GELID Wing 12 120mm UV Case Fan
Andy Ruffell / 14 years ago
Final Thoughts
For a gaming or other performance system I’d have no trouble recommending this product, I also feel it would also be perfect for a two/three fan push-pull setup on a performance heatsink where the fan speed needs to be fine-tuned. I would however find quite hard to recommend these fans for a purpose built quiet system as you would have to use the included fan controllers on every one to get it down to a suitable volume level, this would be messy and often impractical. That being said these fans do offer a good airflow to noise performance and should be ideal for most users.
It is definitely worth mentioning a few features that I found very innovative and useful. Firstly the removable fan impeller although not perfect this feature certainly gets my approval and I’d like to see it on other fans, either from Gelid or other manufacturers. It really does make maintenance and cleaning a very easy painless job as opposed to trying to get to the back of fan blades through the frame to clean them. This should mean that more frequent cleaning is likely due to how easy it is, helping to keep the fan at optimum efficiency and improve the appearance at the same time. The other feature if you can call it that is the included fan controller, I know I’ve gone on about it maybe a little too much but this simple yet effective accessory turns any ordinary fan into something much more flexible, let alone this excellent example.
If you are a looking for an affordable fan that provides solid performance and acceptable to quiet noise levels thanks to an included variable fan controller then this should be top of your list. The attractive blade design and colour that comes in Blue or Green, both UV reactive is a great bonus for those with windows in their cases and/or UV lights. This is a good value alternative to other products on the market, slightly let down by frame material quality but overall a solid product with some innovative and well thought out features that other products just can’t match.
Pros:
- Good Build Quality backed up by a 5 Year Warranty
- Great Value with Generous Accessory Package
- Removable Impeller makes Maintenance a Breeze
- Attractive even if you don’t have UV Lights
- Good Solid Mid-Range Performance
- Open Cornered Frame for Maximum HSF Compatibility
Cons:
- Frame Not as Sturdy as it could be
- No Case Screws included (Silicone fan mounts not always suitable)
- Unknown Reliability due to Bearing Design and Removable Impeller
- No 4-Pin Molex Adapter Included
Ratings:
- Design: 9
- Features: 9
- Performance: 7
- Value: 7