By: Ben Joubert
February 22, 2019
Cell phones have drastically changed over the years. Recently, some of the more major changes have been controversial. Headphone jacks are removed and notches have been introduced. I have been sure to stick with a phone where I do not need to use a dongle to plug in my headphones, but I have succumbed to the notch trend. I know many people do not like the way it looks, but I actually appreciate the aesthetic it provides. The extra screen space in the top to take care of the many icons such as the battery percentage is really useful. It keeps a large part of the screen nice and clean. Unfortunately, many people have not loved the way this looks and there has been many jokes about it. Some notches can also be extremely big, which is where I agree it does not look very good. Interesting developments have been phone manufacturer's attempting to get rid of the notch. Some full screen designs feature a camera that pokes out, while others are almost like a slide phone with the camera sliding out. Many designs frequently take one step forward and one step back at the same time. The larger screen is great, but the notch is not always that good. Removing a headphone jack means there is more room for other features inside of the phone. This does not just happen in phones, but also in other products. Frequently, one step forward is accompanied by one step back. Today, we have the SilverStone AP142-ARGB and the AP124-ARGB addressable RGB fans. Do they take one step forward and one step back, or is it all improvements? Read on to find out!
The two SilverStone fans arrived all the way from Chino, California and arrived safely in Calgary, Alberta. FedEx did an excellent job to ensure there was barely any damage done to the shipping box. Not even the corners were beat up. The box was fairly small actually for the amount of product we received. A rectangular shaped corrugated brown box had all of the fans, as well as containing some other products we will be reviewing in the coming weeks. Inside, we find a bunch of packing peanuts to ensure the product had enough cushioning to not break during transport. All in all, FedEx did a great job at ensuring the safety of the products during transportation.
The above picture is of all the product in the shipping box. We received two of each fan, the AP142-ARGB and the AP124-ARGB. The packaging on these fans are nice and simple for the most part. The RGB functionality is immediately obvious due to the colorful fan blades, and of course the RGB badge in the top right. I appreciate the bold white lettering along the bottom indicating the name of the model. The SilverStone logo is placed discreetly in the top left of the packaging. Not much information is located on the sides, but there is quite a bit more information on the back, which lists in more detail the specifications and the contents included in the box.
Before we move on, here are the specifications from the manufacturer's website:
Specifications
SilverStone AP124-ARGB
Color: Transparent fan blades, black frame
Bearing: Dual Ball Bearing
Connectors: 4pin PWM for fan + 3pin WS2812 RGB
Rated Voltage: 12V DC
Start Voltage: 9.6V
Rated Current: 0.11A
Rated Power: 2.04W
Speed: 500 ~ 1800 rpm
Airflow: 6.37 ~ 25.5 CFM
Effective Airflow Range: 1 Meter
Static Pressure: 0.15 ~ 2.13 mmH2O
Noise Level: 19.25 ~ 23.54 dBA
Life Time: 70,000 hours
Dimensions: 120mm (L) x 120mm (W) x 25mm (H)
4.72" (L) x 4.72" (W) x 0.98" (H)
RGB LEDs: 24 PCS
SilverStone AP142-ARGB
Color: Transparent fan blades, black frame
Bearing: Dual Ball Bearing
Connectors: 4pin PWM for fan + 3pin WS2812 RGB
Rated Voltage: 12V DC
Start Voltage: 9.6V
Rated Current: 0.11A
Rated Power: 3.84W
Speed: 500 ~ 1500 rpm
Airflow: 13.62 ~ 44.2 CFM
Effective Airflow Range: 1 Meter
Static Pressure: 0.16 ~ 1.65 mmH2O
Noise Level: 18.48 ~ 23.33 dBA
Life Time: 70,000 hours
Dimensions: 140mm (L) x 140mm (W) x 25mm (H)
5.51" (L) x 5.51" (W) x 0.98" (H)
RGB LEDs: 24 PCS
Like all other fan boxes, the contents are exceedingly simple. The fans are placed in a cardboard cutout which prevents the fans from bouncing around inside, while a small plastic bag of screws and rubber mounts are also included. An extension cable and splitter cable are also included. Nothing else is included in the box, but nothing else is needed. SilverStone does a good job at providing some much needed accessories, but anything else will have to be bought separately.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Hardware
3. Performance Tests
4. Conclusion
