Scythe SY1225SL12L 120mm Review - Intro
Around 2 years ago I decided to make my PC quieter by using 2 Scythe SY1225SL12L 120mm Fans to replace the main chassi fan and also to replace 2 smaller CPU cooler fans.
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| Very Normal Looking |
I run a HP XW8400 with two dual core processors, with thermal output of 60W a piece. This arrangement worked well for 2 years. I occasionally run CPU intensive models, the rest of the time its just multitasking and PDF making.
Scythe SY1225SL12L 120mm Review - Noise Levels
The fan is almost silent run at 12V this fan spins at 800 rpm. It is so quiet you have to listen hard even to hear it. It is quieter than the Arctic Cooling F12. But the air flow is lower. . . . regardless of specs, you do not feel much air going through case with these fans. After a switch back to Artic Cooling F12 there was a notable draft going through the case.
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| Cobwebs - The BAdge of Long Service |
Scythe SY1225SL12L 120mm Review - Cooling
As mentioned above one of these Scythe SY1225SL12L will adequately cool 2 60W processors under light use. It will not cool 2 x 120W processors. I recently upgraded to 2 quad cores and even at idle the fan could not dissipate that much heat.
Scythe SY1225SL12L 120mm Review - Conclusion
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| 0.03A - Very Small Power Consumption |
The fan is quite partly because of the design of the thing, but mostly because it spins a lot slower than most fans. As it spins slower it moves less air. If you are using over a 100W processor then chances are you will need more air flow, even when run on 12V.
Environmental Permit Applications
Desktop Study
bigger case can help, too.
ReplyDeleteMore room for airflow.
My case has a top vent (as well as the usual ones) so heat can just rise - fan or no fan ...
Yep, like many "modern" case the power supply is in the bottom, with its own "cold" intake from under the case (don't stand it on carpet!)
I now that for most folks, spending 50 to 200 quid just on a case doesn't seem like a good use of cash, but "build your house on rock", and it is worth it!
A decent case is also a handy tool if you want to OC.
The modern "fatter" aftermarket cases can take some impressive air coolers or fit in some BIG radiators (even my diddly little mATX case can take a triple and a double radiator and 7 120-140 fans!)
size matters. those big 14cm and 15cm Nocyua fans for large coolers and as case fans are popular for a reason ...
ReplyDeleteme, i got 2x120, and 1x140 plus the cpu fan.
Something simple like a three-speed switch (my case has one on the front!) is handy too - if ambient temperatures are up, just turn up the fan speeds manually. if it is a cold day (or you have aircon) just turn them down again.
It is just a variable load to drop the voltage. Below about 5 volts, the fans don't spin reliably. My case has a built in controller set at 5,7 and 12 volts.
A similar rig would be easy for you to fabricate.
BUT, also think about getting a bigger case!
My new case has about twice the total internal volume of the previous case (an HP "standard" case) - it is longer, higher, and wider. MUCH more room for airflow. Indeed, it is the biggest case that will fit in my rather small work area. Get a flat top, not a stylish one, I stand a pair of routers on mine (the top vent is offset to allow for mobo placement, so the virgin router standa above the "closed" side, allowing the top fan to run next to it without obstruction).
I have a Fractal Design case. Other makes are available. And I am sure some of the bigger cases also take oversized boards, so even server boards are accomodated.
"Something simple like a three-speed switch (my case has one on the front!" - I like that.
ReplyDeleteI have used some fractal design fans they are very good. Very quite usual due to capped RPM.
The other day though. . . I killed by PC some components burnt out adjacent to one of the CPUs. I wonder if this was due to a low RPM fan not proving sufficient cooling, it coincidence with hot weather and me rebuilding 18GB outlook file, which ran for hours.