The Best 120mm/140mm Case Fan Shootout, feat. Arctic, BlackNoise, Noctua, and Scythe

As a follow-up to my 120mm Case Fan Shootout ( • The Best 120mm Case Fa... ), which rounded up 10 fans from various manufacturers, I've brought the best back to compete once again alongside their 140mm cousins. In this video, you'll not only see how 120mm and 140mm fans compare, you'll also hear audio samples at both 35dBA and 40dBA, plus see benchmarks for dual fans (one front, one rear) to demonstrate how each of the 140mm fans performs when in a realistic system setup.
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Here are all the contenders, followed by my system setup:
(1) Arctic P12 PWM - amzn.to/2DsvwUJ
HUGE UPDATE! - P12 now available in an ARGB version! - amzn.to/3oKBS4w
(2) Arctic P14 PWM PST - amzn.to/324LC16
- BEST PRICE/PERFORMANCE: Arctic P14 PWM PST 5-Pack - amzn.to/3279vVF
UPDATE: Arctic P14 PWM now available in white! - amzn.to/2LvGZrf
BIGGER UPDATE: Arctic P14 PWM now available with ARGB! - amzn.to/3Kqxx12 #ad
(3) be quiet! Pure Wings 2 140mm - amzn.to/2KXL5b2
(4) BlackNoise NB-eLoop B12PS - amzn.to/2BRWTay
(5) BEST PREMIUM OPTION FOR MULTI-FAN INTAKE USE: BlackNoise NB-eLoop B14PS - amzn.to/3iXV2BN
Also available in an ARGB version! - amzn.to/2ZjcCYV
(6) Noctua NF-A14 chromax.black - amzn.to/3gLvk17
(7) Noctua NF-S12A chromax.black - amzn.to/3019MHh
(8) BEST 120mm Case Fan: Scythe Kaze Flex 120 PWM 1200RPM - amzn.to/3iTJQWq
HUGE NEWS: Scythe Kaze Flex 120 BLACK 1500RPM now available! - amzn.to/3guipD0
(9) BEST OVERALL and BEST EXHAUST FAN: Scythe Kaze Flex 140 PWM 1800RPM.
Note that Scythe has discontinued sales of the round frame fan I tested, which was originally designed for tower coolers. It has been replaced by the following options:
- square 1800RPM version for 140mm fan mounts (identical performance to the tested fan, and very popular, so grab it if you see it in stock!): amzn.to/36sM9f8
- square 1800RPM version for 140mm fan mounts with RGB lighting: amzn.to/3lesP9P
- round 1800RPM version for 120mm fan mount with RGB lighting: amzn.to/34ZkFgF
Benchmarking rig:
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X @4.2GHz - amzn.to/2AM6sXO
Motherboard: Asus X470 Crosshair VII Hero WiFi - amzn.to/3fkLput
GPU: EVGA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti Black: amzn.to/3269kdg
Case: be quiet! Pure Base 500DX - amzn.to/38MvSRN
Cooler: Scythe Fuma 2 - amzn.to/38NmIEo
RAM: Patriot Viper RGB DDR4-3600 - amzn.to/2Dw0J9G
M.2 Drive: Samsung 970 Evo 500GB -amzn.to/2WaOc1Y
Please support this channel by using the links above to purchase any of these products!
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
2:47 Test Methodology
5:34 The Contenders (RPM Ratings/Features/Prices)
7:29 Test System
7:51 35 dBA-Normalized Results (One Fan)
9:24 35 dBA Audio Samples
10:52 40 dBA-Normalized Results (One Fan)
11:50 40 dBA Audio Samples
13:14 35 dBA-Normalized Results (Two Fans)
14:30 40 dBA- Normalized Results (Two Fans)
15:49 Max Speed Results (Two Fans)
16:54 Max Speed Audio Samples
17:19 Lessons Learned
19:33 Winners

[@nine5746]

Man, this must've took forever to retest everything, really appreciate your dedication to the channel!

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

That is an understatement! Thanks for watching!

[@robindegu7294]

yeah, i like this guy too

[@TheSydguy30]

Yeah thank you so much!

[@pumpkinjelly7635]

@@TheTechBuyersGuru You Sir, are awesome!

[@brutsi]

Your fan tests are really the best ones available on youtube.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Glad you think so! More to come!

[@qT_p13]

You do a lot of work for so little subscribers. We sincerely appreciate and thank you for all of it.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Thanks for the feedback. To break through on KZbin at this point, I've learned that I need to create content that no one else has thought of doing. So I do this for a few subscribers today, hopefully a few more tomorrow!

[@crazyrussianbot8012]

wow! What an extensive well thought out test. You really put in a lot of work, Ari. Thank you.

[@BillyTubememe]

Most anticipated PC case component review of all time.

[@matthiasmartin4355]

I recently bought a five pack of Artic P14 PWM with PST and they're fantastic. I built my first PC 2.5 years ago and its one weakness was the noise-level even in idle. Now I've got two 140mm fans on the intake, a 140mm exhaust above the CPU cooler and a P12 PWM/PST as the rear exhaust and it's so much quieter at comparable temperatures. An absolute revelation and I'm mad at myself for not seeking out better information about case fans and fan layouting a lot earlier.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Definitely - this is a huge upgrade for a low cost, and that's why I'm going to be posting a video on fan optimization using the 5-pack to show its price/performance benefits.

[@VicenzzoPaiva]

what case was that? H510 Flow?

[@JustinCrediblename]

I really like the sound signature of the Be Quiet fans. Thanks for this very detailed review and the sound sampling.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Glad you liked it!

[@brianmcglothing9288]

Thanks for taking the time to make this and your other videos. It really helps a guy like me(new to building)out tremendously.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Glad to help! And honestly, it's not just newbies who need help with this... I made fan selection mistakes for years based on "reputation".

[@Hree]

Don't mind me... Just wanted my own audio timestamp for these three fans.. 12:48 Kaze Flex 120 11:51 Arctic P12 12:29 Noctua NF-S12A

[@AKrodas]

12:01 Artic P14 12:39 Noctua NF-A14 12:13 BlackNoise NB Loop

[@mgoogyi]

12:29 Noctua NF-S12A 40 dBA 12:40 NF-A14 12:58 Kaze 140mm

[@barcodeguy7627]

I've been using Blacknoise, Scythe and EKL Alpenföhn fans for well over 10 years now, and fans from those three brands somehow just never die, a system at our workplace still uses the old blue Noiseblocker fans from 2006 and they still spin day in day out and even my eLoops that i use on my Raijintek Morpheus GPU cooler are so reliable. My HTPC uses a single Scythe Kaze Flex as a intake fan since 2011 and the Alpenföhn Wingboost 140mm fans that i use are just incredible when it comes to low rpm performance.

[@matthiasmcnulty407]

Your fan audio examples were very useful. They are timed perfectly when skipping back and forth

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Glad you like them!

[@stopthefomo]

Looks like the P14 is best engineered- highest RPM at lowest noise with excellent performance and least expensive? Unbelievable

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

It would also kill any of these fans when mounted on a radiator, or so I assume based on my tests of the identically-designed P12. Of course, I'll be testing that assumption in a future shootout!

[@reesonnz8467]

@@TheTechBuyersGuru Please do! a 140mm radiator shootout would be grand. Or i might just buy 2 value packs and do push pull to see what happens. So happy with the value of the P12/14s

[@spaceteapot]

the crazy thing is how much the P14's cost. Easily beats the noctua in price

[@anhiirr]

ikr their 5 packs are absurd.....when considering builds with 8+core cpu and big gpu....they are a must....i will be putting 3x 120s in my MESH II for the gpu intake and cpu exhaust...then 140s for intake and top out.

[@spaceteapot]

@@anhiirr yeah I got them for under $50 cad for the 5 pack. Right now the price is up to $100 on Amazon, shame.

[@user-mz4ij5so8f]

Finally, thank you for listening to the advice of putting the Arctic P12 and NB-eLoop B12PS together in the final stage!! Great work sir, keep it up, please!!

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

No problem!

[@TechLevelUpOfficial]

as usual you never disappoint i am still an Arctic fan tho, pun intended lol i think they are hard to beat for the price, and they perform well

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Absolutely, you never go wrong buying P12/P14 fans. You may not have the very best, but you paid a fraction of the cost, and they work great for both cases and radiators!

[@TechLevelUpOfficial]

@@TheTechBuyersGuru exactly, waiting for full Arctic Freezer II lineup review from you tho, would be nice to see how each one of their CLCs perform, and which one is the best to get. i am lost between the 280 and 360 versions, and there is only 10$ price difference between them.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

That review probably won't come for a while, as Arctic doesn't have any stock of these coolers. I will do the review, but probably not until September or October.

[@TechLevelUpOfficial]

@@TheTechBuyersGuru no worries man, even the testing takes a lot of time too.

[@quixotic7460]

Arctic fans also have a 10 year warranty whereas Scythe only has a 2 year warranty. That is very low durability if the Scythe fans actually die out that fast

[@mah6786]

I want to say thanks for including the audio samples of the fan. It's not just the dB of the noise, it's also about the type and pitch of the noise it creates.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Glad you appreciated that. I'll be doing it with every fan and cooler shootout going forward, but I see a lot of other KZbinrs are joining the bandwagon, so the trend is catching on!

[@jvnicholas]

I bought Dual pack Scythe Kaze Flex 140mm a month ago for intake fan and i'm impressed with the performace. Love it!

[@valentin0000]

The noctua fans are incredible... Same sound pressure, but much nicer sound...

[@xBINARYGODx]

well according to these ears listening to this video with the volume rather maxed, the 140mm noctua fans dont sound better then 140mm Kaze Flez (but the 120 noctua sound best overall).

[@xumu4]

Thanks for the sound samples, you are one of the few who understands that sounds profile matters!

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Glad they were useful! These are all good fans, so they sound similar at the same dBA level, but definitely not the same.

[@Noctarilfate]

God bless people like this who spent the time to get us good data.

[@user-hu2iw5qu3i]

I'd like to point out that Arctic's F series seems more suited for case ventilation use. In my 23+ years of building and using PCs I've had 3 honest "Wow" moments - the first when I discovered Arctic's lineup of 120mm PWM range, the second when I discovered their TC range, and the latest was when I came upon the 140mm F series PST CO. Now I am a believer and want to spread the word. ;-) My latest build has a Deepcool Matrex 55 Mesh case with 3 intake F140 PWM PST CO fans, tied to the CPU's temp and a single F 120 PWM Silent exhaust with separate fan curve. The case is on top of my desk, right next to me and I can barely hear any noise at all, even when I do pretty intensive jobs. The amount of air those fans move with the lowest of rpms and noise is astonishing. I highly recommend including them as a test object, having in mind also that they are double ball bearing implementation instead of the cheaper sleeve bearing of (I think) all of the tested here fans, and the daisychaining option for single PWM curve control of multiple fans is great as well.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

I'm glad to hear you're enjoying your Arctic F series fans. But as it happens, I already tested them, and they are not nearly as good as the P Series fans. You can learn more here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jXPSfax5ZdmGerM This 140mm fan test was designed to test the best of the best. I already sorted through a bunch of others in the test linked above.

[@user-hu2iw5qu3i]

@@TheTechBuyersGuru I seem to have missed this video. Thanks for pointing me to it, it was very informative. I still think that the Arctic PWM PST CO line is pretty different than the ones before it, though. However, I do not quite get the idea of placing a single intake fan on a full mesh case front with place for multiple fans. This way, regardless of the noise generated, proper cooling will be achieved only by directional axial flow fans. You see, I'm biased, because I do ventilation and air conditioning for a living and this does not compute at all. For any other fan application any air bypass is a definite no-no. This means that if you use a single fan as intake, you should block all the openings in the case front around the fan, so any air that gets into the case through the fan has no other way out other than through the designated openings/exhaust fan(s), ideally having cooled any component in need of cooling as it passes through. Same thing applies for multiple fans - any space between and/or around the intake/exhaust fans should be filled with a substance that is impermeable to air and ideally sound absorbing. Any flat sheet will do but rubber closed cell foam sheets do wonders, especially in black, in a black case, behind the front mesh grille and dust filter it is just invisible. Otherwise there's a portion of the air that the intake fan moves that simply goes around the fan and gets recirculated again, while cooling nothing at all and only lifting the noise level of the system. There's no way to achieve any positive pressure inside the case this way as well, since the more air the fan blows in the case, the more air wants to leave through the shortest possible route to the highest pressure gradient - and this is from the higher pressure at the fan exit, around the fan rim and into the lower pressure at the fan intake. The problem with ranking the tested fans not only by the sound they make, but by the temperature of the components in the PC is that a fan with non-directional flow is much more likely to suck in some of the air it just blew into the case again and again through all the open area around it, lowering the quantity of air actually travelling through the tested system and around the components in it. Such a fan would have been much better at cooling the PC components, maybe better than the directional axial flow models, only if any possibility for air recirculation around the fan had been zero. Your refference of multiple fans, creating an "air blanket" is pretty spot on, though and is deffinitely the way to go, since the area of the front of the case actually getting air into the case gets immensely larger in comparison to the free area that the air trying to get out around/between them can use. Keep up the good work!

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

That is very interesting! I think the majority of users do not block unused fan mounts, but to your point, in a future video I will be testing the use of multiple fans to see where the best balance lies in terms of 2 fans all the way up to 6 fans.

[@soapa4279]

Interesting this video popped up, as I've been oddly obsessed with finding case fans lately. I also bought a 5 pack of Arctic P12's for just $30, can't beat that value

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Glad you stopped by. Yes, the P12 is an awesome fan!

[@tonydimeck]

Once again this is brilliant, just like the first one, brilliant presentation and very informative and full of detail without a list of technical stats being read off the box, just straight into real world testing data & information. I am going to subscribe to this channel and look out for more educational information to learn. Thank You!!

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Many thanks, Tony, best regards to you.

[@marcosad2]

because of this channel I bought the best exhaust fan! Kaze Flex 140 FTW! thank you so much for all the tips!

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Glad I could help!

[@JetSe77er]

Thank you for these case fan videos, I've used the information in them to purchase four Kaze Flex fans and so far I'm quite happy with them.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Glad you like them!

[@cagencagen473]

Honestly appreciate the in depth analsys of these fans. I completely agree regarding noctuas case fan performance. For your 140mm radiator fan video could you please consider including the noctua a12x25 ad they claim or performs as well as 140mm fans.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Already on the agenda. I have dual 140mm fan mount adapters (amzn.to/3flvpbI) that Noctua sent for that specific test. But honestly, Noctua needs to revamp its fan lineup so that we get a 140mm version of the NF-A12x25, plus some new case fans!

[@badshotuk72]

This fella does excellent testing, much appreciated!

[@lagoleer]

A couple of searches for a build I'm working on and each time I end up here for great reviews. Yeah....I'm gonna go ahead and hit the liked and subscribed button. Keep up the good work!

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Right on, thanks for the sub! Feel free to ask any questions you have about your new build and I can try to help!

[@htat1guy]

In-depth testing, and dedication to explanation. Best review video I've ever seen. Great job.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Glad you liked it! You might also check out this in-depth analysis of fan placement: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3TRXouCYq2sjsk

[@user-of-the-Y-tube]

Recently subscribed, love your tests! Just a suggestion, I did enjoy the fact that you had a mic close-up in the 120mm comparison. Although making them sound louder than what they would in a real life scenario, I thought it gave a good idea of the actual harmonics ex: low hum or higher pitched noise. I do think that it makes a difference between low and high pitched frequency at 30db because one or the other might be noisier for some people. If you could combine the close-up mic and the same db meter setup as in this video, I think it would be the ultimate reviewing method. Keep up the good work!

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

😆 so many people got angry about the mic position used in the other video that I don't think it's worth trying again!

[@SilentD1]

Tried the Arctic P14 based on the many reviews of it saying its the most silent fan..Bought a set of 5 bundle, and put 3 into my case. Well I already noticed something was bad when I took them out of the case. The fan plastic is very hard and it makes a sound when you flick it with a finger, just like a wine glass does.. So to no surprise when 3 of them spin up side by side, they begin to "sing". Resonance overload! They simply begin to whine in the frequency that the plastic resonates at, due to it being very hard. Fans need to be somewhat flexible and more rubber like to not resonate. So due to the resonance, the arctic fans are the most loud fans I ever tried. - never test fans one by one, you need multiple to check if they resonate.

[@blakkwaltz]

You can make them not resonate just by setting them at slightly different speeds. It's obvious you have no clue what you are talking about.

[@SilentD1]

@@blakkwaltz how the fuck do you imagine doing that if you attach them to a radiator, and only have one connector to control them, idiot. Its obvious you have no clue what you are talking about. Crawl back to the hole you came from. I did not ask for your opinion on how to build my system. The artic fans resonate, most others dont. Facts are facts.

[@Kiki-lc3ng]

Thank you, this is honestly THE BEST case fan test I've seen on the net. Not only did you do noise-normalized, you used realistic case fan configurations! I'm going to look for the Scythe 140mm RGB model now :)

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Here it is! - amzn.to/2OkakSZ

[@felipesantos1264]

fantastic review man! thanks a lot. arctic is a really impressive fan. here in France we can find the Arctic P14 PWM PST CO (ball bearing version) for 10€ each and the fluid bearing for 8€. For me, that's an incredible value for an very good case fan.

[@NecumNaTo]

Great video, though I would like to see real world scenario test, where in idle the fans go as low as they can (how low can each fan go?), preferably under 300 RPM and test which one is the most silent in the lowest possible RPM. Then preferably measure for the same airflow (which can be tricky), or the same noise at around 450-500 RPM, which is usually the gaming/load fan speed.

[@johnnyp6202]

Thanks so much for all the work on this test. It is interesting results. What I would really like to see is the results with 3 fans at the front and 1 at the back, but instead of dba normalized it should be temperature normalized and then measure the db level of the fans and the quality of the noise at that level. Just one intake and one outlet fan is too thin of an air "slice" to really know the effectiveness of cooling and becomes more reliant on the selection of CPU cooler and the location of components. I would use an open mesh chassis with solid sides, install 3 fans in the front 1 in the back and use a fanless CPU cooler or one with smallest fan to truly assess the cooling power of the fans. I am not a Noctua fan boy, but reducing high frequency noise is critical and from your recordings the Noctua was still best at that

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

I think you've got a lot of great ideas there, and I may implement some in an upcoming video. But I take issue with one concept you've set forth: running a passive CPU cooler. That is a bad idea for a number of reasons. First, no modern high-end CPU can actually run on a passive cooler. But number two, it means you end up using the case fans in lieu of a CPU fan, and that just means you're testing how effective they are at pushing air through the cooler, which is definitely not the point of a case fan. I've seen other "case fan" tests that simply position a case fan behind a fanless CPU cooler and report CPU temps. That methodology is complete nonsense. Anyway, I do like the idea of mounting a bunch of fans in a case and doing what you call temperature-normalized tests (more typically referred to as "performance-normalized" in the fan testing world). But let me warn you that this kind of testing is immensely difficult to do using a valid, repeatable test methodology, and is absolutely impossible to do with any processor state that has any sort of fluctuation in temps, like gaming or idle usage. Even the fan manufacturers don't generally test this way, and certainly no KZbinrs are doing it, because it's simply too hard to get right and most are just chasing the clicks.

[@johnnyp6202]

@@TheTechBuyersGuru Interesting. I definitely agree with the concept that the fan behind a CPU cooler would be a nonsensical test. I am just trying to think of a real world scenario (seems a LOT of cases now are in the 3 front fans 1 in the back category, at least in terms of capability) For me personally I think that sound is critical, but temps are critical for the longevity of a PC. Obviously lower temps are better but I suspect there are thresholds for bad, good, very good and excellent and if you know those values going in it would be easy too for each fan the noise level to reach each of those targets for a given setup and chassis which allows you to balance temps vs noise. Plus 3 fans stacked will have more than 3X the laminar flow of a single fan so they can be run at lower RPM for a certain cooling level.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

I do have a full case fan optimization video in the works, which will actually use up to five 140mm fans or six 120mm fans to find the sweet spot for performance and noise. It will be coming in the next few months, after I publish my 140mm radiator fan shootout, which is a direct "sequel" the video you watched here. If I can figure out how to get performance-normalized tests to work in a repeatable way, I will use this approach in the multi-fan video!

[@johnnyp6202]

@@TheTechBuyersGuru Very cool. Really appreciate the recordings you made. While dba is important, the sound quality is more important. Both the 120mm and 140 mm Noctua fans have a much more pleasing sound with almost no high pitched whine. It is that quality alone that would make me reluctant to use another fan. Even though they are the same decibel level, the Noctuas actually sound slightly "louder" because of the fullness of the sound without motor and other high pitch noises and is just far less objectionble.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

More audio samples coming your way tomorrow, stay tuned for the video premiere!

[@delta9k]

Thanks for your time and effort put into this testing and video.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Thanks for watching!

[@EpicHardware]

i wish there was a setup with 3 fans, 2 intake 1 exhaust, still this video was superb, both the noise clips and multiple measurements take you apart from every youtube review i saw! Thanks a lot!

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Glad you enjoyed it. Stay tuned and subscribe, because just such a video is in the works on the channel. Cast your vote to ensure it comes soon! - kzbin.info/door/xptDQLvsr1ngOhStxQz7mAcommunity

[@KAL-589]

Thank you very much for this video. Been looking forward to it for a while.:-)

[@salami124]

I just tested 2x P14 vs B14PS as intake fans and the P14 were connected on the water pump header wich means full speed at +/- 1600 rpm in pst mode, and the B14 were on separate case header with top fan at arond 950 rpm and bottom one at around 1050 rpm. I prefer the sound signature of the B14, but it must be said that if they are very close to a mesh they probably get a different sound signature and they also produce a different sound in pull configuration also when in horizontal as top fan it's been mentioned that they also get an unpleasant sound. In my case they are not obsructed by anything and at the rpm mentioned they perform better than the P14. I get one degree less on cpu, chipset and gpu with more pleasant sound signature but i don't have anything to mesure decibel at those speed. I do use a P14 as a top exhaust fan that i keep at 940 rpm. On my Ninja 5, i'm using 2 Kaze Flex 120 RGB - 1800rpm that i keep at +/- 1350 to keep my 3900x @ 4.3GHZ on all cores at 1.304v at 29c idle and 71c full stress. My case is a corsair 110R.

[@Titansfan81]

Took your advice and made the commitment to NB E-loop. Bought 3 120s for the front and a 140 for the rear of my NZXT 710i. Loove it!! Thanks for the recommendation.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Glad I could help!

[@NCC1701-D]

Much thanks for your great work!

[@cemobili1]

Thank you for this great review , appreciated.👏

[@valsunho1407]

Nice video! The NF-S12A fan lacks as an intake fan because its static pressure capabilities are very limited and its forced to suck air through that filter. The fan in question would probably excel as an exhaust fan with minimum interference, for example a thin grill on the back of the PC, as its capable of moving a lot of air. I wouldn't call it a bad fan, its just bad as an intake. The NF-A12x25 from Noctua would probably prove much more effective as an all-round case fan.

[@pablodelavega2732]

If Im able to get ones, will go with a 3x140 and 3x120 Scythe Fans. Thank you for the review

[@frikkievuiltrens]

Fantastic review! My wife’s Phanteks P400A case can accommodate either 3x120mm or 2x140mm fans in the front and 1x120mm in the rear (excluding the top fans). Testing with Phanteks F120SP and F140SP fans I concluded that with a 120mm rear fan, her 9700K (Noctua U12S Chromax) runs 2C cooler with 2x140mm as opposed to 3x120mm fans in the front, but her GPU (Asus Strix RTX 2080) runs 4C cooler with the 3x120mm fans, which is the solution we have opted for as GPU temperatures are more important to her and the noise is much of a muchness. I think the GPU runs cooler with the 120mm fans because the bottom 140mm fan sits too high to blow air under the GPU.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

This is very interesting, and it suggests that the fans are fairly directional, channeling the fan to specific components. In some cases, you can space out the 140mm fans freely, but perhaps in yours there is a fixed 140mm fan mount. In any event, great that you took on this research yourself! As it happens, one of my next shootouts will look at how to optimize fan placement and size for the best all-around performance, so stay tuned for that!

[@Avenjin]

which 140mm fan would you say has the most pleasant frequency, or "hum"? I think this is more important than how "loud" the fans actually are.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

I think people need to decide for themselves, but to my ears, it was Noctua or Scythe.

[@bobisadrummer]

I'd go for the one with the lowest pitch hum as its "perceived" volume will be lower than higher pitch humming fans.

[@realgoose]

At full speed, the Arctic P14 was by far the best sounding. At lower RPMs it was much closer.

[@pandoodl]

I've just tried the 5-pack. While the P14 is the best sounding air-noise-wise, it produces a low frequency whine "around" the case which is unbearable to me. This happens especially around the lower RPM range. I might be one of the rare cases who hear this frequency, but I've seen other comments saying the same. Always try them, then decide.

[@TokuTheCatWithNuoTail]

@@TheTechBuyersGuru hey man amazing work on the video. is the good sounding for the noctua applies to all their products? was planning to get the a14 pwm chromax for my meshify 2. wondering how the a14 noise compared to the new gen a12x25 that everybody seems to get.

[@sommigame]

Breaking: Ari has been apprehended and arrested for being secretly employed by scythe

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

LOL, they still haven't forgiven me for saying the Kaze Flex 120 was weak on radiators!

[@crazyrussianbot8012]

@@TheTechBuyersGuru you dishonored the great Shogun, this can not be! You are allowed to commit seppuku now. lol

[@salami124]

@@crazyrussianbot8012 Seppuku sometimes referred to as harakiri is a form of Japanese ritual suicide by disembowelment.

[@diegow7504]

@@TheTechBuyersGuru can i suggest a mid performance cpu cooler test? Noctua NH-U12S or the Arctic Freezer 34 eSports Duo and few between

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Already did that - check it out here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fouyeH5qbrN6grM

[@Stormcrownn]

Pulled the trigger on p12 and p14 five packs when they were in stock. This review reinforces my decision. Cost me $60 to fully expand my p500a case with arctic fans(3xp12, 3xp14), after selling the extra fans for $25.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Nice! That case can fit six 140mm fans. Where did you use the 140s and 120s?

[@horstmeier2664]

Thank you so much for this roundup! Bottom line: it doesn't really matter enough to spend the extra money as long as your fans are not garbage. If you are willing to find the time for a third roundup, please consider doing the following: Put two 140mm static pressure fans in the front and one 120mm airflow fan in the back. This is the most common fan configuration for mid range/higher end cases. Please continue with the noise normalized testing you do, it is great! For Example: 2 Arctic P14 in the front, 1 Arctic F12 in the back. 2 Noctua NF-A14 in the front, 1 Noctua NF-S12A in the back. Noiseblocker and Scythe don't seem to have specific exhaust fans, it might be beneficial to pair them with an NF-S12A or Arctic F12 for better performance. The reason your 120mm Noctua fan performed so badly in the front is because that fan is not designed to work against a dust filter. If you look at it, or the Arctic "F" series, you see a different blade design. Those fans are designed for rear exhaust. The front really needs some static pressure, especially in a be quiet case. I definitely subscribed and hope for more fan/case configuration testing.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Thanks for all these suggestions. There are so many combinations I could try, and what you're suggesting definitely has merit. I have a few other fan tests already lined up, but I'll keep this in mind for the future. To really get at the issue of best exhaust fan, however, I might need to test the exhaust fan on its own. If I have two high-powered fans in front, like the P14, it may provide so much airflow that deltas between various exhaust fans will be hard to detect. As an aside, the argument could be made that static pressure is actually higher in the rear, where the fan has to press through a grill that has a similar effect as a radiator. Furthermore, exhaust fans require zero directionality, which would be one of the main benefits of an airflow fan. So I don't think it's a foregone conclusion that the airflow fans like the F12 or NF-S12A would take the lead as exhaust fans. Nonetheless, it's certainly a question I'm interested in exploring!

[@toxy3580]

I use arctic p12s, only cost £4 in the UK.

[@syed2694]

The pwm PST option is amazing because you can daisy chain super easy

[@toxy3580]

@@syed2694 whats that?

[@blakecasimir]

@@toxy3580 Arctic PST fans have a passthrough cable allowing a few fans to be chained together off one fan header. I wouldn't chain more than 3-4 though, less if running them high rpm. Not that Arctic fans can't handle it, but it's can be a lot of current to pull off one mobo header.

[@123s453e56a6l]

yep same..2 noctua 140s in front and a p12 as exhaust

[@anhiirr]

LIan li Mesh II...put the 3 120 fans(2 gpu/psu slot) 1 cpu exhaust rear. Put them on max/db allowable with the non pwm versions aka the super cheap p12. DC...on the mesh II fan controller that is DC. Put an aio to top on cpu header. The pwm daisy chaining really strikes me as an ITX/sff builder. Its huge to systems that run 4+fans. As well as try to incorporate a 240mm clc. But the mesh II...enables me to run the DC cheaper P12 or p14 and run the included fan controller for at least 6 fans. Bc my case enables me to buy the cheaper DC fans. Granted if i payed a few $$$ more for 9 pwm fans...youre right these for the still cheap price for PWM/PT....is insane to be able to run 9 chassis fans/daisy chained all on pwm/mobo control or dragon center for example. Then still run a NH-D15...for a total of 11 fans in that system. Ideally ran at 35db total other than the GPU.

[@Karan_HDS]

A comparison between 3x120s in the front vs 2x140s as that is the choice some of us have to make? Thanks for the great work

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Coming soon!

[@chubbstep]

The general idea is... less moving parts, less noise

[@final3119]

God I wish I could buy Scythe fans. They are sold out everywhere! These are undisputed the best fan reviews ever. I hope you are able to continue doing them with future fan releases. Just do them one by one and stack on the data you already have to see how they do next to each other. Great stuff! Really, really fantastic.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Thanks! I like your idea about adding on new fans, but there's one problem: I use my test bench for a lot of reviews, which means the cooler and GPU get updated regularly. I may be able to fit one more shootout in, though, if I find enough new fans to test.

[@final3119]

Nice! I'm watching your CPU radiator mounting position review, now, but I'm getting ready for a watercooled dual radiator 3090 build when those come out, AIO for the CPU, and the 3090 Kingpin with its 360 rad. Would you recommend CPU upfront of GPU upfront? Case will be a Lian Li O11 Dynamic XL. I'll have two 140mm Kaze's on the bottom and a 120mm kaze on the back.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

GPU cannot be up front. It will fry everything in your case. So yeah, CPU AIO in front, preferably with hoses at bottom.

[@zanecoates7082]

Commenting for the algorithm, amazing work my man!

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Thanks. You might also like this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3TRXouCYq2sjsk

[@t.n.9508]

Noctua think they can charge near $30 for a fan jus bc of their reputation and some accessories thrown in to bloat the price. Buy a 5 pack of arctic for $30 and call it a day. Arctic and scythe are underrated.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

I would still buy the NF-A12x25 (amzn.to/3fnvjQN) for a cooler or radiator, because that $30 can improve CPU thermals a lot. For cases, Noctua is not worth it.

[@elracing21xD]

@@TheTechBuyersGuru would you recommend these noctuas vs the artic p14's. Would you say the pricing is worth it? I have an artic freezer II and want to do push pull and was shopping for fans. I want best performance for the rad. Thanks for your help.

[@boby]

you miss something very important that you even recorded. The sound wave, even if DB is the same they are perceived very differently, and this is where Noctua excels, especially s12 and this is why you pay the extra cost, i will trade 1-2c for not rattling fan. You also don't mention the warranty period and rated hours, which once again Noctua beats them. Not considering this make it poor review.

[@polemisch1046]

@@boby So is the s12 the best case fan?

[@boby]

@@polemisch1046 If you care about noise, longevity and warranty for sure. If you care more about the price, maybe not.

[@frankk942]

Another great roundup. Been studying this and your 120mm video as i'm questioning what to get with my next build. Thing is, we here in Canada get, as the Simpsons put it, the royal screw job, when it comes to pricing. The Scythe, $40+. I just checked the blacknoise...$54...EACH!!! If there is a special/secret site to pick up these fans at better pricing, please let me know lol $50 for a single case fan is insanity. Thanks again !!!

[@shiishani3302]

For me the guys at Arctic are heroes. They make budget stuff that can compete closely with the most expensive stuff on the market. I also appretiate their no bs approach that some of the gaming hardware brands practice nowadays.

[@HellGatefr2]

Great work man ! I am using 3x P14 PWM PST as intake, (2 front, 1 side) and 1x Kaze Flex 140mm as exhaust (back). To make sure the Kaze Flex does his job without any problem I have actually cut out the bee hive exhaust grill, this seems very efficient ! The PST system of Arctic is great, every fan should come with it imo. The side fan in my case actually lowers GPU temps by 10-12°C in a stress test, that is crazy !

[@TTks124]

What case and hardware?

[@oldsavage01]

Hello from Japan. I just want to point out that the Kaze-Flex 140mm PWM has 2 variants. The one you are showing (round shape) in the video is 140mm fan specifically designed to fit 120mm screw holes. The other variant has square shape and it is actually for 140mm screw holes. Anyway, thank you for your great analysis. Subscribed.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Thanks for subscribing! Yes, you are right, the round frame model was probably released specifically for 140mm coolers (which I did not test it on), but otherwise it is the same as the square frame model in terms of blades, motor, etc. In fact, Scythe just released a new square frame version that goes up to the same 1800RPM, although my opinion is that such high RPMs are only useful on CPU coolers. It's too loud for case fans, especially if you have several in a case.

[@Wakarotas]

I just bought a Noctua NH-C14S and I guess I will swap its fan with an Artic P14. Great review as always

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Remember, how a fan performs on a cooler is different from how it performs in a case. But I have found that the P12/P14 design is highly effective on coolers. You can learn more here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jWO9mqZuh8-Wjpo. I will be testing the NF-A14 fan against the P14 in a cooler/radiator test within the next few months, so you can always just use it and wait to see what my results are, but at about $11, the P14 isn't a bad investment!

[@LeoTelles]

Really great contet, really well organized. Thank you!

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Malefikar]

I disagree with statement "noctua nf-s12a is not a good fan" overall, because the best place for it is in the back of pc case. I use it as single exhaust fan and it's cool and quiet. As a front fan, yeah, a lot of better options.

[@gameplyr90]

Appreciate all the work that went into this analysis brother, insanely awesome work

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Glad you enjoyed it! And yeah, it was a bit of work. ;)

[@RandomS4nity]

Great video! Thanks for doing all these tests.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Glad you like them! You might also like this how-to guide on case fan setup, which really takes the issue to another level: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3TRXouCYq2sjsk

[@ralfrudi3963]

Regional Pricing are very interesting indeed. Those pure wing 2 fans you said cost 20 bucks are only 8€ in germany (roughly 9-10 dollars) including VAT (all german prices include VAT). The only other fan in Shootout priced competitively are those Artic fans but they are out of stock somewhat regularly (especially the 5 fan package). I guess everyone just has to check their countrys prices before buying fans, especially if you want to run like 4-6 of those a couple bucks difference really stacks up. Looks like I will go for those be quiet fans or get the P14 5 fans package (if it is in stock somewhere again lol) for my next build. Paying 125 bucks for a 5 fan setup is just insane. Looking at you Noctua.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

I am surprised in particular at how different the pricing of be quiet! fans are around the world. In the US, they just do not make sense, but at under $10, a Pure Wings 2 could be a good choice. I still like the Arctic P14 more, but yes, they are having a supply shortage, in part because they are selling so quickly.

[@ccihangz]

Great work, thanks a lot 👍

[@noinimod]

Great stuff man, appreciate the in-depth tests

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Thanks for watching! In case you haven't seen them, definitely check out this follow-up: 140mm rad fan test: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mYKZiGCYaZqqkJI 120mm vs. 140mm number/placement test: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3TRXouCYq2sjsk

[@ch33zpuff]

Very thorough test and analysis. Keep up the great work!

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Thank you very much!

[@mungojerrie86]

Great video!

[@peterderbeste6817]

the video i was waiting for for years. tremendous job mate, keep it up :)

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Thanks, will do!

[@bgm1911]

great video. you changed on the much more expensive noctua and went with scythe. thumbs up.

[@TheSydguy30]

Absolute legend. Thank you so much for this solid review. So glad Noctua didn't get the top spot, for all out performance or dollar to performance, they are just far too expensive. I was wondering how I was going to afford to cool my computer components and was so so happy I came across your review to help me out. Now I can actually afford to buy awesome performing fans but at a great price (bought the Arctic P14 PWM PST 5-Pack) , would have bought the Scythe , really wanted to but they were just a tad too expensive (especially if I needed 5, which I do)

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Cheers! Learn more about multi-fan placement here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3TRXouCYq2sjsk

[@bru2al1tyusa82]

Awesome content, please keep testing components that others ignore...

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Thanks, will do! And here's a case cooling video that answers questions no one else has covered before: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3TRXouCYq2sjsk

[@hamajangz9586]

Arctic and Scythe are the only brands i will consider from now on. My Scythe fans (2 Kaze Flex & 1 Hayabusa) should be arriving some time this week. Can't wait to install those bad boys.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Enjoy! But let me reiterate: for radiators, the Noctua NF-A12x25 is a beast. So don't rule out Noctua all together.

[@Sykeye7]

Awesome video man! Excellent job!

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Kurmitkg]

New to your channel. But great tests and the time you put down to do it. It helps me a lot to choose fans to my new build. 👍

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Thanks for stopping by!

[@CrimFerret]

I've got a system on order being built in a Phantek Eclipse 500A case. I guess it comes with three RGB fans of whatever type Phantek uses. It doesn't matter, since as soon as I verify it works, it's getting Arctic P14's all around (will be getting a 5pack). Aside from the price to performance ratio trouncing anything else, they can be daisy chain wired, greatly simplifying wiring. I'll be using an Arctic air cooler as well.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

You might find this video interesting - kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3TRXouCYq2sjsk

[@CrimFerret]

@@TheTechBuyersGuru Thank you. Will watch.

[@darrenjimenez7703]

Thank you for this video. Just ordered Arctic P14s to replace my 5-year old Noctua NF-A14s

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

The NF-A14 is an excellent fan, but your statement makes clear what the issue is: it's old. Nothing that old in tech can hold the crown forever.

[@darrenjimenez7703]

@@TheTechBuyersGuru still thank you. Dont want to spend that much for another noctua sets again. Plus arctic has longer warranty.

[@darrenjimenez7703]

@@TheTechBuyersGuru thank you for your time. I instantly subscribed upon viewing this video.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Thanks for the sub! Don't miss this video on Arctic setup: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3TRXouCYq2sjsk Warning: it may leave you wondering if you should have gone with P12s!

[@darrenjimenez7703]

@@TheTechBuyersGuru good thing i can fit 3x 140mm to my case(Phanteks p500a) Cant mess with top fans anymore since I got a 360mm radiator mounted there.

[@andrewlawrence5299]

Thank-you for your dedication and hard work towards this grade-A content. Keep it up!! Channel deserves much more exposure. I guess kinda like Scythe too?

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Ha, ha, yes, the difference is that Scythe has been around two decades and was once the best known fan manufacturer in the world, so they just need to reclaim their former glory. I'm still waiting for mine, LOL!

[@Heart0rHead]

Very well done.

[@xxXX-vb5qu]

Excellent Work

[@csabauri351]

Noctua NF-S12A isnt good for intake ,but without any restriction (like exhaust ,without grill -for example Corsair Air 540) this is the BEST case fan for sure.

[@molinfa]

Amazing Job!

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@josu91ita]

Actually i've found the pure wings 2 that comes with the case to be good exhaust fans, the right rpm for the job as rear/top exhaust fans. Not too good for the intake, putting my hand inside i barely feel air moving closer to components. So i've put 3 120 front intake and 2 140 pure wings as rear and top exhaust. Working fine

[@guillermoalonso4694]

Thank you so much for your reviews, I just found this channel and I'm really impressed with the great work and quality... It's very useful for me in latin america, since here everything here is almost twice as expensive. Thanks!

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Welcome to the channel. I'm glad to hear you enjoyed the reviews!

[@bunkermagnus]

Thank you for your hard work to really get to the bottom of this fan business. I'm suprised to see the Noctua 14mm fall behind but I guess it's development, the noctua has been with us for a long time by now, maybe they need to reinvent the design again for case cooling.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

That fan is indeed a fairly old design, but it was certainly a great model when it was released.

[@hameed]

The a12x25 is the “newer” designed a-series. They are supposed to release the a14x25 at some point this year

[@majorpowell10]

Excellent test here! I'd love to see you test 3x120mm front intake fans vs 2x140mm front intake fan setups. Cooling, sound, etc.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

That is coming!

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

And if you want it to be my next cooling video, vote here! - kzbin.info/door/xptDQLvsr1ngOhStxQz7mAcommunity

[@majorpowell10]

@@TheTechBuyersGuru awesome!

[@XavierBetoN]

Note that for radiator use, scythe fans are compatible to attach back-to-back with other fans to increase pressure, as it rotates clockwise while most fans rotate counter-cw

[@WeirdRaichu]

love your videos man, really well done

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

I appreciate that!

[@thewisetzar5363]

Excellent content

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Glad you enjoyed it, I see you came from the 120mm case fan shootout! Thanks for checking both videos out. Coming soon on the channel is a 140mm radiator fan shootout, so subscribe if you want to check that one out!

[@mrnarason]

Amazing comprehensive review

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Glad you liked it!

[@Arashmickey]

Interesting differences of 7 degrees and 9 degrees in VRM and chipset temps. Thank you for the multiple-fan setup testing, even at the cost of added complexity and time and money. Maybe I should appreciate the efforts to get testing right more, but honestly I'm just as interested in people taking a bunch of popular builds and putting in a bunch of sensible and not-so-sensible fan setups and throwing out a bunch of charts that look like spaghetti instead of curves.

[@christopherbaadenfotografi2304]

Two things. First, a question. If I were to put 2 of the Arctic P140s up front I'm assuming they don't both need to be the PST version since only one will need to be plugged into another, so only one PST version would be fine? Second; I like how in all of your shootout videos that I've seen, that you have plants/orchids (?) fairly prominently displayed. Has nothing at all to do with the subject, but it adds a nice touch. You've got some of the best videos online when it comes to testing fans and coolers.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Thanks for the feedback! I only have the orchids when they are blooming, but they've been with me for years and keep coming back, so something must be working! And yes, you can use one PST and one non-PST if you have just two fans. With that said, the price is fairly similar: P14 PWM - $11: amzn.to/3JeZybL #ad P14 PWM PST - $11.50: amzn.to/3IfDix5 #ad I like the flexibility the PST system provides, but if you are sure you won't want to re-purpose them in the future, your plan sounds good. One disadvantage of PST is that all fans will run at the same RPM, and I would recommend a different RPM for the top fan, for example, than front and rear. Basically, fastest in the rear, second-fastest in the front, slowest at the top.

[@swecreations]

I think either putting some sort of filter for the mic or putting it beside the case outside of the path of the airflow would make for clearer noise samples as the sound from the air muddies the sound and make it harder to make out the noise from the fans. For your fan samples I think you should turn off the GPU fans (if they have a 0rpm mode) and put the cpu fan as low as possible to reduce interference. The noise samples should be separate from the temperature tests and should be done under 0 load so that the cpu and gpu fans can be as quiet as possible. It would also be good if you would turn off the exhaust fan to reduce the interference it causes. Otherwise great review. Would love to see the Arctic BioniX F140 in your next review as I'm planning on buying it for my white pc build

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Thanks for your feedback, but take note, a lot of what you listed was exactly what I did, so perhaps you missed my discussion of the test setup. GPU was at 0 at idle and in all noise tests, and was at 60% in gaming load tests. If you put it any lower, the GPU throttles and you get erroneous, useless results for your GPU temps. CPU fan was at 600RPM in all tests. This is a very delicate balance when it comes to the load tests - it must be high enough to prevent run away thermal overload, but low enough that the case fans actually have some impact on the results. I agree, however, that I could potentially shut it off for the noise tests, keeping them separate from the temp tests. As for the mic position, the air is part of the noise! But honestly, the mic is far enough away from the front of the case that the actual airflow physically felt there (and causing turbulence) is next to zero. Having worked with these fans and others during multiple tests, listening to the fans from multiple angles and from various distances, I'm satisfied with the mic position and will be sticking with it. By the way, the BioniX fan may look cool in white, but it's a pretty bad fan. I don't recommend it. Learn more here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jXPSfax5ZdmGerM

[@swecreations]

@@TheTechBuyersGuru Only reason I said it is because you normally don't get the air noise as you usually have your computer at the side of your desk or on the floor (if you don't care about dust) Can you recommend any good looking all white 140mm fan then? Also what is the best RGB fan in your opinion? Edit: 140mm RGB fan

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Oh, if you want a white fan, that's simple: the BioniX P140 - amzn.to/3kmWjlP Much better than the F140. As for 140mm RGB, I'd go with Scythe: amzn.to/37EYhdM But if you want 140mm ARGB, then you have to step up to the expensive Noiseblocker B14: amzn.to/3kmTRvZ

[@USAlien76]

Excellent review. Have subscribed to your page for future reference.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Awesome, thank you! Have a look at my most recent case fan video, because it provides a look at whole-system cooling that you won't find anywhere else: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3TRXouCYq2sjsk

[@TheStigma]

I think when it comes to case-fans the strategy of what is important changes drastically from heatsink or radiator fans. If you want optimal airflow-to-noise ratio I think there is a good argument to go for volume over quality - ie. using plenty of cheaper fans and running them at very low RPM where they can't realistically be heard under normal conditions. I think the result from that is pretty much always going to be better than using just one or two expensive fans that need to run much faster to keep up the same airflow. The gains you get from just increasing the fan surface-area it has to work with can't realistically be overcome by just higher quality engineering. This is also why larger fans are always much more efficient (at least for low-pressure situations). The larger area you can spread out the airflow on, the less noise is generated from the actual air-movement also (which is a very large part of total fan noise). So I think there is a really good argument to go for a value 5-pack of cheap Arctic P12/P14's and just fill up your case. They are just so cheap, and generally quite good. The only significant drawback they have is some resonance noise at certain RPMs, but that won't really be an issue when you run them at a super low RPM (which is all you will need when you have 5 of them). There are better fans if you have an unlimited budget, but I find it really hard to justify filling up a case with Noctuas. Use those expensive fans on the heatsinks instead - where you will actually benefit from it.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

I made this follow-up video for people like you! - kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3TRXouCYq2sjsk

[@TheStigma]

@@TheTechBuyersGuru 100% will check out. Thanks! You make very thorough content so I'm glad to have found the channel :)

[@JustAGuy85]

Dang, wish I saw this before I bought my 5 pack Arctic P14 bundle. I'd actually do a mix. I'd have to think on it, but I'd have a mix of P14s and Kaze Flex (which I have 2x of them on my Fuma 2 Rev B lol) but yeah... So, where is the extreme pressure from the P14 most helpful? Blowing THROUGH a screen or mesh or intaking air FROM a screen or a mesh? Is it blowing THROUGH? So, I could use 2x P-14's on the top of my case for exhauast, and Kaze Flex in the front, but they'd be sucking through a screen. But then on the rear... it's not a filter/screen, it's just the holes. Seems like the BEST set up is a mix of these two fans. The P14's have some serious static pressure ratings at something like 2.5 mmH20 and a max CFM of right at 73CFM, I believe. The Kaze Flex 140 (KF1425FD18S-P 1800RPM model, not the 1200RPM model) is rated 100CFM and 2.8mmH20. Technically both better specs than the P14 @ 1700RPM rating (which mine never hit that, they hit 1570/1600 to 1670, depending on if it's intake or exhaust and how much resistance it's dealing with, as in, a mesh filter or the rear larger holes). So theoretically, It'd be best to have Kaze Flex 140's all around your case, but the test results showed the Kaze Flex doing better at some parts, and the P-14's doing better in others. I noticed the VRM and I assume mosfets really enjoyed the Kaze Flex. They must give a more directed air flow while the P-14's while, being rated less in both CFM and static pressure, must give a larger spread of air flow. So, 2x Kaze in the front, a P-14 in the rear and 2x P-14's on top? Or, hey, one of each up front, one of each up top and then... take your best guess for the rear exhaust haha. I swear, it may actually give the best final average temp. It's just that if you're going all out, these tests seemed to show that there wasn't a fan that dominated each piece of hardware temp. It's like you actually need to mix and match for the ultimate results. I don't think I'm gonna worry about it with my current build, it's all P14s, BUT on my next one? Since I don't care about RGB... I believe I'm gonna be doing some mixing up on the fans. I just gotta figure out which goes where haha. I mean, don't get me wrong, the 5 pack of P-14's are a great bang for the buck, but seeing this? Now I want a couple of Kaze Flex fans and figure out where they work their magic at. Intake through a mesh filter or exhausting through the rear larger holes or top thick filter. Maybe I just need one Kaze Flex 140 in the rear? Since it was having such a dramatic effect on the VRM, it's gotta be moving the most air from behind to exhaust it out. And the P14s were winning because they could move the most air in a wide area hitting all of the other parts? So curious. Do you read comments, still, and do you still have these fans? Feel like doing a mix/match of the Kaze and P14 to find the sweet spot? They seem to a possible synergistic combo where using both creates an unbeatable combo.

[@MrBarrytommy]

Great job you've done here 😎

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Thanks for the visit!

[@SaltyMaverick]

Honestly, I've never even heard of BlackNoise before, and I'm very surprised to see Scythe fans perform so well. I would have expected Noctua to be the clear winner considering how popular they are. And I've gotta say, I do love Noctua's fans. I have a 200mm Noctua fan in my Corsair Obsidian 250D, as well as a couple of their "Industrial" series 120mm fans. I personally love 200mm fans and wish they got more love. We need more cases built for them.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Being popular does not equate to being the clear winner. That was the point of doing an actual evidence-based shootout. Noctua has won some of my shootouts, most recently my 120mm radiator fan shootout: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jWO9mqZuh8-Wjpo. But it has not won my case fan shootouts, and that's because it does not make the best case fans.

[@SaltyMaverick]

@@TheTechBuyersGuru I see that. Don't think I've ever seen any of your other videos before. Just happened to come across this one. Many other tech KZbinrs swear by Noctua fans, so I figured that meant they were among the best for basically all their products.

[@Klefth]

Would've been interested to see Silverstone in this test. They're known to make really good case fans, a good example of this is in their Fortress cases that are pretty much carried by the fantastic included 180mm fans. Not sure how the 140s fare, but it would've been interesting to see for sure.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Wasn't in this test because it was at the back of the pack in my previous test: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jXPSfax5ZdmGerM The problem with SilverStone's AP fans is noise. They have a very high minimum RPM and don't perform that well on a decibel-normalized level.

[@gracefulhunter6479]

Planning on buying a 500DX and this was very helpful. I want to run 2x pure wings front intake, 1 back exhaust and i also want 1 exhaust top. Wanted to see if i can do better than than buying another stock fan

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Yes, you can do better than buying another Pure Wings 2 140mm fan. I'd recommend the Scythe Kaze Flex 140: amzn.to/3tlLS9d #ad Or the P14 PWM if you want top performance per dollar: amzn.to/34TtpHD #ad Also see this video on setup: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3TRXouCYq2sjsk

[@lucifirartwork6234]

Thanks for this informative video! Just ordered 4 of Arctic fans for my pc.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

Glad I could help! Enjoy! I assume you decided waiting for the 5-pack to restock wasn't worth it... it would have got you a fifth fan "for free", but if you didn't need it, waiting another week or two for it to restock wouldn't be worth it.

[@lucifirartwork6234]

@@TheTechBuyersGuru actually i ordered 2 fans of P12 and 2 fans of P14. And i don't think the pack of 5 is available in my country since it seems Arctic is too underrated compared to Corsair and cooler master.

[@TheTechBuyersGuru]

They are out of stock in many countries right now, so that could be the issue, rather than not having a big enough presence in your country.