Corsair ML120 PRO RGB, 120mm Premium Magnetic Levitation RGB LED PWM Fans - Triple Pack with Lighting Node PRO (400 RPM to 1,600 RPM, Low Noise, High Performance) Black

Product Information

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 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: 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. 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.

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. Once plugged in, it’s time to actually install the fans. Despite moving from 120mm to 140mm, the fans still fit easily next to our existing components. We placed the bottom fan first, screwed it in, then the next one flush on top of it and screwed that in too. Corsair SP120L are not very effective, ML120 and ML140 work well and NZXT FX140 v2 are surprisingly good. Custom rotor design for the perfect balance between high static pressure and high airflow, operating flawlessly in the most challenging environments 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.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. We could drone on about temperatures all day long however it makes life easier if we cut to the chase with a summary. Ambient temperatures during testing were stable at 25-27 degrees so we’ll talk absolute figures rather than Delta. Magnetic bearing harnesses magnetic levitation technology to provide lower noise, higher performance and a longer lifespan 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.

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.

Extensive Control Range

Normally case fans aren’t too exciting, but they’re a critical piece of any PC build — and these ones are actually pretty cool. Corsair’s new ML120 and ML140 fans use magnetic levitation instead of ball bearings, providing zero friction. That should make them quieter than fans running at the same speed (or equally, at higher speeds when producing an equal amount of noise). That sounds promising, so let’s see if Corsair’s new fans deliver on their promises.

Thanks to NZXT for providing the Manta case and Kraken X61 liquid cooler. Thanks to Samsung for providing the Evo 850 M.2 boot drive. Thanks to Zoostorm and Crucial for providing the DDR4 RAM. With the fans installed, it was time to turn on the PC and see what differences in noise and performance we could find! 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.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. 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. 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. 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.