Arctic Breeze Personal USB Fan
| Article Index |
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| Arctic Breeze Personal USB Fan |
| Usage, Testing and Final Thoughts |
Product: Arctic Cooling Arctic Breeze 92mm USB Fan
Provided By: Arctic Cooling
Price: $15.95 MSRP
Introduction:
USB fans are not new. The idea has been around for a while with different variations on design and safety. Some companies make the fans run directly from a USB port and others include a USB hub/stand of some sort that gives greater flexibility. The truth is, I've played around with a few different units and was less than impressed with their performance and noise. Arctic Cooling recently asked us if we wanted to take a look at their Arctic Breeze USB fan and we agreed. I thought this would make a great review for a rookie, but after it arrived I decided to keep it for myself.
My workshop is located in the back room of a rather large two-car garage and it gets plenty warm in the summer. I thought if the fan was any good it may come in handy. Before I ramble on too much, let's take a look at the Arctic Breeze and what Arctic Cooling has to say about it.
 Minimalistic Packaging |
 Fan Profile |
About the Arctic Breeze:
The ARCTIC Breeze outperforms other USB fans in the market. Same as other ARCTIC COOLING products, the 92mm fan is equipped with a low noise impeller, making it a quiet fan at all speed.
Whether it is warm or hot, the ARCTIC Breeze offers you the cooling you need. The fan comes with two levels of speed – 1200 rpm and 2000 rpm. With the fan speed switch, users can adjust the speed to their preferable level easily, offering the lowest noise level possible.
While other USB fans provide only a USB connector, the ARCTIC Breeze provides an on/off switch. Users can switch on and off the fan simply by one click, instead of plugging and unplugging the entire fan. The 1.5m long cable is long enough for your PC case underneath the table. Excess cable can be rolled up under the fan base, keeping your desk nice and tidy.
Installation cannot be easier. Just plug the fan directly into a USB port, then you are ready to play with the wind!
Closer Look:
A USB fan is a pretty simple piece of hardware. The Arctic Breeze has a very aggressive design - especially for a USB fan. Other fans I've seen have cloth blades or a grill for safety, but the Arctic Breeze sits bare - waiting to chew off your finger. It stands about 7.5" tall and has a nice heavy base to keep it standing upright on your desk. The neck is flexible and allows proper positioning to blow air where you need it most - your face, back or armpit - whatever the case may be.
 Side of the Breeze |
 Power Switch |
Other USB fans that I've seen simply plug in to the port and are immediately powered. The Arctic Breeze has a power switch and two fan speeds to boot. How fast does it spin? Take a look below.
Features and Specifications:
I wasn't sure entirely what to expect with the Arctic Breeze. Normally USB fans are pretty disappointing and more of a gimmick than a useful item, but Arctic Cooling has a tradition of releasing good products. Below are the features and specifications that are printed on the package.
Features & Specs
One thing you may notice from the specifications on the package as shown above is that this fan is USB2.0. That means it can handle a peak throughput of 480 mbps. I understand that if you have an older USB1.1 connection the fan is backwards compatible to the 11 mbps interface as well.
Take a look on the next page as we plug it in and spin it up.
