SEBAR
New member
This is a fan noise and performance test I did to compare several fans I have.
The test is not conducted with scientific precision and calibrated measuring tools however I tried to make the test as scientific as I could using what I have.
The noise tests were conducted late in the evening to minimize the amount of noise in the room. I am using a free version of a sound meter app I downloaded on my phone.
The app is called Sound Meter Lite and I calibrated it to -10 on my HTC Incredible.
For the noise test I conducted 3 separate tests
1. 6 inches from mic
2. 3 inches from mic
3. 0 inches from mic
Ambient Noise in the room: 44 dB
Fans Tested are:
Enermax Magma UCMA12
Fractal FD-FAN-120
T.B. Silence UCTB12N
Noctua NF-P12
Corsair SP-120
Cooler Master A12025-12CB-3BN-F1
I also tested an 80mm Cooler Master heat sink fan just to see the noise difference.
Next up is the performance test.
Fans used in the performance test are:
Enermax Magma UCMA12
Fractal FD-FAN-120
T.B. Silence UCTB12N
Corsair SP-120
Cooler Master A12025-12CB-3BN-F1
Unfortunately I only have the one Noctua NF-P12 fan and was unable to include the Noctua into the performance test.
The performance test was conducted in an open case using two fans pushing air thru an XSPC EX240 radiator connected to a fan controller set to max. The CPU used in this test is an Intel Core Two Quad Q6600 running at 3GHz, 1.325 volts.
First up is the Cooler Master A12025-12CB-3BN-F1 (Note Temp in this Picture show degrees Fahrenheit, all other show degrees Celsius.)
Next is the Corsair SP-120
Next is the Enermax Magma
Next is the Fractal FD-FAN-120
Finally the T.B. Silence UCTB12N
I took the average core temps and subtracted the ambient temperature to come up with the delta temperatures.
Fan Performance Test
Q6600 @ 3GHz
30 Minutes Prime 95 Large FFT
This chart shows delta temperatures in degrees Celsius and delta noise in decibels
Observations
As expected as the average temperatures decreased the noise increased. The best performer of the group was the Enermax Magma fans but they were also the loudest fans.
The Corsair and TB Silence fans performed similar in the temperature test but the Corsair fans where quieter.
A surprise to me was how well the Fractal fans performed in the test.
The test is not conducted with scientific precision and calibrated measuring tools however I tried to make the test as scientific as I could using what I have.

The noise tests were conducted late in the evening to minimize the amount of noise in the room. I am using a free version of a sound meter app I downloaded on my phone.
The app is called Sound Meter Lite and I calibrated it to -10 on my HTC Incredible.
For the noise test I conducted 3 separate tests
1. 6 inches from mic
2. 3 inches from mic
3. 0 inches from mic

Ambient Noise in the room: 44 dB
Fans Tested are:

Enermax Magma UCMA12

Fractal FD-FAN-120

T.B. Silence UCTB12N

Noctua NF-P12

Corsair SP-120

Cooler Master A12025-12CB-3BN-F1
I also tested an 80mm Cooler Master heat sink fan just to see the noise difference.


Next up is the performance test.
Fans used in the performance test are:
Enermax Magma UCMA12
Fractal FD-FAN-120
T.B. Silence UCTB12N
Corsair SP-120
Cooler Master A12025-12CB-3BN-F1
Unfortunately I only have the one Noctua NF-P12 fan and was unable to include the Noctua into the performance test.
The performance test was conducted in an open case using two fans pushing air thru an XSPC EX240 radiator connected to a fan controller set to max. The CPU used in this test is an Intel Core Two Quad Q6600 running at 3GHz, 1.325 volts.
First up is the Cooler Master A12025-12CB-3BN-F1 (Note Temp in this Picture show degrees Fahrenheit, all other show degrees Celsius.)


Next is the Corsair SP-120


Next is the Enermax Magma


Next is the Fractal FD-FAN-120


Finally the T.B. Silence UCTB12N


I took the average core temps and subtracted the ambient temperature to come up with the delta temperatures.
Fan Performance Test
Q6600 @ 3GHz
30 Minutes Prime 95 Large FFT

This chart shows delta temperatures in degrees Celsius and delta noise in decibels

Observations
As expected as the average temperatures decreased the noise increased. The best performer of the group was the Enermax Magma fans but they were also the loudest fans.
The Corsair and TB Silence fans performed similar in the temperature test but the Corsair fans where quieter.
A surprise to me was how well the Fractal fans performed in the test.
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