(+) Good value for money
(+) Very good performance in all four sizes
(+) Or without running-in phase completely smooth running
(+) Attractive PWM sharing concept
(+) Is also in the PWM version with alternative 3Pin plug
(+) 6 years manufacturer's limited warranty
(+) Model packaging concept
(-) No manufacturer information the average lifetime (hours) of the bearing
(-) Not the quietest at full speed (performance related!)
(-) Some fan blade slightly sharp
---- Complete review ----
First of all: the Arctics are all optimized especially for performance and less for "Silence"!
I ask about it to be clear.
Performance is the fan of course: it is primarily designed to a very high air flow volume to 126 cubic meters / h in the 120 mm version. Even the 92 mm model provides 73 cubic meters / h more power than many 120 mm fans of other manufacturers. The white propeller are so coiffed especially good breath and it shows not only the fan blades on, you can tell also, as soon as they depend on the current.
[I am referring in the following to the 120mm model without PWM]
Even with 5V (by the way without any problems, no start failures) you can feel the wind more clearly than many other models, which often provide a poor performance in lower voltage ranges.
At peak load (12 V) provides the pulling part, of some 200 mm Case Fans in the shade itself.
I was very impressed and happy, because I have this little guy with specially a very powerful (!) Cooler searched because he should migrate to the bottom of my Towers and will perform there between mesh and dust mesh his service. So what affects unfortunately very negative effect on the flow of air out, so it'll need a fan with good breath.
Since I do not working towards a Silence-Tower, I can not afford a workhorse like this without a headache.
Even if almost by default in every manufacturer description, regardless of the fan, with advertising slogans as "super silent" etc. to be thrown, one fan as this is not! Can there not be any, because where high performance is important, because it can not remain quiet as a whisper, because moving air makes a noise, especially when they (housing, cable) encounters obstacles. But of 5-7V common voltage throttling it is fairly quiet, only hear the sound on full power to it, but it also has a decent wind in the housing.
One should therefore always consider buying the fan, what you want: more silence or rather neat swipe. Both can be only in Compromise connect because moving air is just not silent even outside in nature does not.
The Artic F12 should therefore appeal to ambitious gamers or just those who look for in a high performance fan. But here one should perhaps a modular fan control, or the PWM version think. I do not think there really is someone who needs to make this fan to blow on 12V permanent, so no hardware him dies the heat death. And even if, then you should have are not the PC might just 30cm next to him on the desk.
The real "hardcore Silence fans" should look better elsewhere unless they throttle these fans down permanently. Then there are a number of other fans that are more suitable for the real Silence- & office use and then in a similar performance a tad more quietly.
Have z. B. also a be quiet! BQT T12025-MR-PWM fan 120mm Shadow Wings installed. The is on 12V (~ 1500RPM) again significantly quieter than the Arctic and provides only a slightly worse performance (air flow rate). Have him to currently installed as a CPU cooler. Unfortunately, it is so expensive even three or four times.
Bearing noise (humming, grinding, humming) I could find at any of my models. All were and are without warm-up time from the beginning completely quiet operation. Here can also be found on the manufacturer's website nowhere an indication of how long the camp (consistently are 20,000-100,000 hours), however, for he has a 6-year limited product warranty. As bad as the durability therefore probably not be.
During installation you should watch something, because many fan blade is slightly sharp. Additionally, I have filed some blades before assembly with a hand file even smallest protruding plastic remains unclean section. I was there, however, very picky. All in all, the Arctic's working properly, even if there are visible differences to Premium League. How that looks in direct comparison, -fan have me also my two BeQuiet! Shown.
>>> Who / what can I recommend the Arctics? <<<
Performance enthusiasts and high-end gamers, which cooling power is going on volume or due to poor conditions (installation behind mesh grille / dust filter, cable clutter in the Tower etc.) require more power
People who do not want to lie down for a performance equal to 20-fan, the premium manufacturer
Big Tower, the demand if only the size for better performance of case fans (must)
Cooling hungry housing with fan control, as well as at low voltage already good performance available and also at 5V not start failures
>>> Less recommended are Arctics for: <<<
Silence enthusiasts
Office PCs that do not require high-performance cooling
In addition to the fan + coil packaging are the way any type of adapter, cable or uncoupling by! If you can not connect via a 3-Pin connector him / wants, must buy an adapter separately. Likewise, should buy more, who wants to obstruct him vibrations.
EDIT: The PWM version, however, comes with 4Pin- & 3-Pin connector and 4-Pin connector (see below)
Ecological advantage for packaging: it is made of cardboard, plastic and without precisely tailored to the fan. The result is no more garbage than have to. Should take a leaf off so many times manufacturers !!!
---- Update Summer 2014: ----
For about 2-3 months I have been in a second PC fitted with a smaller mid-tower four more Arctics (3x 80mm and 1x 92mm), with whom I am well pleased. One befächert his colleagues on the CPU with fresh air, the remaining carrying on the rear hot air outside.
As in the PC only a sparse motherboard is installed, I had enough connections for all three chassis fan, therefore I have the advertised, own concept of "PWM Sharing Technology" tried. This means nothing less than that the PWM models the fan with both 4PIN plugs and 4PIN socket come along and you can connect several Arctics in series, then share a PWM signal. So all fans coupled synchronously the respective temperature situation to adjust.
So I have all three put together with the CPU fan to the CPU fan connector on the board and still had my doubts about whether it works really well. After all, the Arctics various sizes, are not uniform.
But the concept has convinced me. The fans adapt their speed permanent the current cooling load of the PC, none had failures, in spite of the model mix. Housing and CPU temperatures are fantastically low. Thus, the company has again brought pluses for me when it comes to PC cooling. The 80 mm and 92 mm outputs deliver great performance.
However: quiet are not the small Arctics! They all work audible, especially if the speed high screwed briefly (program starts, PC Start ...). Not for those looking for a quiet office PC! Again, talking to the Arctic Gamer / Performer, search the most powerful air cooling for small budget outside the 120/140 mm segment.
