[Hardware] Which series of fans is best for PC? The CORSAIR ML or the HDs?

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Although we have covered multiple articles about fans, when it comes to comparing and choosing, the average user is always in doubt. And it is normal, the specifications are often not understood, in others they are of little value because they do not conform to reality and finally there is the issue of design and price, since the RGB or ARGB system is as important as the final cost . If we compare the CORSAIR ML and HD series, which is better? In what scenarios do they perform as expected? Which one to buy?

It is one of the eternal questions and surely looking at the specifications you have asked yourself: pure performance, ARGB lighting, sound or price? It is not easy to choose, because in these cases you usually have to give up one or several aspects that are attractive to get something that suits us better for our PC.

CORSAIR ML, different options for different needs
ML140-Pro-RGB-16

That could be the main motto that one of the two fans is going to give as a favorite, but first we have to understand how far the madrigera of the rabbit goes. Why? Well, because although the HD series is only available as a single type of fan with two different sizes and features (120 mm and 140 mm), the ML range is much broader:

ML120 and ML140
ML120 PRO and ML140 PRO

ML120 PRO LED White, ML120 PRO LED Red
ML140 PRO LED Blue, ML140 PRO LED Red
ML120 PRO RGB and ML140 PRO RGB
Therefore, and having seen what we have seen, it is best to compare by sizes, that is, 120 mm vs 120 mm and 140 mm vs 140 mm, so we will maintain an order and we can get out of doubt, since comparing fans of different sizes is not useful since that is something that we have to be clear before reading further.

CORSAIR ML PRO and PRO LED Series
It is undoubtedly the one that is going to give us the least problems, mainly because they meet the same conditions in all its fans, including the LEDs. The 120 mm ones reach 2400 RPM, while the 140 mm ones stay at 2000 RPM, likewise, all have rubber corners (different colors), magnetic levitation support and in the RGB versions an LED concentrator, which the versions normal do not have.

CORSAIR ML Series
This is the cropped version of its superior brothers, it has almost all the qualities and only two differences: the color and the corner pieces that are not interchangeable and are on the contrary fixed. They achieve the same RPM and the same benefits at a lower price.

CORSAIR ML120 PRO RGB and ML140 PRO RGB
Although it falls within the PRO range, they really should have been called something else, because from PRO they only have the design and the magnetic levitation. Here CORSAIR had to include four RGB controllers that can be controlled by software and that detracts from the final performance since these fans stay at 1600 RPM, with 25 dBA and 1.78 mmH2O of static pressure moving 47.3 CFM of air.

The 140mm version is even shorter in performance at just 1200 RPM, 20.4 dBA, 1.27 mmH2O and 55.4 CFM, therefore these fans are clearly underperforming and the 'worst' in the world. from the ML range.

HD series

The HD series is the middle ground between all the ML series and this is curious, since the focus of the fan is in itself different. It is not a fan with magnetic levitation like its rivals and brothers, but it is FDB and although it has PWM and it is an RGB fan, it does not have support for iCUE, something that the ML PRO RGB does.

Its 7 effects are controlled by a kind of external knob or controller called the HD Lighting Controller that has three physical buttons: Mode, Color and Speed. In this way we can control the lighting effect, at least partially, because although it integrates 12 RGB LEDs, they are not fully customizable.

What do we gain here then? Well, better performance compared to its RGB rivals, since they are capable of reaching 1725 RPM with a loudness of 30 dBA, a static pressure of 2.25 mmH2O and an air flow of 54.4 CFM. Its 140mm version drops to 1350 RPM with 28.6 dBA, 1.85 mmH2O and 74 CFM, which is surprising.

CORSAIR ML VS HD SERIES in 120mm
As for the ML120 PWM, ML120 PRO, ML120 PRO LED series, there is not much to discuss here, since in performance and loudness they are well above the HD120 RGB. Although all have a nearly equal frame, the number of blades of the latter is increased to achieve a more beautiful and natural RGB effect. There is not much to scratch here since they are two different segments if not totally different, but ...

If we compare the HD120 RGB with the ML120 PRO RGB here things become interesting. The difference between these two fans is just 125 RPM, which even falls into that + -10% tolerance at revs. It is surprising that with this scarce difference the decibels skyrocket by 5 units, which is quite a lot even though we cannot perceive it in our ears as such.