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Corsair’s new ML120 and ML140 fans deliver quieter operation and better performance than most fans on the market. The new magnetic levitation technology seems to be working wonders, and it’s well supported by noise-damping corners and fun LEDs in the Pro and Pro LED models. Replacing every fan in your case might be an expensive venture, but these premium fans are worth it. The cable is mounted to one side, and measures around half a metre in length. This terminates in a 4-pin connector: 3 pins for power, 1 pin for reporting and controlling RPM. This may sound like we’re not comparing apples with apples however the logical way to use these fans is to plug them in and set the control software or BIOS to manage the business, which means they are likely to operate 200rpm or so slower than your existing fans. It may not be immediately apparent in our video but both coolers were very quiet in Quiet mode regardless of the fans that were employed.
In the case of the ML fans the changes go far beyond the location of the LEDs as the frame uses a different construction that feels considerably more sturdy and rigid than previous fans, the motor support is a different shape and there is a pronounced radius where the air flow leads towards the rotor tips. ML is a hybrid fan that can replace either the AF (Air Flow) type of thin bladed case fan or the SP (Static Pressure) type with wide blades that is typically mounted on a radiator. Corsair is excited about ML as it allows the fans to spin much faster than normal. Where we typically expect a 120mm/140mm fan to max out at 1,400rpm-1,600rpm, in the case of ML120 the range is 400rpm-2,400rpm and for ML140 the figures are 400rpm-2,000rpm. With the fans installed, it was time to turn on the PC and see what differences in noise and performance we could find! With the larger Kraken X61 cooler the NZXT FX140 fans operate at 900rpm and 1,600rpm while the ML140s run at 600rpm and 1,400rpm.Corsair ML fans do not change the world, however they are an interesting move. The new magnetic levitation bearings are an irrelevance to us, although they make a neat hook for marketing purposes. Quiet mode costs you less than 5 degrees, regardless of the cooler or fans, so the extra noise of Performance mode makes it pointless. Corsair was adamant that we should test ML using Intel LGA2011-3 as the mainstream LGA115x is less efficient and responds less well to changes in cooling. We entirely agree with this assessment and if you are serious about cooling and are not yet using LGA2011-3 consider that you are pretty much wasting your time. We used the Decibel 10th app and an iPhone 6 Plus to measure the noise levels of the test rig before and after the new fans were installed, at idle and under load. Measurements were made six inches from front of the PC, where the fans were installed. The subtle blue outline around the periphery of the centre and the coloured corners match the LEDs built into the centre. To reiterate, we’ve gone for the Blue option but White and Red (and no LED at all) are also options for the Pro.
Next, we investigated the power situation. The fan controller card only sports 3 pin connectors and our motherboard fan connectors are occupied, so we’ll use four pin connectors connected directly to the power supply instead. Our test rig is MANTAMACHINE, a mini-ITX system built into the roomy NZXT Manta case. The case’s front intake can accommodate 120 or 140mm fans, but only 120mm fans are provided… so let’s upgrade them with these new Corsair fans. Magnetic bearing harnesses magnetic levitation technology to provide lower noise, higher performance and a longer lifespan Out of the box, the ML140 Pro LED Blue (hereafter: the ML140) immediately looks a bit fancier and more rugged than the average case fan.
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By contrast in Performance mode the coolers were intolerably noisy, even with the glass side panel installed on the be quiet! Dark Base 900 case and it has to be made clear the be quiet! case lives up to its name and is very quiet. This highlights the point we make in the video which is that it is all well and good to improve the technology used in the bearings in a fan but when you crank up the speed and start shifting air it is going to get noisy. Compared with our previous fans, we saw an decrease in temperature of about 3-4 degrees across the board at idle, and 1-2 degrees under load. Of course, temperatures are only one half of the story — let’s take a look at noise levels. Noise Corsair SP120L are not very effective, ML120 and ML140 work well and NZXT FX140 v2 are surprisingly good. In Quiet mode all of the fans we used were near silent. In Performance mode they were all unacceptable. Closing thoughts Before installation, sound levels were 47dB at idle and 50dB under load. After installation, sound was measured at 45dB at idle, and 50dB under load; a small net improvement.
Custom rotor design for the perfect balance between high static pressure and high airflow, operating flawlessly in the most challenging environments The design of the fans is good and the use of a hybrid design that can replace SP and AF models is welcome. The styling, construction, colours, airflow and LED layout all work well. In an ideal world Corsair would upgrade H100i and H110i with the new ML fans and life would be generally improved. Instrument to be rigidly bolted to a stiff and heavy mass or construction for guaranteed zero stability. The new magnetic levitation Corsair fans are available at 120mm or 140mm sizes. There are three variants at each size: Standard, Pro (with noise-dampening corner pads) and Pro LED (like Pro, but with LEDs in red, white or blue). Here’s the full table:
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Corsair has employed some nifty technology in its new range of ML fans however we have to be careful with the name. The bearings that support the rotors on the motors use Magnetic Levitation but this is not shortened to Maglev (like the famous trains) as that is a trademarked term so we either have to say Magnetic Levitation or take the easy route and call them ML.
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