Zalman ZM-F3 120mm Quiet Case Fan with Silicone Pins

by Zalman

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 18.5 x 18.1 x 14.8 inches ; 7.4 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000FZ33AE
• Item model number: ZM-F3
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: June 15, 2007

Product Description

ZAL ZM-F3 120mm Quiet Fan 120mm Quiet Fan

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful & quiet. A great case fan, December 24, 2008

By 

Nathan Beauchamp "ConsumerAdvocate" (Oak Park, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Zalman ZM-F3 120mm Quiet Case Fan with Silicone Pins (Personal Computers)

This 120mm fan is really nice. It's pretty darn quiet, and very powerful. For a basic 1-speed fan, you can't do much better.

A few things worth noting:

1. The silicon pins provided for mounting the fan may not work in every application. I used screws from my computer case to mount the fan as the silicon pins were not the right size.

2. This is a mono-speed fan. However since it plugs directly into the motherboard, you can control its RPM through your motherboard's controls or a third party program like RivaTuner.

3. The fan is very quiet compared to many others. I think its probably quieter than even the fans that came pre-installed in my Antect P182 case.

A great fan and well worth the price.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lives Up to Its Reputation But ..., November 2, 2009

By 

Don (Texas USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Zalman ZM-F3 120mm Quiet Case Fan with Silicone Pins (Personal Computers)

I bought this fan because of its reputation for quietness, and it lives up to that characteristic very well. But installing it with the silicone mounting pins was a real headache. And the installation instructions come with no hints about how to make it easier. Just a drawing -- you know, one those language-free instruction sheets!

The four silicone pins each have two separated mounting slots -- one for the case and another for the fan. The distance between the two slots is what keeps the fan from touching the case and creating unwanted vibrational noise. But stretching and compressing the pins to fit the holes in the case (first) and the fan (second) is anything but easy. Every step along the way I worried about snapping a pin because I had to tug on and stretch them quite a bit to set them into their slots. I used a water-based lube and a small screwdriver to help slip them into place in the case, but the lube also made them hard to hold onto at the other end and tug through the case and the fan. I remedied this by holding on to the pins with a piece of paper towel. Ultimately I was able to install all four pins without snapping one off, which seemed like a small miracle to me. With hindsight I can see that the pins are tough and malleable. They have to be to take the installation abuse.

However, I'm sure that the pros who install these fans all the time have an easier way to do it. Or maybe they just have a lot of extra pins laying around and don't worry about snapping one (which I'm sure happens). I just wish the instructions would have come with some hints on how to make it easier for us "one-time Charlies" to set the pins correctly. And maybe an extra pin in the package would help to relieve some stress.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great, whisper-quiet fan., January 3, 2008

By 

Andrew C. (San Jose, Costa Rica) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Zalman ZM-F3 120mm Quiet Case Fan with Silicone Pins (Personal Computers)

The ZM-F3 is barely audible compared to other Antec and Thermaltake 120mm case fans, yet it pushes enough air to cool just as well.

The included silicon pins, while one-time use only, do a good job of further eliminating vibration sounds.

Overall an excellent product.