Introduction to the characteristics of the Arctic BioniX P 120 A-RGB

The new generation of BioniX fans by Arctic are surprising for their design, which as we take out of the box already leaves us quite surprised by not having any cable connected to them and also by their strangely high weight for what comes to be the average on fans of this size, 120 mm in diameter. This makes our review of the Arctic BioniX P 209 ARGB begins with a special incentive.

This new generation of fans continues the design of previous generations adding A-RGB capacity and also providing important new features in the way in which the fan connects with our computer and how we can connect this fan with other identical models in liquid cooling systems or boxes in a much more intelligent way, with much less wiring to manage.

Specifications of the new Arctic BioniX P 48 A-RGB

The new BioniX P 120 A-RGB is a case fan also suitable for liquid cooling systems with 48 mm diameter and a motor with a bearing immersed in fluid capable of developing speeds between 466 and 2300 rpm controlled by PWM.

It is not common to see a fan without any hanging cables.

Reach up to 45 CFM at full rotational speed with static pressure up to 2.1mm / H2O which is a high figure for a fan of this size. The only downside is that at this frequency it generates up to 48 noise dBA. Luckily, its PWM control allows us to keep it at lower frequencies with good performance.

Works with a voltage of 12 v, of course , and consumes up to 0. 13 intensity amps. It is somewhat wider than average, with 30 mm thick, and also weighs a little more than usual, with 209 grams. The connectivity, although we will talk about it in more detail later, is PWM for power and A-RGB for lighting. The connections are independent so the power of the lighting will not depend on the operation of the main rotor.

The lighting features 12 leds A- RGB located in a frame covered with a light diffusing material that allows it to offer powerful lighting and well distributed throughout the lighting frame.

Easy cascade connectivity

One of the big improvements of this generation is the way Arctic has managed fan connectivity. Each of them has an identical 8-pin connector, only 7 actually in use, input and output on opposite sides. At the input we find adequate wiring to connect to the motherboard and we will also find wiring for connectivity between fans, in fact, it even comes with a direct connection adapter for when we use two or more of these fans in cooling systems such as radiators of 240, 360 or 480 mm.

With each fan we will also find adequate wiring to carry out single connectivity per fan, the traditional one, as well like short couplers, when the two fans must be installed one next to the other, as well as another longer cable when we need to travel more space between fan and fan.

In any of the cases we can connect some fans to another s in cascade without the need for a lot of wiring going through our box, the advantage is that we will have, in the worst case, a single cable between fans, and only one of them will have to be connected to the motherboard. The only thing we should be careful about is not to exceed the load capacity of the PWM connector on the motherboard.

I know this doesn’t change much from A-RGB connectivity, which is always cascade, and there are also “Y” adapters for the PWM connector, and many fans come standard, but here everything will be concentrated in a single cable with a connection system that seems hard and resistant. For me it is an important improvement in the design of connectivity for computer fans.

A-RGB compatible with the best manufacturers

Although the connectivity of these fans is different from any other that has passed through our hands, in a good way, the truth is that their connectivity is completely standard and they are prepared to work with any motherboard with A-RGB connectivity that is almost any released in the last two years.

The A-RGB connector is three four pins, with polarity control on the third pin, the same format used by all motherboard manufacturers. This means that we can control the lighting of these fans from any of the lighting control programs of the main motherboard manufacturers, thus synchronizing all the ARGB lighting of our system.

Asrock, ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI and others use this connector so we won’t find any problem integrating this fan into our current lighting ecosystem.

Noise and performance

The wide range of frequencies with which this fan can work can make you both a whisper and a infernal noise machine with up to 45 noise dBA according to the manufacturer. Personally, I always like self-limited fans at short frequencies more, but I also perfectly understand users who prefer a wide range with which they do not lose cooling possibilities when necessary.

The advantage of this model is precisely that, a wide range between the 400 and 2300 rpm that we can fully play with. TO 400 rpm the fan behaves with fantastic efficiency and very low noise, inaudible mounted on any chassis.

Analysis and conclusion

The new fan BioniX P 120 A-RGB from Arctic offers a new point of view in fan connectivity, with much cleaner and smarter management. Not only does it improve parallel connectivity, with direct contact between fans, but also when there is space between them, unifying in a single connector both the PWM power supply and the standard A-RGB type connection.

Not only is it a marvel at the level of innovation, but it is also a great fan, with excellent mechanics, a wide frequency range, good performance and noise control always and when we are able to regulate it at the appropriate frequencies to combine good performance with controlled noise levels.

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