If music stars have taught us anything, it’s that fans with better lightsticks command better attention. The same lesson applies to actual ventilation fans on your gaming PC. RGB fans have always been more attractive to regular PC owners compared to the monochromatic simplicity of regular fans.
The good news is that RGB fans these days measure up well to their regular counterparts despite sacrificing structural efficiency for luminosity.
But still, don’t expect them to be as affordable as regular fans. Manufacturers love to slap an additional price tag on anything with RGB, even today. So if you’re going to spend a little extra for some color in your life, you might as well pick these RGB fans to lighten up the mood.
P.S.: They don’t increase framerate.
RELATED: 5 Best Gaming Laptops With RGB
Cooler Master MasterFan MF120 Halo
PROS
- Good lighting, visible from all sides
- Comes with a remote controller
- Frameless design makes it less bulky
- Has a 140mm variant
- Good air pressure
CONS
- CoolerMaster can be shoddy
- Doesn't have full compatibility with other CoolerMaster products
- Loud at max RPM
Specs:
- Dimensions: 120 x 120 x 25 mm / 4.7 x 4.7 x 1 inch
- Max RPM: 1800
- Max Noise: 30 dBA
- Max Airflow: 47.2 CFM
They won’t amaze you with their cooling compared to Noctua’s poop-brown and depression-gray performance fans, but Cooler Master MasterFan MF120 Halo remains one of their most popular options on the market. Because despite the relatively low CFM, these fans are tough, quiet, and cool.
They’re the perfect balance of specs and aesthetics. What’s more, their RGB LED is visible when viewed from the back and from the sides, making it more considerate compared to the other RGB fans.
If your motherboard or case has dedicated ARGB interfaces for lighting, then there’s a big chance it will work seamlessly with this fan model.
Cooler Master MasterFan MF120 Halo
NZXT AER RGB 2 HF-28120
PROS
- Beautiful halo light design
- Good airflow
- Static pressure fans
- Sturdy and reliable bearings
- Frameless design makes it less bulky
CONS
- Expensive
- Not compatible with other brands' RGB controller
- Remoate controller sold separately
- Needs NZXT CAM program
- Loud bearings
Specs:
- Dimensions: 120 x 120 x 26 mm
- Max RPM: 1500 (+/- 300)
- Max Noise: 33 dBA
- Max Airflow: 52.44 CFM
NZXT has always been one of the pack leaders when it comes to aesthetically pleasing and minimalistic PC components. Sure enough, they also charge higher for their products, and the NZXT AER RGB 2 is no exception.
Everything here is wrapped in NZXT’s signature premium build and quality control; the fan model even comes with its own patented bearing design with some impressive lubrication that they guarantee can last up to six years.
The caveat is that it’s too exclusive since it doesn’t work with non-NZXT controllers (you won’t be able to change the lighting with other remote controllers), so be warned.
NZXT AER RGB 2 HF-28120
Corsair LL Series LL120
PROS
- Thoughful dual-loop halo lighting
- Frameless design makes it less bulky
- Good airflow
- Works well with Corsair iCUE
- Quiet
CONS
- Expensive
Specs:
- Dimensions: 120 x 120 x 25 mm / 4.7 x 4.7 x 1 inch
- Max RPM: 1500
- Max Noise: 24.8 dBA
- Max Airflow: 43.25 CFM
Most RGB fans have a single light loop outside the fins and nothing else. It makes the lighting feel lopsided or lacking and in cheaper brands, the lighting doesn’t look pleasing at all. The Corsair LL 120 fixes that stylistic shortcoming.
It includes proper loop lighting at the base of the fins, giving a more illuminated look. Of course, the fan performance isn’t a slouch either. It’s a bit quieter compared to the NZXT and CoolerMaster fans with good airflow. The best part is that you can use it with Corsair’s iCUE ARGB software, making it easy to set up fan curves and a plethora of color options.
Corsair LL Series LL120
Fractal Design Prisma AL-18 PWM 180 mm
PROS
- Impressive airflow
- Dreamy RGB
- Frameless design makes it less bulky
- Impressive bearing dependability
- Uniform RGB glow
- Good software compatibility
CONS
- Noisy at full RPM
- Doesn't fit all cases
Specs:
- Dimensions: 180 x 180 x 38 mm
- Max RPM: 1200
- Max Noise: 37.4 dBA
- Max Airflow: 146.8 CFM
There are plenty of 180mm and 200mm fan designs out there, but none of them are as slick and as stylish as the Fractal Design Prisma AL-18. This big fan comes as a default kit for the Fractal Torrent PC case, which is often hailed as the best case for airflow.
In terms of airflow, it can easily beat two 140mm fans even from a reputable brand while also utilizing a lower RPM. The downside to all this performance is that you need 165mm screw holes in your case so this baby can fit. It’s quite picky. But it if your case is compatible, this is one fan purchase you won’t regret.
Fractal Design Prisma AL-18 PWM 180 mm
DeepCool RF120M
PROS
- Good cooling and airflow
- Bright RGB
- Reasonably priced
- Quiet compared to performance fans
- Comes with two fan hubs
CONS
- Center RGB is an annoying white light
- Still noisy at full speed
- Poor instructions
Specs:
- Dimensions: 120 x 120 x 25 mm
- Max RPM: 1500
- Max Noise: 27 dBA
- Max Airflow: 56.5 CFM
RGB fans from reputable brands can get rather expensive. But DeepCool thankfully provides its customers with considerate options, like the RF120M set. It’s more or less a complete set of fans since it’s bundled with five and costs less than a set of three from a premium brand.
As for its performance, a lot of users were surprised at its good airflow and quiet operation. Some even swear that it puts more expensive brands to shame, but of course, that doesn’t put into account the longevity of the bearings and other factors.
In any case, you might want to give these a try if you find the other options too ridiculous with their pricing.
DeepCool RF120M
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Why are RGB fans more expensive?
Because they use additional wiring and their manufacturers also invest in RGB control interfaces and software. -
How long do RGB fans last?
They vary per brand, but on average, expect them to last for tens of thousands of hours.