Scythe ULTRA KAZE series DFS123812H-3000 120x120 x 38 mm Case Fan SKU: DFS123812H-3000

NOTE: I got this fan during a Newegg Open Box sale. The price I paid is not reflective of the street price. I will review this item at its normal going price.

I purchased this fan with the intention of replacing my Yate Loon Medium speeds that I am using to cool my EX360, which is a high FPI radiator that excels when paired with high pressure fans.

As I unpacked the fan, I noticed it was very stout and well built. The motor section is twice a large and bulky compared to normal 120mm fans. I expected the fan to be very loud from the look of it, but was pleasantly surprised when I connected it to my fan controller. I set the speed to 1000rpm. The fan was pushing a substantial amount of air for such a low speed, much more than the Yate Loon medium at the same RPM.

The most surprising find was how quiet it was during low speed operation. Other than a slight hum in the motor, it was not any louder than most normal 120mm fans operating at 1000rpm. After cranking the fan to 2000rpm, it was at the point where I would not want to go higher because of the noise. 2000rpm would be fine for gaming.

3000rpm was very loud, but it pushed a ton of air. Great for benchmarks, but not much else.

The versatility of this fan was surprising. Not only could it push a lot of air at low speeds/low noise for daily operation, it also had enough head room to push an extreme amount of air if the need arises. This type of versatility is exactly what I was looking for in a quality radiator fan.

The size may be a limiting factor for some people, but for those that have the room and need a fan that will perform under a variety of conditions, this is the one to get.