The fans we received from
Arctic Cooling are a 12cm Arctic Fan and a couple
of 9cm fans. While I would like to have an 8cm fan
as well, as it is the most common fan size, that
was not possible due to a shipping error. Nevertheless
you will find out that the entire fan line is similar,
so while not an ideal situation, this does not prove
to be a major issue.
The Arctic fans are designed
to be quiet while creating a decent amount of airflow.
Furthermore, they are supposed to be extremely durable.
Let us have a look at the fan specifications and
features:
| Specifications
|
| |
92mm
Arctic Fan |
120mm
Arctic Fan |
| Dimensions |
92 (L) X 92 (W)
X 38.5 (H) mm |
120 (L) X 120
(W) X 38.5 (H) mm |
| Fan Speed |
2000 RPM |
1500 RPM |
| Air flow |
34.8 CFM |
56.3 CFM |
| Bearing |
Fluid Dynamic
Bearing |
Fluid Dynamic
Bearing |
| Power Consumption |
12V , 0.2A |
12V , 0.15A |
| Weight |
86gr |
126gr |
• Circulation optimized
fan blades
• Patented Case design
• High airflow
• Patented vibration absorption
• Extremely quiet
• 6 year warranty
The Arctic fans are actually
being supplied in some minimalist yet practical
packaging, while this is nothing more than a simple
cardboard box it at least protects the fan while
having the added benefit of naming the specifications
and data - useful when browsing in a store. Inside
the package of each fan, you will find a set of
screws for mounting and an Arctic Cooling logo sticker.
12cm Fan |
9cm Fan |
Both fans are virtually identical,
except for the size of course. But they are different
to the "average" cooling fan you will
have seen. First of all, the fans have no actual
frame. The only part of the frame that exists is
the front section, where the fan comes in contact
with the mounting surface. The cables of the fans
are entirely sleeved and the connectors are black.
The fan motor is held in place by four plastic legs,
which are reinforced by two plastic rings.
12cm Fan |
9cm Fan |
The fan motor legs are connected
to the front frame of the fan via rubbers. The rubber
this way will absorb all of the possible vibrations
coming from the fan without allowing them to reach
the front part of the fan itself. This design is
excellent for reducing the fan noise to a minimum,
the downside however is that the fan has no real
frame, hence no mounting holes at the top, but only
under it. This means that these fans can only be
mounted as exhaust fans inside a case and never
as an intake, unless the intake fan mounting area
is outside the case itself.
12cm Fan |
9cm Fan |
The fans aren’t anything
special to look at when spinning, as they do not
feature lighting or other effects. Still, the frameless
design makes the fan more aesthetically appealing
than an ordinary fan in my humble opinion.
The fans are audible when
spinning but I cannot tell exactly how much as it
is not written in their specifications list, but
being pushed to making an educated guess I would
say approximately 21-23dBA each. They are not entirely
quiet, but they sure feel like they are pushing
more air than other similarly noise rated fans,
the figures above show very good airflow indeed.
Also, by placing my finger vertically right at the
middle of the fan motor, I could feel the air all
across my finger, which means that the Arctic fans
minimized the ‘dead’ area beneath the
motor as far as that is possible by this design.
The fan motor itself felt like it generated no vibrations
at all, although I would most likely not feel any
of them due to the design of the fan, as the motor
vibrations are absorbed by the rubber mountings.
The Arctic Fan series can
stand out from the crowd in this sector. They are
innovatively engineered which allows them to be
quieter than a standard design. They are also extremely
durable and Arctic Cooling supply them with a hefty
6 year warranty, quite exceptional and extremely
reassuring!
Arctic Cooling have also
paid attention to the details, such as the black
power connector and the cable sleeving, which may
not seem like much but certainly are welcome additions.
The only real problem is that due to their design
they do not have mounting holes at the intake side
so they cannot be used as intake fans inside many
of the cases on the market however they are a welcome
and practical addition when used as exhausts or
when mounted on heatsinks.
My thanks to Van Can TRAN (Arctic Cooling, Marketing)
for providing us with the samples needed for this
review.
