The big case fan test (120 mm)

The selection of fans is almost confusingly large. And comparisons can often only be found between a few mostly very well-known models. That’s why we decided to do a few big fan tests where fans compete against each other in different areas. This is the 120 mm case fan test, where more than 30 different fans compete against each other in unified test sequences. A corresponding test has already been performed with 140 mm fans as well.

Fan in test

Image	Fan name	Speed. (in RPM)	Warranty in years	RGB connection	Price
	Alphacool Aurora Rise	2500	2	JST	€ 22.90 *
	Alseye Xtreme X12	1200	2	proprietary	€ 41.99 * (set of 3) € 19.90 * (single)
	Arctic F12 PWM PST	1350	6	–	€ 28.33 * (set of 5) € 8.72 * (single)
	Arctic P12	1800	6	–	€ 30.68 * (Set of 5) € 8.63 * (single)
	Arctic P12 Max	3300	6	–	€ 9.99 *
	Arctic P12 PWM PST ARGB	2000	6	Standard ARGB	€ 38.99 * (Set of 3) € 13.90 * (single)
	be quiet! Light Wings 120mm PWM	1700	3	Standard ARGB	€ 62.29 * (set of 3) € 25.50 * (single)
	be quiet! Pure Wings 2 120mm PWM	1500	3	–	€ 8.28 *
	be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 120mm PWM	1100	3	–	€ 14.31 * (black) € 21.37 * (white)
	be Quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4	3000	5	–	€ 30.11 *
	Cooler Master Mobius 120	2050	5	–	€ 15.98 *
	Cooler Master Mobius 120P ARGB	2400	5	Standard ARGB	€ 22.10 *
	Corsair AF120 Elite	1850	5	–	€ 23.40 * (black) € 21.78 * (white)
	Corsair iCue AF120 RGB Elite	2100	5	proprietary (Corsair iCue)	€ 79.40 * (set of 3, black) € 86.90 * (Set of 3, white) € 28.90 * (single, black) € 29.99 * (single, white)
	Corsair iCue QL120 RGB	1500	2	proprietary (Corsair iCue)	€ 106.08 * (set of 3, black) € 92.36 * (Set of 3, white) € 42.99 * (single, black) € 41.99 * (single, white)
	Corsair SP120 Elite	1300	2	–	€ 16.87 *
	Corsair iCue SP120 RGB Elite	1500	2	proprietary (Corsair iCue)	€ 52.90 * (set of 3, black) € 48.99 * (Set of 3, white) € 22.99 * (single, black)
	DeepCool CF120	1500	1	JST (adapter to standard ARGB included)	Price not available * (set of 3) € 15.50 * (single)
	DeepCool FC120 RGB	1800	2	proprietary	€ 41.99 * (set of 3)
	DeepCool FK120	1850	2	–	€ 36.89 * (set of 3) € 16.89 * (single)
	DeepCool MF120GT	1800	2	JST (controller included)	Price not available * (set of 3)
	ENDORFY Fluctus 120 PWM ARGB	1800	6	Standard ARGB	€ 18.79 *
	Fractal Design Aspect 12 RGB	1200	2	Standard ARGB	€ 37.05 * (black, set of 3) € 19.96 * (white) € 18.21 * (black)
	Inter-Tech Argus RS-06	1200	2	proprietary (adapter to standard ARGB included)	€ 26.90 *
	Lian Li UniFan AL120 V2	2000	2	proprietary (L-Connect)	€ 89.90 * (Set of 3, black) € 89.90 * (Set of 3, white) € 27.90 * (single, black) € 27.90 * (single, white)
	MSI Silent Gale P12	2000	6	–	€ 39.90 *
	Noctua NF-A12x25	2000	6	–	€ 33.21 * (brown) € 34.90 * (Chromax Black)
	Noctua NF-F12 PWM	1700	6	–	€ 24.90 * (brown) € 26.99 * (Chromax Black)
	Noctua NF-F12 industrialPPC-3000 PWM	3000	6	–	€ 29.90 *
	Noctua NF-P12	1300	6	–	€ 24.90 *
	Noctua NF-P12 redux-1700 PWM	1700	6	–	€ 14.90 *
	Noctua NF-S12A PWM	1200	6	–	€ 24.90 * (brown) € 26.99 * (Chromax Black)
	Noiseblocker NB-eloop X B12-PS	1500	2	Standard ARGB	€ 19.90 * (black) € 29.81 * (white)
	NZXT F120 RGB	1800	2	proprietary (NZXT Cam)	€ 28.89 * (black) € 28.90 * (white)
	Seasonic MagFlow 1225 PWM	2000	3	–	€ 68.99 * (set of 3)
	Sharkoon Silent. Storm BW120 PWM	1400	–	–	€ 14.57 *
	Sharkoon Silent Storm PWM RGB	1400	–	Standard ARGB	€ 10.99 *
	Thermaltake Swafan EX12 RGB	2000	2	proprietary (controller included)	€ 109.90 * (Set of 3, black) € 105.52 * (Set of 3, white)
	Xilence XPF120.ARGB	1500	2	Standard ARGB	€ 8.28 *
	Xilence XPF120X.B.PWM	1500	2	–	€ 5.48 *

It is possible that fans are added subsequently, which are not found directly in the overview or picked up in the texts.

Test setup for the 120mm case fan test

Of course, the case is primarily important for the 120 mm case fan test. Here we use a DeepCool CH510 Mesh Digital. This case offers a pretty good airflow and is otherwise quite typically built for modern cases. Apart from that, this case has the advantage of supporting both 120mm fans and 140mm fans in the front and back. Thus, both tests are comparable with each other. In the test, two fans are used in a typical configuration. A first fan sits at the bottom front as an intake and pulls air into the case from the outside. The second fan is located at the back of the case and transports the heated air out of the case. In order to make the differences as clear as possible and to let the individual fans work more, it remains with these two fans in the test. For the quick change of the fans, Noctua NA-AV3* is used.

The system is built as a mid-range test system. The AMD Ryzen 5 3600X is used as the processor (CPU), which is comparable to newer models of the performance class in terms of heat generation. It is cooled by a DeepCool AK400, whose fan is set to a quiet 25% PWM in all tests. The graphics card (GPU) is a GeForce GTX 960, whose fan is set to a constant 35%. Due to the fixed speeds of the processor and graphics card cooler, the case fans are the only variable in the test and enable comparability.

3DMark Night Raid runs as a load in a continuous loop and thus ensures a reproducible load on the components. After a warm-up time of 10 minutes, the temperature of the graphics card and processor are measured and adjusted by the room temperature (temperature specification as delta in Kelvin). This means that you have to add this number to the room temperature. With a delta of 30 K and a room temperature of 21.5° C, the actual temperature is 51.5° C.

Case fan at uniform 1100 RPM

The 1100 RPM was set as a value because this speed can be reached by almost all 120 mm fans and this range often represents a good ratio of performance and noise. This allows us to determine which fans deliver the best efficiency at a constant speed and whether there are any outliers in one direction or the other in terms of noise. The results are sorted according to the combined temperature delta with volume factored in (GPU delta + CPU delta + volume – 30 dB base noise).

Analysis of fans at uniform speed

In this test, the temperatures and the noise development are added together. Therefore, it is not surprising that the fans that combine good performance with low noise are at the top. Cooler Master’s Mobius 120 in the regular and RGB versions are at the top together with MSI’s Silent Gale P12. Those who would have expected the Noctua NF-A12x25, which is considered revolutionary and has received a lot of praise, to be at the top will be somewhat disappointed in this case. While these offer good performance as case fans and are quiet, they are definitely beaten by other models in this area.

Where the winner’s podium is still relatively expensive, significantly cheaper fans follow with the Arctic P12 in the new Max version and the regular variant as well as the DeepCool FK120. The two Arctic fans are a touch quieter and the DeepCool FK120 a touch stronger. In practical use, we have to say that they do not give each other much.

The Cooler Master Mobius 120P ARGB are thus also the strongest RGB fans in this test run, are followed by the RGB version of the DeepCool FC120 and the ENDORFY Fluctus 120 PWM ARGB.

A surprisingly high performance has the DeepCool CF120, which achieved the best temperature results at the RPM, but due to the higher volume they are found a bit further down the list. The very loud and weak Alseye X12 attracted negative attention.

Case fan at uniform 31 dB(A)

They should be quiet! If the focus is on the case fans being as inconspicuous as possible and the performance should still be right, this test is the interesting part. For the volume measurement, the fans are turned up from the lowest speed until the volume meter first notices a difference compared to the ambient noise and the other components. The results are sorted according to the combined temperature delta.

Analysis of quiet running fans

Since the volume was already included in the first 120 mm case fan test, it is not surprising that the top looks similar. Once again, the Cooler Master Mobius 120 sits at the top alongside the MSI Silent Gale P12, and in the budget range, the DeepCool fans still do very well. In fact, the DeepCool CF120s can fight their way to the front as they are significantly quieter due to the lower speed, but only lose a little performance. The situation is similar with the Noiseblocker NB-eLoop X, which offer decent performance in the low speed range.

The three DeepCool fans are therefore also the budget recommendation for very quiet systems. The FK120, FC120 and CF120 do not give much in this comparison: They offer decent performance even at low speeds.

The cheapest good RGB fans in this review are the DeepCool FC120 and CF120, but the Noiseblocker NB-eLoop X also offer very high performance and come with a standard ARGB connector.

By far the weakest fans in this test remain the Alseye X12, apart from that the last places are occupied by the NZXT F120 RGB and the Alphacool Aurora Rise.

Case fan at maximum power

If the volume doesn’t matter and you simply want to achieve the maximum performance, then this is where it gets interesting. So, if the computer is in its own room or you are simply not sensitive to noise or are looking for the maximum possible headroom of performance for special situations, you will be able to draw the most interesting results from this table. The results are sorted according to the combined temperature-delta, whereby the volume is not included in this test as “it doesn’t matter anyway”.

Analysis of High Performance Results

In this case, the volume is not taken into account, and fans that can rotate particularly fast have an advantage here. The first place in this test goes to the be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4, followed by the DeepCool FC120 and the Arctic P12 Max. In this case fan test, these three models are in a similar range in terms of both performance and volume. The Cooler Master Mobius 120P ARGB beats out the unlit variant that led the other tests here in terms of performance due to its higher speed. Other fans that fought their way to the front are the Seasonic MagFlow 1225 PWM, which was in the middle of the pack in other tests, and the Alphacool Aurora Rise, which is by far the loudest fan in the test, however.

At the lower performance end remain the Alseye Xtreme X12, which not only provide the lowest performance, but are also many times louder than the next two fans at the lower performance end. The be quiet! Shadow Wings 2 and the Fractal Design Aspect 12 do not offer high peak performance, but they remain quiet enough on uncontrolled full power that they do not attract negative attention.

Observation over all results

I have to admit that I hadn’t heard of the Cooler Master Mobius before the case fan review of the 120mm fans, and I was definitely surprised by them. The same goes for the MSI Silent Gale P12s, which at first glance seem similar in design to the Noctua NF-A12x25s, but perform better as case fans. Due to the lower maximum speed, they fall a bit short in the final test, but they offer excellent performance in a normal volume setting.

So far, I have also mentioned the be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4 quite little. Apart from the victory in the high-performance test, they also perform solidly in the other tests. The situation is similar with the ENDORFY Fluctus 120 ARGB. While these RGB fans don’t win any of the tests, they are very high up in each and thus offer a very good average of good performance, low noise, RGB lighting at a mid-range price that isn’t outlandish.

In the budget range, I had particularly counted on the Arctic fans, with the P12 and P12 Max also delivering upper-class performance at a very low price. The Arctic F12s unfortunately don’t quite make the cut of their 140mm sisters and lose out significantly to the P12 models.

The fans from the brands Noctua, Corsair and the majority of the models from be quiet! do not stand out much in this 120 mm case fan test. Overall, these brands fill the midfield, which is not a bad performance by any means, but just not an outstanding victory that might have been attributed to them without the comparison. At least it is noticeable that the Corsair QL120 does better than the 140 mm models from the corresponding parallel test.

Conclusion

The overall winners of the 120 mm case fan test are the Cooler Master Mobius 120, which is available in blue-black or in the RGB variant depending on your taste and is in the mid-range in terms of price and build quality. In pure black, the MSI Silent Gale P12 is in a similar performance class and is one of the most expensive models in the test.

The price-performance victory is captured by the Arctic P12, P12 Max and the DeepCool FK120, which hardly leave any performance on the line compared to the pure winners despite the much lower price.

In the RGB field, the winners of the test are the standard ARGB fans Cooler Master Mobius 120P ARGB and the DeepCool FC120 with proprietary connector.