Performance Testing

Please refer to the dedicated test setup page here as it applies to this review as well, and I did not want to go over it separately again.


Let's remind ourselves that the fan is rated for 400-1500 RPM (+/- 10%). All three fans hit an average of 1578 RPM at 100% PWM duty cycle and went down to an average of 414 RPM at 23% PWM duty cycle, staying there until 1%. That is a long ~20-100% duty-cycle range of control and close enough to the rated speed range to where I have no complaints. The standard deviation between the three fan samples is minimal too, so if these three are anything to go by, all the better. The RPM response is also very linear, which is good to see. Alongside it, I have mapped the RPM response curves for this fan vs. the older ML120 PRO that has a longer 400-2400 RPM range. I brought this drop in speed range up with Corsair, who got back to me saying it was so for two reasons: People wanted quieter fans in general, and 2400 RPM was loud enough to get them complaining despite having PWM control over it, and a higher speed PWM motor costs more, so the slower speed one here was used to offset the added cost due to addressable RGB LEDs. My problem with this is that the price points have not remained the same, so that offset is not an excuse anymore, and it's not like the addressable nature of these LEDs is being used well either.

Context is needed to talk more about the fan's performance and noise, so I have below comparison charts for some fans tested so far at set RPM values (or as near as they can get to those).


I have included fans in charts where the rated RPM is within 50 RPM of the chart cutoff point, which means that some fans are in specific charts only if their rated speed is over 50 RPM off from a threshold value (Corsair SP120 RGB, for example) or they simply do not slow down enough (NB-eLoop B12-4, for example). 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.

We see that this is where both Corsair ML120 PRO fans really shine, and the ML120 PRO RGB ends up surprising us for the better. It performed slightly better, albeit within error margins, than the non-LED version, which is fantastic given LEDs taking up space on the hub results in a shorter rotor, which usually leads to a performance deficit. So what Corsair said about a tuned rotor is likely the case here, and the ML120 PRO RGB does a great job with both fan noise and performance alike. Zero complaints here, and these will continue to be recommended for PC DIY watercooling.