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Worth It?
Review Summary
ID-Cooling’s AF-127-ARGB fans deliver impressive airflow, refined ring-style RGB lighting, and a robust 27 mm frame, all at a cost-effective price for a three-pack; installation uses standard daisy-chain cabling, and apart from a couple of extra leads to manage, the fans maintain low temperatures while adding a polished look with minimal effort.
Hours Tested: 6
Overall
Pros
- Strong Performance up to 2200RPM
- Decent Build Quality
- ARGB Lighting
- Daisy-Chain Connector
Cons
- Reverse Blade Fans Not Available
- No Extra ARGB Extension
ID-Cooling has been in the market for some time and has been making significant progress in the cooling department. We previously reviewed the Frozn A620 PRO SE and were impressed with its cooling performance for the lower price; we tested its ID-Cooling X45 Thermal Paste, which was the chart-leading thermal paste.
ID-Cooling mainly focuses on PC air coolers and liquid coolers. There is not much to say about the brand, as its performance already speaks for itself. We’re taking a look at their fans, known as AF-127-ARGB-K (Trio Pack), which are available in GDL (Gold & Black), White, Black, and Pink. These fans are very thick, measuring 27mm vs 25mm (standard fans). These are some of the best-performing fans in the ID-Cooling portfolio. These fans can also be purchased individually or in a three-pack.
Let’s start with the specs
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Fan Dimension | 120 × 120 × 27 mm |
| Weight | 180g (Net weight, fan only) |
| Rated Voltage | 12V DC |
| Operating Voltage | 10.8 ~ 13.2V DC |
| Starting Voltage | 7V DC |
| Rated Current | 0.25A |
| Power Input | 3W |
| Bearing Type | Fluid Dynamic Bearing |
| Fan Speed | 500 ± 200 ~ 2000 ± 10% RPM |
| Max. Air Pressure | 2.68 mmH₂O |
| Max. Air Flow | 78 CFM |
| Noise | 29.9 dB(A) (Max.) |
| Connector | 4-Pin PWM |
Packaging & Accessories
The packaging is straightforward and made of sturdy cardboard, containing three 120x120x27mm fans and screws. The box does not specify anything special or any specifications on the fans. The little details would have been nice. This would have helped buyers make their purchase decisions. However, the box theme highlights aesthetics and RGB lighting lighting features, with a prominent front display of the fans. Another point to note is that there is no start guide or manual inside the box, which could have been a nice representation of the fans and their specifications.
Moving forward, in terms of accessories, there is nothing much to note. You receive a bag of screws. These are M5 and M3 (For Radiators) screws, standard screws used to secure fans to the case and liquid coolers. No extra fan or ARGB extension cable is included.
| Accessory | Details |
|---|---|
| Start Guide | N/A |
| Fans Included | 3 |
| Cables | N/A |
| Screws | 12x M3 For Case, 12x M5 For Radiators |
Closer Examination & Build Quality
Regarding the build quality of the fans, the frame is made of plastic, and the mounting holes feature rubber grommets for vibration control. The fan features seven blades optimized for airflow and incorporates an FDB bearing, a fluid dynamic bearing known for its durability and reduced noise. Another crucial point to note is that this fan has a thickness of 27mm, which exceeds the standard size of 25mm.
The additional thickness accommodates aesthetics and provides more room for larger fan blades and additional ARGB, but if you are an ITX PC builder where every millimeter counts, be warned, as this might interfere with the motherboard or RAM. Overall, the build quality of these fans in the hand feels sturdy and premium.
ARGB Lighting
The ARGB on the fans is well thought out. It features a translucent ring around the inner edge of the frame. The sides of the fans have also been accommodated with ARGB, which maximizes the impact of its ARGB lighting, meaning that if you’re viewing the fans from either side or the front, you will see the defused lighting from all angles.
Well, quite honestly, few people wouldn’t like the ARGB ring design, but to be fair, these fans would blend well with most PC builds. The ARGB carries the 5V daisy-chain connector, which means you can synchronize all fans at once and then connect them to the motherboard. It’s software-controlled, which means the lighting can be adjusted using its software, and it’s compatible with third-party applications, such as OpenARGB and Signal ARGB.
Fans Connectivity
These fans can be daisy-chained together, and each fan carries a single cable that connects to the PWM (Fan Header) on the motherboard, as well as one ARGB 5V connector with a female and male connector. You would first need to ensure that all the fans are connected in a daisy-chained manner.
There is nothing special here, as most of the fans have a similar design, but there are a bunch of cables that you need to shove at the back side of the case. I wish that followed a similar pattern to Corsair, Lian-Li, XPG, and Seasonic, which offer magnetic connectivity. That would have been a lot easier for many builders, but I would have been happy if they had provided us with an ARGB extension cable, as most fan makers do nowadays.
Testing Methodology
We will be testing the fan’s cooling performance to see if it effectively cools the CPU. We have installed it on the radiator. We’re using Deepcool Mystique 360 on our Hyte Y70 case installed at the top as the exhaust. We have placed the fans on the radiator to check it’s effective cooling.
We have tested the four profiles (25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%) and validated each through multiple runs in the CPU stress test, using Cinebench R23 to stress the CPU for 10 minutes. In the comparison, we are using ID-Cooling AF-127-K ARGB and Stock Deepcool Mystique FD-12 Fine-Tuned Fans.
Here is our standard case fan configuration:
| Component | Fan Model | Size | Quantity | Position | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cooler | Deepcool Mystique 360 ARGB | 120mm | 3 | Top | Exhaust |
| Rear | Lian Li Uni-Fan | 120mm | 1 | Rear | Exhaust |
| Side | Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM | 120mm | 2 | Side | Intake |
| Bottom | Deepcool FD-12 PWM | 120mm | 3 | Bottom | Intake |
We are using a positive air pressure configuration in our case. All case fans are locked at 50% maintaining the adequate cooling in the case.
The following setup was used for testing:
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 9700X, 105W TDP Unlocked
- RAM: XPG Lancer 16×2 6400MT/s CL28 (Tuned)
- Motherboard: MSI B650 TOMAHAWK WIFI
- Cooler: Deepcool Mystique 360 Liquid Cooler ARGB
- GPU: ZOTAC SOLID RTX 5080
- Case: Hyte Y70
- BIOS: 1N – AGESA ComboAM5 1.2.0.3c
- Windows Version: Windows 11 24H2 (OS Build 26100.4351)
Test Results And Observations
Let’s go through all the results and observations.
Fans RPM Readings
We’re taking a look at the fan readings here. The speed exceeds the advertised RPM of 2000. The fan can reach up to 2200 RPM. The fan profile curve seems to be slightly aggressive here. At 18% speed, the fan can reach up to 500; at 50% speed, it bounces between 1200-1300RPM and goes up to 2200RPM maximum at 100% RPM.
Cooling Performance
25% Fan Speed
50% Fan Speed
75% Fan Speed
100% Fan Speed
The ID-Cooling AF-127-ARGB-K performs exceptionally well, almost reaching the Deepcool FD12 Tuned at 75% and 100% speed and outperforming the latest XPG Hurricane Mag across all tests. These fans are recommended for actors’ Lland liquid coolers, providing excellent aesthetics at the same time.
Should You Buy It?
Buy It If
✅ You don’t want to compromise on cooling: these fans exhibit decent performance with a liquid cooler and effortlessly cool down the CPU. You can also use these fans for case cooling, as they have an airflow rating of 78CFM, which is in the high-end range.
✅ You’re a fan of RING RGB design: Thanks to its translucent ARGB ring design, which is very aesthetically pleasing.
✅ You don’t want to spend so much money on the fans: The fans can cost between $35 and $39, which is very decent for the trio pack while offering decent performance and good build quality.
Don’t Buy It If
❌ You want a clutter-free experience: These fans do not have to be connected individually due to their daisy-chain nature, but each fan carries a single cable with two connectors that are daisy-chained to the second or third fan, which must be routed behind the case, potentially creating a messy setup.
Final Thoughts
ID-Cooling has been in the headlines for quite some time due to its exceptional air-coolers and liquid coolers, which we have reviewed earlier. They’re doing an exceptional job in the cooling RND department and have come forward with incredible designs and performance. ID-Cooling is a brand that primarily focuses on PC air cooling and has developed some exciting products.
We have examined their fans, AF127, and are satisfied with the product overall. The fans overall are premium. Quite honestly, at this budget, it would be unfair to ask for the features that expensive fans offer, such as seamless connectivity through their magnetic design. The unboxing of the fans was straightforward and forward. There is nothing fancy, but at least they should have provided a guide menu as nobody would want to view their webpage and read the details. These are small details that can enhance the user experience.
In the accessories, ID-cooling has only provided the pack of screws for the radiators or case mount screws. However, I’d like to highlight one thing here: these fans are not entry-level fans, nor are they high-end; They are in between. Brands like Thermalright and other Chinese fan manufacturers have been flooding the market with fans priced under $20. they’re somewhat in between of those. They’re trying to cater to the mid-range category here for the people who don’t want to spend a lot but also want decent performance and excellent build quality.
They would have at least provided us with the bonus accessories, such as extra cables, ARGB extension, or PWM extension, which would have been a nice touch. However, speaking of performance, the fans exhibit decent results under the load. The fans managed to cool the CPU effortlessly.
The specifications on the paper are very competitive and decent compared to the high-end fans. The ARGB on the fans is very excellent. The fans are 27mm thick, which accommodates the stability of the overall frame design, reducing vibration noise. The sides also accommodate the ARGB lighting, which means you can view the LEDs not on the ring but on the sides as well.
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I’m Usman Sheikh, I started my tech journey in 2014 with the largest Pakistani gaming community forum as the senior administrator. I have always been deeply passionate about PCs, testing new gadgets and hardware, and learning new things every day. As a Senior Hardware Reviewer at Tech4Gamers, I bring over a decade of experience and spend my days stress-testing graphics cards, CPU coolers, motherboards, and more. I also love overclocking and I occasionally share tips and optimization guides for CPUs and graphics cards.
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