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Need help deciding on fans


orphantoad

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Hi all,

 

I've pre-ordered a 350d from Amazon, and I was wondering if you guys can help me out deciding which fans to use with it, as I'm looking to replace the stock fans with AF/SP fans.

 

I want the case to be quiet, so for the front and rear case fans, I'm thinking about the AF120 quiet editions. But looking at certain reviews, it seems the SP120s actually perform better. For example, this XBitLabs review shows the SP120 QE peforming better than the AF120 QE in both noise and airflow. The tables in this review also show the SP120s moving more air at similar noise/RPM levels over the AF120 QEs.

 

So having said all that, I'm a little conflicted on whether or not I should get AF120 QEs or SP120 QEs. One thing I will say is that I plan to use all of the fans as intakes for the front and rear, and I will be exhausting out the top with an H100i. I will also be using dust filters with all of them (except for the top exhaust).

 

So with that information, what do you guys recommend for me to use?

 

Thanks!

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But does it matter if the restriction is on the "push" or "pull" side? For example, if I have a 120mm fan as intake, and I have a dust filter on the side where it's pulling air from, would a SP or AF fan be better? As far as I understand, static pressure is only good for when the restriction is on the side the air is being blown into.
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Correct. That's why it is termed "static pressure". Different blade configurations and profiles will return varying performance numbers; dependent upon whether they have resistance on the output side or not. If only moving air through a volume, with minimal resistance--as through a case, one blade profile will perform better than another. When maintaining inches of water pressure, as in the case of pushing air through a radiator that has significant resistance, the blade profile designed for that application is best. A flow fan does not maintain pressure very well and the blades drop into cavitation easily; the wings are stalling when that happens and the RPM increases because there is less work being done.

 

That said, all muffin fans suffer from restricted inputs. Any obstructions: grilles, perforated metal, filters, etc., unless kept a sufficient distance away from the blades themselves, will cause starvation and the RPM will increase, as in the previous example. In these instances, the air flow is disrupted too close to the blades and the flow across them is diminished; dropping their efficiency.

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