I am the PC Expert Amateur. I chose that name to indicate that I am not a true expert, and to remind myself to stay humble, and also so that my audience will hopefully realize that I am not the ultimate authority. The world of technology is always rapidly changing and it's very hard to keep up on it all. I can select parts and build a PC, but I am not someone who can speedily come up with that list. I have an associate's degree in computer programming and systems analysis, and I have been using computers since the days of Tandy, the TRS-80, Apple IIs and Commodores. Our first family computer was the Apple IIe. My first PC was an Apple IIe clone: the Franklin Ace 500, which offered better base features but was not upgradable. From 1990 to 1995, I ran the Apple-based bulletin board system (BBS) The Tower of Babble. I am self-taught about hardware, and malware removal, and I volunteer some of my time on tech forums (e.g. BleepingComputer.com, LTT Forum, TechPowerUp).
Those who wish to support me financially can do so by by joining my Patreon or becoming a member on my YouTube channel, Glenn's Fast Reviews, which is (as of this post) the only channel I have monetized. I will give members view access to my database if requested.
My channel is primarily dedicated to cooling solutions, although I now do reviews of a wide array of products due to a products donor, as well as videos on other topics, such as installation videos, AI, scams, and more.
Review Types
Initial: All fans have this. These videos do not contain any test data. I show the fan and point out interesting features, and run it from the lowest RPMs possible to maximum next to my microphone as I listen and report anything odd I hear in case my mic doesn't pick it up (e.g. harmonic resonances, of which I am aware of 2 pitches; persistent tones that might irritate some people; clicking, scraping, rubbing and other bearing noises); this is to give viewers an approximation of what they might hear if they use the case but please note that the fan may be quieter in the case! If the fan has LEDs, I also show you those. I then give a rough estimate of the static pressure and indicate if the fan is good for the case (exhaust, intake), air coolers and water coolers. After that, I show my spreadsheet and read off the specifications, most of which are from the manufacturer and/or vendor website(s).
Interim: Any of these videos will focus on particular aspects of the performance of the fan, primarily airflow (in cubic feet per minute - CFM), static pressure (in millimeters of water - mmAq), pressure differential, and noise production (human-perceived decibels - dBA), which will include a spectral analysis. Not all fans will have this type of video. In rare cases, the fan may have follow-up videos that are not about performance, such as with the bgears b-blaster 180x38R, for which I received some damagedsproducts. Each interrim type will have its own series name.
Final: All fans will have this. If no interim video has been created, this will include the performance information and will show the ranking of the fan based on CFM, mmAq and dBA. Rankings will change each video to reflect the current fans position. A separate blog post will show the rankings.
Visual comparisons show both fans so that viewers can see how they differ.
Auditory comparisons seek to give the viewers a taste of what the fan MIGHT sound like, given that my new mic hasn't got an amplifier or much of a range (but is slightly less "canny" sounding than my Nexigo camera's mic).
All statistics are garnered from packaging and websites, so the comparisons just give a sense of what each has to offer without having to search on the web. Eventually, my spreadsheets will be released so that members can view them.
I will update soon!