SilenX IXP-76-18 120mm Case Fan

Pros: The airflow is eyebrow-raising. I plugged it in and put my hand behind it to check. I don't know if it's around the level of 90cfm, but it's still pretty impressive. If good airflow is more important than anything else, this fan will certainly do the trick.

Cons: The noise. Oh lord, the noise… I don't know what dimension they traveled to and came up with an 18dBA rating, but in this one, it's nowhere close to that. I tried replacing a fan rated at 17dBA, and it was a LOT louder. Now, obviously, with a fan moving THAT MUCH air, the airflow alone is going to be the source of a significant amount of noise. In this case, I couldn't even hear that over the sound of the fan itself. At 1400rpm, it's unbearable.

Other Thoughts: I have two of these plugged into a Corsair Link cooling node. I had to update the firmware on it first, but I'm now able to control them pretty well. At around 400rpm, they're pretty silent. Generally speaking, if they're kept under 1000rpm, it's no big deal. Anything above that makes them sound like a fan I'd expect to find on a video card at full speed. I bought them thinking they'd be pretty quiet, even at higher speeds. For the high price, that is what I'd expect.

The fans themselves also just look and feel very cheap. I haven't had any problems yet, but I'm a little concerned with the high number of reviews I've read claiming that these fans only lasted a few months before dying out.

If the airflow is the only thing that matters, these fans will do the trick. If any type of noise management or longevity is important though, I'd recommend avoiding these at all costs. While these fans are working for me, I can't help but feel that I really wasted my money.

Pros: I would be dead if my life depended on thinking of any. Zero. Nada.Zip

Cons: Purchased several. All are dead. Motors and bearings melt. Fan blades fall out on the floor. Impellers warp and blades scrape housing. These things just feel cheap and flimsy. Stay away from this junk.

Other Thoughts: Worst fans fans I had ever owned.

If you love changing fans, get a few dozen of these, you will stay very busy.

Pros: Moves a lot of Air and is not loud at full speed. It comes with a 3 pin to molex adapter and Rubber isolators as well as screws. This fan lasted over 5 years of almost 24/7 operation in a dusty environment. Keep it clean and it will last a long time.

Cons: The finish of the plastic material seems to encourage dust to stick to the blades and internal body of the fan and needs extra attention when case cleaning.

This isn't necessarily a Con, the Fan body is thicker than a standard 120 mm fan, this wide body design with steeply curved blades is how it moves so much air at a low noise level. Make sure your case mount will allow room for this beast.

Other Thoughts: When the fluid bearing eventually begins to dry out (in 5 yrs or so) the fan will make a vibration noise someone else reviewing described as a lawn mower. I removed the fan from the case and pulled the rubber plug on the bearing cap, put 4 drops of ATF transmission fluid in there just to see how it would work and put the rubber plug back and reinstalled in my case. 6 months later still going strong and quiet as the day I first put it into service over 6 years ago. I am more than getting my money's worth from this fan.

Pros: moves lots of air

Cons: makes a lot of sound

Pros: Great airflow/noise ratio. Price is somewhat high but Worth it in my opinion.
Have owned this for several years and have had zero issues in the meantime.

Cons: I do somewhat doubt the cfm/db ratings, and it is pretty thick.
Air blown seems to radiate outwards pretty sharply, seems best fitted as an exhaust only fan.

Other Thoughts: The pros and cons balance out for me, just keep in mind the thickness and you have a good all round fan.

Pros: Very good airflow/noise ratio, and that's why you're buying these, right?

Cons: I'm not a big fan of how they look... they don't really go with anything aesthetically.

They're still a bit loud at 100% load... I recommend a fan controller or low-noise adapter.

Other Thoughts: I'm using 4 of these in my case (2 front intake, 2 side intake), and I'm really happy with them! They move a lot of air more quietly than other fans because they're 38mm deep.

Make sure you can fit them where you want - they are twice as thick as a normal case fan.

I just wish they had an aesthetic that went with something else in my rig... they'd be better even if they were just plain black in my view.

Pros: Super Quiet, LOTS of airflow

Cons: The fan is about 2x as deep as a regular fan. I knew this going in, so no big deal

Other Thoughts: I would have liked to see a solid black cable on the fan, but it sill works.

Pros: These fans are a godsend if you need to push a lot of air through a hot setup. Pair the high airflow with low noise and you have one heck of a fan.

Cons: These bad boys are quite thick, so you may want to check the measurements before purchasing to make sure you have clearance in your case. I originally intended these for a HTPC build, but they were too thick.

Other Thoughts: If you have room and don't mind ponying up the money for them, these are terrific fans.

Pros: Very quiet. Newegg rocks, as usual....

Cons: Started to die literally 1 week AFTER 1 year of ownership. (Purchased in April of 2011) Started making noises, gradually louder and louder until it's about to fail.
A fan that only lasts one year (one year and a month to be exact) and will not be covered for replacement.

Other Thoughts: Wished it would have started to fail within the 1st year. Will go back to Thermaltake I guess. 1st time trying Silenx, and last time.

Pros: They are quiet, when the bearings aren't shot. Then they buzz like a lawn mower. The blades on one of mine drag against the housing.

I have owned 4 of these fans and have had to slowly replace them all!

Cons: They did not last long, one shot out in about 3 months. Stopped Spinning out of nowhere. One had the bearing go, one the shaft stripped from inside the fan blade.

By the way they were installed with no static pressure on the fans, so as to keep them quiet and not to cause extra wear on the motors.

Other Thoughts: There are much better fans out there for the price.