It just keeps getting better – Scythe Kaze Flex 120 ARGB case fan up to 1800 RPM, a lot of pressure, extreme thirst and surprisingly little noise
I am always amazed at how much has happened and is doing in the field of case fans of late. With the Scythe Kaze Flex 120 ARGB, you are now sending an illuminated bolide into the race in this country, which should be emphatic and determined, but not appear too loud. The fact that it also shines brightly on the waste heat is a nice side effect. Without RGB, these fans don’t cost 6 euros, with ARGB it gets a bit more expensive, according to the manufacturer. You will probably have to reckon with an RRP of around 15 euros, but the street price should be a little below that.
Similar to the recently tested Phanteks T30, this fan also has a slightly different thickness, which further solidifies a certain trend towards slightly thicker fans. The 27 mm is between the class-standard 25 mm and the fat 30 mm of the T30. You absolutely have to know and take into account that when the lid between the radiator and motherboard is already tight. But the additional 2 mm didn’t damage the fan because it performs really well. As a small spoiler in advance.
The bearings are based on a classic FDB design (Fluid-Dynamic Bearing), a matt black, simple frame and a translucent rotor with 11 blades, which at first glance does not hide any secrets, but all the LEDs in the hub. The PWM-controlled fan creates a speed range from 300 to 1800 rpm and dispenses with a semi-passive mode (with fan stop).
The decoupling with the fully attached rubber corners is well solved, as it does not twist when the screw is tightened. The gaps and surface finish are very good. The power consumption is quite steep at full speeds with a good 5 watts. There is ARGB and so there is one more light disc on the market, but it certainly has its qualities, as I will show in a moment. But once again the data sheet for better comparability with the later measurement results:
| Form factor | 120 mm |
| strength | 27 mm |
| PWM | And |
| RGB | ARGB (Nabe) |
| Decoupled | And |
| Farbe Frame | Schwarz |
| Accent color | no |
| Color rotor | Transluzent |
| Weight in g | 205,5 |
| min. speed | 300 (no fan stop) |
| max.speed | 1800 |
| Volume flow m3 / h | 135,5 |
| Volume flow CFM | 79.76 |
| static pressure mmH2O | 2.4 |
| Sound pressure dBA | 35,8 |
| Life Time hrs | 120,000 |
On the next page you can see how and what we test and why. Understanding the details is extremely important in order to be able to classify the results objectively later. The differences between many models are more in the details and the best fan for all situations can hardly exist. There is a certain optimum in every situation and of course there are also good all-rounders. But they usually have their price. If you are planning specifically with 60 mm radiators, for example, you can perhaps save money by choosing the best model for your application, which might not do so well as a case fan. And vise versa, of course.
The fan is available with three different speed ranges, whereby I find the one tested today the most useful. For all the curious, here is the data sheet from Scythe again:
Scythe Kaze Flex 120 ARGB PWM 1800rpm, 120mm (KF1225FD18AR-P)
- 1 – Introduction and technical data
- 2 – Test setup, measuring chamber and equipment
- 3 – Starting voltage and speeds
- 4 – Volumenstrom (Airflow)
- 5 – Static pressure
- 6 – Noise emission (volume)
- 7 – Summary and Conclusion
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