When putting together or upgrading a system, smaller parts are often neglected - the heatsinks, coolers, fans, and various other accessories. However, a solid, impressive custom PC is the sum of its parts and more than just a fancy video card and processor with a million cores. Today we'll be taking a look at Nexus' quiet computing fan option.
The Real Silent Case Fan is part of the Basic Series and comes in the box shown above. It's available in 80mm, 92mm, and 120mm sizes as well as black/white and orange colors. This is the first time I've seen a fan colored this way right out of the box and it could make a nice addition to a custom computer using black/white as a color theme.
The package includes the fan and four rubber installation plugs. The connection method is either 3 pin or pass through 4 pin - you choose. For some reason though Nexus decided to sleeve only part of the cable while leaving the rest a bit of a mess. Furthermore, if you end up using one connection you'll have the other dangling there. This could have been avoided by using a simple 3 pin connector while providing an optional 3-4 pin pass through adapter.
Here's the front of the fan. The specs on the box are as follows:
Model Number: D12SL-12 Orange/Black and White
Dimensions: 120x120x25mm
Versions: Black and White or Orange
Weight: 123 grams
Voltage: 12 Volts
Voltage Range: 6.5 ~13.8 Volts
Input Current: 0.30 Amp Max
Rotation Speed:1000 RPM
Acoustic Noise: 22.8 dBA
Airflow: 36.87CFM
Operational Temperature: -10 to +65 C
Warranty: 3 Years
It spins at an even 1000RPM and pumps a decent ~37CFM. For a typical system this is more or less the "sweet spot". It's not completely silent, but it is very quiet. It also pumps a decent amount of air, something that can't be said for some other models which are truly inaudible. Ultimately you'll have to decide for yourself how much airflow you need and how much noise you can stomach.
And the back of the fan. The paint job is flawless and although a similar result could be achieved by painting a normal case fan, the process would be a tedious one and it still won't look as good.
The included rubber installation plugs are an easy way to quickly attach the fan to a case. The benefit of using these plugs is that they slightly reduce vibrations. Not enough to make a big difference, but every little bit helps. Unfortunately you'll need your own case screws if opting for a more traditional method.
The way these plugs work is simple. All you have to do is align the fan to the case, stick one of the plugs in and then pull from the inside until it "pops" into place. Removal is the exact reverse - pull on the head and it'll come out. As for testing, well it's a fan and it works. As mentioned earlier it's definitely on the quiet side, but you can still hear it up close. Consequently it pushes a fair amount of air.
Pros
Looks nice
Available in black/white and orange colors
Good performance
Almost silent
Included rubber installation plugs
3 pin and pass-through 4 pin attachments
Cons
Only partially sleeved wires
3 pin connector with optional 4 pin attachment would be more ideal (less cable clutter)
No case screws
Nexus' quiet fan series is a solid choice when searching for case fans. There's nothing revolutionary about this model, but it is quiet, works well, and looks good doing it. An optional 4-pin adapter rather than all the wires connected together would have been ideal though. So would some case screws. Feel free to comment on this review here. Thanks for reading and enjoy the site!
