What are reverse fans? How do they work?

Reverse fans, such as the CORSAIR LX-R RGB, utilize a different fan blade design to reverse the airflow from regular fans. We have talked about How to tell which direction PC fans will blow before, and the same rules apply for reverse fans.

On the left you can see the LX-R RGB fan and on the right the LX RGB fan. The fan blades of the LX-R RGB fan are reversed so that air flows in the opposite direction.

The reverse fan blades invert the direction of air flow through the fan. This way, you won't lose the great look of the RGB lighting, which is at its best when viewed from the front of the fans when used as intake fans on the mainboard side of the case, such as the CORSAIR 6500X, 3500X, 4000D, or 5000D. When air is drawn in from the rear, these fans also ensure that the RGB effect always looks its best.

Reverse fans should be used for any location where you would see a standard RGB intake fan from its back. When looking at the back of RGB fans, you often do not get the desired looks as the frame of the fan is in the way. This is often the fans you place on the bottom, and on the motherboard tray side as you can see in the 3500X above. A reverse fan fixes this by showing you the RGB in all its glory, while keeping the airflow going in the direction you want.