons of fans for it, unlike the 92mm variety. I'm probably going to go with something toehr than teh BQ for the cooler. However,I need to jsut worry about getting the cooler right now so I can build my rig and see if anything needs to go back to Amazon. lol I'm going to order something today and get this thing assembled so I can test it. Then I can relax a little and teak things.

I get mixed reviews, but this one tests it with a R3700X. Review.

Noctua_L9aAM4_grp1.jpg


"As a side note, in our tests, we had similar results on the 3700X and the 3600/3600X even though there is a two-core difference, and the 3600X is 95W TDP processor while others are 65W TDP. "

I don't understand how they can get similar results between a 95 watt and 65 watt CPU, though. makes no sense. Also, they tests the Noc D9L 92mm tower cooler and it can onnly better the L9a by 2C? Also, they test Noc's 120mm Tower and it does no better than 85C? That has to be wrong. So, like I said, I'm getting mixed reviews on the L9a
 
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Which is why I was saying you could make him a reasonable offer, say $35 shipped and then use the money for a different fan.
I'm not worried about 10-15 bucks, and would rather have a new item. I'm pretty impressed with the L9a from what I can find. Of course, the L12S beats its in every review, but the L9a is so clean. I'll make a decision soon. Which do you like the best? (One thing I do like is the Noc mounting system. Although, unless they have changed it, it seems fiddly with eh L9a. You have to screw the 4 screws into the cooler from the rear of the MB at the same time, after applying paste, which is ridiculous. The L12S has teh "SecureFirm" system which is really easy.
 
To be clear I had the L9i version, but both are considered able to handle CPUs with a 65W TDP. The 6700K has a 91W TDP.

L9i mounting wasn't an issue. Get all four screws started and then work in a cross pattern until tight. You don't need to try and do all 4 at the same time.

The issue I ran into with the L9i was having a higher TDP CPU than what the cooler was rated for, which is why I made the switch to the NH C14S. Based on that review of the L9a, if you are good with the temps you see there with a 65W chip then I think you will be just fine. You'll definitely have good airflow in that case.
 
get the L12S otherwise you'll be back complaining about heat.
To be clear I had the L9i version, but both are considered able to handle CPUs with a 65W TDP. The 6700K has a 91W TDP.

L9i mounting wasn't an issue. Get all four screws started and then work in a cross pattern until tight. You don't need to try and do all 4 at the same time.

The issue I ran into with the L9i was having a higher TDP CPU than what the cooler was rated for, which is why I made the switch to the NH C14S. Based on that review of the L9a, if you are good with the temps you see there with a 65W chip then I think you will be just fine. You'll definitely have good airflow in that case.

Oh cool, I didn't know you had experience with that cooler.

The thing is, the 3700X is a 65 watt CPU. I've been reading some other reviews and their rigs never saw the high side of 65-70. Like I said, it's a confusing thing to research. The L14S is pretty consistent in reviews. I do have a problem with 95C. If it could keep it at 85-88 or so doing an nonrealistic stress test with maximum heat, then I'd be fine with that. But 95C is the CPU's manufacturer max temp.


Also, I didn't mean you have to tighten them all the same time, but you have to hold the cooler on the CPU and reach around with your other hand and screw in the screws, all while trying to keep the cooler from sliding around on the CPU spreader. In other words, they don't have a backing plate that you bolt down, then turn the MB over and install the heatsink.

Like you said, the airflow in that case is going to be phenomenal, so I probably would never see those temps anyway. I'm thinking about turning the top 'exhaust' fans to intake so I would have 4 140MM fans blowing air inside, and then use that 140mm Noc fan sucking air out of the back, so it would be sucking air across the MB and VRMs too. In that situation, I don't think there would be much recycling of hot air using the L9a. I'm pretty sure even in an open test bench that the air blowing down could recycle back into the fan.

The other thing I remember is that one reviewer used the Noc 25mm fan and got the same temperatures, but the 25mm fan doesn't blow anymore air because of it's 1500RPM vs 2500RPM for the slim fan. I'm pretty confident if I found a 92mm fan with higher pressure and CFM ratings, I could get those test temps down much further.

Did you ever try going with a 25mm fan that can put out more airflow + pressure?
 
Did you ever try going with a 25mm fan that can put out more airflow + pressure?

I did not try a 25mm fan. I knew I was well above the TDP of the cooler and I wasn't going to be able to get the CPU temps where I wanted them. And even if I was able to move more air, it would just mean more noise.

The thing is, the 3700X is a 65 watt CPU. I've been reading some other reviews and their rigs never saw the high side of 65-70. Like I said, it's a confusing thing to research. The L14S is pretty consistent in reviews. I do have a problem with 95C. If it could keep it at 85-88 or so doing an nonrealistic stress test with maximum heat, then I'd be fine with that. But 95C is the CPU's manufacturer max temp.

I would think that even with the 3700X being 65W and your 3600 being 65W, I would think with the lower clock speeds that the 3600 is going to a couple of degrees cooler than the 3700X.

I went back and read their review and the MAX Load setting they use "CPU+FPU AIDA64 stability test" is quite simply overkill and not something your CPU is going to ever face in day to day usage. To me the "Mixed Load" is indicative of what you are going to see on a daily basis and 81C seems pretty reasonable for the size of the cooler.

Like you said, the airflow in that case is going to be phenomenal, so I probably would never see those temps anyway. I'm thinking about turning the top 'exhaust' fans to intake so I would have 4 140MM fans blowing air inside, and then use that 140mm Noc fan sucking air out of the back, so it would be sucking air across the MB and VRMs too. In that situation, I don't think there would be much recycling of hot air using the L9a. I'm pretty sure even in an open test bench that the air blowing down could recycle back into the fan.

Did you change cases on us? From the picture there is no 140mm exhaust in the back. Based on the picture I think your best setup is bottom and front intake and top exhaust. My previous case was a Jonsbo W2 that I modified to have 4 x 140mm intakes and 1 x 120mm exhaust. The issue quickly became that I could not expel the hot air from inside the case with the single 120mm fan. The case had too much positive pressure.
 
get the L12S otherwise you'll be back complaining about heat.

Definitely do not disagree with this. You can't have too much cooling. Well I guess you can, it just means you spent a ton of money for no reason lol.
 
I did not try a 25mm fan. I knew I was well above the TDP of the cooler and I wasn't going to be able to get the CPU temps where I wanted them. And even if I was able to move more air, it would just mean more noise.



I would think that even with the 3700X being 65W and your 3600 being 65W, I would think with the lower clock speeds that the 3600 is going to a couple of degrees cooler than the 3700X.

I went back and read their review and the MAX Load setting they use "CPU+FPU AIDA64 stability test" is quite simply overkill and not something your CPU is going to ever face in day to day usage. To me the "Mixed Load" is indicative of what you are going to see on a daily basis and 81C seems pretty reasonable for the size of the cooler.



Did you change cases on us? From the picture there is no 140mm exhaust in the back. Based on the picture I think your best setup is bottom and front intake and top exhaust. My previous case was a Jonsbo W2 that I modified to have 4 x 140mm intakes and 1 x 120mm exhaust. The issue quickly became that I could not expel the hot air from inside the case with the single 120mm fan. The case had too much positive pressure.
How was the noise with the L9a? I can get the swap fan that pushes a lot more air and has the same db level. 81C is still toasty, but shouldn't cause any problems. Also, people have reported that the profile for the 3600 is over volted causing excessive heat. A reduction of .1v can lower the 3600s heat by around 10C. I can also turn off the turbo/auto oc modes, which from what I have read, result in almost no FPS or other improvements anyway. With all of that turned on, stressing teh CPU can, I read, raise the TDP up past 72 watts. One problem going with the 92mm l9a is that alternate fans are scarce. I'd just go with the Noc black alternative 92x25mm fan. It's performance to noise just cannot be beaten by anything I have found. Problem: Not available on Amazon or New Egg, or anywhere right now. I'd have to contact Noctua and see if they could send me one.

So, the case is the same, and you cannot see it, but in the PSU compartment, there is a 120/140 fan mount you can use in either configuration, intake or exhaust. The fan is invisible in the case. The PSU gets it's own intake right uop against the filtered grill, and exhausts out of its own exhaust port at the rear of the case.

As far as those nice looking be Quite white 140mm fans go, yes, they look nice, perhaps the nicest looking 140mm fans I have ever seen, but their airflow isn't great for their price. You're obviously buying aesthetics. The Noc Redux 140s put out a lot more air in the 1200RPM mode vs the BQ 1100 RPM mode, which is the only option for the BQ fan. I wanted to ask pendragon a question about that Artic fan he posted, as they are good air moveres for vcase fans, and they have some nice looking fans. Not built like the Noc fans, but okay. Pricey, again, though. (I'm going to be looking at my rig for a very long time, so I want to get the aesthetics right.

Noc fans are just so fing ugly, except I do like the minimalist look to the redux models. However, they are wonderfully crafted air movers and very low noise. The redux really hits the price too.
 
i have arctic P12/14 PSTs and they are all "black" plastic with the logo and info molded in the fan hub, no bright sticker. the 4 pin wire is also mounted sideways so you barely see it. they are pretty decent fans and cheaper than the big names. this is what they look like just that theres lettering/logo molded in the plastic. this side is actually more subtle that the other with its glossy white/black arctic logo.

View attachment 226904

Is this the same fan? It moves a lot of air, due to it's max RPM, which is 1950. How's the noise on it?
Arctic Bionix P140

51feYvCO4YL._SL1000_.jpg
 
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I wanted to ask pendragon a question about that Artic fan he posted, as they are good air moveres for vcase fans, and they have some nice looking fans. Not built like the Noc fans, but okay. Pricey, again, though. (I'm going to be looking at my rig for a very long time, so I want to get the aesthetics right.
yeah they move a good amount of air, the 120s push ~56cfm and the 140s push ~73, both at ~23db.
idk what you call expensive as they are only ~$32/42CAN for a 5 pack.

Is this the same fan? It moves a lot of air, due to it's max RPM, which is 1950. How's the noise on it?
Arctic Bionix P140

View attachment 227305
thats the same base fan tech but a little higher cfm(and rpm) at ~78cfm and and a bit higher noise at ~24db.

edit: the noc redux 140mm is ~78cfm at 1500rpm and ~26db. since it looks like youre looking at 140s. oh and theyre $30CAN a piece! thats an expensive fan.
 
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i found a side by side, just picture white and grey. looks like the cable is sleeved too on the bionix.

1583204637392.png
 
yeah they move a good amount of air, the 120s push ~56cfm and the 140s push ~73, both at ~23db.
idk what you call expensive as they are only ~$32/42CAN for a 5 pack.


thats the same base fan tech but a little higher cfm(and rpm) at ~78cfm and and a bit higher noise at ~24db.

edit: the noc redux 140mm is ~78cfm at 1500rpm and ~26db. since it looks like youre looking at 140s. oh and theyre $30CAN a piece! thats an expensive fan.
17.00 bucks each on amazon.
yeah they move a good amount of air, the 120s push ~56cfm and the 140s push ~73, both at ~23db.
idk what you call expensive as they are only ~$32/42CAN for a 5 pack.


thats the same base fan tech but a little higher cfm(and rpm) at ~78cfm and and a bit higher noise at ~24db.

edit: the noc redux 140mm is ~78cfm at 1500rpm and ~26db. since it looks like youre looking at 140s. oh and theyre $30CAN a piece! thats an expensive fan.

Those Bionix P140 fans are not the same as the Bionix P140. The price for one Bionix P140 is 17.00 USD each. The Bionix is their top end line. The Bionix P140 and the Noc 140mm 1500RPM put out about the same noise and CFM. However, the Bionix, even though it is advertised as "pressure optimized"--which means their meant to be used as CPU cooling fans--gets blown away by the Noc redux at 1.91 mmH2O vs the Bionix's 1.31. The Noc Redux is also the lowest of the Noc fans in mmH2O pressure. Can't beat the Noc fans for utility/efficiency. The NOC Redux 140s beat both the Bionix and be quite in specs. The Bionix fan is really inefficinet electrically, too, becuase the Noc 1200 RPM fan uses 2.4 wattts wide open, but the be quite above uses 3.6 watts wide open and spins (I found it finally) at 1100 RPMs, has lower pressure, but still uses 30% more power than the Noc Reduc1200 RPM 140.

I hate buying a more expensive less efficient fan simply for looks.

Bionix F140 140mm airflow of 176 m3h 1850 RPMs vs Noc 1500 RPM Redux 140mm airflow of 133 m3h . No pressure given for the F140, though. Noise is about the same.
17.00 includes shipping

be quite
$20.00 includes shpping

Noc 140 Redux
$15.00 includes shipping
 
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I use Noctua fan in my case, could they be prettier? Sure but they make up for it and price per performance plus in a retro case they don't look half bad.
 
I use Noctua fan in my case, could they be prettier? Sure but they make up for it and price per performance plus in a retro case they don't look half bad.

It's true. You can't beat them for efficiency all around and long MTBF, which is 150,000 hrs! However, Arctic's Bionix new P and F series fans now have a better warranty than Noctua at 10 years!
After researching this fan, it may be better than the Noctua, or at least mechanically, electrically equivalent.


Fan: P140
140 mm, 200 - 1.950 RPM (Controlled by PWM)
Air Flow:
77.6 CFM / 131.92 m³/h (@ 1.950 RPM)
Noise Level:
0.45 Sone (@ 1.950 RPM)
Static Pressure:
2.85 mm H2O (@ 1.950 RPM)
 
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Just bought the Arctic P140 for the L12S cooler.
Should go really well with my all white case. Nor cheap: $16.20 includes shipping. This is what they call their pressure optimized fan, which puts out lower CFM than the F model, which is for cases.
51wd2IQqBvL._AC_SL1000_.jpg
 
Curious as to how those BioniX fans compare to my Noctua in the sound department. It is always hard to tell pitch from review videos.
 
Curious as to how those BioniX fans compare to my Noctua in the sound department. It is always hard to tell pitch from review videos.
Yes it is. I'm tryig to oirder two of the F series 140mm case fans too, but Amazon says I can get it tomorrow with my Prime, but wen I go to check out, it says the earliiestw is March 20th. I'm talking to Amazon CS right now. Anyway,I'll be able to report back how they sound at some point. I also have a 140mm 1200RPM Redux Noctua fan I can compare the Arctic 140s with.

OK seems they had a problem with two fans even though it says 5 available. I just ordered one F140. That's good because I can test the noise with it. Should have it tomorrow. That's when the cooler, the P120mm and the F140 come in.

Wish me luck putting my system together (NO DOA,NO DOA!).
 
My 120mm Noctuas are butt-ugly so I made covers for them to hide their hideousness. I have some of their black Chromax fans and I like them
 
When someone calls my Noctuas ugly I respond with"they just got character" 😂
DWD1961 hope the fan testing goes well
 
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