Page 2 - Physical Look - Hardware
As I have mentioned on the previous page, the lineup of HYTE FA12 fans are so users can acquire color matching fans with their HYTE cases, as these align with all their ATX-sized cases, including the X50, Y70, Y60, and Y40. For our Taro Milk variant, only the HYTE X50 and Y70 come in this purple. Even so, it is nice to see case manufacturers not only offer cases with so many colors, but also to make their add-on accessories like fans also match exactly. I really appreciate how unapologetically purple it is. The whole unit, from the frame to the impeller, is the same shade. The only thing that does not match is the white cable, and while I could criticize for this omission, I am still happy to see most parts of the unit in one shade. Also, HYTE has not put some mismatched labels in black or white on the fan either, as you will see on the other side. I also think this Taro Milk stands out, as few other companies make purple products. The HYTE "H" logo is in the middle of the fan. On each corner, you can see the screw mounting holes have a color-matching rubber insert inside to damp vibrations between the fan and the case.
Internally, the HYTE FA12 fans use fluid dynamic bearings. These have an internal lubricant, which is usually some sort of viscous fluid or oil. When the impeller rotates and spins, the fluid is distributed throughout, creating a thin film of pressurized fluid. This reduces the fiction inside, resulting in a longer life span and lower noise compared to traditional sleeve or rifle bearings. HYTE has not provided any expected lifespan estimates.
Upon closer inspection of the HYTE FA12 fan blades, there are some notable design choices here. There is a total of nine blades on the impeller. Each fin is narrow and short. There is a sizeable gap between each fin and no overlapping areas on the fins. The angle each blade sits in comparison to the rotating middle is around 45 degrees throughout, although the blade does curve slightly. The blades hook out to create further curvature at the ends with the tips of the blade flaring out more than in the middle. Otherwise, each blade is smooth without any dimples or markings.
On the other side, four arms hold the middle area and only slightly obstruct air from passing through. This means we should have a near-maximum amount of air flowing through the passage. On the other hand, you should be careful that your fingers do not get in the way of a moving impeller, especially with the lack of any grille here. In the middle, we have a HYTE label that shows these fans are designed in Los Angeles. It also indicates the 1500RPM maximum fan speed, as well as operating voltage of 12V, current of 0.16A, and power draw of 1.8W. A cable leads out the back measuring 50cm in length. It is braided and terminated with a PWM 4-pin header.
On the topics of sound, airflow, and static pressure, the following lesson on these issues have been borrowed from my colleague Jonathan Kwan's review of the Noctua NF-F12 PWM and NF-P12 PWM fans. Noise and CFM relate to the challenge when designing fans, which is to provide the best airflow to noise ratio. One would want the best amount of airflow while keeping it as quiet as possible. Even with the best ratio, it is quite difficult to always measure objectively. The most common unit of objective measurement is CFM, or cubic feet per minute, of air for airflow, and dB noise, respectively. We will go over how application and CFM is related with regards to its standard measurements, but let us discuss perceived noise first.
dB, or Decibels, is a logarithmic unit of sound intensity. While it provides an objective measurement, it should be noted that perceived noise levels to the human ear and actual sound intensity could result in quite different things. Human ears are more sensitive to certain frequencies, and when those frequencies are emitted from their source, it may appear louder than the numbers suggest. That same can be said vice versa -- frequencies that human ears are less sensitive can have louder dB measurements from a sound meter, yet the human ears do not perceive it to be as loud as the numbers suggest. Other factors such as turbulence noise are often not measured correctly, therefore, while it usually provides a good reference, it does not necessarily reflect real life performance all the time. As such, a scaled unit of dBA, or Decibels A-weighted, is used to measure sound with it scaled to the human hearing threshold.
With regards to the application and CFM, it is generally optimal to have a fan to have a high air volume flow rate. However, pure CFM values are limited to an extent with regards to its indication on fan performance. It is not completely about how much air in can move per minute quantitatively, but equally as important is how it is executed. Airflow-to-noise ratio is an essential factor as mentioned earlier. Static pressure is also particularly important depending on application. High resistance applications such as dense fins on a large heatsink require high static pressure, while case fans need less static pressure and faster airflow. There are times where case fans will require higher static pressure too, such as the front intake fans where a mesh grille would create some resistance. Some fans are simply designed for different purposes, so choose one appropriate for your needs.
As for its specifications, the HYTE FA12 fan can operate at a maximum 1500RPM. When operating at its maximum speed, it produces 72CFM airflow, 28.0dBA noise, and 1.6mmH2O air pressure. Given its size and numbers, this is aimed at an airflow-focused fan, which is usually ideal for a case fan. However, its lower air pressure number is something to consider, especially since many cases are impeded nowadays by mesh filters and other obstructions that may make it difficult to draw air through. We will see how the HYTE FA12 fares in our testing on the next page.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Hardware
3. Performance Tests
4. Conclusion
