Best 120mm fan for Ultra 120 extreme?

[chiller]

Hi guys,

any suggestions regarding the fan I should get for the above? I have been looking at the Scythe s-flex 1600rpm but think this may have 3 fixed fan speeds, ideally i would like it to be 3pin and plug into mobo so bios can control speed. I have a Q6600 currently running at 3.6ghz with a Arctic Freezer Pro 7 which maxes on prime at 70 so am hoping the Ultra will bring that temp down a little.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[chiller]

thanks psycho,

but I am after specific recommendations as manufacturers claims of CFM and noise level are often .... not quite true.

 

[Zorg]

I'm using the Scythe S-FLEX SFF21F on a TRU120 Ex. and it works fine. there is no switch for 3 fixed fan speeds, I think you may be confusing it with the Antec fans, and it has a 3 pin header connector. I have my fan speed disabled so it runs on high.

I'm only at 3.2G (400 x 8), for 3.6 you might want the Scythe S-Flex SFF21G.

 

[geofelt]

Is your objective just better cooling, or do you need quiet also?
www.silentpcreview.com has some good info on effective quiet fans.

I am not keen on cpu controlled fans. I find that changing fan speeds are more annoying than a constant noise.
You can use a zalman fanmate to manually adjust the exact speed to optimize the noise vs. cooling equation.
If the cpu gets hotter under load, so be it. Run prime95 long enough to verify that your cpu is stable under load, and then forget about it.

If you do want cpu control of fan speeds, look into a PWM(pulse width modulation) fan that can use the 4 fan pins on your mobo.
The fan speed is adjusted by rapidly pulsing the fan on or off as needed. 3 pin fans rely on voltage adjustments to do the job.
Here is an example of a PWM fan:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835213011

 

[c5k0]

I just put in an order for a 120 Extreme, and plan to get two of these fans when they come out:

http://www.thermaltakeusa.com/ISGC/index.html

800-1300 rpm
58 CFM
16 dba

 

[chiller]

Thanks for the responses guys.

Cooling is the most important factor as I am running at 3.6 and it is getting a bit hot at present, but I also dont want my pc sounding like a plane taking off. Like the look of the Thermaltakes c5k0, are they out soon? I will look into PWM geofelt though looking around not many fans mention it in their spec sheet. Zorg I have looked at the Scythe s-flex and this is the one I may plump for, it seems to be well liked.

Thanks

 

[c5k0]

I'm not sure when those new Thermaltake fans are supposed to be released. Can't be soon enough.

I also grabbed a second fan mount for the Ultra-120. I will be running their Thermalright fan (the 1000RPM one), and a Scythe Kama Flex (1000RPM) fan in a push/pull configuration.

SA1225FDB12L

http://www.scythe-usa.com/product/acc/049/sa1225fdb12_detail.html

The specs are identical to the Thermalright fan.


This should be plenty cooling, and quite enough. I'm pretty sensitive to noise, so the quietier the better.

Do you have the Ultra version with the metal clips? or the plastic fan mount?




Oh, I just noticed in your original post that you want the mobo to control the fan speed. I think you need to get a fan with a 4-pin header, not 3. Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong here, as I'm new to the fan 3/4 pin thing. I think 3 pin only allows for the mobo to read the RPMs and not control them. The 4-pin connection on the mobo is able to adjust the voltage. edit: like geofelt said.

 

[Zorg]

Gigabyte P35 and P45 etc. have both PWM and voltage control. I would imagine it's becoming more standard, but I don't know that for sure.

 

[chiller]

c5k0,

not sure what clips I have, I will check and report back ... does it make a difference or is one type better than the other? I seem to recall seeing some long thin metal clips but i will double check. I have now found out I have to remove my 'Crazy cool' plate from my mobo, hope that is not an awkward job.

Zorg, Is PWM better than voltage control?

 

[evongugg]

The 4-pin is for PWM (Pulse Width Modulated).
4 pin connector enables fan speed control. Also possible with voltage control.

I would disable bios fan control for full speed.

 

[Zorg]

Zorg, Is PWM better than voltage control?

I think it's more accurate and maybe a little more efficient, but not really a big deal either way IMO.

 

[Ancient_1]

I am using two of these on mine.

 

[Conumdrum]

I just put in an order for a 120 Extreme, and plan to get two of these fans when they come out:

http://www.thermaltakeusa.com/ISGC/index.html

800-1300 rpm
58 CFM
16 dba

OMG, you believe what they tell you? Marketing will love you, the engineers will slave away and the marketers will slap any number they can for a sale. OMG.....

http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=595935
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=137832
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=171661
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=193126

 

[jsc]

I am using an S-Flex SFF-21F with my TRUE in an Antec 900 case with the case fans set on LOW. With my G0 Q6600 OC'd to 3.6 GHz., CoreTemp reports 61 C to 65 C under Prime95 load.

Strangely enough (glad too), case fan speed didn't make much difference.

When I replaced the Q6600 with a C1 Q9550, also running at 3.6 GHz., my temps were 58 - 61 C.

I debated about getting a 21G, but I figured the F was a good compromise beteen airflow and noise.

 

[chiller]

cheers for the help guys,

some good stuff there Conumdrum. Bit disappointed with those temps jsc as I have an Artic Freezer Pro 7 currently with my Q6600 clocked at 3.6 and it maxes at around 70 and the base unit is sat next to a radiator (which is often on), will take a look at the SFF-21F though. Maybe i am expecting too much from the TRUE.

 

[tato999]

I have my ultra 120e with some antectricools and before that i had the scythe 1200rpm rated at 46 cfm and the temp goes down like 20 grades the antec is rated at 79 cfm

I also replaced the 2 other fan that the nzxt lexa had with atec tricool so the 20c droop if for all the fans but maybe 5 to 10 grades just fot the cpu fan is good

BTW the antec had 4 pin and 3 adaptable with 3 a controler with 3 speed which i dont use because a bought a sunebeam rheobus 4 fan controller

and i have a p35 with a 6750 oc to 3.6 and my temp have never reached 60, max i have seen is 56 idle 30 measured with coretemp

so these antec are really good a litle noisy but no so much after a week you get used to it, really no so noisy

 

[micky_lund]

so... with all ur opinions... what is the best fan for the true? and is it better for one fan or 2 in a push/pull configuration?

 

[geofelt]

For good cpu cooling, I am not certain that the cfm of the fan on the cpu cooler is of prime importance.
Slower moving air through the cooler fins gives the cooler more time to transfer heat, so there is a trade-off there.

I think the temperature of the air in the case is more important. You are best off if you can get a good flow of cool ambient air into the case, and out the back with minimal disruption.

A good dual slot vga cooler is also of prime importance. The best will expel all of the hot vga air directly out the back of the case. If you don't have this type of cooler, the hot vga air gets recirculated, heating up both the vga card and the cpu.

 

[micky_lund]

so, for cpu, u want 2 'normal' fans, moving across the heatsink, and pput that with a good case, and a vga cooler, its pretty good cooling?