EKWB Updates Their Kits With Newer, Extended Range 120 mm Fans

VSG · Mar 19, 2019

EK , the leading premium liquid cooling gear manufacturer, is boosting the performance of their kits with a newer revision of EK-Vardar fans. The majority of ever-popular EK liquid cooling kits are getting new fans with a wider speed range which will allow quieter operation or more cooling power. The previous EK-Vardar F3-120 fans that had a maximum of 1850 RPM are now switched out for F4-120ER fans with a maximum RPM of 2200, which means that users will be able to get even more performance out of our liquid cooling kits. Aside from that, the ER (extended range), has a PWM duty cycle of 25-100%, compared to 50-100% on the previous F3-120 model. In practice, that means customers will be able to make their entire loop more silent in periods when their PC is not under heavy load.

Full performance on demand or whisper-quiet operation in idle mode, these are two crucial pieces which are key in liquid cooling! Flexibility is one of the key aspects of custom liquid cooling. The ability to have a completely silent high-end system, or have it perform insanely cool when gaming or doing high-load operations is key. The newly upgraded EK-Vardar fans do just that!

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

Ferrum Master · Mar 19, 2019

I wonder if the fan driver is the same. ER and had the same vs stock, just different resistor speed values.

The most annoying thing... the motor coils tend to tick at low RPM... quit using them that why.

diatribe · Mar 19, 2019

Based on VSG's testing and my personal observations, the F4-120ER's can spin very slowly and run in near silence. I think their low end is around 350 RPM and they are pretty much silent at 750 RPM.

Ferrum Master · Mar 19, 2019

diatribe said:
Based on VSG's testing and my personal observations, the F4-120ER's can spin very slowly and run in near silence. I think their low end is around 350 RPM and they are pretty much silent at 750 RPM.

Even around 300RPM, I had them, it is not turbulent noise created by the blades, those are the motor coils, they sometimes resonate and create ticking sounds at certain RPM's.

VSG · Mar 19, 2019

Ferrum Master said:
Even around 300RPM, I had them, it is not turbulent noise created by the blades, those are the motor coils, they sometimes resonate and create ticking sounds at certain RPM's.

Motor and bearing noise is especially audible when airflow noise is not a factor, i.e. at low fan speeds. The EK-Vardar fans have suffered from a big bad batch of ball bearings in the past, the newer EVO ones with the hydrodynamic bearings are better in this regard.

Ferrum Master · Mar 19, 2019

VSG said:
Motor and bearing noise is especially audible when airflow noise is not a factor, i.e. at low fan speeds. The EK-Vardar fans have suffered from a big bad batch of ball bearings in the past, the newer EVO ones with the hydrodynamic bearings are better in this regard.

Ye you are right, I had to change to bearings after half a year of usage. But that's not the case this time. It is the motor as the click is high pitched, It happens at certain loads at low RPM (ie pressure or how dense the rad is), using as case fan(the thing it is not meant for) you cannot trigger it, less energy needed to maintain motion. Well it can't be that I had so much duds of Vardar fans, I had like 5 of them. ER's and non ER and one Furious(RIP almost cut my finger off with this one lol). I have an ultra silent system and not deaf yet and room noise is very low.

I am just hoping they updated the board.

Camm · Mar 19, 2019

Still waiting on 140mm RGB Vardars...

phill · Mar 19, 2019

Is it just me as I prefer to keep fans spinning at a constant speed rather than making them speed up, slow down, up, down.... I understand the noise for some is an issue but you're never going to make things completely silent, you will have some sort of noise ...

Ferrum Master · Mar 19, 2019

phill said:
Is it just me as I prefer to keep fans spinning at a constant speed rather than making them speed up, slow down, up, down.... I understand the noise for some is an issue but you're never going to make things completely silent, you will have some sort of noise ...

Nope, you can manage to get pretty silent...

When you browse, read, silence is a must... you can have it for sure...

When doing gaming, then yeah... you can unleash the kraken...

Well, you have to work on your setup pretty hard to have it, especially if you also do OC, but on stock machines... the only thing that spins is CPU cooler. GPU and PSU are on zero mode.

TheoneandonlyMrK · Mar 19, 2019

Ferrum Master said:
Nope, you can manage to get pretty silent...

When you browse, read, silence is a must... you can have it for sure...

When doing gaming, then yeah... you can unleash the kraken...

Well, you have to work on your setup pretty hard to have it, especially if you also do OC, but on stock machines... the only thing that spins is CPU cooler. GPU and PSU are on zero mode.

I go constant load with a managed noise verses temperature range that keeps it at fairly consistent points but is reactive to change ,for 9 fans it's not bad ,i love the varders but mine run at 1200 rpm ish all the time.

AmioriK · Mar 19, 2019

I'm a fan of this.

Ferrum Master · Mar 20, 2019

theoneandonlymrk said:
I go constant load with a managed noise verses temperature range that keeps it at fairly consistent points but is reactive to change ,for 9 fans it's not bad ,i love the varders but mine run at 1200 rpm ish all the time.

At 1200RPM they are fine. It starts under 800, around 400 If I recall it corectly. Motor ticking sound is rarely discussed as such btw. It is in the same mythical boat with GPU or PSU Coil whine. Some people does not pay attetion to things like that at all.

Well I got old Nidec Typhoons, I am happy with them so far. They have their own flaws also, but I can live with that.

INSTG8R · Mar 20, 2019

Ferrum Master said:
Nope, you can manage to get pretty silent...

When you browse, read, silence is a must... you can have it for sure...

When doing gaming, then yeah... you can unleash the kraken...

Well, you have to work on your setup pretty hard to have it, especially if you also do OC, but on stock machines... the only thing that spins is CPU cooler. GPU and PSU are on zero mode.

Yep run Noctua Industrials 35C is my 2000rpm “Kraken”

Caring1 · Mar 20, 2019

Funny how they only mention silent when in low RPM state.
I'm more interested in CFM and Db.

System Name	HELLSTAR
Processor	AMD RYZEN 9 5950X
Motherboard	ASUS Strix X570-E
Cooling	2x 360 + 280 rads. 3x Gentle Typhoons, 3x Phanteks T30, 2x TT T140 . EK-Quantum Momentum Monoblock.
Memory	4x8GB G.SKILL Trident Z RGB F4-4133C19D-16GTZR 14-16-12-30-44
Video Card(s)	Sapphire Pulse RX 7900XTX. Water block. Crossflashed.
Storage	Optane 900P[Fedora] + WD BLACK SN850X 4TB + 750 EVO 500GB + 1TB 980PRO+SN560 1TB(W11)
Display(s)	Philips PHL BDM3270 + Acer XV242Y
Case	Lian Li O11 Dynamic EVO
Audio Device(s)	SMSL RAW-MDA1 DAC
Power Supply	Fractal Design Newton R3 1000W
Mouse	Razer Basilisk
Keyboard	Razer BlackWidow V3 - Yellow Switch
Software	FEDORA 41

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Processor	Intel i7-12700k
Motherboard	Asus Strix Z690-A GAMING WIFI D4
Cooling	Custom loop with 9x120mm radiator area
Memory	Team 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4@4133 C18-18-18
Video Card(s)	Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 on Heatkiller block
Storage	10TB SSD: Samsung 970 PRO 512GB (OS), Samsung 980 PRO 2TB, ADATA SX8200 PRO 2TB/500GB, 4TB/1TB MX500
Display(s)	Samsung 34" G85SB OLED, Samsung Odyssey
Case	Phanteks ENTHOO 719 (grey)
Audio Device(s)	Creative Sound BlasterX AE-5, Logitech Z906 5.1 speaker system
Power Supply	Cooler Master V1200, custom sleeved white cables
Mouse	Logitech G502
Keyboard	Corsair K70 Lux RGB
Software	Windows 10 Pro 64-bit (maybe 11 soon?)

System Name	HELLSTAR
Processor	AMD RYZEN 9 5950X
Motherboard	ASUS Strix X570-E
Cooling	2x 360 + 280 rads. 3x Gentle Typhoons, 3x Phanteks T30, 2x TT T140 . EK-Quantum Momentum Monoblock.
Memory	4x8GB G.SKILL Trident Z RGB F4-4133C19D-16GTZR 14-16-12-30-44
Video Card(s)	Sapphire Pulse RX 7900XTX. Water block. Crossflashed.
Storage	Optane 900P[Fedora] + WD BLACK SN850X 4TB + 750 EVO 500GB + 1TB 980PRO+SN560 1TB(W11)
Display(s)	Philips PHL BDM3270 + Acer XV242Y
Case	Lian Li O11 Dynamic EVO
Audio Device(s)	SMSL RAW-MDA1 DAC
Power Supply	Fractal Design Newton R3 1000W
Mouse	Razer Basilisk
Keyboard	Razer BlackWidow V3 - Yellow Switch
Software	FEDORA 41

System Name	HELLSTAR
Processor	AMD RYZEN 9 5950X
Motherboard	ASUS Strix X570-E
Cooling	2x 360 + 280 rads. 3x Gentle Typhoons, 3x Phanteks T30, 2x TT T140 . EK-Quantum Momentum Monoblock.
Memory	4x8GB G.SKILL Trident Z RGB F4-4133C19D-16GTZR 14-16-12-30-44
Video Card(s)	Sapphire Pulse RX 7900XTX. Water block. Crossflashed.
Storage	Optane 900P[Fedora] + WD BLACK SN850X 4TB + 750 EVO 500GB + 1TB 980PRO+SN560 1TB(W11)
Display(s)	Philips PHL BDM3270 + Acer XV242Y
Case	Lian Li O11 Dynamic EVO
Audio Device(s)	SMSL RAW-MDA1 DAC
Power Supply	Fractal Design Newton R3 1000W
Mouse	Razer Basilisk
Keyboard	Razer BlackWidow V3 - Yellow Switch
Software	FEDORA 41

System Name	ATHENA
Processor	AMD 7950X
Motherboard	ASUS Crosshair X670E Extreme
Cooling	ASUS ROG Ryujin III 360, 13 x Lian Li P28
Memory	2x32GB Trident Z RGB 6000Mhz CL30
Video Card(s)	ASUS 4090 STRIX
Storage	3 x Kingston Fury 4TB, 4 x Samsung 870 QVO
Display(s)	Acer X38S, Wacom Cintiq Pro 15
Case	Lian Li O11 Dynamic EVO
Audio Device(s)	Topping DX9, Fluid FPX7 Fader Pro, Beyerdynamic T1 G2, Beyerdynamic MMX300
Power Supply	Seasonic PRIME TX-1600
Mouse	Xtrfy MZ1 - Zy' Rail, Logitech MX Vertical, Logitech MX Master 3
Keyboard	Logitech G915 TKL
VR HMD	Oculus Quest 2
Software	Windows 11 + Universal Blue

EKWB Updates Their Kits With Newer, Extended Range 120 mm Fans

VSG

Editor, Reviews & News

Ferrum Master

diatribe

Ferrum Master

VSG

Editor, Reviews & News

Ferrum Master

Camm

phill

Moderator

Ferrum Master

TheoneandonlyMrK

AmioriK

Ferrum Master

INSTG8R

Vanguard Beta Tester

Caring1

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Mouse	Corsair thingy
Keyboard	Razer something or other....
VR HMD	No headset yet
Software	Windows 11 OS... Not a fan!!
Benchmark Scores	I've actually never benched it!! Too busy with WCG and FAH and not gaming! :( :( Not OC'd it!! :(

System Name	RyzenGtEvo/ Asus strix scar II
Processor	Amd R5 5900X/ Intel 8750H
Motherboard	Crosshair hero8 impact/Asus
Cooling	360EK extreme rad+ 360$EK slim all push, cpu ek suprim Gpu full cover all EK
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Video Card(s)	Powercolour RX7900XT Reference/Rtx 2060
Storage	Silicon power 2TB nvme/8Tb external/1Tb samsung Evo nvme 2Tb sata ssd/1Tb nvme
Display(s)	Samsung UAE28"850R 4k freesync.dell shiter
Case	Lianli 011 dynamic/strix scar2
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Audio Device(s)	Soundblaster ZX/Logitech Z906 5.1
Power Supply	Seasonic TX~’850 Platinum
Mouse	G502 Hero
Keyboard	G19s
VR HMD	Oculus Quest 3
Software	Win 11 Pro x64

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Processor	AMD 5800X3D
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Cooling	Custom liquid
Memory	32 GB DDR4
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Mouse	Lenovo
Keyboard	Eweadn Mechanical
Software	W11 Pro 64 bit