The simple case fan that we know and love has truly taken on a few extra roles over the years, including making our towers look kick-ass. Few methods can top the simplicity and functionality of LEDs, when they're done right. It should be silent of course and you can't forget adequate cooling either. Just as easy as any fan can make a build, it can also break a build. Gelid Solutions recently sent us their newest entry, the Wing 12PL, to see how well it performs in the demanding field of case cooling.
Product Name: Wing 12PL
Review Sample Provided by: Gelid Solutions
Review and Pictures by: Adam
| Specifications: | |
| Air Flow | 128.6 CMH |
| Bearing | Nanoflux |
| Cable Length | 500mm |
| Connector | 4-pin Molex |
| Current (A) | 0.45 |
| DC Voltage (V) | 12 |
| Dimensions | 120x120x25mm |
| Fan Speed | 600-1800RPM |
| Noise Level | 10-26.8 dBA |
| Static Pressure | 2.66 mmAq |
| Warranty | 3 years |
| Weight | 120g |
Packaging
With nothing to hide, the majority of the Wing 12PL's packaging is a clear plastic, allowing a direct view of the product contained. You can easily see the translucent green blades and their unique design set against a white background insert. On the reverse you'll find some of the key features listed, as well as short descriptions of the technology Gelid has integrated into the 120mm fan.
Snapping the corners apart, the fan and braided cord are revealed, as well as a small bag complete with rubber mounts, traditional mounting screws, and a Gelid Solutions case badge.
Installation
The rubber mounts are a great option for those who don't want to mess with tools or simply are installing on a fragile surface, as in my case. To get a better look at the fan itself I installed the 12PL in the windowed side-panel of the NZXT Tempest EVO, a plastic-like material that could crack and scratch easily. The rubber mounts worked great here and despite looking a bit large and awkward at first, they actually grew on me. Of course, you can still opt for the flatter more traditional case screws to mount the fan.
The power connector is a 4-pin molex that works straight off the 3-pin motherboard connector. If you'll be running the fan off a power supply, you'll need your own adapter because one is not included.
Performance
The Wing 12PL is subtley designed with some great technology. First and foremost it features Gelid's Nanoflux bearing which incorporates a magnetic design to provide a high-precision yet friction free operation. Put simply, this helps immensely with keeping the fan noiseless.
It also has built-in PMW control technology that can sense when your system needs more cooling and automatically adjust the RPM for it. If you're a control freak like me, you'll quickly notice that there is no way to manually adjust the fan so you'll be leaving the RPM up to the fan without other software/controls.
The blades, as mentioned are uniquely designed in a 'winglet' shape at the end to help with circulation and air flow. The 12PL also features white LED lights that are reflected upon the green blades, giving the fan a unique glow. The entire inpeller can also be detached should you need to clean the fan.
The max speed is listed as 1800RPM, which falls a little short of typical 120mm but using SpeedFan 4.40 we found the 12PL to be running a little over 2000RPM. With all the silent technology incorporated with the fan, you would expect a certain amount of quiet, and you wouldn't be disappointed. While it is still noticeable running at max (it is a 120mm case fan after all), it does feature a maximum dBA of 26.8, which is one of the quietest I've seen.
Overall
The Gelid Solutions 12PL case fan is complete with translucent wings and LED to make it look great, and equipped with silent operating technology to make it one of the quietest 120mm case fans we've reviewed. Though RPM control is left to the PMW, unique blade and bearing design create a cool solution for case cooling. These luxuries do come at a bit of a price of $17.00 a fan, which is quite a bit more than traditional fans but right on the money (no pun intended) when it comes to enthusiast cooling.
