Best Quiet Case Fans????

[waazzuup]

I'm looking to buy around 4 new 80mm case fans. I want them to be pretty quiet, but of course they need to do their job well. What should I get?

Thanks for the help!

PS - It would be nice if they were UV reactive, but that is definitely the least important thing.

 

[CRXican]

I would reccomend Panaflo fans

 

[Trey22]

Panaflo L1A's.

 

[amdguy]

nexus fans are also very good. No motor or whine noise whatsovever, highly recommended by the pple in SPCR forums.

 

[CraigRT]

I'm happy with my Vantec Stealths, but I know also the Panaflos' mentioned above are great also.

 

[Nickc19]

I'll recommend the Panaflo L1A's too. I have a 92mm and a 120mm and I never notice them.

-Nick-

 

[Tostada]

I've been very pleased with Arctic Cooling stuff. These are an exremely good deal if you're getting 4 or more:
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=35-186-109

It's the best fan I've seen if you don't need more than 31.5 CFM.

 

[Lyfer]

SVC had some NBM 18DBA 80MM fans that dell uses in there desktops, they are dead quiet but push less than 20CFM out.

 

[waazzuup]

http://www.frozencpu.com/cgi-bin/frozencpu/fan-09.html

What do you guys think about this one compared to the Panaflo L1A? This one is louder, but can push more air. I do overclock, and I'm worried that the L1A won't blow enough air.

How loud is 28db? Will I be able to notice it? Is there a big difference between 28db and 21db?

 

[bcoupland]

I'd say Panaflo or Papst. Beware though, Papst can be expensive.

 

[Connoisseur]

you can't hear panaflo's. That M1A seems nice but it's $11 per fan.... look on ebay. I got my panaflo L1A's for $3/fan after shipping.

 

[Ionizer86]

Some say Papst fans often have badly balanced blades, but I've never owned any.
The Panaflo L1A makes for a cheap choice at around $3 per fan when on sale. They're rated at 21dBa/24CFM.
But others say the best are the SilenX 80mm fans, rated at 14dBa/28CFM. They cost a lot though. Check out SilenX's site.

 

[waazzuup]

Originally posted by: Connoisseur
you can't hear panaflo's. That M1A seems nice but it's $11 per fan.... look on ebay. I got my panaflo L1A's for $3/fan after shipping.

Your right - I can't find the M1A's at a good price.

 

[Metron]

Originally posted by: Ionizer86
Some say Papst fans often have badly balanced blades, but I've never owned any.

Probably just people too cheap to spend the money for a good fan. If you want a truly quiet fan, spend the money on the Pabst 8412... 12 db... can't be beat for $16.95.

I've used them in every system I've built, and I've never had a problem. I also commend that site to you, EndPCNoise.com if you're truly interested in quiet components. One of the few sites that actually use dB ratings for all their products. Facts instead of hype. Just my 2 cents...

Metron

 

[GreatBarracuda]

You can't beat the Vantec Thermoflow in noise level. Period. I kid you not. I have two of these (the 80mm and the 120mm). Both are quiet as h*ll and are thermally-controlled (temperature-sensing diode). Highly recommended.

 

[imported_Driller]

@28dB vs 21dB: The decibel scale is logarithmic. That means 2 decibels is 10 times louder than 1 decibel. The human ear doesn't percieve sounds in the same manner, but it still means that 28dB is A LOT louder than 21dB.

 

[PricklyPete]

Originally posted by: waazzuup
http://www.frozencpu.com/cgi-bin/frozencpu/fan-09.html

What do you guys think about this one compared to the Panaflo L1A? This one is louder, but can push more air. I do overclock, and I'm worried that the L1A won't blow enough air.

How loud is 28db? Will I be able to notice it? Is there a big difference between 28db and 21db?

28 db will be very noticeable over 21 db.