When choosing case fans, there’s really much more to consider than just color and if its got LEds and whatnot. Case fans are important factors in cooling your system and choosing the right one for your needs should be on top of everyone’s mind when considering cooling fans.
Today we have a round-up of cooling fan solutions from Antec and we’ll be taking a look at these fans in today. Antec sent over their Tricool, TrueQuiet and Spot Cool for us to check out so let’s get started and let’s make this showy!
As we’ve seen in our previous reviews, Antec isn’t restricted into one product category in their port folio. From cases, accessories, cleaning solutions and case fans, Antec has pretty much got you covered. So let’s get on with the review but let’s check out the specs on our subjects for today:
| Speed | Low 1200RPM | Mid 1600RPM |  High 2000RPM |
| Air Flow | 39 CFM | 56 CFM | 79 CFM |
| Noise | 25 dBA | 28 dBA | 30 dBA |
- 3-speed switch lets you balance quiet performance with maximum cooling
- 3-pin and 4-pin power connectors provide convenient connections to your motherboard or power supply
- Fan-speed monitoring capability included (requires compatible motherboard)
- Available in Blue, Green, Red or Tricolor
- Package Dimensions: 4.6″(L) x 7.1″(W) x 9.9(H)
11.68cm(L) x 18.03cm(W) x 25.15cm(H) - Package Weight: 0.5 lbs/0.14 kgs
| Speed | Low 600RPM | High 1000RPM |
| Input Current | 0.06A | 0.12A |
| Air Flow | 0.6m³ / min (21.5 CFM) |
1.0m³ / min (35.8 CFM) |
| Static Pressure | 0.3 mm-H2O (0.1inch-H2O) |
0.3 mm-H2O (0.7inch-H2O) |
| Noise | 8.9 dBA | 19.9 dBA |
| Input Power | 0.72 W | 1.44 W |
- 2-way switch to select fan speed
- unique fan blade and silicone grommets to reduce turbulence and noise
- tool-less mounting screws for quick and easy installation
- Dimensions
– 120 mm (H) x 120 mm (W) x 25 mm (D)
– 4.7″ (H) x 4.7″ (W) x 1.0″ (D) - Package Dimensions
– 270 mm (H) x 200 mm (W) x 37 mm (D)
– 10.6″ (H) x 7.9″ (W) x 1.5″ (D) - Weight
– Net : 138.9 g / 4.9 oz
– Gross : 204.1 g / 7.2 oz
| Speed | Max 2000RPM | Min. 1000RPM |
| Input Current | 0.32A | 0.10A |
| Air Flow | 9.8 CFM | 4.9CFM |
| Static Pressure | 0.04in – H2O (0.94mm – H2O) | 0.01in – H2O (0.23mm – H2O) |
| Noise | 24.8dBA | 16.0 |
| Input Power | 3.8W | 1.2W |
- Mount virtually anywhere inside a case
- Cools RAM, expansion cards
- Blue LED illumination included
- 3-speed switch lets you balance quiet performance with maximum cooling
Image Gallery
Final Thoughts and Conclusion
Antec offers as a varied array of solutions for different cooling situations. First we have the Antec Tricool which gives us 3-speed settings to control our fan. Ranging from 1200RPM all the way to 2000RPM, the TriCool is a nice option for those looking for a brightly illuminated case fan to spice up their case internals whilst having the option of manually altering fan speed. One thing which really didn’t fly for us with the TriCool is that its transparent body isn’t really screw friendly. Securing it to the back of our case slightly cracked the area around the holes of our fan. Aside from that though the TriCool is a nice and powerful fan nonetheless.
Looking at our other option, the Antec TrueQuiet, we have a case fan which offers noise-cancelling features. People building a quiet rig and don’t want to compromise going passive should consider this solution. The retention system is completely screwless and uses rubberized spokes to secure the fan to the case reducing vibration further. The mounting holes itself are lined with silicone rubber and the entire body is made from light but durable material. Featuring Antec’s proprietary speed switcher design, the fan can be toggled for 600 or 1000 RPM speed to suit the user’s requirement. One thing though, the retention system isn’t really the prettiest to look at once installed with the long rubber spokes protruding out of the fan is just stupid to look at.
Last up is the Spot Cool, which should remind most rig builders of the good ol’ days where we create make-shift variants of this solution to cool the RAM or graphics cards. Now if you’re sensitive about your case internals and want everything to look neat and in-order then the Spot Cool isn’t really going to do it for you. The Spot Cool aims to address problem areas like the passive-cooled VRMs and/or the memories if you don’t have a RAM cooling solution. Unlike dedicated solutions for those mentioned, the Spot Cool’s flexible stem allows it to be maneuvered in and around your case for different requirements. As we’ve mentioned, this is entirely subjective to the user.
In closing, Antec provides us with varying options depending on our needs. If value is concerned, these fans range around the Php500 mark so it is well within the range of some other competiting solutions. Whilst others try to focus on aggressive styling, Antec focuses more on quiet computing so these are the kinds of people we recommend these products to. If you are looking for a quiet case fans then these products from Antec are for your consideration.
