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Helpful ReplyCurrent top fans?

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bg8780
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2016/07/25 07:43:55 (permalink)
I am looking to possibly replace the fan on my GTX 1080 Hybrid's radiator. What is the current top dog in the fan world? I've been looking into these Vardar fans. They seem to have great reviews. I may even put a pair of these on my Megahalem to cool the CPU a little better. 

https://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-vardar-f4-120er-2200rpm-white
 
Anyone here use these?
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Zuhl3156
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Re: Current top fans? 2016/07/25 07:47:53 (permalink)
I am big on the Noctua NF-F12 fans and I have three on my Monsta 360 running at 100% and I can barelly hear them. I can't say much about the Vardar fans as they were not in production when I put my loop together. I may give them a try someday as I have seen nothing but stellar reviews about them.
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bg8780
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Re: Current top fans? 2016/07/25 07:53:29 (permalink)
I was checking into those. I've heard they are great fans by a lot of people I just can't get over the color scheme :(
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Zuhl3156
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Re: Current top fans? 2016/07/25 07:58:26 (permalink) ☄ Helpfulby bg8780 2016/07/25 08:13:10
Thankfully they do make a black one but it does have a higher RPM too as it is llisted as Industriall: https://www.amazon.com/Be...2000-PWM/dp/B00KFCR5BA
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zophar
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Re: Current top fans? 2016/07/25 08:05:51 (permalink)
I've got some of the 120 black Vardar fans. And while they did fine, I hade some issues with a somewhat high pitched whine coming from mine. I think mine were the 2200 RPM fans as well. I can't speak much for the ret of the 120mm fan lineup though because other than those I haven't ran 120mm fans in a few years. Last time I had the Gentle Typhoon's were the king. I don't think you can get them from Scythe anymore, but I do believe that Dark Side now imports them. But stock is limited. Here is a similar spec'ed fan from Dark Side http://www.performance-pcs.com/darkside-gentle-typhoon-performance-radiator-fan-2150rpm-68cfm-black-edition.html#Details
 
The Vardar on paper outputs slightly higher pressure and CFM, but like I said it also made a whine noise that I didn't like. And if you google it, it seems to be a common occurrence.
 
Hope this helps, and someone will probably be along soon to give a little better info than I did.
 
 
Lol, Zuhl got me. I guess I shouldn't have walked away and came back to this. O well.
post edited by zophar - 2016/07/25 08:08:27


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Zuhl3156
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Re: Current top fans? 2016/07/25 08:23:23 (permalink)
I use some Cougar Vortex 120 mm fans too but they are louder and I use them on the 240 radiator in the top of my case to keep the noise down some: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835553002
 
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bg8780
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Re: Current top fans? 2016/07/25 10:06:58 (permalink)
I think I'll order those Noctuas.
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notfordman
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Re: Current top fans? 2016/07/25 10:13:25 (permalink)
Great suggestions so far. What are you after good pressure, low noise ,or both? I'm disappointed to hear about the noise from the Vardar fans. I have always been looking for a good replacement for the AP-15's. I like the Corsair line-up, and some of the Noiseblocker series.  You have to really pay attention to the Corsairs, as far as PWM /not PWM, and also the spec's. I like these:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835181027 Try to buy in twin pack to save a few bux. PWM version: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835181040&cm_re=CO-9050014-WW-_-35-181-040-_-Product  They offer LED fans if that's what you like also. I would recommend to run a fan controller regardless for fine tuning.
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Zuhl3156
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Re: Current top fans? 2016/07/25 10:24:09 (permalink)
bg8780
I think I'll order those Noctuas.


If you're mouting them on a top radiator you can't see them anyway so the color doesn't really come into play for you. I was using those white bladed fans from my Swiftech H220 on my top 240 mm radiator until one got noisy. The Cougar Vortex fans work better but once again the orange color of the blades is annoying to me so I put them up top where I can't see them. Corsair makes some nice case fans that I use on the front and bottom of my case for intake. No high static pressure but they move plenty of air through the case for me which is what I was looking for anyway. Having cool air blowing across the backplates of my EK full cover blocks lowers my temperatures considerably. The EK backplates have a machined area to assist in cooling the VRM and VRAM using thermal pads and cool air blowing across them makes them much more efficient.
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bg8780
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Re: Current top fans? 2016/07/25 11:02:17 (permalink)
Zuhl3156
bg8780
I think I'll order those Noctuas.


If you're mouting them on a top radiator you can't see them anyway so the color doesn't really come into play for you. I was using those white bladed fans from my Swiftech H220 on my top 240 mm radiator until one got noisy. The Cougar Vortex fans work better but once again the orange color of the blades is annoying to me so I put them up top where I can't see them. Corsair makes some nice case fans that I use on the front and bottom of my case for intake. No high static pressure but they move plenty of air through the case for me which is what I was looking for anyway. Having cool air blowing across the backplates of my EK full cover blocks lowers my temperatures considerably. The EK backplates have a machined area to assist in cooling the VRM and VRAM using thermal pads and cool air blowing across them makes them much more efficient.


It will be mounted at the rear of my case so it will be visible. 
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bg8780
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Re: Current top fans? 2016/07/25 11:03:27 (permalink)
notfordman
Great suggestions so far. What are you after good pressure, low noise ,or both? I'm disappointed to hear about the noise from the Vardar fans. I have always been looking for a good replacement for the AP-15's. I like the Corsair line-up, and some of the Noiseblocker series.  You have to really pay attention to the Corsairs, as far as PWM /not PWM, and also the spec's. I like these:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835181027 Try to buy in twin pack to save a few bux. PWM version: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835181040&cm_re=CO-9050014-WW-_-35-181-040-_-Product  They offer LED fans if that's what you like also. I would recommend to run a fan controller regardless for fine tuning.




Those look very good as well. I would like the the white LED option to match the rest of my build but it looks like the LED versions have a lower static pressure rating and are not the same.
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Zuhl3156
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Re: Current top fans? 2016/07/25 11:06:21 (permalink)
It's hard to find a high static pressure fan with LEDs if anyone even makes one since most high static pressure fans are buried under or attached to a radiator where lighting woulld be difficult to see.
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ragevirusqq
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Re: Current top fans? 2016/07/25 11:08:51 (permalink)
Corsair has some magenetic levitation fans that just came out that are supposed to be best of both worlds and there are with and without LED's. They are ridiculous expensive though. Corsair ML series
http://www.corsair.com/en-us/cooling/ml-series-fans
.

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Re: Current top fans? 2016/07/25 11:34:08 (permalink)
I have trouble when choosing a fan for the highest static pressure available since manufacturers use different measurements making it difficult coverting the volume of air being pushed. Using the Scientific Unit Conversion calculator built into Windows the conversions I come up with are way off target or I just don't understand the concept. I see cubic cm, cubic ft, cubic anything that sounds bigger than something ellse. I really wish they would standardize the flow and pressure ratings for all manufacturers then enforce them to adhere to the standards.
Here are my Cougar fans in action and there is no way to see them unless you really contort your neck. IDK but orange fans just don't seem to fit any color scheme I have ever seen. I don't mind the Noctua fans being visible since anyone who knows anything about PC fans recognizes the signature Noctua color and knows they are high quality.
 

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bg8780
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Re: Current top fans? 2016/07/25 12:10:32 (permalink)
I actually have orange fans throughout (Xigamtek's https://goo.gl/photos/SBuLncgHNPphVv6PA)
 
I do not have a fan controller so whatever I run will be full blast. These aren't that loud considering they put out 1.516 mmH²O @ around 20dba. I'm curious if it's even worth replacing these fans. Would my Megahalem cool my CPU any better with better fans? 
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Zuhl3156
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Re: Current top fans? 2016/07/26 04:51:47 (permalink)
5200 RPM? It would sound like sitting next to a 747 at take off.
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bg8780
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Re: Current top fans? 2016/07/26 06:10:12 (permalink)
Sajin
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835213001 




Believe it or not, I had two of those fans on my Megahalem a few years ago. I used to fold 24/7 when I lived on base. I would run all the fans in that rig at 100% all day lol. I had 2 GTX 460's folding alongside this i7 and another LGA 775 rig with 3 GTX 260's and a 9800 GT. My tiny dorm room was a sauna that sounded like a server room.
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Re: Current top fans? 2016/07/26 06:26:14 (permalink)
I 2nd the Noctua iPPC fans.  They are a little better performance and a lot better looking than the standard Noctuas.
 
Sajin
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835213001 



This is what i use those Delta fans for:
 

post edited by WackyWRZ - 2016/07/26 06:29:25

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notfordman
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Re: Current top fans? 2016/07/26 10:53:51 (permalink)
ragevirusqq
Corsair has some magenetic levitation fans that just came out that are supposed to be best of both worlds and there are with and without LED's. They are ridiculous expensive though. Corsair ML series
http://www.corsair.com/en-us/cooling/ml-series-fans
.


+1 Just read the review by our forum member vsg28. <<[I'm a bit slow] Great review! I would like to try them but they are pricey, though seem quite good. http://forums.evga.com/Review-of-the-new-Corsair-ML120-Pro-fans-m2513437.aspx
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Zuhl3156
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Re: Current top fans? 2016/07/26 11:09:53 (permalink)
notfordman
ragevirusqq
Corsair has some magenetic levitation fans that just came out that are supposed to be best of both worlds and there are with and without LED's. They are ridiculous expensive though. Corsair ML series
http://www.corsair.com/en-us/cooling/ml-series-fans
.


+1 Just read the review by our forum member vsg28. <<[I'm a bit slow] Great review! I would like to try them but they are pricey, though seem quite good. http://forums.evga.com/Review-of-the-new-Corsair-ML120-Pro-fans-m2513437.aspx


Yes, pricey is one way to describe them. The Noctua fans seem to fluctuate in price. I have seen them as high as $28.99 but got lucky and grabbed mine for only $18.99 at NewEgg quite some time ago.
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haghighihk
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Re: Current top fans? 2016/07/29 20:06:47 (permalink)
I'll put a good word in for the EK Vardar series. They seem to give Noctua level performance and typically are around the same price, but with a nice look to them. I believe they come in black and a greyish color similar to old Gentle Typhoon fans.
 
The 1850RPM versions are what I have, they're absolutely silent at idle and whisper at full load. They move a LOT of air.
 
https://www.amazon.com/EK...-Cooling/dp/B00SIZI1HI

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