Here is Cooler Master’s new fan the Turbine Master! This unit has some interesting design features.
Manufacturer and Sponsor: Cooler Master
Street Price Around 13 Euros / $16 (AUS)
Cooler Master are regulars here at Vortez. If it isn’t a new heatsink or gaming mouse on the testbench then it’s probably a power supply or enthusiast gaming enclosure.
They’ve been in the PC market for years and have produced a great many excellent cases and cooling solutions. Indeed, this has recently expanded into peripherals and a range of excellent power supplies too.
First let’s hear a little from the company themselves:
Cooler Master was founded with the mission of providing the industry’s best thermal solutions. Since its establishment a decade ago, the company has remained faithful to this mission, emerging as a world leader in products and services for companies dealing with devices where heat issues must be resolved.
In pursuing this mission, Cooler Master is absolutely committed to delivering solutions that precisely meet customer requirements for features, performance, and quality. Moreover, we strive to be a reliable long-term partner for our customers that they can truly depend on. It aims to be the first and foremost name that comes to mind for companies around the world seeking thermal solutions, and seeks to build such a reputation through outstanding technology, sophisticated design, and superior service.
Cooler Master’s current business encompasses a comprehensive lineup of thermal solutions for a full range of applications. Its products range from heat sinks and fans to component housing, chassis, and ducting for computers, industrial machinery, telecommunications equipment, and many other devices.
A critical component of Cooler Master’s ability to successfully pursue its mission is an unstinting commitment to quality, as demonstrated by the ISO 9001 certification granted to its main manufacturing plant in Taiwan. It has also enforced ISO guidelines and is in the process of applying for ISO 9002 certification at its second and third plants, located in China. Cooler Master has also implemented a number of analytical and testing protocols to ensure top quality, including at subcontractors, to further ensure thorough quality control. Moreover, Cooler Master’s dedication to quality extends beyond manufacturing to every aspect of its operation, including service.
Cooler Master strives on providing innovative and speed with their products whilst maintaining a level of customer satisfaction above that of its competition.
Cooler Master was founded with the mission of providing the industry’s best thermal solutions. Since its establishment a decade ago, the company has remained faithful to this mission, emerging as a world leader in products and services for companies dealing with devices where heat issues must be resolved.
In pursuing this mission, Cooler Master is absolutely committed to delivering solutions that precisely meet customer requirements for features, performance, and quality. Moreover, we strive to be a reliable long-term partner for our customers that they can truly depend on. It aims to be the first and foremost name that comes to mind for companies around the world seeking thermal solutions, and seeks to build such a reputation through outstanding technology, sophisticated design, and superior service.
Cooler Master’s current business encompasses a comprehensive lineup of thermal solutions for a full range of applications. Its products range from heat sinks and fans to component housing, chassis, and ducting for computers, industrial machinery, telecommunications equipment, and many other devices.
A critical component of Cooler Master’s ability to successfully pursue its mission is an unstinting commitment to quality, as demonstrated by the ISO 9001 certification granted to its main manufacturing plant in Taiwan. It has also enforced ISO guidelines and is in the process of applying for ISO 9002 certification at its second and third plants, located in China. Cooler Master has also implemented a number of analytical and testing protocols to ensure top quality, including at subcontractors, to further ensure thorough quality control. Moreover, Cooler Master’s dedication to quality extends beyond manufacturing to every aspect of its operation, including service.
Cooler Master strives on providing innovative and speed with their products whilst maintaining a level of customer satisfaction above that of its competition.
Now what we have here today harks back to the origins of Cooler Master – a new fan design that boasts ultra quiet running and reliable operation.
It’s their new fan range named ‘Turbine Master’.
Specifications
There are three models in the Turbine Master range. The first (and the one featured in this review) is the Mach 0.8 which is an 800rpm ultra quiet model. The other two are named Mach 1.2 and Mach 1.8 which rotate at 1200 and 1800rpm respectively.
The technical specifications below relate to the Mach 0.8 on test here –
Fan size – 120 x 120 x 25 mm (120 x 120 x 39 mm – depth with fan hub installed)
Speed – 800rpm +/-10%
Air Flow – 35.07 CFM
Air Pressure – 0.42 mmH20
Noise – 13.83 dBA
Bearing Type – Barometric Ball Bearing
Life – 100,000 hrs
Voltage Rating – 12v DC
Current – 0.08A (0.25A Max)
Power Consumption – 0.96W (2.4W Max)
Weight – 123.7g
Connector – 3 pin
Rubber screw x 4, Metal screw x 4, Rubber pad x 4, Molex-to-3 Pin-adapter x 1
Speed – 800rpm +/-10%
Air Flow – 35.07 CFM
Air Pressure – 0.42 mmH20
Noise – 13.83 dBA
Bearing Type – Barometric Ball Bearing
Life – 100,000 hrs
Voltage Rating – 12v DC
Current – 0.08A (0.25A Max)
Power Consumption – 0.96W (2.4W Max)
Weight – 123.7g
Connector – 3 pin
Rubber screw x 4, Metal screw x 4, Rubber pad x 4, Molex-to-3 Pin-adapter x 1
Packaging and contents
We’re greeted with a smart clean looking exterior. The Turbine Master is encased in a transparent plastic box with a cardboard inner that also hides the additional screws and fittings required to install the fan.
Box front.
The rear of the packaging includes standard specification data as well as a list of the specific features and technologies incorporated into the fan.
Box rear.
Once unpacked we can see the selection of bits and bobs supplied with the Turbine Master. Besides the fan itself you get a set of four rubber pads (these are stamped into the black rectangle seen in the image), four metal installation screws, four rubber vibration damping mounts, a Molex-to-3 pin adapter and the rounded cap for the turbine fan. The 3-pin cable on the fan is not braded which is unfortunate. Not only is this generally tidier but the braiding tends to also offer protection from snagging and damage during installation.
Everything you get.
When unpacking you will also find that the cardboard packaging itself includes the ‘Turbine Master Installation Guide’ to help make install as simple and pain free as possible.
The simple install guide.
The fan itself
Moving onto the fan itself you can see that it’s no ordinary looking unit. It has a high density of fins (16 in total) which all have an unusual straight leading edge. The fans ‘semi-cut’ frame is also quite a departure from the norm in that it sits lower and doesn’t fully encase the outer edge of the blades. This more open design (somewhat similar to Arctic’s frameless fans) should reduce the turbulence (and consequently noise) that would normally be generated by the pressure between fan tip and frame.
Fan front.
The rear is labelled up to identify this as the Mach 0.8 model in the Turbine Master range. Beneath that sticker lies Cooler Masters Barometric Ball Bearing hub – this should provide a longer lifespan over standard bearings and also run quiet in the process.
Fan rear.
From the side you can see ‘semi-cut’ frame in all its glory. My experience of designs similar to this have generally been good so I have high hopes that this fan will perform as Cooler Master intended.
The fans semi-cut frame.
Back to the front and you can see the Turbine Master how nature intended. The centre cap is designed to further improve airflow and help with turbulence and noise. Also, like a great many fan designs these days, the blade section can be popped out for quick and easy cleaning.
With the turbine hub in place.
Testing
The Turbine Master Mach 0.8 will be compared to a selection of fans tested here at Vortez in the past.
I used the sound pressure level meter below to test the db rating of the fan at 12v, 7v and 5v.
SPL meter.
Due to the sound level meter only registering a db rating of 50db+ I will have to adjust the sampling distance to allow the fan to register on the meter.
Originally I decided to test the fan at each rated voltage at a distance of 2cm but since this can introduce some proximity based noise issues I have changed my testing method.
I will instead identify the distance at which the fan (running at 12v) produces a 50db reading. Once a reading is taken I will then identify the distances for the same decibel rating at 7v and again at 5v.
When the data is complete I will use a ‘damping of sound level with distance’ calculator to work out the db rating for a listening distance of 2m. This will give a clearer understanding of the actual volume of the fan we have here.
For testing I used a hotwired ITX PSU which is a fanless silent model. This will provide power for the fan without producing any noise interference itself.
Results
Running @ 12v and recorded @ varying distances
50 db @ 6cm
After conversion the results @ 2m are as follows
19.5db
Running @ 7v and recorded @ varying distances
50 db @ 3cm
After conversion the results @ 2m are as follows
13.5 db
Running @ 5v and recorded @ varying distances
50 db @ 1cm
After conversion the results @ 2m are as follows
4 db
Summary of fan performance
As with my previous review the first thing to consider is that the db rating doesn’t tell the whole story. Tone, resonance and other factors can be more important than pure sound levels.
Motor wine and rhythmic speed related clicking may not show up on the sound meter but when present I can confirm that they are very apparent and can be annoyingly intrusive. On the flip side you could have a fan that made no discernable whining or clicking but was ‘showing’ as rating high on decibels!
The Turbine Master Mach 0.8
The Cooler Master Turbine Master is certainly a quiet fan. Not only do the numbers suggest this but the actual real world usage confirms that the fan is very unobtrusive.
There is no motor whine, no resonances and no chuffing. The semi-cut frame and bearing seem to be doing a great job here of controlling turbulence.
Being an 800rpm model back pressure is certainly not earth shattering but considering the low rotational speed at work here it still provides admirable performance – even when downvolted to 7v. It’s certainly in case fan territory and does its job very well.
5v operation was disappointing from a back pressure and ‘start up’ point of view. Back pressure was virtually nonexistent due to the ultra slow rotational speed. The low voltage was too much for the fan to cold start from. It will run at 5v but you’d need to start it at 7v+ and then throttle back or it would never spin up.
I must just mention that I’m not 100% sure of the merits of the domed hub cover. I repeatedly tested the fan both with and without it and could identify no improvements in terms of my own observed opinion of the sound and the actual db rating recorded using the sound pressure meter. Of course it may well have a positive effect on the overall lifespan of the fan but with no way to test it for that I had to rate it based on the standard test methods used.
Conclusion
All in all the Turbine Master Mach 0.8 is an impressive case fan. I can see this fan being used throughout the market from HTPC’s to multi fanned extreme case installs.
The design certainly seems optimised for ultra quiet running and despite the very low 5v airflow performance its remaining performances at both 7v and 12v put it firmly in the frame for a decent award. Airflow is quite generous considering the volume levels generated by the Turbine Master which truly makes it a shortlisted unit for anyone looking to get one or more new case fans.
Cooler Master’s excellent Turbine Master.
Unlike Arctic Cooling’s fan frame design which only allows the fan to be installed in one orientation the Turbine master can be installed as both an intake and exhaust – just like a normal case fan. The semi-cut frame is a great design feature and despite my concerns regarding the technical benefits of the rounded turbine hub cover you can’t say that it doesn’t look good!
I’d have liked to see some braiding on the fan cable just to help protect it a little but besides that I don’t really have a bad word.
Not only that but when you consider that there are two additional models in the range boasting increasing rpm levels Cooler Master have all bases covered from silent to fairly extreme user. Assuming they perform similarly to the Mach 0.8 tested here of course!
Assuming the UK pricing will be in the region of £10 I feel that the Cooler Master Turbine Master 0.8 deserves our ‘Gold’ award – congratulations.
Pros
+ Good performance vs sound level
+ Good airflow and pressure at 12v and 7v
+ Semi-cut frame seems to work well
+ Resonance, chuffing and click free performance
+ Well priced
Cons
– Lack of cable braiding
– Unsure of the domed hub covers impact on performance
+ Good performance vs sound level
+ Good airflow and pressure at 12v and 7v
+ Semi-cut frame seems to work well
+ Resonance, chuffing and click free performance
+ Well priced
Cons
– Lack of cable braiding
– Unsure of the domed hub covers impact on performance
