Our Verdict
77%
Decent airflow, lighting and efficiency, but not particularly quiet.
The Scythe Kaze Flex 120 RGB has a 4-pin header, so lighting controls impact all LEDs, resulting in one color at a time. The lighting looks good, though, with the semi-translucent blades allowing the illuminated hub to dish out color all the way along them. There’s also only 3-pin speed control, rather than our preferred 4-pin PWM, but most motherboards can still control 3-pin speed effectively. You get a Molex cable in the box as well.
Scythe Kaze Flex 120 RGB performance
Check our how we test page for our fan testing procedure.
There are several variations available, with our sample hitting a peak speed of 1,800rpm. Its peak noise of 66dBA is quite loud but mid-pack for fans of this type at full speed.
Airflow was excellent, though, at 2.16m/sec. This puts it just behind the slightly louder Gelid Radiant-D, but comfortably ahead of the Noctua NF-P12 redux – only the be quiet! Silent Wings 4 and Phanteks T30 offered noticeably more airflow. The Scythe is the loudest fan we’ve tested at 1,000rpm. Although, it also offered the best airflow at this speed so its efficient is decent.
Our noise-normalized test saw the Scythe struggle, as it only reached 950rpm before it hit our noise level limit, but it still had far from the worst efficiency on test.
Scythe Kaze Flex 120 RGB pros and cons
Pros:
- Good airflow
- Reasonable efficiency
- Low price
Cons:
- Loud at most speeds
- No PWM control
- No 3-pin digital RGB lighting
Scythe Kaze Flex 120 RGB specs
The Scythe Kaze Flex 120 RGB specs list is:
| Max speed | 1800rpm |
| Stated noise | 36dBA |
| PWM control | No |
| RGB lighting | Yes, 4-pin |
| Accessories | Molex to 3-pin adapter |
Scythe Kaze Flex 120 RGB price
The Scythe Kaze Flex 120 RGB is an impressively low-cost 120mm case fan with RGB lighting.
Price: Expect to pay $16 / £26
Scythe Kaze Flex 120 RGB review conclusion
Thanks to a low price, reasonable efficiency, RGB lighting, and decent airflow, the Scythe Kaze Flex 120 RGB is a decent offering, although the Deepcool FC120 is better and cheaper if you need three or more fans. So good is the Scythe Kaze Flex 120 RGB, it makes it onto our best PC fan list.