Alphacool Apex Stealth Metal Fan 3000 RPM Review

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Hayyan Serwer

At HI Digital I test and write about different hardware configurations to show other PC users what they can expect from their build. My end goal is to educate the masses to make the right decision when they are looking for new PC parts to buy

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Alphacool showcased the new fans during Computex 2023. These fans gain a lot of traction primarily for the marketed numbers from Alphacool during the show. These fans are called Apex Stealth Metal Fan. “The power of heavy metal with the sound of silence” is how Alphacool is defining these fans.

The most salient feature of these fans is a completely decoupled impeller including bearings and motor from the main metal frame. According to Alphacool, these fans generate high airflow at high static pressure and are ideal for radiator mount as well as for case ventilation.

These fans are available in two speeds; 2000 RPM and 3000 RPM. Each variant is available in four colors:

• Matte Black
• Chrome
• White
• Gold

Key Takeaways

• The Apex Stealth fans at 2000 RPM (64% PWM) yield similar thermal performance to the ARCTIC P12 fans at full speed, with temperatures around 94°C under load, while being quieter. At 100% PWM, although louder, the Apex Stealth fans significantly outperform the ARCTIC fans by reducing temperatures (91°C vs 95°C), indicating that an Auto PWM setting could optimize noise and cooling efficiency.
• You should buy the Alphacool Apex Stealth Metal Fans if you like metal fans, want a good PWM range, and prefer less cable clutter.
• You should not buy the Alphacool Apex Stealth Metal Fans if you are on a tight budget or want a silent experience. 

Dimension

The above picture shows the dimensions of these fans. The length and width are 120mm whereas the height stands at 25.5mm. There is a standard gap of 105mm between any two mounting holes. The cable length is 140mm on the fan. The bundled extension cable has a length of 500mm.

Packaging And Unboxing

The fan is shipped inside a cardboard box finished. The following are provided:

• 1x Fan
• 1x User Guide
• 1x PWM Extension Cable
• 1x Fiber Cloth
• Various Screws
• 4x Stealth Mounting Nuts for Case mount

Design

Let’s start taking a look at this fan.

This is a matte black edition of the Apex Stealth fans. It has 9x black blades which are connected to a ring (outer ring) that also spins with the blades. There is a matte black finished center that has a large diameter. The trailing edges have a raised surface that integrates into the frame. The frame is made of die-cast zinc material. The blade assembly is plastic.

There is no branding of any sort on the center and the main frame itself is in a matte black finish. These fans are also available in Gold, Chrome, and White editions. These are non-RGB fans. The fan blades, the motor, and its suspension are completely decoupled from the metal frame.

Looking at the backside of the fan, you can spot a 5-arm assembly that is not connected to the main frame. Instead, it is connected to the outer ring (that is fixed). This way it is completely de-coupled from the main frame. How Alphacool has achieved this is a mystery. The arms have a slope design that would disrupt the airflow yet at the same time direct the air in a spiral loop.

This fan is manufactured on 04-11-2023. There is Alphacool branding on the center along with the power rating of the fan that I have already covered in the specifications.

The above picture shows a mounting corner. There is no anti-vibration pad on these mounting corners. This is a sunk-in design wherein the screws sit flush with the main frame giving a clean look. Alphacool has placed a special damping system between the metal frame and the fan which absorbs all the vibration.

The front and rear metal frames are interconnected internally, a technological marvel. The inside frame is also circular sitting and holding the inner components. There is no arrow marker on any side of the metal frame.

There is a 140mm long cable on one side of the fan. It has a 4-pin PWM connector under one corner and a 4-pin socket connector on the opposite corner. Alphacool has kept the length of this cable short and still provides the daisy-chain functionality. This would make cable management convenient. There is a 500mm long PWM extension cable provided with each fan. I think a three-fan set would have a single cable.

The above picture shows both connectors.

The above picture shows a better view of the tip or ring clearance from the main frame. This is still not that tight tip clearance as I have seen on the Noctua NF-A12x25 series of fans but this complete decoupling design is simply amazing.

Since this is a closed design, the blade tips don’t flutter at high speed which would help with the durability of the fan.

Alphacool has provided three types of screws based on their threading:

• M3
• M4
• UNC 6-32

Thermal Testing

I have used the mentioned configuration to test the performance of these fans:

• Intel i7 13700K
• GIGABYTE Z790 AORUS ELITE AX
• Sabrent 32GB DDR5 kit 4800MT/s
• ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 240
• Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus 2TB NVMe SSD [For OS]
• GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3060 VISION OC [For Display]
• CORSAIR AX1200i Platinum PSU
• Open-air Test Bench

Here is the settings table for testing:

Alpahcool has provided two Apex Stealth 120×25.5mm fans which is why I was forced to use a 240mm size AIO liquid cooler for the testing. I have used ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 240 for the reason that it has a 38mm thick radiator hence static pressure of the fans would matter.

Here is a specification comparison of both fans:

Why do P-Cores and E-Cores have lower clock speeds?

The ARCTIC Liquid Freezer – II 240 could not handle the stock thermal load of the Intel i7 13700k and the CPU was throttled under stress testing. This is why I set PL1 and PL2 to 200W each. This caused the P-Cores to operate at 5.1GHz and E-Cores at 4.1GHz.

I have tested the Apex Stealth fans at 2000 RPM (64% PWM) and 3000 RPM (100% PWM). The ARCTIC fans were at their full speed for the test. You can see that Apex Stealth fans at 2000 RPM are almost at the same performance level as P12 fans. This shows that the actual airflow of these fans is less. However, Apex Stealth fans were almost silent operating at 64% PWM.

But these fans are loud by any means at 100% PWM duty cycle but running these fans at full speed changed the thermal equation in Alphacool’s favor with quite a significant difference. I would run these fans on Auto PWM.

Should You Buy It

Buy It If

✅You like metal fans: Besides PUN, these fans have a metal frame. The build quality of these fans is unmatched. These fans are also heavy. They are tank-built.

✅You are looking for a good PWM range fan: These fans have a PWM range of 400 to 3000 RPM and feature a zero RPM and auto-restart feature.

✅You want to reduce the cable clutter: The fan itself has a short cable that has a PWM connector and a socket that allows easy daisy-chaining and it helps reduce cable clutter.

Don’t Buy It If

❌You are on a budget: The Alphacool Apex Stealth Metal Fan retails at €29.98. If this sounds like a steep price then these fans are not for you.

Final Words

To wrap up, the Alphacool Apex Stealth Metal Fans from the high-end Apex series come with standout features, even though there was some initial debate about their performance. Their robust metal die-cast zinc frame and innovative decoupling ensure top-notch sound quality but be aware they might get noisy at full throttle.

These fans are equipped with a special rotor and Hydro-Dynamic bearings for a reliable 100,000-hour MTBF, which is slightly less than what Noctua offers but still praiseworthy. Designed with 9 blades for speeds up to 2000 or 3000 RPM, they excel in airflow and static pressure, though they tend to be louder than expected during my tests.

Alphacool has made installation a breeze by including three types of screws and a 500mm PWM extension cable, ensuring compatibility with Zero RPM mode on certain motherboards.

When I tested these fans with an ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 240 AIO, they significantly enhanced cooling, despite the uptick in noise. With a 5-year warranty, Alphacool’s fans are a dependable pick for those who prioritize performance over quiet operation.
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Hayyan Serwer

[How-To Guides Expert]

Laiba, our tech guru at HI Digital, simplifies and crafts How-To Guides with a Google IT Support Certificate. Beyond tech, she captures the city’s aesthetics through her lens. Join her journey where tech meets creativity!

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