Cooler Arctic S12038 uses one fan to cool another fan.
The 120mm S12038-4K adds an extra fan in its center to cool its central hub.
Arctic Arctic has launched a new type of server fan, the S12038-4K and -8K. This fan stands out visually thanks to its seven additional blades in the center, creating a fan-within-a-fan effect. It offers unrivaled static pressure in its class, although Arctic doesn't seem to be too keen on advertising its new model that much.
The S12038's spec sheet is really impressive in several aspects. Its energy consumption advertised at maximum load is 3.96W, which is 12% less than its closest competitor in the server category.
It generates an astonishing static pressure of 11.45 mmH₂O, which is between 3 and 6 times greater than that of conventional fans Arctic's standard box. This high level of static pressure and airflow is close to best in class for hardware servers. As the name suggests, the S12038 is available in versions that reach 4,000 or 8,000 maximum RPM. 🚀
The fan achieves these impressive figures thanks to its dual ball bearing design, which allows the fan to spin more efficiently than the standard dynamic bearing style. Extra blades in the centre of the impeller help to cool the shaft, providing a temperature engine temperature 5-10 degrees Celsius lower than stated in Arctic press materials (Arctic press documents do not agree on this figure).
Arctic claims that this additional shaft cooling helps double the effective life of the fan. Also includes a cover label against dust for fans central, protecting them in very dirty environments, although the reason for covering the majesty of the additional propellers, honestly, escapes me. 🤔
Those interested in using this fan to add some extra style to a non-server PC should keep a few considerations in mind before choosing the S12038-4K. This fan has a height of 38mm, 11mm higher than the S12038-4K. louder than standard cooling fans for PCs. Additionally, it does not feature rubber pads for a quieter mount, which means it will generate more noise and vibrations regardless of how it is installed.
As a server fan, it is not optimized for quiet operation like most consumer PC fans today.
It's surprising how Arctic seems uninterested in advertising its new fan, even though it represents a step up in performance within its class. The company deletes or ignores posts on Reddit, press releases are hard to find, and very few outlets have reported on the actual fan performance.
Those who wish to use this high pressure fan in 3U+ servers or workstations can find it at $14.99 on Amazon.
