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Written by [t0rc]
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Theres one thing you need to keep in mind about the rating and
throughout this review, as QuietPC states on their site : "These fans
have NOT been designed for maximum airflow performance, but rather for ultra quiet operation (although the cubic feet per minute (CFM) airflow specifications are respectable)."
Arriving right on schedule, the AcoustiFan had an exceptional packaging
job. The box and padding were much larger than the fan and retail box
itself, providing a great padding.
Now on to the good stuff! The fan, as I quickly found, is made of very
clear thermoplastic. It's constructed pretty well, but does bend under
medium pressure, nothing though that your case is going to exert and it
can definetely withstand a drop on the floor. Heres a few pics (I set
the fan on top of some blue CCFL's) just to demonstrate clarity:
Here are some of the specifications from the AcoustiFan spec website ( AcoustiFan Specs ) :
| Voltage: | 12v | | Connector: | 3-pin | | RPM's: | 1,500 - 2,000 | | CFM: | 49.5 - 66.7 | | DBA w/o Inline Resistor: | 26.5 - 34.0 | | Life (Hrs): | 26,000 |
This fan utilizes oil-impregnated, sleeve motor bearings, which also
adds to it's quiet factor. The CFM is relatively impressive for a
silent fan.
The fan comes with the normal screws for a fan, no grille, but it
includes some sweet lil' gel mounts to help avoid your case panels from
vibrating. The gel mounts work great and dampen the vibrations of the
already low-vibration fan. The gel mounts, when put into place
correctly, only have enough room to fit a normal layer (regarding
thickness) of case metal, which could cause problems with any modders
or cases that have thicker case material. I didn't find that you really
needed the mounts because as long as your panels are secure, the fan
doesn't generate enough vibration to create any sounds.
The kit also includes a 3-pin to 3-pin, inline resistor, which
significantly dampens both the RPM's and the small hum that is audible
w/o the resistor.
The fan also comes with a thermosistor to measure temperatures. It's on
a long enough wire that you can position it within the range of effect
for the fan. After testing it, I found that the thermosistor had no
significant effect on the fan's activity. I thoroughly tested the
thermosistor in varying ways and none of them showed any signs of
noticeable change. This is the only flaw that I could find with the
fan.
The AcoustiFan is a great addition to any case where the owner wants
silence, and doesn't really need high-end airflow. When they say this
fan is silent, they mean it. This fan is exceptionally quiet, I had to
put my ear right up next to the fan to hear a slight humming tone
coming from the fan. With the resistor in use, it's all but impossible
to hear.
I highly reccommend this fan to anyone who has quiet as a top priority
on their list and can settle for standard/normal airflow. The
non-functioning thermosistor detracts from the fan a little bit, but
not enough for me to deterr anyone from purchasing this fan. It's a
great product that recieves a rating of 92% on our scale.
A thank you goes to Quiet PC for making this review possible by submitting the AcoustiFan for review.
Pros: Well built; Nice look; QUIET; Inline Resistor.
| | Cons: Thermistor doesn't make noticeable difference; Not enough CFM for high-airflow systems. |
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