Scythe S-FLEX SFF21E 120mm Case Fan - Retail

Silent or Loud

Reviewed By: Gwellin on 11/5/2007

Tech Level: high - Ownership: 1 month to 1 year

This user purchased this item from Newegg

Pros: Silent, fairly cheap for what you get. Comes with lots of connection adapters. It actually pushes more air then I was expecting. Have 2 fans on the case and 1 on the processor cooling fins.

Cons: When you run the fans at 100% or 12volts they are almost impossible to hear. However if you tweek down the voltage to run at slower speed through BIOS or even with a fan controller, the blades do slow down but you are left with an annoying little tick. I can even hear this tick when the case is sealed up and under my desk. So I just run all three fans at 100% and I can't hear them. This happens on all three fans that I ordered.

Other Thoughts: Do not use these fans with an automatic fan controller. ONLY run these fans at 100% or 12volts all the time or nothing at all. Would definately be 5 eggs if it wasn't for this tick. They push just as much air as cheaper fans but get these ones for the lack of blade noise.

15 out of 15 people found this review helpful. Did you?

Thanks for the valuable feedback you provided!

understanding dB additive

Reviewed By: on 3/17/2008

Tech Level: high - Ownership: 1 month to 1 year

Pros: These are very good fans

Cons: the sony hype bearings are not that expensive don't see why they make this fan cost more, I think it is marketing.

Other Thoughts: To clearify adding dB is not by just adding the ammounts of dB.
Decibels (dB) are the logarithmic and have to added together using a-wieght using LOG arithmetic It would be expected if you have two of the same fan and are well in tune, then the increase is minimal. Even fans that are out of tune to each other are not going to add up like a stack linear.

9 out of 15 people found this review helpful. Did you?

Thanks for the valuable feedback you provided!

Reviewed By: on 11/8/2009

Tech Level: average - Ownership: less than 1 day

This user purchased this item from Newegg

Pros: looked to be solid and quiet

Cons: don't plug in backwards

Other Thoughts: i made the mistake of plugging it in backwards and shorting it out i guess. it does not work anymore. my other fan runs backwards i thought that was normal, i donno.

Did you find this review helpful?

Thanks for the valuable feedback you provided!

Great Fan

Reviewed By: on 11/2/2009

Tech Level: somewhat high - Ownership: 1 day to 1 week

This user purchased this item from Newegg

Pros: This is a great fan. Hook it up to a direct power line, do not use the motherboard hook up, and do not hook it up to a fan controller. The fan is quiet.

Cons: none if you don't change the voltage/speed.

Other Thoughts: The Scythe S-FLEX series has a few different models. This one is the "E" model - the last letter on the model number. If you want a slower or faster fan, take one of the other models - just my opinion: this model is a great balance of quiet vs. air flow.

Did you find this review helpful?

Thanks for the valuable feedback you provided!

Silenx replacements

Reviewed By: on 10/28/2009

Tech Level: average - Ownership: 1 day to 1 week

This user purchased this item from Newegg

Pros: Replacements for two 120mm Ixtrema Pro series which were failing after less than two years of use. Although rated at 20 dBA versus the 14 dBA for the Silenx subjectively no overall increase in noise noted. Nominally reduced airflow has not resulted in any change in measured temperatures on MB or CPU.

Cons: None so far

Other Thoughts: Ordered two more for another system with Silenx fans while still on sale.

Did you find this review helpful?

Thanks for the valuable feedback you provided!