Introduction

If I got a dollar each time someone asked me if or when I would review the Thermaltake (Tt) TOUGHFAN 12 fans, I could probably have retired by now. Soon after Tt announced these fans, there were near-rabid discussions online about whether these were inspired by a certain other Noctua fan, or a project Thermaltake had been working on for a while. After all, Phanteks had a similar take with the T30-120 that worked out well enough, so where do the TOUGHFAN 12 fans stack up in comparison? Time to answer that questions today, and thanks to Thermaltake for providing TechPowerUp review samples!


Thermaltake had originally gotten in touch about reviews a while back, and shipped samples while I was still working on my review backlog. A series of unfortunate incidents then delayed this review more than I would have liked, so I do appreciate everyone patiently waiting for it. What I do have here is not just the TOUGHFAN 12, but also the TOUGHFAN 12 Turbo, both of which will be covered in this article. Both are effectively the same fan but with different motors tuned to a different maximum RPM, and testing both together also shows whether the two perform identically or at least similarly enough within error margins, including at the same fan speeds. Let's take a closer look at both fans now, beginning with the product specification in the tables below.

Specifications

Packaging and Accessories

In its infinite wisdom, Thermaltake decided to ignore my suggestions to send more than just one sample, which personal experience has shown can pose an issue if the single sample sent is damaged in transit. One of the reasons I chose to cover the two fans in a single review is that the TOUGHFAN 12 Turbo shares a large RPM range with the TOUGHFAN 12. Both product boxes come inside a plastic wrap, and we see a similar design language on the packaging, too. The renders on the front confirm a slight visual difference on the rotor between fans, and the rest of the box follows up with specifications and features for the respective fan.


A seal and double flap in the middle keep the contents in place, and opening the box, we are greeted to an open cardboard container for further protection to the fan. The cable is placed between the fan and an accessory box below, so it acts as a shock absorber of sorts. I would have rather seen a separate compartment with a cutout for the cable, especially with the 4-pin connector potentially strained at an angle.


On the other hand, having a dedicated box for the accessories prevents anything loose from hitting the fans. I have seen too many screw sets inside a plastic bag placed between the rotor blades, with some having gotten into the gap between the rotor and motor/bearing itself. Both the TOUGHFAN 12 and TOUGHFAN 12 Turbo get a set of four self-tapping shorter metal screws and a set of four 30 mm long screws with the bottom section UNC 6-32 threaded for AIOs and DIY radiators. It's a weird choice since radiators typically come with their own screws, especially as very few use UNC 6-32, so this may be a sign of Tt wanting to target the CLC market and providing a set of fresh, new screws to help seal the deal somehow? Regardless, the TOUGHFAN 12 also gets an exclusive accessory in the form of a low-noise cable (LNC), which is an adapter that is likely a resistor in series to lower the current draw to the fan motor, which reduces RPM. If interested in the TOUGHFAN 12 Turbo over the regular TOUGHSPAN 12, you will have probably gotten it for the higher fan speeds anyway. However, also seeing the cable included there would have been nice, especially as the TOUGHFAN 12 Turbo costs more as well.