ARCTIC P9 Series Fans; A comparative Analysis
ARCTIC has released new P9 series fans aimed towards SFF builds and applications. These fans have a 92x25mm size making them suitable for such applications. We have received three configurations for evaluation:
- P9 Silent (Black) MSRP €9.99
- P9 PWM PST (Black) MSRP €10.99
- P9 Max (Black) MSRP €13.99
These fans come in non-RGB configurations and only a single fan pack configuration. ARCTIC is releasing the Max series in this size, which is something I did not expect. This fan is rated for 4300 RPM while generating 58.25 CFM airflow whereas the PWM PST version is rated for 3000 RPM generating 38.83 CFM airflow. The Silent version is not PWM regulated and it is rated for 1900 RPM generating 23.96 CFM airflow.
Specifications
Pricing
| Product | Purchase |
| P9 Silent | £6.99 on Amazon UK |
| P9 Max | £9.99 on Amazon UK |
| P9 PWM PST | £7.99 on Amazon UK |
Packaging and Unboxing
ARCTIC is using the same design and material for the shipping/packing box. The P9 Max and P9 PWM PST both support 0dB mode.
The backside of the packing box shows the specifications of the fan.
Each box has a fan and 4x screws.
Closer Look
It is time to take a look at the fans.
ARCTIC uses the same blade geometry on P9 series fans that we have seen on P12 series fans. Each fan has a specially designed 5-blade assembly. The center has ARCTIC branding. The frame seems to be sturdy. The distance between any two mounting holes is 82.50mm. The fan dimension is 92x92x25mm. This 25mm thickness provides a good static pressure rating to sustain back pressure.
Each mounting corner has no anti-vibration pad.
The fan’s frame is durable and has a layered design.
Looking at the backside of the fan, we can see a 4-arm assembly in a spiral design. Each arm has a wider body which disrupts the air flow coming from the blades. However, these fans generate a focused flow. These fans use ARCTIC Hydrodynamic bearings along with a German motor to reduce noise. The con of using these bearings is that they wear out quickly compared to other bearings. However, ARCTIC has got you covered by providing a 6-year warranty.
The below table shows a comparison of these fans on critical variables:
| Fan | Speed (RPM) | Static Pressure (mmH₂O) | Airflow (CFM) | Current Rating (Amps) |
| P9 Silent | 1900 | 1.32 | 23.96 | 0.08 |
| P9 PWM PST | 200 – 3000 | 3.12 | 38.83 | 0.12 |
| P9 Max | 450 – 4300 | 6.17 | 58.25 | 0.34 |
As you can see, these fans are highly efficient given their low power draw. Their static pressure rating and related airflow ratings make them suitable for certain types of uses. I would suggest P9 Silent to be used for case ventilation. The P9 PWM PST is suitable for case ventilation as well as to be used on heatsinks/radiators. The P9 Max is a special breed. Given its high range of PWM regulation, it can be employed for all scenarios. Whether it be for case ventilation, where adequate airflow at low noise is warranted, or in full throttle where high performance is required.
The P9 Silent is not PWM regulated as it has a 3-pin connector. It can be controlled via voltage regulation.
The P9 PWM PST comes with a 4-pin PWM connector and a 3-pin socket which allows the user to daisy-chain multiple fans for a synchronized control.
P9 Max comes with a 4-pin connector for PWM regulation.
The P9 Max and P9 PWM PST fans feature 0dB mode. On idle these fans can come to a halt or no spinning provided the motherboard supports this feature. In my testing both fans come to a stop at 5% PWM duty cycle.
Thermal Testing
I have used below mentioned configuration to test the performance of these fans: –
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- Noctua NH-U9S
- ASRock X870E NOVA WiFi
- G.Skill Trident Z Neo RGB 32GB 6400MHz CL30
- Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus 1TB NVMe SSD [For OS]
- Maxsun Arc B580 iCraft 12G [For Display]
- Fractal Design ION+2 860W Platinum PSU
- Thermaltake P6 TG Snow Edition in an open frame layout
Here is the settings table for testing:
| All Cores | Auto, Stock |
| VCore (V) | Auto |
| PBO | Disabled |
| Power | 161W |
| Thermal Paste | Noctua NT-H2 |
| Test Run Time | 30 minutes CINEBENCH R23.2 |
| Idle Time | 10 minutes |
| Fan Speed | 100% PWM Duty Cycle |
| Monitoring Software | HWInfo64 |
The following fans are used for the comparison:
- Noctua NF-A9 PWM
- Arctic P9 Silent (Black)
- Arctic P9 PWM PST (Black)
- Arctic P9 Max (Black)
Below is a comparison of all four fans that are used in this testing.
| Fan | Speed (RPM) | Static Pressure (mmH₂O) | Airflow (CFM) | Current Rating (Amps) |
| P9 Silent | 1900 | 1.32 | 23.96 | 0.08 |
| P9 PWM PST | 200 – 3000 | 3.12 | 38.83 | 0.12 |
| P9 Max | 450 – 4300 | 6.17 | 58.25 | 0.34 |
| Noctua NF-A9 PWM | 2000 | 2.28 | 46.47 | 0.09 to 0.1 |
Noctua NH-U9S has shown a remarkable performance handling AMD Ryzen 9 9900X at 161W all core load. Noctua cooler generates 38 dB(A) and did 87.4ᵒC. This performance comes at a cost of high thermals but excellent sound level. In comparison, the P9 Silent has a sound level of 36.8 dB(A) but it lacks the punch to tame the high-end CPU as temperature roars to 92ᵒC which is still within specs.
The P9 Max did an outstanding job as we saw a temperature of 80.5ᵒC but it comes at a cost of a high sound level of 48.9 dB(A). You can feel the airflow coming out of the heatsink. I also repeated the test by lowering the speed of the P9 Max fan to 39.8 dB(A) sound level. This is the sound level of the P9 PWM PST fan. The P9 Max retains its supremacy by 1.4ᵒC over the P9 PWM PST.
The real gem is P9 PWM PST. It did 39.8 dB(A) which is 1.8 dB(A) over the Noctua NF-A9 PWM fan but the temperature was 84.4ᵒC giving us a performance gain of 3ᵒC over the Noctua fan. AT 39.8 dB(A) this fan was silent.
Here is a table showing the RPM range and corresponding airflow and speed measurements of the ARCTIC P9 series fans. Please note that P9 Silent was voltage-regulated:
| Duty Cycle | Speed (RPM) | ||
| P9 Silent Black | P9 PWM PST Black | P9 Max Black | |
| 5% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10% | 0 | 190 | 404 |
| 20% | 0 | 514 | 960 |
| 25% | 293 | ||
| 30% | 540 | 952 | 1609 |
| 40% | 723 | 1222 | 1917 |
| 50% | 977 | 1584 | 2436 |
| 60% | 1169 | 1826 | 2890 |
| 70% | 1363 | 2156 | 3292 |
| 80% | 1532 | 2343 | 3609 |
| 90% | 1724 | 2657 | 3970 |
| 100% | 1882 | 2915 | 4299 |
Conclusion
ARCTIC has released new 92x25mm size fans in the P9 series. These fans are available in four configurations as listed on the website. The three main categories are:
These fans are 92x92x25mm. Each fan has a 5-blade assembly specially designed to generate high airflow while the high air pressure and 25mm thickness allow these fans to handle the back pressure while generating the same airflow.
These fans use Hydrodynamic bearings and a German-designed motor to reduce the sound and improve efficiency. Please note that Hydrodynamic bearing is the same as Fluid Dynamic Bearing. These fans are particularly useful for SFF builds where space-constrained design needs ample airflow for better cooling.
P9 Silent is better for case ventilation whereas the P9 PWM PST and P9 Max are best suited for employment over the coolers (heatsink/radiator) given their high air pressure and airflow ratings. However, they can also be used for case ventilation. P9 PWM PST given their overall sound output is the best of both worlds.
The P9 Max on the other hand is a one-of-a-kind fan in this category which can be used to operate at low RPM hence generating lower sound output where needed and can be used in full throttle for high-performance requirements. It is like one fan serving all. P9 Max and P9 PWM PST feature 0dB mode as well. They stop spinning at 5% PWM cycle. P9 PWM PST comes with a 4-pin PWM connector and a 3-pin socket for daisy-chain operations.
The P9 Silent is rated for 1900 RPM speed generating 1.32 mmH₂O air pressure and generating 23.96 CFM airflow. The P9 PWM PST is rated for 200 to 3000 RPM. It is rated for 3.12 mmH₂O air pressure and 38.83 FM airflow. The P9 Max is rated for a whopping 4300 RPM speed generating 58.25 CFM airflow. These fans are efficient as well, particularly P9 PWM PST. The 0.34A on P9 Max makes sense given its much higher rotational speed. At this high speed, I guess the risk of bearings wear-out is there but ARCTIC is providing a 6-year warranty.
I have tested these fans on AMD Ryzen 9 9900X using Noctua NH-U9S. Speaking of overall performance, P9 PWM PST and P9 Max have outclassed the Noctua NF-A9 PWM. However, P9 Max did that with way higher sound output. But it retained the performance advantage even when tested at a sound level of P9 PWM PST showcasing its true potential. However, the P9 PWM PST is the best pick here. It is silent and yet delivers a solid punch with 3ᵒC difference compared to the NF-A9 PWM fan. The P9 Silent is not suited for coolers in my opinion.
Pros
- Excellent Performance in small-size
- Good Airflow
- High Static Pressure
- Fluid Dynamic Bearing
- PWM Sharing Technology on PWM PST Fan
- Standard Connectors
- PWM Regulation on PWM/Max Fans
- Wide Range of PWM Regulation on P9 Max Fans
- 0dB Mode
- 6-Year Warranty
- Price
Cons
- P9 Max Fans are loud
