[Hardware] We tested the CORSAIR AF120 RGB ELITE, the best fans for PC?

[[X]pErT-]

The PC cooling market is not something that evolves by leaps and bounds... it has been what it is for many years, but the most expert manufacturers do introduce small optimizations that, all added together, have managed to substantially improve the thermal performance of their products . This is the case of the new CORSAIR AF120 RGB ELITE that we are reviewing today, fans optimized to offer the best performance with a low noise level, and with impressive configurable RGB lighting , but will they be the best fans out there for PCs? ? Let's check it out.Many years ago, Noctua introduced a major innovation in PC fans with its NF-F12 and directed airflow. Now CORSAIR has implemented a technique similar to what it has called AirGuide , and which consists of installing conductors on the back of the fan so that the air is directed forward and not dispersed, thus improving its cooling efficiency. This and much more is what these Premium category fans offer us... let's see if they are as "Elite" as CORSAIR saw them or if, on the contrary, they are ordinary RGB fans.In the table above we have given you the technical specifications of the two models of this family of fans, since they are available in both 120 and 140 mm (and both with RGB and without it, although in this case we focus only on the models with RGB). The 120mm model that is the one we are reviewing today has a maximum speed of 2,100 RPM, generating up to 65.57 CFM of airflow and up to 2.68mm/H2O of static pressure, quite high numbers considering that it is only 120mm. .Additionally, these fans have the ability to run in Zero RPM mode, which is that they will literally shut off when the system is idle to reduce system noise. All in all, they are not particularly noisy fans, although it is true that with those 34.1 dBA of maximum noise they are not the quietest on the market either (it must also be taken into account that although other fans are quieter, it is usually because they work well below those 2,100 RPM of the AF! 20 RGB ELITE).Of course, we are dealing with fans with RGB, and in this case they incorporate 8 individually configurable RGB LEDs on each fan. To do this, CORSAIR sells them in packs of three fans that include a Lighting Node CORE, so that we can connect them together and easily configure them thanks to iCUE, the brand's unified software.

 

Unboxing and external analysis

As we just mentioned, we are going to analyze a pack of three fans that include a Lighting Node CORE for the RGB connection of all of them, so they come packaged in a box all together. As usual, on the front side the manufacturer shows us an image of the devices, accompanied by the brand, model and some of its characteristics, such as the fact that the Lighting Node CORE is includedIn this case, we find that the CORSAIR AF120 RGB ELITE stays in the middle of the table, with a performance that is not bad at all but also does not place them as the most powerful fans for PCs. It is clear that the manufacturer wanted to find a good balance between performance and noise, and we honestly believe that they have achieved it quite wellNow... are we looking at the best fans you can buy for PC? Probably not, but what is certain is that these fans are good at everything (especially in terms of static pressure, so if you intend to use them for a heatsink or radiator, you will gain a lot of performance) and that, since then, if you decide to buy them you will not regret itFor all these reasons, we believe that they deserve our Gold award, as well as our recommendation for their performance and design.

 

https://hardzone.es/reviews/disipadores-refrigeracion/corsair-af120-rgb-elite/