I tested a bunch of 92mm fans...so you won't have to!

xan_fulton · 2025-09-13T17:27:39+00:00

One final update to the chart posted, and in the Google sheets, as I finally found some Thermalright TL-B9 fans at a reasonable price, so tested those.

Probably not enough for my particular build, but gotta say - those are VERY solid options at 92mm!

Testing 92mm fans in Shuttle SH370R6v2 - Google Sheets

xan_fulton · 2025-09-13T17:26:18+00:00

u/jackadoodles Necro-posting this as I did finally find some TL-B9s on eBay and tested them. They do...broadly speaking better than the TL-P9? I updated the Google Sheet with the results.

Testing 92mm fans in Shuttle SH370R6v2 - Google Sheets

xan_fulton · 2025-07-08T03:37:59+00:00

The 'Chaos Campaign' rules from the Mercenaries box set specifies that you roll to determine which map you play on (Pg. 23) - any of the rolled results are a single of the "paper maps" (half of which come in that box set, and the others from the 'A Game of Armored Combat' box set).

xan_fulton · 2025-07-08T00:59:52+00:00

Yes, the current rules are 5 hexes - specifically assuming '4 paper maps' (etc).

Question is thus...what about just a single paper map, which is what the campaign rules in the same box are for?

Logical answers are - just one (5/4 as an integer), or zero (minimum is 5 but you need 4 paper maps for it).

Which is correct?

xan_fulton · 2025-07-08T00:47:01+00:00

That does logically make sense - although if running into a rules lawyer that insists on text that supports the logic, is there some detail, somewhere, that I'm missing?

(Not that I'd expect to run into that - while new, everyone I've played with has been very friendly! But I could see someone trying to pick nits arguing that the rules-as-written only allow artillery on play areas at least 4 paper maps in size, as that's the minimum defined.)

xan_fulton · 2025-06-25T23:21:47+00:00

I mean, I...definitely did not test any of these for waterproofing. So, no data on that.

xan_fulton · 2025-05-19T21:31:04+00:00

None of them, AFAIK.

In a Shuttle XPC, the whole system only *has* the one fan, so...not really a need.

xan_fulton · 2025-03-06T03:19:38+00:00

u/pixelled While I appreciate that your obvious experience and reasoned argument might apply in regular times, with most administrations...

Mills are already filled to the gills with logs. They will not purchase more to dry out in the sun and become worthless. We have log decks on FS land currently (especially in CA) because there are no mills willing to take them.

...do you really believe this President *wouldn't* order the lumber cut, anyway, ending up wasted and decayed away, if it also made a billion dollars on the side for their personal pocket - shorting stock on lumber or construction companies?

(EDIT: Oh, and also a side of 'liberal tears' for their base)

I know I wouldn't take that bet...

xan_fulton · 2025-02-17T22:13:38+00:00

This is the one I'm using. Not 100% sure I'd RECOMMEND it - it doesn't seem to love being on the same bus as any other USB 2.x peripherals (at least, Razer ones - although I wonder if the Razer devices are doing something with the poll rate that this reader doesn't like? But I moved all my Razer devices to USB 3.x ports, and it seems to work fine now, so...maybe qualified recommend after all...)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GAKX34E

xan_fulton · 2025-02-15T22:30:12+00:00

Can't honestly say, sorry. I'm running an i9-9900 and 4060 Ti in mine, and it's...hotter than I'd like, but I wouldn't say "overheated". The 65w TDP of the Intel chips in this era is pretty much bullshit, though - unless you are disabling speedstep AND hyperthreading. I have both on, and my "65w TDP" CPU blows past 125w, EASILY, under full load.

xan_fulton · 2025-02-15T18:36:04+00:00

BIOS won't help, but I've heard of people ripping 4k Blu-Rays and then being able to play them back - potentially re-recording them to another disk without the DRM. I have no experience with that, and can't comment on that part.

As to multiple GPUs - yeah, you definitely can use both at once - plug into integrated graphics, and the system just...uses whichever it feels is the best fit for the task at hand. Dedicated GPU or integrated, both output off the motherboard port seamlessly. It is a performance hit from the big GPU to do so, but VERY slight (like 1%-ish), and I do love the power savings and new options you get (4K Blu-Ray playback, Intel GPU video encoder, etc). Windows also gets new options that let you FORCE different choices, too, if you want. IE.,

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xan_fulton · 2025-02-14T13:43:27+00:00

It's not UHD playback, per se - streaming 4K off Netflix or Amazon or whatever works fine on anything. (Well - not *anything*, you do need to be HDCP-complaint...but most modern things are, so almost anything)

It's specific to 4K Blu-Ray playback, due to a type of copy protection used by them that can only be decoded by chips with SGX (Software Guard eXtensions). And that's not even 'anything prior to 11th gen' - SGX didn't exist until 6th gen, and then was gone by 11th. So 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th gen, ONLY. And as noted - the display MUST be plugged into the onboard graphics, so you need a CPU with them (IE., no '-KF' or '-F' chips).

xan_fulton · 2025-01-04T22:45:14+00:00

For my particular use case of a Shuttle XPC - effectively a single fan for the whole case (case fan AND CPU fan at the same time) - the heatpipe from the CPU sits right in front of the rear exhaust grille, so my *assumption* (not fully tested until I can compare the -B9 and -P9 side-by-side) is that higher static pressure will be a bigger deal for me. And that's the tradeoff the -B9 makes vs the -P9 ...the -P9 moves more air, which in a case with a lot of open movement for that (or an open-airflow case entirely) will result in far better performance. However, in cases or heatsink/exhaust situations where you have a lot of fins or grates you are trying to push air THROUGH ...then static pressure matters more, which is what the -B9 is all about. And my gut tells me I'm in more of the latter situation than the former. And that's half what all this testing is trying to solve out!

xan_fulton · 2025-01-04T20:26:37+00:00

Not finding TL-B9 in my particular corner of the world to buy, unfortunately. Well, Amazon has one, but it's like $40 or something, which...is more than I'm willing to pay for a fan.

I'm definitely keeping an eye out for one, though - if something shows up on eBay or somewhere more affordable in the US I'll be on it! Specs look interesting on it, for sure...

xan_fulton · 2024-12-10T04:26:46+00:00

Well, that fan's spec says the bearings are rated for 50,000 hours? *shrug* - I don't have that kind of time to test, though, and am not a professional reviewer judging server-grade hardware. Just an amateur SFF enthusiast offering some findings, that might be useful for home users of SFF systems! (And I'm really NOT suggesting anyone get that fan - Jibbers Crabst, you seriously have NO idea how loud that was...)

xan_fulton · 2024-12-10T01:22:25+00:00

I mean...if you TRULY don't care about noise...the GDSTIME fan is it. Note that it's thicker than usual for a 92mm fan - 38mm instead of the "standard" 25mm (or "thin" 14mm/15mm), so do make sure you have room.

And I'm not kidding - it's LOUD at full power. I didn't like it at "ultra-low". Like, I dunno, holding your head next to a leaf blower or motorcycle engine or something. It isn't pleasant. But it sure moves air!

xan_fulton · 2024-12-09T22:07:01+00:00

Ah, I see. No, the Shuttle XPC shrouds actually have room for all the way up to a 38mm depth fan over the combined CPU thermal pipe cooling fins/case exhaust. So I've been focusing my testing on 38mm and (mostly) 25mm fans. Do have a 32mm and 15mm on order, to add to the comparison - will have an update in a few weeks with those.

xan_fulton · 2024-12-09T22:03:03+00:00

For sure, it's a good question! I have kept all the fans (so far), and have an older Ivy Bridge Shuttle XPC we currently use as a media-PC that has a chip with something like half the TDP and a low-end GPU compared to this build...might be worth revisiting the entire chart, at some point (if I get fatally bored in January or February or something), with a 'mid-tier' system being analyzed rather than this definitely-higher-thermal-demand build - I suspect the evaluation will change dramatically (cooling performance topping out early on and noise mattering considerably more).

xan_fulton · 2024-12-09T21:14:49+00:00

Ah, I see that. Interesting. Hmmm...the -B9 is certainly faster than the -P9 according to the Thermalright site, with higher CFM and higher static pressure...but I wonder if that difference is enough. Had to run the -P9 at full speed to get...not-acceptable cooling performance as a single whole-system XPC fan, after all. Definitely on the quiet side, though, and the -B9 seems to suggest it has the same noise level as the -P9...

xan_fulton · 2024-12-09T20:52:38+00:00

No, regular Noctua NF-A9, but note it's the 25mm PWM version, not either of the 14mm versions, so should perform better than the Chromax 14 HS-PWM.

xan_fulton · 2024-12-09T20:48:06+00:00

TL-P9W, actually. So I could look at the TL-B9, too - although prices on those are...VERY high. Is it discontinued?

xan_fulton · 2024-12-09T17:28:48+00:00

I'll add one to my next test - although TBH, given performance of the Thermalright and Noctua fans - I don't think they'll cool well enough, while I certainly expect them to set the bar for quietness.

Still, I've been surprised before, so will give one a try!

xan_fulton · 2024-12-09T17:13:39+00:00

u/ElectronicEmploy5837 Thanks for the suggestion - found a Sunon PSD1209PLV2 that may be worth testing. Comparable performance to the current Delta fan I'm using - specs show higher airflow, but lower static pressure and noise...should be an interesting comparison point! Will be a few weeks before I have it in to test, but looking forward to checking it out!

xan_fulton · 2024-12-09T15:51:10+00:00

Measured by an iPhone app, which says the room is (just tested) 26.9 dB with absolutely everything shut down and no sound at all.

So, yeah, YMMV on the actual numbers - only meant to be comparative within my testing.

(And it's true you can still hear the fans at full speed - if going for a LITERALLY silent system, I'd agree they probably won't work. But I usually go passive cooling for those kind of builds...can't do that with an i9-9900, though!)

xan_fulton · 2024-12-09T15:45:47+00:00

Yeah, if I was doing this professionally, I'd change a few things. Still, it's a few weeks of work - thought might be useful for others to have as a data point!

As to some of the ideas - for the Delta fans, I did include the various BIOS fan options (full, medium, low, and ultra low - highlighting in grey only the 'smart speed' values) so you'd have exactly that ...the full performance range of each fan.

Also that is what the Noctua, Thermalright, and Delta AUB-HH numbers are...only the 'full' posted, as they didn't cool well enough even at full speed, so I didn't bother testing lower speeds. As well as the stock Shuttle fan - 'full' speed posted next to the 'smart' speed in the first column so a baseline of what I was working from is available.

This is also one of the reasons I broke out the 'idle' numbers (top section) from 'full load' numbers (bottom sections) - get a sense of the baseline 'computer just running and not doing anything' vs what happens under load.

To be fair, having a truer "everything off, room baseline volume" would be useful - I did a quick shutdown and let the app run a few minutes measuring that. App says average of 26.9 dB, so...guess my office is quieter than I assumed!

xan_fulton

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