Corsair ql120 rgb review in Spanish (full analysis)

Corsair is constantly renewing its cooling solutions cabinet and has now launched the Corsair QL120 RGB. Finally, the manufacturer has adopted the independent outer ring double ring and inner ring method with a total of 34 addressable LEDs using iCUE.

In addition to the aesthetic renovation, these fans have a helical design that will allow obtaining a good air flow ideal for ventilation in the chassis. Unlike those used in RL systems, these QL120s will rotate a maximum of 1500 RPM, making them very quiet. This pack of fans is presented to us in configurations of 1 and 3 components of 120 mm, and 1 or 2 of 140 mm, although we anticipate that its price is high.

Before proceeding with this review, we thank Corsair for their permanent trust in us by transferring their products to us for our analysis.

Corsair QL120 RGB technical characteristics

Unboxing

We start as usual with the Unboxing of these Corsair QL120 RGB, which in our case is the pack of three fans. For them, the manufacturer has used a box of small dimensions and made of flexible cardboard. The exterior appearance is the same as its other products, with yellow and black colors, a huge photo of the fan and some basic information about its benefits.

Inside, we have all three fans packed in a stiff cardboard mold with the cable tucked neatly into a slot. In turn, the other components such as the installation screws for the chassis and of course the microcontroller.

So the bundle is made up of the following elements:

• 3x Corsair QL120 RGB Fans Lighting Node Core Microcontroller Chassis Mount Screws User Manual

It should be said that its features will offer us good performance both in chassis and in heatsinks or liquid cooling, although the manufacturer only provides the screws to install us in the chassis.

Exterior design

Before looking in detail at the benefits offered by these Corsair QL120 RGB, let's see what is new in their design. For those interested in purchasing, Corsair will launch two versions of these fans on the market, the one we analyze with a diameter of 120 mm and 140 mm for compatible chassis. Likewise, in both cases we will have available packs of 3 fans if they are 120 mm or 2 units if they are 140 mm, or their purchase in single units that also include the microcontroller.

That said, the main novelty of these fans in terms of aesthetics is that now the installation frame in black plastic is reduced to a minimum. These corners are presented in a flat configuration and with good rubber feet on both sides so that the installation ensures the elimination of vibrations and the noise they may generate.

The circular crown has been completely renovated, adapting to what other manufacturers offer. It is now made of translucent white plastic with a black opaque plastic backing. This means that the fan has two independent zones with addressable LEDs that we will see later in action.

We now go to the engine and propellers area, which are also made of translucent material to reflect all the lighting in the exterior and interior area. And yes, also in the rotation zone we have a double line of independent LEDs. The central area of ​​the rotor has been taken care of to the maximum, installing on both sides a shiny aluminum plate with the Corsair logo, very premium we must say. In total we have no less than 34 individually addressable LEDs for each fan, almost nothing.

Then we will see in the features that the helical design of the propellers is optimized to give us good pressure and good air flow. Finally, the rotation system has been fastened with four straight black plastic arms that are quite wide and perforated so as to interfere as little as possible in the air flow.

Features and characteristics

We continue with the benefits that each of these Corsair QL120 RGB will give us, which are not bad at all, although it is true that models like the LL120 RGB present us with benefits that are slightly superior to these.

All these values ​​that we will mention later will be possible thanks to a rotation system by means of a hydraulic bearing capable of rotating between 525 and 1500 RPM for 120 mm fans and between 550 and 1250 RPM for 140 mm fans. In all cases we have a 4-pin connector to supply power to the motor and control its speed by means of signal modulation by pulse width, or PWM between 30 and 100% of voltage. This rotation system ensures a useful life or MTBF of at least 40, 000 hours. It's not a stratospheric life like the ones with Noctua heatsink fans, but it falls within the average.

The main feature of this model is that it offers a good balance between air flow and static pressure. Starting with the flow, we have a range between 13.17 and 41.8 CFM for the 120mm ones and between 20.99 and 50.2 CFM for the 140mm ones. The static pressure, important for heatsinks and RL systems, is a maximum of 1.55 mmH2O for those of 120 mm and 1.4 mmH2O for those of 140 mm. This balance makes them very quiet fans, with only 26 dBA of noise at their maximum speed.

In addition to the power connection, the Corsair QL120 RGB also have a second cable that will carry the control signal of each element's complex lighting system. These cables will be directly connected to the microcontroller available to them, which will be the Corsair Lighting Node Core. In any case, they can be connected to the Lighting Node Pro version if we have it, or to the Corsair Commander PRO, for complete management of both RPM and lighting.

Let's review the features of the Lighting Node Core. It is the brand controller optimized to control fans, while the Node Pro supports fans and LED strips. This gives us 6 Corsair's own 4-pin headers to connect our fans. It is only possible to control the lighting of them, while the power will be borne by the motherboard. This controller has an internal USB connector that will go directly to the board, and another SATA for power and lighting. Management can be done with iCUE as we will see now.

RGB lighting and iCUE management

The management of the Corsair QL120 RGB lighting system should of course be done with Corsair iCUE. And it is very important to know that compatibility will be 100% assured with version 3.22.74 which we will have available in the same launch of the fans on the market. However, the Ligthing Node Core will be detected by version 3.21 onwards, although QL fans are not included in this version yet. Remember that the 34 LEDs of each fan can be managed individually if we want.

As always, the top list will indicate the devices that we have installed on our PC, with the notable presence of the driver in question. After selecting it, and going to the section on the lighting configuration section, we can select the type of fans we have installed and the number of them.

After this, we can go to the lighting section to manage each of the fan rings independently or generically with the different effects and animations that come preconfigured. To get the most out of the system, we must create different lighting layers and choose custom modes. Likewise, iCUE is able to synchronize with certain games and that these control the lighting at will to go in combination with the game.

As always, iCUE is one of the most comprehensive and user-friendly programs we have in the RGB landscape, so for the customizable fan enthusiast, these Corsair QL120 RGB are the best that the manufacturer has right now. The versatility and ability to achieve unique effects is incredible.

Test bench and performance

Now let's move on to see the real performance of these Corsair QL120 RGB, although we will not test them in a box, but in the Corsair H100i Platinum SE liquid cooling system, which brings two Corsair LL120s that reach 2000 RPM. This will be the configuration of our test bench:

TESTING BENCH
Processor:	Intel Core i9-9900K
Base plate:	ASUS Maximus XI Formula
RAM:	32GB DDR4 T-Force Vulkan Z
Heatsink	Corsair H100i RGB Platinum SE + Corsair QL120 RGB
HDD	ADATA SU750
Graphic card	Nvidia RTX 2060 FE
Power supply	Cooler Master V850 Gold

Temperatures in a liquid refrigeration

It is not too fair to compare some chassis fans with others from RL, but they will give us a good guide of what they are capable of doing with 1500 RPM less than the original ones. And the truth is that they have been defended very well, with an average temperature at rest just 1 ⁰ C above their standard configuration. Although the lower static pressure and having 500 RPM less is noticeable under stress, since the average rises to 66 ⁰C.

Speed ​​on the anemometer

We have also taken advantage of our anemometer and the wind tunnel that Corsair once provided us with to measure the air speed of the Corsair QL120 RGB at its maximum speed.

The first measurement has been carried out in Km / h (kilometers per hour) and the second in m / m (meters per minute).

Final words and conclusion about Corsair QL120 RGB

We can safely say that these fans are the most complete in both design and performance that Corsair has today. For high-performance and gaming equipment, it is very important to have good cooling in the chassis, since internal temperatures will depend on this flow.

These new fans that premiere the QL series are not exactly a portent in terms of pure performance. More than anything, it is committed to a perfect balance between static pressure and air flow, giving us even similar results to the LL120, which rotates at 500 more RPM. With only 1500 RPM maximum, they are very quiet fans, and thanks to the PWM control we can manage them from the board or with the Corsair Commander Pro.

We recommend our guide to the best heatsinks on the market

But where it does stand out very differently from the competition is in the lighting section. We have a total of 34 LEDs for each fan and four independent rings for each unit, being the most versatile currently available. The Lighting Node Core controller is up to the task, accommodating up to 6 units and seamless integration with iCUE. We only lacked that it is able to control the speed of the fans.

We finish with the availability and price of these wonders that appear on the market this same November 14 at an official price of € 107.99 for this pack of 3 fans + microcontroller. If we choose only one, its price will be € 32.99 and if we go up to the 140 mm configuration we will get them for € 39.99 the unit and € 86.99 the pack of 2. Despite being expensive, we recommend them for gaming configurations with RGB at the highest level.

ADVANTAGE	DISADVANTAGES
+ BALANCE BETWEEN FLOW AND PRESSURE	- ITS PRICE
+ VERY SILENT
+ EXQUISITE DESIGN
+ THE BEST LIGHTING SYSTEM
+ INCLUDES MANAGABLE LED CONTROLLER BY ICUE

The Professional Review team awards you the platinum medal and recommended product:

Corsair QL120 RGB

DESIGN - 100%

ACCESSORIES - 95%

PERFORMANCE - 91%

PRICE - 85%

93%