What's the best 80mm and 92mm fan?

Revoltec RL037

UK price (as reviewed): £2.12 (inc VAT)
US price (as reviewed): NA

Cheap as chips is the phrase that comes to mind with the Revoltec RL037. Its ludicrously low asking price of £2.12 (inc VAT) also translates into good value as long as you’re after a quiet and not particularly high-performance 80mm fan.

We measured just 7cfm, while the RL037 is rated at 25.44cfm; this means that the Revoltec is fairly pointless for mid- and high-end systems. However, its rated noise of 22.41dBA is actually quite accurate, as we measured 24.9dBA.

Although we’re impressed with the low price of the RL037, its pathetically low airflow makes it a fairly pointless upgrade.

Scythe Kama-Flex SA0825FDB12L

UK price (as reviewed): £7.99 (inc VAT)
US price (as reviewed): $8.99 (ex tax)

The Scythe Kama-Flex SA0825FDB12L sports a fluid dynamic bearing; at 2,000rpm, this resulted in a tone-free sound level of just 29.5dBA, the same as that of the Sharkoon Silent Eagle 2000 80mm. This isn’t far off its rated value of 27.5dBA either, while its airflow of 29cfm is nearly double that of the Silent Eagle 2000.

Although it’s more expensive than the Silent Eagle 2000, £7.99 for a high-quality 80mm that manages to move a respectable amount of air without sounding like a swarm of mosquitoes isn’t something to be sneezed at.

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