[Soultribunal]

Conclusions

When tested with my CM Standard Case Fan rated for a mere 33CFM and 1300RPM I am presented with a good Baseline to compare these High performance Fans too.

CM Standard
Idle Temp: 27 Degrees
Load Temp: 46 Degrees
Peak Temp: 47 Degrees
Measured RPM: 1276


Looking back on the results we see that there is a definitve improvment between a standard OEM Case fan and those labeled 'High Performance'. The real question that remains is: Is it worth it?
Cost will probably be the final deciding factor for those of us who go with Aftermarket Solutions in both our Towers and CPU coolers. So let us take a look at what the actual Retail Cost is for these units.

Coolermaster R4: $8.99 CAD
Gelid Wing12 PL: $19.00 USD (MSRP) Offical Pricing on this Unit is still Unknown.
Yate Loon D12SH: $15.22 CAD
SilenX iXtremea: $17.74 CAD

Right there we can see where the final difference really is. For Price vs Performance the Coolermaster Unit is Unrivaled, as it is the cheapest yet right up there as a Top Tier real world Performer in terms of Cooling. As well it has a very good Static Pressure Rating making it ideal for Dense Heatsink and Radiator Duty.

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
Coolermaster R4

The Good
- Widely Available
- Good Price vs. Performance Ratio
- Ideal for those who Find Ultra Bright LED's Annoying
- Excellent Static Pressure

The Bad
- Lacking a FDB (Fluid Dynamic Bearing) brings into question Longevity
- High RPM translates into added vibration, may not be suited for every application

The Ugly
- Nothing

Gelid Wing12 PL

The Good
- Ultra Silent Operation
- Superb Performance
- FDB for longevity

The Bad
- Estimated $19USD could put this Fan out of the Market for a lot of Users
- Availability in the Canadian Market

The Ugly
- 4 Pin PWM connector and Lack of Included Adaptors could Frustrate Consumers who use 3Pin - 4 Pin Molex Connectors or Fan Controllers Lacking in PWM connections.

Yate Loon D12SH

The Good
- Highest Rated CFM makes for the Ideal Case Fan
- Widely Available
- Yate Loon Build Quality

The Bad
- Highest RPM Rating means Noise might Limit Some Users
- Above Average Cost
- Performance not up to Modern Fan Types Available

The Ugly
- For the Rare Few who Like a Well presented Package, getting a Fan in a plastic Bag may not be Ideal.

SilenX iXtremea
The Good
- Excellent Blade Design and Smaller Hub Maximize Airflow
- Near Silent Running Ideal for Quiet Computing Solutions
- LED's are neither obtrusive nor absent

The Bad
- Slight noticable Vibration could be problimatic

The Ugly
- Unit Cost

I hope that everyone Reading this has enjoyed it as much as I did writing it. Feel free to post questions/comments/suggestions or even Fans I should consider testing in the future below.

Best Regards,
SoulTribunal