By: Aaron Lai
May 1, 2015
Have you ever put a lot of effort into creating something, only to have someone else come by and say, "Hey, this already exists!" This is commonly phrased as reinventing the wheel, and refers to a duplication of a method or an object that has already been created or optimized by others. For example, if I told people I was in the middle of inventing a portable power source, which could be recharged and reused just by plugging it into an outlet, you would probably smack me, pull out your nickel metal hydride or lithium ion batteries, and tell me how many years I am behind. However, if I were to say there was a new battery technology offering years of power, decades of shelf life, you would probably turn your head to at least hear me out. If I could claim these batteries were fully rechargeable, and made from some readily-found materials, you would probably be asking me why I have not patented this yet. Thus, before I continue to write this review, I will finish submitting my patent for the newest battery technology using acetic acid and kerosene. This technology does not actually exist, but proves while you may not necessarily want to reinvent a new idea, improvement is always something to keep striving for. All kinds of technology can be optimized, whether it is to reduce power consumption, reduce heat loss, or increase performance and efficiency. Today is a review of the Fractal Design Venturi fans, both of which offer some new optimizing features focused on reducing noise, increasing efficiency, and increasing performance. While these may be small changes, I can only wonder if these have created a huge difference. Hopefully my curiosity and yours will be relieved as we get into the Fractal Design Venturi HP-12 PWM and HP-14 PWM.
Today's review unit of the two Fractal Design Venturi fans arrived from Fractal Design's offices down in Dallas, Texas. Other than Texas Instruments, this southern state is not really the most well-known for their technology products. As for the review sample itself, it arrived via FedEx International Ground. Thankfully, FedEx has done an excellent job in keeping their shipments free of dents and scratches. They are probably one of my favorite shipping companies, especially since they often deliver products on time; if not slightly earlier in damage-free boxes. I grabbed the closest scissors in my room, and quickly went to opening the box.
Inside the corrugated cardboard box are the two fans, cushioned by a large amount of brown packing paper. The two boxes you see above are the retail containers of the Fractal Design Venturi fans. Obviously, the larger box holds the HP-14 PWM, while the smaller one is the HP-12 PWM. Both of the boxes are similar in design, with the fan taking up majority of the front panel. The name is labelled at the top right side, with the Fractal Design logo on the left side. Opening up the front panel reveals multiple features described on the back of the flap, and a clear plastic window to show the fan. On the back of the boxes are even more specifications and pictures about the respective fan. The design of the box is simple and gets the job done. Like Noctua, they have a flap to reveal the fan, albeit on opposing sides of the box. Of course, if there is any fan manufacturer to take inspiration from, Noctua should be the top of the list. I should note, these are the HP, or "High pressure" series, which are intended for applications like heatsinks, or radiators. In the Venturi line, there is also the HF, or "High flow" series, which is aimed more so for case cooling. If you are interested at the specifications listed on the box, we have pulled these numbers from Fractal Design's website, for your perusing:
HP-12 PWM
Size: 120*120*25mm
Colors available: Black blades, black corners, dark grey ("Gunmetal") frame
Screw hole pattern: 105*105mm
Connector: 4-pin fan header
Bearing: FDB
Number of blades: 7
Rotational speed: 1800 RPM
Acoustical noise: 31.7 dB (A)
Maximum air flow: 61.4 CFM, 104.3 m3/h
Maximum pressure: 2.3mm H2O
Actual input power: 1.0 W
Maximum rated input current: 0.2 A
Nominal input voltage: 12V
Minimum startup voltage: 6V
Low (0-20%) PWM speed: 400 RPM
Low PWM Static pressure: 0.45 mm H2O
Low PWM Air flow: 15.4 CFM, 26.2 m3/h
Low PWM Noise level: < 10 dB (A)
MTBF: 150,000 hours
Unit weight: 179g
Cable length: 500mm
Cable type: Braided all-black ribbon wire
HP-14 PWM
Size: 140*140*25mm
Colors available: Black blades, black corners, dark grey ("Gunmetal") frame
Screw hole pattern: 125*125mm, 105*105mm
Connector: 4-pin fan header
Bearing: FDB
Number of blades: 7
Rotational speed: 1500 RPM
Acoustical noise: 30.1 dB (A)
Maximum air flow: 78.1 CFM, 132.7 m3/h
Maximum pressure: 1.94mm H2O
Actual input power: 1.4 W
Maximum rated input current: 0.2 A
Nominal input voltage: 12V
Minimum startup voltage: 7V
Low (0-20%) PWM speed: 400 RPM
Low PWM Static pressure: 0.54 mm H2O
Low PWM Air flow: 24.0 CFM, 40.8 m3/h
Low PWM Noise level: < 10 dB (A)
MTBF [hours]: 150,000
Unit weight: 210g
Cable length: 500mm
Cable type: Braided all-black ribbon wire
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. A Closer Look - Hardware
3. Performance Tests
4. Conclusion
