Best 80mm Fan <= $5

Mike_Metro · Post by **Mike_Metro** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 3:07 pm

I'm trying to build a cheap server and I'm dropping some new parts in my old Performance II 630. I want to put 2 or 3 80mm fans in it. Are there any good fans that are <= $5. Their speed will be controlled by my MB, hopefully they won't be running full speed much.

Are the following fans any good?
1. SILVERSTONE FN81
2. ARCTIC COOLING Pro TC
3. ARCTIC COOLING AF8025
4. ENERMAX UC-8TCFS/B
5. Scythe DFS802512L

Or should I just spend the extra cash and get a couple Nexus 80mm.

Side question...does a single Nexus 80mm push enough air to cool 2 250GB hard drives?

ckolivas · Post by **ckolivas** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 9:29 pm

Mike_Metro wrote:Side question...does a single Nexus 80mm push enough air to cool 2 250GB hard drives?

This one's easy to answer. Yes. It takes very little airflow to make a massive difference to hard drives.

theyangster · Post by **theyangster** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 9:31 pm

svc still has their panaflo sale going http://www.svc.com/standardfans.html

though these have a very slight tick

Gxcad · Post by **Gxcad** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 9:38 pm

I'd personally recommend against panaflos these days. The ones at SVC are almost guaranteed chinaflos, and word is japanaflos are not even made anymore, so the few that we come across are likely to be rejected samples i.e. not of the best quality.

Good thing I kept about 5 of the old japanaflos while they were still good and about $2.75 a fan!

-Ken

Aleksi · Post by **Aleksi** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 12:54 am

Japan made Panaflos are not made anymore.

There is nothing wrong with China made Panaflos. That is simply not true.

The problem is you're buying surplus stock. If you buy them new, they are very good. Some that I have, like China 4G 80L1A is simply excellent. Like I posted in another thread, even if they were made on the moon, they would still be surplus.

I wouldn't buy a Panaflo from the north America anywhere else but Digikey or a similar industrial distributor, those should be mainly new.

The price you guys mentioned will not get you a new Panaflo from the factory. The OEMs get refunded for the fans they reject, because they usually are smashed in transit etc (OK on the outside, but the bearing has taken a hit, for example). The OEMs then pass the reject fans on in the retail channels for a cheap price, because it's all profit at that point.

Mike_Metro · Post by **Mike_Metro** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 10:31 pm

ckolivas wrote:
Mike_Metro wrote:Side question...does a single Nexus 80mm push enough air to cool 2 250GB hard drives?
This one's easy to answer. Yes. It takes very little airflow to make a massive difference to hard drives.

Perfect. Thanks.

theyangster, Gxcad, and Aleksi thanks for the info on Panaflo's I have been considering them also.

I'm also tempted to get a couple ofthese Yate Loons from pctekonline

Best 80mm Fan <= $5

Best 80mm Fan <= $5

Re: Best 80mm Fan <= $5

Re: Best 80mm Fan <= $5