26 120mm Fans Tested and Compared

[Vapor]

Okay, I'm keeping the CPU tests, but only going to do them at 7,9, and 12V.

Also of note is that today I started playing with my SilenX's and a few 140mm fans. The SilenX's aren't too bad....I've been having problems with inaudible (higher frequency than I can hear) ambient noise from SOME source that wasn't present last night that I have yet to find so no 'official' dBA numbers at all on these.

The 120x120x38 that claims 90CFM pushes 60CFM in my tests, while the 120x120x25 that claims 72CFM pushes 55.9ishCFM in my tests. They seem pretty quiet and undervolt fairly well (no extraneous noise). BUT, the motors get bloody hot....much hotter than even the monster Delta 190CFM EHE. They're aesthetically pleasing, though very light....kinda feel cheap because of the lack of weight. They are absolutely not magic fans.

My 140mm experience has been lackluster so far....I just can't get any of the Aerocools or even the Yate to pull their claimed CFM (the Yate being the furthest off). The Aerocools fall right at the +-10% they use as padding....so that's okay....but the Yate is puzzling me. The 14SM-12 claims 62CFM when I can only get ~43CFM out of it. It is exceedingly quiet....much quieter than the claimed 29dB (getting around 26.5 in the screwy ambient....). I'm wondering if I have a mislabeled and rare 14SL-12.

EDIT2: On-board RPM reading says 1100RPM on a sensor that over-reads by ~6% on every other fan I've tested (IDK how though....isn't that one of the simplest circuits?) Looks like I have a D14SL-12....ugh, lol