The 120mm (12cm) version of the Aerocool DS Dead Silence fan ships in a clear plastic packet with the product clearly visible from the front. This white coloured version looks great, and Aerocool highlight the other colours underneath the window.
The rear of the packet highlights the specifications of the unit.
Inside the packet is a 3 pin to 4 pin adapter, a 7V voltage reduction 3 pin adapter, 4 screws and 4 rubber rivots.
The Aerocool DS Dead Silence fan in white is rather eye catching and nicely finished, comprised of 9 fan blades. This wouldn't look out of place in either a standard black chassis, or a white case from the likes of NZXT.
The fan measures 120mm x 120mm x 25mm and weighs 170g.
This Fluid Dynamic Bearing (FDB) fan is rated at 12V, with a starting voltage of >3.0 V. It is rated to demand 2.4 watts of power. The voltage reduction cable is included, which steps down the demand to 7V. The rear side of the fan blades incorporates a ‘fish eye' design to help reduce turbulence, lowering noise levels.
The construction quality of the fan is very high, and it is immediately noticeable all of the fine attention to detail, even on the corners of the unit.
The blades of the fan are made from a combination of rubber and plastic which is aimed to reduce turbulence and noise.
On the exhaust side of the fan, Aerocool have sculpted the plastic to help concentrate and direct the airflow.
The Diagram above explains how the air is concentrated and forced through, using the concentrated airflow principle.
The Aerocool DS Dead Silence 120mm fan in operation, above. Each corner of the unit is lit up by a single white, matching LED.
Aerocool have incorporated a lot of noise damping design into the fan. Each corner has a ‘Silencer' which can absorb and reduce the noise of the air passing between the blades. This anti vibration pad is also designed to reduce vibration caused by the spinning blades.
The image above shows how the Silencer operates, taking the air and interrupting the flow to reduce noise.
The Aerocool DS Dead Silence fans are fully sealed to stop the lubricant from leaking.
Fluid Dynamic Fans by nature are more robust than traditional Sleeve bearing, or Ball Bearing units. They are fully lubricating, with high anti shock characteristics and have a life span in excess of 100,000 hours. A standard sleeve bearing fan by comparison would be rated between 30,000 and 50,000 hours maximum. The oil way in the center area of the shaft keeps it lubricated. Lower friction also helps reduce noise and temperature, enhancing life span.