Fans are in most every PC case you’ll
find today as a means of keeping the system cool, it works well for
the most part, but not all fans are created equal. Some fans are very
loud, and some don’t move that much air around the case, so most
people will try and find a happy medium that moves a lot of air while
remaining relatively silent at the same time.
Today for review I’ve got six fans from Gelid
Solutions, in total there are three 92mm fans and
three 120mm fans to be put to the test. Four of the fans are from the
Gelid Silent line of fans, two of them are TC or Temperature
Controlled fans, two more are PWM controlled fans. The final two fans
up for review are special fans aimed towards the enthusiast called
the Wing, these fans are brightly colored with neon green blades and
a black frame, but what really makes the Wing special are the
features of them, and especially the fact that the blades can be
removed from the housing for cleaning.
So continue on to learn more about six
great fans from our friends at Gelid Solutions…
Gelid
Solutions Wing, Silent PWM and TC 120mm and 92mm Fans Reviewed
Author: Kristofer
Brozio
Sponsor:
Gelid Solutions
Tech
Specs,Features or the Basic Info:
Wing
9 and Wing
12 Fans
Features:
Features
* Nanoflux Bearing (NFB)
* Optimized Winglet Fan Blades
* Waterproof & Dustproof
* Long Lifetime (100’000 h MTTF
at 40°C)
* Silicone Fan Mounts
* Fan Speed Control
The WING case fans are premium
quality, UV reactive, ultra- quiet, dust and water proof cooling fans
for gaming enthusiasts.This series features an unique bearing with
patented design, winglet fans blades and low starting voltage. Only
the highest quality materials have been used to manufacture this
state-of-the-art cooling fan.
Control the fan RPM speed
according to your desire using the supplied voltage regulator. To add
to the silence fan mounts replace traditional screws and are made of
high quality, ultra-soft silicone which stop vibrations from the fan
motor from traveling into your PC case.
Nanoflux Bearing (NFB)
Patented Nanoflux bearing
incorporates a clever magnetic design, very high precision
manufacturing and runs friction-free and operates noiseless.
Electromagnetic fields are exploited to keep solid parts from
touching. The load is carried by a magnetic field.
a) Key Features of Nanoflux
Bearing (NFB)
The Nano-technology composite
ensures lowest abrasion and extreme durability (MTTF 100’000
hours). Compared to other Magnetic bearings this technology allows
the impeller to be detached and thus the fan blades can be cleaned
easily.
The material of the Nanoflux
bearings is self lubricating and even waterproof.
The fan impeller can be removed
from the black fan case by applying gentle pressure.
b) Nanoflux Bearing (NFB)
compared to sleeve and ball bearings
Even though conventional sleeve
and ball bearings currently dominate the fan market however both have
their disadvantages. While sleeve bearings have very low noise
emissions and are very cost effective, they tend to leak oil; once
the oil has dissipated the fan can no longer operate. Ball bearings,
on the other hand, while providing longer operating life are
costlier, noisier and are prone to damage.
GELID’s Nanoflux bearing uses
magnetic flux to limit contact and friction between the bearing and
the shaft. High precision self-lubricated material eliminates oil
leakage. The result is a ultra quiet long life bearing.
Fan Speed Control
The RPM speed of any fan can be
controlled from full speed to low speed manually according to desire
using this voltage regulator. This product is suitable for all high
RPM fans and regulates between 5 and 12V.
Rubber Fan Mounts
Vibration from fan motors can
travel into a PC case and become amplified when a fan is fitted
tightly. This ‘vibrational’ noise is annoying if you wish to
build a very quiet or virtually silent PC. These rubber mounts have
been designed specifically to deal with fan-induced vibrations and
are an ideal alternative to standard fan screws, leaving vibrations
100% decoupled from your PC case.
Features
– High quality materials
insures long life even at high temperature
– Ultra-soft silicone polymer
will not break or tear during installation
– Universal-Design fits most
open chassis fan sizes (80mm,92mm,120mm) and PC cases
– Quick & Easy Tool Less
Installation
Air Flow (CFM): 39.8
Cable Length (mm): 500
Connector: 3 Pin Molex
Current (A): 0.14
Dimensions (mm): 92 x 92 x 25
Fan Speed (RPM): 2000
INCLUDED: 4 Fan Mounts, Fan
Speed Control
Nanoflux Bearing: Yes
Noise Level (dBA): 22.5
Safety Approvals: UL, CUL, CE,
RoHS Compliant
Static Pressure (mmAq): 2.15
Voltage (V): 12
Warranty (years): 5
Weight (g): 75
Specs
for Wing 12 120mm fan:
Air Flow (CFM): 64.3
Cable Length (mm): 500
Connector: 3 Pin Molex
Current (A): 0.22
Dimensions (mm): 120 x 120 x
25
Fan Speed (RPM): 1500
INCLUDED: 4 Fan Mounts, Fan
Speed Control
Nanoflux Bearing: Yes
Noise Level (dBA): 25
Safety Approvals: UL, CUL, CE,
RoHS Compliant
Static Pressure (mmAq): 1.925
Voltage (V): 12
Warranty (years): 5
Weight (g): 119
Wing
92mm Fan: MSRP: USD 13.50 / Euro 9.00
Wing
120mm Fan: MSRP: USD 16.40 / Euro 11.00
Silent
9PWM and 12PWM Fan Features:
Features:
* Pulse Width Modulation (PWM)
* Silent Operation w/ Rubber
Fan Mounts
* Optimized Fan Blades
* High Airflow & High
Static Pressure
* Long Lifetime (50’000 h MTTF
at 40°C)
* 5 Years Warranty
Designed for advanced users
GELID Silent PWM fans provide additional airflow by using Pulse Width
Modulation (PWM) to automatically adjust fan speed according to the
CPU load. The fan can be idled down and thus be much quieter.
An intelligent IC had been
integrated into the fan’s PCB to exploit your mainboard’s BIOS
software. This technology is more efficient and convenient than using
an external fan controller to adjust the voltage.
Each fan impeller has been
individually balanced using the latest technology to guarantee
steady, unwavering operation. To add to the silence fan mounts
replace traditional screws and are made of high quality, temperature
resistant, extra long lasting rubber and stop vibrations from the fan
motor from travelling into your PC case.
How does PWM work?
Pulse-width modulation (PWM)
delivers a digital signal. The advantages of using a digital PWM
signal compared to an analogue controller are:
– PWM control calculates the
appropriate cooling performance according to CPU and System
temperature – PWM control of your mainboard will always adjust to
the correct cooling
– PWM control operates without
generating any heat
Silent
12PWM Specs:
Air Flow (CFM): 58
Bearing: Hydro Dynamic Bearing
Cable Length (mm): 500
Connector: 4 Pin Molex
Current (A): 0.18
Dimension (mm): 120 x 120 x 25
Fan Speed (RPM): 750 – 1500
INCLUDED: 4 Rubber Fan Mounts
Noise Level (dBA): 12 – 25.5
Safety Approvals: CE, RoHS
Compliant
Static Pressure (mmAq): 1.6
Voltage (V): 12
Warranty (years): 5
Weight (g): 130
Silent
9PWM Specs:
Air Flow (CFM): 37.89
Bearing: Hydro Dynamic Bearing
Cable Length (mm): 500
Connector: 4 Pin Molex
Current (A): 0.18
Dimension (mm): 92 x 92 x 25
Fan Speed (RPM): 900 – 2000
INCLUDED: 4 Rubber Fan Mounts
Noise Level (dBA): 11 – 23.5
Safety Approvals: CE, RoHS
Compliant
Static Pressure (mmAq): 2
Voltage (V): 12
Warranty (years): 5
Weight (g): 76
Silent
12PWM: MSRP: USD 10.50 / Euro 7.00
Silent
9PWM: MSRP: USD 9.00 / Euro 6.00
Silent
9TC and 12TC Fan
Features:
Designed for discerning Silent
enthusiasts GELID Silent TC fans provide additional airflow by
changing the fan speed according to your actual temperature needs,
giving you no more noise than absolutely necessary and maximum
cooling when needed. An intelligent IC embedded in the fan’s PCB
allows smart variable fan speeds. Each fan impeller has been
individually balanced using the latest technology to guarantee stable
operation. To add to the silence fan mounts replace traditional
screws and are made of high quality, temperature resistant, extra
long lasting rubber and stop vibrations from the fan motor from
traveling into your PC case.
This external sensor can be
positioned in your desired location. i.e. in front or rear of the
case.
Silent
9TC Specs:
Air Flow (CFM): 37.89
Bearing: Hydro Dynamic Bearing
Cable Length (mm): 500
Connector: 3 Pin Molex
Current (A): 0.18
Dimension (mm): 92 x 92 x 25
Fan Speed (RPM): 900 (22C) –
2000 (42C)
INCLUDED: 4 Rubber Fan Mounts
Noise Level (dBA): 11-23.5
Safety Approvals: CE, RoHS
Compliant
Sensor Cable Length (mm) 300
Static Pressure (mmAq): 2
Voltage (V): 12
Warranty (years): 5
Weight (g): 76
Silent
12TC Specs:
Air Flow (CFM): 58
Bearing: Hydro Dynamic Bearing
Cable Length (mm): 500
Connector: 3 Pin Molex
Current (A): 0.18
Dimension (mm): 120 x 120 x 25
Fan Speed (RPM): 750 (22C) –
1500 (42C)
INCLUDED: 4 Rubber Fan Mounts
Noise Level (dBA): 12-25.5
Safety Approvals: CE, RoHS
Compliant
Sensor Cable Length (mm) 300
Static Pressure (mmAq): 1.6
Voltage (V): 12
Warranty (years): 5
Weight (g): 130
Silent
9TC: MSRP: USD 9.20 / Euro 6.15
Silent
12TC: MSRP: USD 10.80 / Euro 7.20
A
Better Look at Things:
All of the fans come in very
nicely done boxes with informations all of them about the fans, the
Wing boxes are a bit bigger because of the included extras.
We’re going to take a look at the
Wing fans first, when you open the boxes you’ll find a plastic tray
that houses the fans, rubber vibrations dampeners and fan speed
controller. In the tray you’ll also find a Gelid Solutions case badge
and double sides tape to mount the controller if you wish.
The fans themselves are very
nicely made, and look rather cool, I happen to like the green and
black color combination.
The fan blade assembly can be
removed for cleaning if need be, something that I’ve never
encountered in a fan before, so it’s rather interesting.
The blades of the Wing fans are
also fairly special as they have winglets on the tips…
The Silent Temperature Controlled
92mm and 120mm fans are black and white in color, and they do make a
nice presentation really.
The TC versions of the Silent line
of fans all include a separate temperature sensor or probe that can
be placed wherever you feel you need it to help control the speed of
the fan by the temperature.
Both the TC and PWM versions of
the Silent series come with rubber vibration dampening fan mounts and
a Gelid Solution case badge.
The Silent PWM versions of these
fans resemble the TC versions in color, but they lack the temperature
probe and have a four pin fan connection on them.
Installation,
Testing and Comparison:
For testing fans I’ve turned to an
actual performance type of testing, I attach them to CPU coolers and
see just how they perform. This way of testing I feel will give us a
good idea of just how well they can perform.
For
the testing of the 120mm fans I’ve used the Zerotherm FZ120 CPU Cooler and used it’s stock cooling fan as the control. Here’s a few pictures
of the fans installed on the cooler:
Ambient temperature during all
testing was 24C (+/- .3C) To achieve load I used Orthos Stress Prime
and used CoreTemp to record and average out the temperatures.
Here’s the results of my tests in
a nice little graph:
As you can see all three Gelid
fans outperform the stock Zerotherm fan while connected to the CPU
header, and they come close while connected to the Molex. The speed
of the Zerotherm is faster than the speeds of the Gelid fans running
at 1800RPMS while the 120mm Gelid fans max at 1500RPMS.
Next
up I have testing with the Gelid 92mm Fans using a Xigmatek
SD964 CPU Cooler.
Again, here are some pictures of
the fans installed on the cooler:
And here’s the results of the
testing:
As you can see again the Gelid fan
outperform the stock fan while connected to the CPU, but we see very
close temperatures while running at full speed connected to a molex.
The interesting thing here is that the Gelid fans max out at 2000RPMS
while the Xigmatek runs full speed at 2800RPMS, even with 800 more
RPMS running, the stock fan just barely edges out over the Gelid
fans.
All of the Gelid fans while
running connected to the CPU header are virtually silent.
The TC Fans were silent running on
both the CPU and Molex connections.
The Wing and PWM fans while
connected to the Molex were slightly audible, a low hum could be
heard over the rest of the fan and components in my case but it
wasn’t overly loud.
The only complaint I could have is
that the temperature probes on the TC series of fans are very thick,
unlike most other sensors out there today.
Summary
and Comments:
Gelid Solutions has come out with
some very nice looking and great performing fans that most anyone
would be happy to have in their systems either cooling the CPU or the
system itself.
All three fans are very well made,
and include some nice accessories as well.
Gelid Solutions is a new company,
and they seem to be on the right track with releasing some very nice
products in the beginning, I look forward to find out what they will
be releasing next, if they can come up with fans like these then the
products to come should be very nice.
DragonSteelMods gives all of the
the Gelid Solutions Fans a 5 out of 5 score and our Recommended Award
as well.
Pros:
-Great performance
-Very quiet overall
-Wing includes nice extras and
features
-Well made
-Easy to install
-Long warranty
-Inexpensive
Cons:
-TC series Temperature probes are
thick
I
would like to thank Gelid
Solutions for the chance to review the Wing,
Silent TC and PWM fans and for their continued support of DSM.
review# 484