I am trying to decide on some fans for my PC. It is a toss up between the brands Papst or Panaflo. I heard great things about both. Does anyone have experince with ethier or both of these? Which brand is generaly more quite and better airflow?


Thanks,
-Darin

The Papst fans are usually faulted for a ticking noise they make when undervolted, although I don't own any, so I can't say that from experience. I do own Panaflos, and they seem to be the standard at places like silentpcreview.com, which is where you're likely to get a more definitive answer.

ff123

In Greece one can find only Zalman, or some no-name fans...

Well, that sounds like an urban myth. I currently have 5 Papst fans (running in 3 PCs) which all run with a lowered voltage (7V and 9V), and none make ticking noises. Four 80mm and one 120mm, BTW. They are quite expensive though, i don't know if Panaflo fans are cheaper...

Panaflo's are about 3 times cheaper here in the States. I can't comment on Papst fans, but 80 mm Panaflo L's are rather quiet at 7V and silent at 5V in my box.

Here's a link to an SPCR discussion about clicking Papst fans. Most users report no problems, but Rusty075 (a well-respected contributor at that forum) reports audible clicking at low voltages (5V), and a bad experience with the 92mm model. Another user says the clicking can't be heard at 7V, only at 5V, for his particular Papst fan.

If you don't have an opportunity to hear the Papst before purchasing it, or you can't easily return it after purchase, you may want to stick with the more reliable Panaflo L's. Since you're in the United States, you should have no trouble finding a low-cost supplier of Panaflo fans. From my personal experience, the Panaflo L at 5V still pushes a decent amount of air, and it's flippin' quiet. You will need to be in a completely-silent environment to be at all displeased with the Panaflo's performance.

I just got some YS-Tech, which work pretty good.

dev0

I really can't support that. I ordered three Papst fans for 13€ each. I have one Verax fan in my power supply unit which cost 45€...

btw. I never got the three Papst fans... see here (if you speak German). This nice merchand thought not to send the fans, to keep my money and to take the website down and to become insolvent. Actually I can be lucky not to have ordered something more expensive... (I try to be optimistic after having been damned f***ed by such a f***er; I wish him to burn somewhere beneath satan.. )

Yes, 13 to 15 € is the normal price. That's much money for a single fan, if you ask me. But Papst is like the old Volkswagen Bug... it runs and runs and runs and runs...



Ah yes, infamous Connecting Electronics. There was even a story about them in c't magazine a while ago. But even before that, i've seen the vast majority of the users complain about them on Geizhals. They were the cheapest for most products, but complaints everywhere. Luckily Geizhals introduced a rating system...

yep, they have a good reputation. maybe I haven't made myself clear. the Verax fan itself costs 45€... so I can consider Papst fans as cheap.

Yes i know, i ordered one myself. Returned it the next day. It is silent, but way too weak. I get better results with a Papst on 7V or less.

I have five Pabst fans in my computer - three 80 mm and two 92 mm.

The 80 mm fans does not turn at 5V. They need around 7V to run properly, but they are silent enough for me at that voltage. They are both the 12 dB version. A 19 dB version exists as well - it might work at 5V.

The 92 mm fans (lowest dB model) runs without any clicking at 5V. But they are silent enough up till 7V)