Page 3 - Performance Tests
To test the performance of the Thermaltake SWAFAN 12 RGB, our proprietary testing method invented right here at APH Networks was used. Although this test may not be the most comprehensive of tests, the results are qualitatively displayed at a minimum cost by using a piece of tissue paper and tape. As shown in the above photos, a piece of tissue paper was attached on the top of a fan. The tissue paper should be able to naturally fall down and cover the air outlet side –- the side where the motor rack is located –- of the fan. The fan is placed on the edge of a table to prevent air from reflecting off any other surface to not skew results. Once the fans were powered on, the airflow, airflow consistency, and the amount of static pressure can be evaluated by observing the behavior of the tissue paper.
Taking a look at the picture above, the tissue was barely raised evenly on both sides of the fan indicated how air is evenly distributed. Further away from the fan, you can see some consistency in the airflow, despite not being raised too much. The 2000 RPM was not noticeable when looking at the tissue. I found the fan did not produce enough airflow or static pressure to pick up the paper. Speaking towards the consistency, the tissue paper held in place well and did not move erratically. This indicates decently steady airflow passing out the exit side of the Thermaltake SWAFAN 12 RGB. This performance was quite mediocre even in comparison to other RGB LED fans like the Cooler Master MasterFan MF120 Halo. When comparing the two sets of images between the Thermaltake SWAFAN 12 RGB's regular and reverse blades, we found a similar performance. The most noticeable difference was the reduced air pressure as seen by how the tissue is barely being picked up closer to the fan, but otherwise, the other characteristics were near identical.
Sound is another important factor when testing fans, as we want a good balance between performance and noise. There are limitations, as sound can be quite subjective to both the listener and the environment of the fans. The noise levels of this fan are tested independently in a quiet room with all other noises from our system isolated to ensure we are testing the fan alone. We rate the perceived noise on a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 is absolute silence and 10 is an explosion. For the Thermaltake SWAFAN 12 RGB at maximum speed, I would rate these fans at about 3.0/10. These fans stayed relatively quiet at their maximum 2000 RPM speed. However, when you consider the low airflow and air pressure output, it is not surprising these fans are generally quiet.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Hardware
3. Performance Tests
4. Conclusion
