Noise Levels & 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. The selected 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 quietest cooler at 25% and 50% PWM, The H7 Universal not only offers good cooling performance, but is also very quiet. With the fan at max speed, it slips back a few spots, but is, even so, extremely quiet at just 43 dBA.

Fan Speeds

The RPM readings show a fantastic PWM range on the QF120 fan. It drops to 390 RPM at 25%, which is just fantastic, and while the fan hits a maximum RPM of 1590, it still remains quiet. Such a PWM range is fantastic because it not only allows for performance when needed without producing a lot of noise, but also provides for incredibly low noise levels in idle.

The RPM and dBA readings show that CRYORIG has done a damn good job in finding the right balance between noise and cooling performance.