Is there a "better" 120mm fan than the Antec TriCool?

[asintu]

By "better" I mean same noise as the Antec one when kept on the low setting but that pulls in more air.

 

[PCTC2]

Yes. There are. The Antec TriCools are quite loud for the amount of air they pull. I can't think of a better fan off the top of my head, but some good fans are Yate Loons on a fan controller.

 

[masteryoda34]

IMO Scythe S-Flex is hands down the best for low noise fans. You will pay like $12-15 a pop for them though. But remember, they should last a lot longer than a regular fan too.

 

[asintu]

also, while we're at it..can u recommend some intake 92mm quiet fans as well? Would getting the same brands (Yate Loon or Scythe) for front be a good idea?

 

[LOUISSSSS]

just get yate loons, can't beat $3 each. $20 shipped for 3 120mm fans is pretty tough to beat. i got high speeds cuz i can control them on my rheobus. best of both worlds for me.

 

[PCTC2]

Originally posted by: masteryoda34
IMO Scythe S-Flex is hands down the best for low noise fans. You will pay like $12-15 a pop for them though. But remember, they should last a lot longer than a regular fan too.

I was thinking Scythe S-Flex but I haven't used them personally in a while. Put them into work computers all the time, but with the server room, anything seems silent compared to 40mm fans.

 

[JEDIYoda]

Originally posted by: asintu
By "better" I mean same noise as the Antec one when kept on the low setting but that pulls in more air.

I have used many 120 mm fans!
I personally do not like Antec fans at all!
For the money CoolerMaster makes a good fan. As do quiet a few other companies!!

 

[PCTC2]

Originally posted by: asintu
also, while we're at it..can u recommend some intake 92mm quiet fans as well? Would getting the same brands (Yate Loon or Scythe) for front be a good idea?

Well, it depends on the model. Yate-Loons are pretty much all the same except for their output (rated L, M, and H), whereas from Scythe, the S-Flex models are some of their quietest.

Noctua fans are kinda over priced but I've heard their quiet. Steer clear of SilenX.

 

[aigomorla]

most important question i need to ask you.

is the fan mounted verticle or horizontal?

Meaning does the fan push air from left to right or vice versa instead of up and down vice versa.

Yates dont last very long when in the horizontal possition.

Other then that the yates are the best bang for buck fan you can get.

If your horizontal mounting, id look for a sony FB bearing, which is the zalman F3's or the S-flex's.

 

[Zepper]

Sure, there are plenty. The Cooler Master Y720 series fans in my FS/T listing (linked below) are probably quite a bit better and come with a passive control that operates over the 7V to 12V range . With a 3rd party fan controller it will operate down to 5V or so. Some of the Scythes and YLs, etc. are also good fans. Used to be some reliable fan tests going on on http://www.XtremeSystems.org/forums/, but it seems like Vapor has stopped doing them. The older tests are still there in the Air Cooling section of the forums. I guess SilentPCReview.com is still doing tests, but they target mainly quiet, not overall performance while vapor was more oriented toward fans good for use on radiators or pushing air thru heatsinks...

.bh.

 

[jkresh]

another vote for the zalman zmf3's

 

[Ward]

I find the Scythe S Flex fans very quiet. I use the 1200RPM. Almost silent at full speed and they are silent at 1000 rpm. The 800RPM fans are silent. The Tri Cools at mid speed are about 1400rpm but have a whine to them at that speed. The S Flex put out almost the same air at 1200 rpm with no whine. I changed my P182 case to all S Flex E 1200 RPM fans with only one Tri Cool blowing in from the top. that is kept on low which is almost silent. I get great cooling with no or very little noise a couple of feet away.

 

[Beanie46]

Originally posted by: aigomorla

If your horizontal mounting, id look for a sony FB bearing, which is the zalman F3's or the S-flex's.

Sorry, aig, but Zalman F3's use sleeve bearings, not Sony FB bearings, and seem wear out rather quickly.....at least in the five I've used. Three had bearing failures within 6 months, the last two are about a year old and are making horrible noises when spinning up.

The S-Flex fans I've got in use, five to be exact, have been in use for well over a year with only a whisper from them. (Three S-Flex "E" and two S-Flex "F" fans.....the F's are on a rad and two of the E's are rad mounted, the other E is a case intake fan.)

Spend the money up front, the longevity and superior undervolting ability of the S-Flex fans move them way above the Zalmans or Yate-Loons, IMHO.

 

[ElFenix]

the only antec tri-cool i didn't replace with an s-flex was the 38mm one.