Deepcool UF120 and UF140

The Deepcool UF series are about the prettiest fans you will ever see. They are all a lovely shade of sky blue and off-white, a cloud-like color. All of the UF series are PWM -- 80mm, 92mm, 120mm and 140mm. Each comes with a PWM-compatible Molex adapter (alas, with no RPM reporting wire), a PWM Y-cable with a single RPM-reporting wire to keep from confusing the motherboard, and a 7-Volt adapter (again, no RPM reporting wire). The 7 Volt adapter is interesting because it uses wires connected to the 12v and 5v Molex power wires. Alone among the UF fans and their accessories, it is not sleeved, but the 7v supply is a twisted wire pair. One final treasure among the accessories: a creamy translucent set of four of the best vibration-dampening ‘screws’ available. They are the type you would buy for yourself.

The 140mm UF140 has 120mm standard screw holes. They are placed to fit the fan where 120mm fans would normally go. In a square 120mm window, having a 140mm fan will cover the entire opening, where a 120mm fan will cover no more than 78%. This allows for more airflow or a quieter fan.



Deepcool has been sending their fans in a handsome box held shut by magnetic clasps and surrounded by a paper sleeve. It is impressive, but by the time you read this Deepcool will have replaced the elaborate packaging with a traditional box.

One feature Deepcool pioneered was the use of a vibration-absorbing layer covering the fan frames. The manufacturer shows cross sections of the frames and the coatings of the UF120 here, and the UF140 here. With Deepcool's permission, here is their picture of a cross-section of the UF140:



UF features according to Deepcool:

Product Page UF120: Here
Product Page UF140: Here



Specifications for the UF120 and UF140 at 7v are unavailable, and the rpm could not be read. However, measured in free air at 7v the SPL of the UF120 was 14 dBA, and the SPL of the UF140 was 14.5 dBA.

The PWM functions of the UF120 and UF140 were tested, using a grounded PWM wire for 0% PWM duty, and a Zalman PWM Mate to approximate 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% PWM duty. A quiet click can be heard a few inches away. To hear a faint click you must put your ear right up to the fan.

At 0-25% PWM duty the UF120 ran about 500 rpm with a quiet clicking or grinding sound. At 50% duty there is a faint fast clicking, at 75% a fainter faster click, and at 100% no clicking. The UF140 showed similar behavior: 662 rpm at 0-25% and 755 rpm at 50% PWM duty with quiet clicking or grinding; 1092 rpm at 75% PWM duty with a faint fast click, and 1250 rpm at 100% duty. At full speed the UF140 betrayed no clicking, but the frame did vibrate. Good thing it had a vibration-absorbing coating. Note that both fans responded to PWM control when they were on the 7v adapter; but they would start only with 50% PWM duty or higher.

All four fans, from 80mm to 140mm, have a solid feel, probably due to the vibration-absorbing coating on a strong frame. All the wires except the 7v adapter are closely invested with a tightly woven sleeving. The blades have three small fins on their outboard ends that indeed produce a subtle visual effect while spinning. Fans supplied by Deepcool.

BTW -- for a geek treat, go to the Deepcooltech website and peruse what else they do (here). You may especially enjoy the quick tutorial on the various tradeoffs involved in making cooling devices (‘machining process’ here). Deepcool appears to manufacture their own fans.



Enermax Cluster and Magma



Like other sets of fans from the same manufacturer, these 120mm Enermax fans share bearings and blades. Where they differ is frame, color and circuitry. Among the features they share are Batwing blades and Twister bearings. The blades are interchangeable. In fact, the tested Cluster here is using the blade from an Everest, a 120mm thermally controlled fan.

Enermax on the Cluster UCCL12:

Product Page: Here

Enermax on the Magma UCMA12:

Product Page: Here



The Cluster’s wires are sleeved in a white mesh, to go with its white frame and blades. The Magma has shiny wires fused together like an extension cord. Both fans come in blister packs. Both come with 2-wire Molex adapters and a set of four double-ended vibration isolators. Those are convenient because you can put them on your fan, and then stick the other ends into the screw holes on your case. They are great for blind corners. Just don’t expect them to come easily out of the fans once you have them in. If you want to remove them they can be cut off. Double-ended vibration isolators are inexpensive and easily replaced.

The PWM functions of the Enermax Cluster were tested, using a grounded PWM wire for 0% PWM duty, and a Zalman PWM Mate to approximate 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% PWM duty. A quiet click can be heard a few inches away. To hear a faint click you must put your ear right up to the fan.

At 0% and 25% PWM duty, the Cluster ran at 488 and 500 RPM, with faint clicking. At 50%, 75% and 100% duty the fan ran at 735, 1083 and 1220 RPM with no clicking. Overall, a nice, quiet fan. The 1500 rpm Magma, on the other hand, made a noise like the wind blowing through a pine tree. Definitely easy on the ears, but definitely noticeable.

The Enermax T. B. Silence 120mm fans appear to be identical in design to the Cluster and Magma, but at 900 rpm they will be significantly quieter.



Enermax T. B. Silence 140mm UCTB14



Enermax rode its Twister magnetic bearing and its Batwing blade to a series of fans -- 80mm, 92mm, 120mm -- until they reached 140mm. This fan. Then they changed the blade shape to what they call a “turbine” blade.

Enermax says this about their T. B. Silence line of fans:

Product Page: Here



The Enermax T.B. Silence 140mm comes with four screws and a Molex adapter. The wires are shiny and fused like an extension cord. An unusual aspect of this fan is its slow speed. It is clearly designed to operate quietly.