Noise Levels and Fan Speeds

Testing Procedure

Fan noise testing is done at 25%, 50%, and 100% fan speed, with the dBA level being recorded by a Pyle PSPL25 sound pressure level meter at a distance of 30 cm. The fan(s) RPM results are taken at the same 25%, 50%, and 100% settings. These speeds are handled by MSI's Command Center software, and a Lamptron FC6 fan controller is also used as a secondary method of confirming RPM and dBA readings in case MSI's Command Center cannot control the fan(s), which ensures that proper results can still be obtained if the software fails. To give users the noise profile of the tested CPU cooler, testing is done using fan speed percentages instead of various load levels.

Noise Levels

The Thermalright Silver Arrow ITX is very quiet, hitting 39 dBA with the fan at max RPM. To put its performance into perspective: It is the quietest cooler with an active fan I have tested thus far. Not even Noctua's coolers come close in terms of noise, which makes this an impressive feat, especially when considering the performance on offer.

Fan Speeds

Looking at its RPM readings at 25%, 50%, and 100%, noise levels match recorded fan speeds well. The maximum RPM of 1288 is the lowest of all tested coolers, which explains the low noise levels. It, however, also shows that Thermalright has a solid design on their hands as performance is top-notch when noise levels and fan speed are considering. This is, all in all, an efficient cooler.