Size of a case fan determines how much air it can pull into a PC case or exhaust out of one.
You will need to keep your components cool in order to play games and get the most performance out of your PC. Ample cooling will also avoid any damage that might be caused to your hardware due to heat and will ensure that you have a stable system.
In this article, you’ll learn there are numerous things to keep in mind when picking the right 120mm case fan for your PC! Gamers usually want long gaming sessions without any worries about their computer overheating.
Premium Pick
- Quiet Case Fan
- 300-1500rpm Speed
- Includes Anti-vibration Pads
Budget Pick
- Available in LED Colors
- Very Affordable
- 50,000 Life Hours
The Best 120mm Case Fans in 2020
1. Arctic F12 – Best 120mm Case Fan
The Arctic F12 is our top pick of 120mm case fans available on the market. This case fan has got a unique and simple design. The case fan offers great ventilation at an affordable price.
Low Noise Case Fan
The fans use fluid dynamic bearings which are as quiet as sleeve bearings but are more durable. The Arctic F12 can run at 1,350 RPM at 12V. They offer 74 CFM of airflow.
Pros
- Fluid Dynamic Bearing
- Long Life.
- High RPM
Cons
- No LEDs
2. Noctua NF-F12 – Premium 120mm Fan
The Noctua NF-F12 seven blades that are highly optimized to provide a balance between power and quietness. This ensures that ample airflow is provided but not at the cost of additional noise. This is a feature that a regular cheap fan does not offer.
Premium Case Fan
The Noctua NF-F12 is an expensive option but the higher price is what you will need to pay if you want silent operation without compromising airflow.
The Noctua NF-F12 comes with integrated anti-vibration pads which are made from extra-soft silicone materials. These anti-vibration pads minimize vibrations and reduce noise. The fan comes with a special SSO bearing in order to increase durability.
Pros
- SSO bearings
- Low-Noise Adapter
- 4-pin connector
- Ultra-quiet operation
Cons
- Expensive
- No LEDs
3. Cooler Master SickleFlow – Budget 120mm Fan
The Cooler Master SickleFlow case fan is designed for gamers who want to keep their gaming pc cool but also want the rig to look great as well. The case fan offers 69.69 CFM of airflow. Not only does it provide ample airflow, but it is silent as well. The company claims that the only produce 19dBA of sound, which is very low indeed.
Budget LED Case Fan
Cooler Master SickleFlow is one of the bestselling 120mm case fan available on the market and that’s because it offers noise-free operation and at such a low price. If you want a silent PC then this is something that you should get for your case.
This case fan comes with a silent yet fast application. The 19dBA silent application of the case fan is perfect for CPU cooling with reduced noise. The company also claims that the fan will last 50,000 hours, which means that it is very durable.
Read also: Best Cases for Water Cooling
Pros
- Affordable price
- High airflow
- Ultra-silent
- RoHS compatible
- Recommended for many gaming cases
- Very durable
Cons
- Not a PWM Fan
- Comes with 3-pin connector
4. Corsair ML120
Corsair ML120 is a case fan comes with magnetic levitation technology which reduces the amount of noise. This ensures that the fans can operate at 2000 RPM while remaining silent. The custom rotor design provides a perfect balance between high static pressure and high airflow.
Magnetic Levitation Fan
The Corsair ML120 is one of the most advanced 120mm case fans available on the market. That is why Corsair is charging a premium for these fans. If money is no object and what you want is the greatest fan on the market then this is what you should look into.
Pros
- Magnetic Bearing
- Durable
- Longer Lifespan
- Custom rotor design
- 2,000 RPM
Cons
- Pricey
5. Corsair Air Series AF120
The Corsair Air Series AF120 is a case fan comes with LED lighting and custom molded blades that are specially designed to increase airflow. The fan produces a noise of the only 25.2dBA and can deliver 52.19 CFM of airflow. At 12V the fans run at 1500 RPM, which is very impressive keeping in mind the low noise that they produce.
Great Value
The Corsair Air Series AF120 case fan will get the job done and will look good while doing so. If you want to add a bit of character to your setup in an effort to make airflow better then you should look into getting these fans.
Read also: Best Fan Controller
Pros
- Low noise
- 3-pin connector
- LED lights
- 1500 RPM
Cons
- No major cons to specify
6. Rosewill 120mm Case Fan
The Rosewill case fans come with sleeve bearings. These bearings are long are durable and provide better airflow. The fan speed is 1500 RPM and the airflow is 38.2 CFM. While the airflow is lower than other fans on this list, the Rosewill case fans only produce 22 dBA of noise. The fan starts at 7V and will go up to 12V.
4-Pack Case Fans
These fans are great keeping in mind the performance and the price. If you want case fans that do their job and do not break the bank then you should consider these.
Pros
- Affordable price
- Simple design
- Durable
- Silent operation
Cons
- No LEDs
7. Cooler Master Sleeve
The Cooler Master Sleeve bearing case fan is specially made for gamers who want the temperature of their system and noise in check. While these fans provide significant airflow, the only produce 19 dBA of noise, which is amazing.
These fans are great value for money. If you are looking for fans that will get the job done but won’t cost too much then you need not look any further.
Pros
- Higher air flow
- Durable design
- Sleeve Bearings
- RoHS compliant
Cons
- Colors are not good enough
8. Antec TrueQuiet
The Antec TrueQuiet comes with a 2-way switch with which you can easily adjust the speed of the fan. The unique fan blades with silicone grommets reduce noise. There are two modes in which the fans run. In silent mode, the fans only produce 8.9 dBA of noise but the max fan speed is limited to 600 RPM.
Antec TrueQuiet is a case fan specially designed for people who don’t want any noise from their gaming pc. If that is what you want then you should look into picking up these fans.
Then we have the max airflow mode in which the fan speed is increased to 1000 RPM. This increases the noise level to 19.9 dBA, which is still impressive indeed.
Pros
- Affordable price
- Ultra-quiet operation
- 2-way switch
- Easy installation
- High airflow
Cons
- No LEDs
Factors to Consider When Buying Case Fans
You might be tempted to pick up the cheapest option on the market but that is not something that we can recommend. Here are a couple of things that you need to keep in mind when you are in the market for case fans.
Size
Here we are going to look into 120mm fans as they are the standard size and they can easily fit into pretty much any gaming case.
Aesthetics
Just because the fans seem to have a boring job does not mean that they have to look boring too. There are plenty of options when it comes to aesthetics. You can match the color of the fans with the rest of your build. You can have fans that come with LED lights.
Nowadays fans come with RGB lights that can be controlled to offer all kinds of different effects. If other components of your build have RGB lighting then you could get RGB fans to match the theme of your build.
Noise
Many case fans that offer higher RPM (revolution per minute) produce noise. While there are fans on the market that are silent as compared to others, you will need to make a trade-off between fan speed and noise. The faster the fans spin the more noise they will make. If you would rather have a silent system, then you should opt for the fans that are quieter.
Speed
The speed of a fan is measured in RPM. RPM stands for revolutions per second. While a high-speed fan will provide better airflow, it will also produce additional noise. What you need is a balance between the two. A fan that offers decent speeds but does not produce a lot of noise.
Bearings
Case fans use different types of bearings. Each type has its pros and cons. Here we are going to look into the different types of bearings used in case fans so that you have a basic understanding of what you are buying.
Sleeve Bearing
Case fans that use sleeve bearing are normally inexpensive. That is one of the reasons why they are so popular. While these are cheaper than other types of fans they are also not as durable. They will last a year or two.
Ball Bearing
Ball bearings are found in high-end fans. These fans offer high airflow and are expensive because they are more durable and produce less noise.
Rifle Bearing
In simple terms, fans that use rifle bearings are better than sleeve bearing fans but not as good as ball-bearing fans.
Conclusion
These are all the 120mm case fans that we can recommend based on the features that they have to offer as well as the price point.
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