INTRODUCTION

   When the time came for me to choose what article sections we should have in this new project i instantly included a Gadgets one since well like most of you i enjoy using them and there are plenty of those to go around so why not also test them for all of you? Of course a gadget is not always supposed to be just something extremely useful (talking about extremely useful gadgets MacGyver just came to mind) but they can also be quite funny as well in the process and todays comparison is somewhat funny since today we will be comparing two USB desk fans from ARCTIC and IOCrest (SybaUSA) which should prove to be quite useful especially in the hot days of summer in front of us.

   The increased heat emission of modern computers has put the production of powerful and quiet coolers beyond the means of most manufacturers. The raised noise levels of PC systems have a negative impact on productivity, since a quiet computer is the basis for pleasant working conditions. ARCTIC initiated the trend towards quiet cooling systems for desktop PCs in 2001 and has led the way ever since. When ARCTIC COOLING was founded, we began by focusing on Switzerland and Germany. In 2002 ARCTIC COOLING (HK) Ltd. was founded to develop relationships with our Asian production locations. From 2005, we started to expand business in North and South America and provide optimum service to our customer base there. ARCTIC is now a leading manufacturer of CPU coolers, GPU coolers and case fans. In recent years we acquired a far-ranging expertise in the field of consumer electronics. The company’s product range has been further enhanced by new lines unrelated to PC cooling which was the reason behind the 2010 change in our brand name and logo: ARCTIC COOLING became the ARCTIC brand umbrella.

   At SYBA Group, we want to suit your business anticipation. SYBA USA was established in 2001 to be the USA office, which provides quality products and services to our Northern and Southern America customers. With the tremendous support from our customers and strategic partners in Hong Kong, Taiwan and China, we are actually on our way to become the leading suppliers for computer add-on components and peripherals. With over 10 years of manufacturing experiences, we strive to lead in the creation, development and manufacture of the industry's most advanced technologies, our attitudes toward research, production, marketing, sales, administration and people makes us what we are today. We use the latest technology from NEC, Lucent, Silicon Image, Netmos to ensure us in the leading position of this industry. Furthermore, we are certified ISO 9002 manufacturer with the approval from UL, FCC, CE, and etc.

   The idea to compare these two USB desk fans was obviously the result of high temperatures in the room where i type these lines (a 30inch LCD screens tends to do that) so i wanted to find a way for me to keep them down to acceptable levels without having to use the Air Condition all the time, at least not while i type (it's just over my head so not the best thing to do). Still finding good USB desk fans was not the easiest thing in the world since most available in the market are just rebranded OEM ones without any official manufacturer whatsoever. Luckily ARCTIC and SybaUSA do manufacture such gadgets and so i thought I’d check them out and give them a chance to prove just how efficient they are. The results were not bad actually, not bad at all.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

ARCTIC BREEZE PRO

MINI USB FAN

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

The ARCTIC Breeze Pro gets shipped inside a clear plastic clamshell package allowing you to see the entire unit. The table with the unit’s specifications is present at the rear. Unfortunately as you can see ARCTIC bundles just the Breeze Pro USB desk fan inside the package.

On the other hand the Mini USB Fan gets shipped inside a typical cardboard box with a large product image at the front, specifications/features/caution lists at the right side and 3 pictures showcasing the angle adjustment on the left. Once again however just the unit itself is present in the box.

THE ARCTIC BREEZE PRO

The ARCTIC unit pushes air with a small 7-blade 92mm fan capable of reaching speeds up to 1800RPM.

The section behind the fan seems to be made out of metal but is in fact plastic (still i like the craftsmanship ARCTIC placed on an simple USB desk fan).

As you can see the Breeze Pro is quite flexible.

The control knob can adjust the speed of the Breeze Pro from 800RPM up to 1800RPM.

Perhaps the most important feature of the Breeze Pro is present around its base since it comes with 4 extra USB 2.0 compatible ports.

Although at the rear of the unit there's an AC power adapter port in case you adjust more USB devices that it can handle ARCTIC doesn't ship it with the unit (would increase the cost but I’d rather they did).

You can route the extra cable beneath the base as seen above.

The ring that surrounds the control knob turns blue when you attach the unit onto a USB port.

THE MINI USB FAN

The Mini USB Fan also uses a small 92mm fan but this time over it has 4 blades and can reach speeds of up to 2300/2400RPM.

It also comes with a 360 degree range of motion around the X Axis.

Unlike the Breeze Pro the Mini USB Fan doesn't have a speed controller but just an on/off switch.

TEST RESULTS - NOISE LEVEL RESULTS

This is pretty much the only test we could perform (just ordered an airflow meter for the fun of it) and as you can see the Breeze Pro is somewhat quieter (measured from 5cm distance).

CONCLUSION

   It took almost a month for me to finish this review because honestly you can't test one of these fans during a cold day so i had to wait for really hot ones to see just how well they performed. The Breeze Pro is clearly the most all-around winner since it offers good airflow (cooling), a very good build quality (for such a device) and 4 extra USB 2.0 ports for you to use although if you don't get an AC power adapter you will certainly run into power issues with certain devices (not enough juice from a single USB port). On the other hand the IOCrest Mini USB Fan may not feel as sturdy, is not as flexible (only 1 axis) and it makes slightly more noise (again due to the quality of the fan) but it produces more airflow than the Breeze Pro.

   ARCTIC gives you the ability to purchase the Breeze Pro directly from their online store for USD26/19.60Euros while the Mini USB Fan by SybaUSA currently retails for around USD15 inside the USA and 12Euros inside the EU (you may also find it rebranded). Overall both units can help during the hot summer days and nights (especially the Mini USB Fan) just don't expect miracles since we are talking about very small plastic fans. If i had to choose between the two I’d probably go for the Breeze Pro since it also comes with 4 USB 2.0 ports and a superior built quality compared to the Mini USB Fan. The Mini USB Fan however did perform better so if you are looking for the best airflow then the Mini USB Fan is clearly the one for you. Still only one of the two can walk with our Golden Award and that's the Breeze Pro by ARCTIC since it basically offers a more complete package. 

PROS

- Build Quality
- Design
- Range of Motion
- 4 USB 2.0 Ports
- Almost Inaudible
- AC Power Adapter Port
- Fan Speed Control Knob 

CONS

- Not As Efficient As The Mini USB Fan
- AC Power Adapter Not Included (Required for many devices)