Performance
To really test the pair of Wings GELID sent us, I decided to put them on my hottest and most crucial component – my overclocked Intel Q6600 quad-core. In the interest of getting some serious cooling for the chip, which runs on 1.5V at my current overclock, I’ve been running it with a Scythe Infinity super tower heatsink with a pair of Scythe S-Flex SFF21F fans, which push around 64 CFM at a rated 28 dB. These have managed to keep it, at 100% load, to a toasty 55-60°C—not a trivial task. The GELID Wings had their work cut out for them.
The Scythes run in a push-pull configuration, so air from one fan pushes into the heatsink and across the fins, while the second fan on the other side pulls that air out and exhausts it to the rear. In the interest of reproducible benchmarks, I kept my testing space at an even 22°C and used an OCCT custom infinite CPU-only test. This is frequently used by enthusiasts to check the stability of their overclock—it will load the processor fully and check for errors in the mathematical returns from the chip. In our case, it’s simply a reproducible way to fully load the processor and check the temps.
With the Scythes in place and all other case fans forced to low-speed operation, SpeedFan shows case temperatures of 36 and 27°C and CPU temperatures ranging from 27-35°C at idle; when loaded with OCCT for an hour, the processor temps jumped to 49-54°C, with a high of 62°C. Toasty indeed.
The GELID Wing accessories
I tore down the Scythes and installed the Wings in the same configuration and was awed at their silence. The Scythes are by no means loud—28dB is not nearly a lot—but there was virtually no mechanical noise to speak of with the Wings. To check, I again loaded both up directly to a 12V rail and a regulator and checked the full speed range; the Scythes were quiet, but practically the only noise out of the Wings was the air itself. At this point, I was rather pleased, so I started running the benchmarks.
At the same ambient temp and supporting fan speeds, the Wings kept the case temps roughly the same, but managed to bring idle CPU temperatures down to 23-31°C; a full 4° drop. I was now very pleased, and started up OCCT to give them a trial by fire. After an hour of testing, OCCT-loaded temperatures measured 47-52°C, with a high of 58°C; a 2° drop in the normal temperature range and a 4° drop on peak. The peak values can’t really be compared, as they can be considered outliers, but a 4° difference is significant enough to warrant a mention.
The Wings have given me a measurable temperature performance increase while providing me a noticeable sound performance improvement. Couple these with a 100,000 hour MTTF, and I am more than happy calling these some of the best fans I’ve seen on the market. They are unique in all the right ways, and they back it up with performance that rivals and slightly betters one of the best brands on the market. Pricing here is also in line with its market counterparts, running around $16 at AeroCooler.
A Downside
Rubber fan mounts
If there is a minor downside to both of these fans, it has to be the rubber fan mounts included with the units. While it’s commendable to include them in the interest of noise dampening and while the rubber is top-notch, it would have been nice to also have the option of solid screws.
The mounts do also take a little bit of effort to understand, and the lack of instructions on how to use them may result in frustration for some. The most effective way to use them is to first pull the long end until it locks in through each mounting point on whichever side of the fan you’re going to mount, then line up the mounts with the corresponding points on the case and pulling those through until they lock as well. The result is a secure, cushioned fit; the process to get there may just be troublesome to some.
As a counterpoint to the lack of instructions for the mounts, I’d like to point out the cable sleeving on the fan wiring, which is wonderful to see. As a builder who’s seen nothing but red, white, and yellow cables on fans for the last 10 years, it’s nice to see a maker who sleeves them to make them easier to work with and improve airflow. It does not go unnoticed, GELID!
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