Performance Testing

Please refer to the dedicated test setup page as it applies to this review as well and I did not want to go over it separately to save on review space.


CORSAIR rates the RPM range of the AF120 ELITE from 400 to 1850 RPM. Of course, there will be variations between samples, and airflow resistances will play a big role, too. But I am happy to report that all three samples went from an essentially spot on average 1854 RPM at 100% PWM down to a really low 180 RPM at 10% following which the fans actually turned off. Indeed, the AF120 ELITE boasts a zero-RPM mode that allows for no fan noise at idle operation with the fans only turning on based on your set fan profiles. Needless to say, this is a long RPM range of control and the numbers match the rated values well enough—going even lower is a bonus in my books. I will also mention that it's a fairly linear response too and the standard deviation between the three samples is also quite low. The fans turning off meant it was the ambient 19 dBA of the anechoic chamber that's being measured at 0 RPM, for those wondering. I did not experience any bearing noise either, so things are looking good! Context is needed to talk more about the fan's relative performance and noise, so I have below comparison charts for some fans tested at set RPM values, or as near as they can get to those.


The charts above help put the AF120 ELITE in better context with the chosen RPM values reflecting usage scenarios most popular with watercooling, although some fans go higher as is the case here. The charts are to be considered for comparison within this result set only and are not to be compared with results from another test elsewhere owing to different testing conditions. Note that these are average values for all samples of each fan and do not reflect any sample variation, and I will also place another caveat here given these are intended by CORSAIR to be airflow optimized for use as case fans rather than radiator fans. As such, the larger noise generated here ends up being held back somewhat by the lower airflow pushed through the radiator where other static pressure-optimized fans do better. Based on a few quick experiments, I can say the AF120 Elite does push far more air when up against less airflow restriction such as a case filter.


Instead of having CFM/dBA charts that can potentially be taken for more than they really offer, I am going to show three fans as a comparison for further context. These include the subject of this review—the CORSAIR AF120 ELITE—in addition to its sibling the iCUE SP120 RGB ELITE that I expected to outperform the AF120 ELITE here. Instead, we see the AF120 ELITE is louder but also pushes more air through the radiator to where it actually ends up outperforming the SP120 RGB ELITE from a performance/noise basis. I speculate the larger blades here as a result of not having to worry about fitting in RGB LEDs helps, and the rotor design is also quite good for hybrid airflow operations in the first place. I've also added in one of the best radiator fans on the market in the form of the be quiet! Silent Wings Pro 4—another 120 x 120 x 25 mm fan without LEDs—to show you that the AF120 ELITE does well at relatively low fan speeds but then gets bested more the faster the fans spin to where those who are strictly watercooling with radiators can do better.