At first we would like to thank CORSAIR for offering us their iCUE SP140 RGB ELITE Performance 140mm PWM Fans for testing and reviewing.

 

About CORSAIR:

"Founded in 1994, Corsair has grown from pioneering the high-performance DRAM market to one of the world’s leading providers of enthusiast-grade PC components and peripherals. Our groundbreaking technology and innovation can be found in our high-performance memory, ultra-efficient power supplies, PC cases, PC and CPU cooling solutions, and solid-state storage devices. Under the Corsair Gaming brand, launched in 2014, we provide gaming keyboards, mice, headsets and mouse mats to eSports professionals and anybody who is passionate about competitive PC gaming.

 

Corsair hardware is regularly featured in showcase “dream systems,” and we have earned the adulation and respect of the press, professional gamers and overclockers, high-end system integrators, and PC enthusiasts worldwide by delivering leading-edge technology backed by renowned service and support.

 

Corsair has developed a global operations infrastructure with extensive marketing and distribution channel relationships, and our products are available through leading distributors and retailers in over sixty countries worldwide."

Product Features:

 

CORSAIR AirGuide Technology

 

SP RGB ELITE series fans utilize anti-vortex vanes to direct airflow and concentrate cooling, improving cooling whether used as intake, exhaust, or mounted to a liquid cooling radiator or heatsink.

 

Mesmerizing RGB Lighting

 

Eight Individually Addressable RGB LEDs line the central fan hub and diffuse outwards through the semi-opaque fan blades for a subtle and elegant glowing effect.

 

Your Setup at Your Command

 

With the included* iCUE Lighting Node CORE you can create vivid lighting effects, bringing your system to life with dynamic RGB lighting using our powerful iCUE software.

 

Low-Noise, High-Performance

 

With noise levels as low as 18 dBA, the SP RGB ELITE’s translucent fan blades provide ample airflow while still letting your RGB lighting shine through.

 

Guaranteed Reliability

 

Two-year warranty backed by the CORSAIR global support team.

 

UNITE YOUR SETUP

 

The next evolution in CORSAIR iCUE software is here, turning your entire setup into a cohesive, fully immersive ecosystem with intuitive control.

 

 

Product Specifications:

 

Fan Warranty: Two years

Fan Size: 140mm x 25mm

Bearing Type: Hydraulic

Flow Type: Static Pressure

LED Color: RGB

Operating Voltage: 6V - 13.2V

PWM Control: YES

CORSAIR iCUE Compatibility: YES

Fan Model: SP RGB ELITE

Weight: 0.177

Package Quantity: 1

Speed: 300 - 1200 ±10% RPM

Sound Level: 27 dBA

Power Draw: 0.30 A

Static Pressure: 1.66 mm-H2O

Adaptive Sync: RGB

Fan Airflow: 68.11 CFM

 

CORSAIR has recently refreshed their SP120/140 series of RGB fans with the ELITE model, sporting eight bright, individually addressable RGB LEDs but also anti-vortex vanes to direct airflow and concentrate cooling to the most important computer components such as video cards, AIO radiators and so on. The fans have been also optimized in order to produce less noise and the RPM can be customized between 450 and 1200.

 

We have asked CORSAIR to showcase the SP140 RGB ELITE in a CORSAIR 760T computer case, so they have sent two dual-fan kits but also a single-fan SKU:

 

 

 

The single-fan pack does come in a compact cardboard enclosure, showing the fan in operation in the frontal area, together with some technical specifications; here it is also mentioned that the setup is driven by the unified iCUE software:

 

 

 

On the side of the box, we will find CORSAIR’s “Super Chilled” saying:

 

 

 

On the bottom layer of the box, we will note the list of inside contents:

 

 

 

The back side comes with the main product features in different languages, but also in-depth technical specifications:

 

 

 

Some extra documentation is also provided, regarding product compliance but also the WEEE leaflet:

 

 

 

The fan is protected inside an additional cardboard layer:

 

 

 

Besides the main product, we will also receive a set of case screws:

 

 

 

The fans incorporate hydraulic bearings for low noise while operation and come with 9 opaque white blades; the frame design is familiar since we have found it with many CORSAIR fans before and in the corners we can also spot the place holders for the rubber vibration dampeners, which, in this case are missing. The middle fan area includes the individually-addressable LEDs but also a circular company logo. In case you do opt-in for a computer case in an all-white color, you can go forward and order the white frame version instead:

 

 

 

 

In the back side of the fan, we can note the anti-vortex vanes for directing airflow and for concentrating the cooling power but also a central sticker which mentions the power rating (12V at 0.3A):

 

 

 

As we have seen with previous fans from CORSAIR, these do not come with a single PWM connector, but also an additional one which goes directly to the RGB hub:

 

 

 

The 2-fan pack does have a similar appearance, only this time we also get a Lighting Node Core:

 

 

 

 

Here are some additional shots of the box as well:

 

 

 

 

 

On the back side, we will get to see an additional mention of the Lighting Node Core, but also the main product specifications in multiple languages:

 

 

 

The inside contents is split into three components: the two fans, but also a box with the necessary bundle:

 

 

 

The customer will receive two screw sets but also the Lighting Node Core:

 

 

 

Let’s go in-depth with the RGB hub as well:

 

 

 

This hub can control up to 6 fans and we must occupy the ports in the specified order in order for the hub to operate properly:

 

 

 

The ports also feature a locking mechanism so the cables won’t be released by mistake:

 

 

 

The RGB hub does come with not one but two cables; in this situation it seems that the power for the RGB lighting is not picked up from the USB 2.0 port but from a SATA Power connector; the USB 2.0 in this case is only used for actually controlling the effects via iCUE:

 

 

 

On the back side of the hub, we will be able to use the double-sided 3M tape, for securing the controller onto the case:

 

 

 

Regarding the documentation, we will note a Safety Information leaflet, a Declaration of Conformity, the WEEE leaflet but also a Quick Start Guide:

 

 

 

After connecting the fans in the correct order to the Lighting Node Core, the show did begin:

 

 

 

The fans look even better in a low light environment:

 

 

 

By using the supplied screws, we have installed the fans onto the CORSAIR 760T case but also on the radiator of the iCUE H115i ELITE CAPELLIX AIO:

 

 

 

 

 

 

The connected Lighting Note Core has been detected right away by the iCUE v4 unified software utility in order to allow further configuration:

 

 

 

The dedicated GUI will display several sub-menus on the left side:

 

 

In the Lighting Setup area, we will first need to choose the type of fans we are using (8-LED Fan Series), otherwise the lighting will not operate correctly:

 

 

The Lighting Channel 1 section will allow the user to define Lighting Layers, but also select which LEDs will go with a specific layer:

 

 

We have a lot of presets to choose from and a quick selector of a specific fan via Quick Lighting Zone:

 

 

Rainbow Wave

Spiral Rainbow

Rainbow

Color Shift

 

Color Pulse

Color Wave

Sequential

Strobing

Rain

Visor

Marquee

Temperature

Color Warp

 

Rotary Stack

Infinity

Audio Lighting

Rainbow Channel

 

Lighting Link-specific effects are available as well:

 

 

Hardware Lighting menu takes care of the effects which will be enabled while iCUE is turned off; these will be mostly enabled during PC boot time:

 

Rainbow Wave

Rainbow

Color Shift

 

Color Pulse

Color Wave

Sequential

Strobing

Visor

Marquee

Temperature

Rainbow Channel

 

The Device Settings menu will open in a separate window in order to allow firmware updates and brightness adjustment:

 

 

 

Outside the case test

Inside the case test

The iCUE SP140 RGB ELITE fans from CORSAIR are targeted towards more budget-conscious people and do offer good airflow thanks to the anti-vortex vanes, with a CFM of up to 68.1. These can be successfully installed on computer cases but also on AIO radiators for improving the stock kits, while the RGB effects will be controlled via the included Lighting Node Core (shipping only with the dual-fan kits). For powering the fans, we would also need a fan controller but for a more ideal iCUE integration we would opt-in for the CORSAIR Commander CORE RGB & PWM Fan Controller.

 

Despite only having eight LEDS in the middle, these are bright and the opaque blades help distribute the light on the entire surface. iCUE with its latest v4 version is easy to control, sync with the other supported products and offers a ton of presets we can begin creating our own effects from.

 

The fans are practically inaudible till hitting 950RPM, as we have noted by performing our own tests with the sound meter; during the tests, the ambient noise was about 28.3 dBA:

 

 

 

A lot of flexibility is offered besides the single fan and dual fan kits: we can choose between black and white frame models but also go for the 120mm version if our case does not support 140mm size. In terms of pricing, the 140mm single fan kit can be found online for about 16.4 Euros, while the dual-fan pack can be picked up for about 44.4 Euros.

 

Here are the Pros and Cons we have noted for this product:

 

Pros:

 

-good cooling performance

-low noise during operation

-high level of configuration regarding RGB lighting thanks to iCUE

-can be had in both white/black and 120mm/140mm versions

-incorporate hydraulic bearings for durability

 

Cons:

 

-rubber vibration dampeners are not present in the corners

 

CORSAIR iCUE SP140 RGB ELITE Performance 140mm PWM Fans are Recommended for:

 

 

 

We would like to thank again to CORSAIR for making this review possible!