XPG Hurricane MAG 120 ARGB PWM (4-Fan Kit) Review

TweakTown Rating: 90%

Our Verdict

The Hurricane MAG 120 ARGB PWM fan kit comes packed with all the features you could ever need. Keep in mind, these stunning fans can get really loud, and may not be wired as you intend to use them.

Pros

• Four fans compared to the usual three
• Easy to wire
• Magnetic connectivity
• ARGB
• Fan direction microswitch and LED

Cons

• Availability
• Can be loud

Should you buy it?

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Introduction, Specifications, and Pricing

We have examined numerous fan kits over the years, and while they have mostly been a battle of silence and ARGB illumination, XPG approaches this idea a bit differently. In most instances, you would receive a 3-fan kit with 120mm or 140mm fans. ARGB is included, and standard case screws come in the box. However, most fans are individually wired and do not link together. Additionally, we have not seen anyone care about the fan flow direction.

This is where XPG steps in as a hero for many. Not only is connectivity made simple with a combination of magnetic attachment to each other, but it also includes clip-on wiring to simplify the installation as much as possible. No need for a hub or any special software, you only need a 5V 3-pin ARGB header. In addition to changing the direction of flow, you also get a fourth fan to be used on the back of the chassis, or wherever the proprietary cable allows it to reach in your build.

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These do fall into the masses when it comes to performance. Silence is still key under regular operation, and it is all about the bling with these new fans. XPG has delivered some of the better-looking fans and even takes the time to cover the fan hub with a sleek metal sticker. However, the sides of the fans are also addressed to deliver more aesthetic appeal than others we have tested. If you are in the market for more ARGB lighting in your chassis, or perhaps you plan to swap AIO fans for something more attractive, XPG offers a decent setup to consider with their Hurricane MAG 120 ARGB PWM 4-fan kit.

Everything seen in the chart was taken from the XPG product page for their Hurricane MAG 120 ARGB PWM 4-fan kit. The full product number to search for is HURRICANEMAG120ARGBPWM4C-BKCWW, where the latter bit designates the black option; however, there is also a white option available as an alternative. The huge selling point comes first, with a mention of the standard counterclockwise motion and reverse-clockwise capability of the Hurricane lineup.

Our four 120mm fans all utilize rifle bearings and can spin at speeds ranging from 300 to 2000 RPM, delivering two sets of specifications for flow and pressure. In the standard counterclockwise direction, you will achieve 54.82 CFM with 2.74 mmH2O of pressure at 23.36 dB(A). In a reverse-clockwise direction, you achieve 49.27 CFM with 3.29 mmH2O of pressure at 31.36 dB(A). The fans will draw 0.2A from the 4-pin fan headers to run the fan and an additional 0.86A to run the ARGB.

Other benefits include the 160,000-hour MTTF, which outlives the two-year warranty by approximately sixteen years, and the use of a 6-pole motor. However, proprietary wiring is a feature of this kit. Wiring is shown to require a 4-pin PWM fan header and a 5V 3-pin ARGB header, but XPG also includes a reset switch adapter. The adapter allows the user to control the fan direction with the reset button, which is a significant advantage once you consider how it is typically done otherwise.

With everything looking good thus far, we have encountered some issues locating this kit. We found it on-site at XPG, which appears to be the only location where it currently exists. If we had to assign a price tag to these, as a rough estimate, we would imagine they could cost around $100, as that is the typical rate for most players in this game. We would not be shocked to see the Hurricane MAG 120 ARGB PWM 4-fan kit sell for less, but considering the 4th fan added into the mix, it is more worth the $100 price point than others we have seen.

Packaging

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In a brilliant red box, the XPG Hurricane MAG 120 ARGB PWM high-performance cooling fan is shipped. Across the top are icons for one-click fan control, daisy-chain capability, multi-directional fan blades, addressable RGB LEDs, and various motherboard sync methods compatible with the XPG fans. In the center are the four fans wired as intended and illuminated, while we are graced with Mera's image at the bottom.

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One side of the outer sleeve tells us to "game to the extreme."

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The other side is blank, but the back features renderings on the bulk of the panel, leaving room for a QR code to access the product page, legal information, and a product sticker with the part and serial numbers.

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You need to remove the red sleeve to access the white box inside. You may then open the top, where you are greeted with a view of the manual. Once moved, you will find a box of hardware to the left, with a stack of four fans on the right, each separated by a layer of thin cardboard to ensure no damage is incurred in transit.

XPG Hurricane MAG 120 ARGB PWM

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We first grabbed the four fans and spread them across the table. As you can, or rather cannot, see, wiring is nonexistent. The thick black frames sport large rubber pads at the corners, slightly angled edges with slits to allow LED lighting through, a set of nine milky white blades, and a machined metal XPG sticker covering the hubs.

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The Hurricane MAG 120 ARGB PWM fans come with a ZL-WGJM120-BK-1 model number, which differs from the model number used by XPG when selling individual fans with the same name.

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Not only are the sides adorned with a brushed metal XPG-branded plaque applied to the frames, but above and below are additional slits to allow LED light to pass through.

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As we spin them to look at the next side, we run into the female side of the fans. The large squares on the left and right allow the magnets to attach, and in the middle are the proprietary female connections and slots to secure XPG's wiring adapter.

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We again see the XPG-branded plaques and slits for lighting, but notice the XPG name is inverted. XPG does this to allow the fans to be used and read, whether installed at the front, top, back, in regular operation, or reverse.

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The remaining side of the fans is the male side, where the magnets protrude from the frame at either end, and we have seven pins in the center that connect to the female bits, as shown above.

Accessories and Documentation

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Most important in the box of hardware are the proprietary connectors. On the left is a short cable that connects the third fan in the string to the fourth fan at the back, or maybe on your air cooler. The connection on the right uses standard 4-pin fan and 5V/3-pin ARGB connectors for the motherboard, but utilizes the same chunky adapter to connect to the fan. The third lead is a reset switch adapter. And you will soon see why this is a handy addition.

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What you are now looking at is the side of the main connector we just discussed. In the hole is an LED light to help users identify the mode by the color it displays, and to the right of it is a tiny pad switch that allows users to switch between standard, stopped, or reverse flow modes.

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Not only do we get a complete set of M5 x 10 x 4 (standard chassis fan screws, but we also get metric and SAE screws for AIO usage. At the top are the twelve M3 screws, and at the bottom are the 6/32 version.

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If what we have shown you thus far is still a bit confusing, never fear, as XPG delivers a manual to accompany the fans. It shows everything, from the parts list to the wiring setup, how to assemble the fans, how to wire them, and how to use the switch.

Installation and Finished Product

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Step one is simple enough. Grab the fans and click them together as the magnets frag each other. In this image, we only have two together, but after clicking another fan into this link, the fourth will stay free for a moment.

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Whether connecting the first fan in the run or the third and fourth together, the principle is the same. The clips have two tabs that lock into the fan while the seven pins press into the next. Once flat against the fan frame, slide them to lock the clips to the fans.

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After placing three of the fans on the removable mount in our chassis, you may think we did it wrong, as the logos are upside down, but that is not our fault; it is the design of the kit. All we have left to do is power the system, since we already have the 4-pin connector and the 5V 3-pin connector attached to the motherboard.

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Once powered, the switch can be used, and the LED is blue to indicate its standard or counterclockwise rotation. Press the switch, and the LED turns red, stopping all rotation of the blades. Another press allows the fans to spin reverse or clockwise. To get back, you will have to stop them again and then return to standard mode.

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Stepping back, we can say that XPG has some of the best visual displays of ARGB in all of the fans we have seen over the years. The combination of the brushed metal plaques, the machined stickers on the fan hubs, and the brilliance of the colors peeking through aesthetically makes the Hurricane MAG 120 ARGB PWM top-notch.

Test System Setup, Thermal Tests, and Noise Results

Chad's CPU Cooler Test System Specifications

Results

To simplify connectivity, we used the CPU OPT fan header, which, upon our first boot, had these fans already running at nearly 1000 RPM. We then selected CHFAN5, as it is controllable in the BIOS with a few options to choose from.

• Silent: 875 RPM | 25dB
• Turbo: 1252 RPM | 31 dB
• Full: 2023 RPM | 65dB
• Manual 100%: 2036 RPM | 67dB

As we can see, when PWM is in control, the fans are pleasing to look at and do not damage your ears. If you plan to run these fans at full speed, be prepared for a significant amount of noise and a whine that evokes the sound of tornado sirens used in the United States. It's been a while since we played with the 38mm thick metal blade fans that we have heard such a noise. We also conducted noise tests in reverse flow, which delivers slightly less airflow and slightly more pressure, but generates even more noise than we showed above for each setting.

Final Thoughts

A four-fan kit makes a lot of sense. It is an easy way to spread love beyond the top or the front and keep the same ARGB presentation in other parts of the build. We had envisioned using it on the CPU cooler and the back of the chassis, but oddly, this kit is not designed for the intended use we had in mind. Even though it makes sense to think of the kit as we did, XPG wired it backwards, in our opinion. Look back at the image on the front of the box. The only way to get the name plates to show XPG properly is to wire it from back to front, which then left us a single fan hanging in limbo at the front of our chassis. We thought, well, hell, we can just flip the fans and... nope, that math does not work either.

The airflow is decent, but nothing extreme, nor would these be something I would replace AIO fans with unless it were an aesthetic choice and not based on that cooler's future performance. However, they do have a fair amount of pressure, which allows the Hurricane MAG fans to press through when behind a filter or on a dense radiator or fin array. Noise is also controllable, but once you reach 1000 RPM, the fans become audible, and the noise worsens the faster you go.

We almost forgot one of the best parts, the reset switch adapter. What you do is remove the reset switch connector from the motherboard pins and push that same connector into the XPG adapter. Doing this allows the user to push the reset button on the chassis to change fan modes without the need to climb into the chassis to push the microswitch. You can always use the power button to shut down and reboot.

While not a perfect setup for everyone, there are times and instances where users can take advantage of how XPG designed these fans, but for the rest of the world, you will just have to deal with inverted XPG logos. If the cost is kept low, we can expect these kits to sell quickly. However, if you are particularly picky, you may want to consider an alternative route, but you will lose a few valuable features that others do not offer. To us, you must need reversible fans in the first place, or decide to install the kit backwards. We could simply flip the fans and reverse the flow, but we would get less from the fans, and our investment would be less effective.

As we see it, this is an excellent set of ideas, but if it were us, we would have wired it in reverse to simplify the user experience. Otherwise, the XPG Hurricane MAG 120 ARGB PWM 4-fan kit is something you should seriously consider.