80mm fan reviews -- is it okay to rely on 120mm fan reviews?

nellie77 · Post by **nellie77** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 12:25 pm

The standard norm for the main fans in any case is usually 120mm...

However, in Lian Li cases, they use only 80mm fans. I will be putting together a new silent pc using a Lian Li PC-61 case, so I'm gonna have to deal with uising 80mm fans.

So, I have three questions:

1. I have read these forums through very well, and it seems like the Nexus brand has the most respect around here. But most of their reviews are for their 120 mm fan. Is it safe to assume they make equal quality 80mm fans? If anyone has had good experience with 80 mm fans, please let me know.

2. How do people feel about fan size adapters? For $5 or so I can buy a (albeit shoody looking plastic) adapter that lets me screw on a 120mm fan to a set of 80mm fan holes.

3. I know how much people hate on the bogus figures that SilenX puts up, and its good that you guys are able to steer newbs like myself away from them if they are such a ripoff. But I haven't heard many people talk about fans from the Coolink SWiF series.

(review of SWiF fans - http://www.a1-electronics.net/Heatsinks ... _pg2.shtml)

I searched through the forums and the only person to comment on these fans was a user with a name like Mario Simon I think. But it seems to me as if he works for Coolink if you see the shameless, stupid way he promotes these fans. (Search for SWiF and see what I mean). I'll go by the assumption that these fans are bogus, much like SilenX fans, but if someone aside from Mario can say anything good, please do so because their specs are sick, however fake they may be.

Thank you in advance. I feel for all Lian Li case owners and how we have to deal with the 80mm phenomenon.

mrzed · Post by **mrzed** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 1:54 pm

1. In general, you can't assume that different fan sizes will behave similarly. That said, Nexus has made a name in fans by picking the best, so they are always a safe bet. This is why they have become the new reference fans around here. There are cheaper alternatives, but if you want no hassles quiet, they are a good choice.

2. IMO, fan adapters are usually a bad idea. Better to just pick the best fan that fits.

3. I won't comment on companies I now little of. I will say however, that there are other companies with a long history of quality products. I tend to go with those suppliers.

Some unsolicited advice: compared to rigging a larger fan to your opening with an adapter, you will do far better for noise and airflow by cutting the horribly restrictive grills. Also, soft mount the fans and hard drives, and consider some mass damping material. Those Lian-Li cases can really resonate.

ozoneraider · Post by **ozoneraider** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 2:06 pm

I have a Lian-Li case and my fans are starting to go also. My initial reaction to your question was that the Nexus is the obvious choice. As you have found out though, it isn't quite that easy: http://forums.silentpcreview.com/viewtopic.php?t=18121. So, while I don't have an answer for you it turns out that your question is a pretty good one and boils down to what is quieter than the 80mm Panaflo?

nellie77 · Post by **nellie77** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 3:50 pm

Thanks for the quick responses. And you're right about the dampening for the Lian Li case. I have to look into that.
Though many seem happy with the 80mm Nexus, one poster in another thread thought it didn't match up to the quality of its 92 nd 120 mm counterparts:

niels007 wrote:Quality job there Ralf!

Back on topic, I have a sample of all 3 Nexus fans here: 120, 92 and 80mm.
...
...
80:
Not so great is the smallest of the three. It emits a clearly audible ''whirr'' wich is purely the motor. Unplug the fan and it gets silent even when it only just started to slow down. This one also vibrates far more than the 92 and 120mm ones. I can only compare it to the slowest Noiseblocker S1 80mm and testing on my desk on a piece of foam I'd pick the Nexus. No high frequency whine, just motor clicking... However, applied in a PSU or something I'm not sure if the vibrations would make it worse in practise than the Noiseblocker.

Anyone else have any other 80mm recommendations? Maybe when I get the $$ I'll do an 80mm shootout of all the popular models mentioned on the boards. But first, I'd like to get other people's opinions, if possible.

oakdad · Post by **oakdad** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 4:44 pm

I was also thinking about replacing my 80mm fans on the old computer and was thinking GlobalWin Nanometer Ceramic Bearing fans found here.
http://www.svc.com/cs802512l.html