Lian Li UNI FAN SL-INF Reverse Blade ARGB PC Fan Review UK 2026

The Lian Li UNI FAN SL-INF represents a significant evolution in PC cooling aesthetics, featuring reversed blade technology and an infinity mirror effect that’s caught the attention of enthusiasts across the UK. After installing these fans in multiple builds over the past few months, I’ve formed strong opinions about whether the premium price tag justifies the visual spectacle and simplified cable management system.

Lian Li UNI FAN SL-INF Reverse Blade - Infinity Mirror ARGB PC Fan - Black

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.7 (1,617 reviews)

£29.98

• Infinity Mirror Design: Striking infinity mirror effect on all sides for a unique visual experience.
• Reversed Blade Technology: Reversed blade fan design intakes air while showcasing the infinity mirror effect.
• Simplified Installation: Only one cable needed for a cluster of fans, with quick PIN connection for easy setup.
• Durable Fluid Dynamic Bearing: Embedded magnetic Fluid Dynamic Bearing ensures stability, durability, and longevity.
• Optimised Airflow and Lighting: 40 LEDs per fan, ideal for mounting at the bottom of the case or on top of the radiator.

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Price checked: 10 Jan 2026 | Affiliate link

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Lian Li UNI FAN SL-INF Specifications & Design

Before diving into real-world performance, it’s important to understand what makes the Lian Li UNI FAN SL-INF different from conventional RGB fans. The reversed blade design means the fan blades face outward, pulling air through the frame whilst showcasing the infinity mirror lighting effect. This isn’t just aesthetic trickery – it fundamentally changes how you should deploy these fans in your build.

The fluid dynamic bearing is a proper implementation – I’ve had a set running continuously for four months without any bearing noise or wobble developing. Lian Li claims these will last 90,000 hours, and whilst I obviously can’t verify that timeframe, the build quality suggests they’re not exaggerating wildly. The infinity mirror effect uses 40 individually addressable LEDs per fan, creating a depth illusion that’s genuinely impressive when you see it in person rather than in marketing photos.

What immediately impressed me during my first installation was the magnetic quick-connect system. You can daisy-chain up to four fans on a single cable, which dramatically reduces cable clutter compared to traditional RGB fan setups. Having built in the NZXT H9 Flow with conventional fans requiring separate PWM and RGB cables for each unit, the difference is night and day.

Airflow Performance & Thermal Testing

Here’s where I need to be honest: the Lian Li UNI FAN SL-INF prioritises aesthetics over raw airflow performance. The reversed blade design creates more turbulence than traditional fan orientations, and whilst 61.3 CFM isn’t terrible for a 120mm fan, you can get similar or better performance from fans costing half the price.

I tested these fans in three configurations: front intake in a Fractal Design North, bottom intake in a Lian Li O11 Dynamic, and top-mounted on a 360mm AIO radiator. The results were revealing. As front intake fans, they performed adequately but couldn’t match the raw airflow of mesh-optimised fans. GPU temperatures with an RTX 4080 ran about 3-4°C warmer compared to Arctic P12s in the same position.

However, as bottom intake fans showcasing upward through tempered glass or as top-mounted radiator fans where the infinity mirror effect is visible, they make far more sense. The reversed blade design actually works better in these orientations because you’re not fighting against case obstructions. In the bottom-mount configuration, my GPU temperatures were within 2°C of traditional fans, which is an acceptable trade-off for the visual impact.

Noise levels deserve praise. Even at 2100 RPM, these fans produce a pleasant whoosh rather than the irritating whine that cheaper RGB fans generate. At 1500 RPM, they’re barely audible over ambient room noise, making them suitable for builds where you care about acoustics. The fluid dynamic bearing eliminates the clicking and rattling that plague cheaper fans after a few months of use.

Installation Experience & Cable Management

This is where the Lian Li UNI FAN SL-INF genuinely excels and justifies some of its premium pricing. The daisy-chain system isn’t just a convenience feature – it fundamentally improves the building experience, particularly in cases with limited cable management space.

The magnetic connection points are robust – I’ve removed and reinstalled fans multiple times without any degradation in connection quality. The cables themselves use a reinforced design that resists the kind of damage you get from sharp case edges. Speaking of which, the fan frames have no sharp edges, which is more than I can say for some budget alternatives that have drawn blood during installation.

One practical consideration: the controller supports up to four fans per channel, and the controller itself has two channels. If you’re planning a fan-heavy build with nine or more fans, you’ll need multiple controllers or a more sophisticated RGB ecosystem. The controller works with ASUS Aura Sync, MSI Mystic Light, Gigabyte RGB Fusion, and ASRock Polychrome, so compatibility shouldn’t be an issue with modern motherboards.

RGB Lighting & Infinity Mirror Effect

The infinity mirror effect is the headline feature of the Lian Li UNI FAN SL-INF, and it’s genuinely impressive when properly showcased. The 40 LEDs per fan create a depth illusion that photographs poorly but looks spectacular in person. The effect works on all sides of the fan, which is crucial for installations where multiple angles are visible through tempered glass panels.

Colour accuracy and brightness are both excellent. Unlike cheaper RGB fans that produce washed-out colours or have visible LED hotspots, the SL-INF fans deliver even illumination across the entire mirror surface. Whites are actually white rather than the bluish tint common in budget RGB implementations. The lighting effects are smooth and responsive, with no flickering or stuttering even during rapid colour transitions.

The reversed blade design means the lighting isn’t obstructed by the fan blades during operation, which creates a cleaner visual effect than traditional RGB fans. When mounted at the bottom of a case or on top of a radiator where you’re looking at the intake side, the effect is genuinely striking. I’ve had multiple people comment on builds using these fans, which rarely happens with standard RGB lighting.

However, there’s a practical limitation: the effect is most impressive when viewed from the intake side. If you’re mounting these as front intake fans in a traditional case layout, you’re showcasing the less impressive exhaust side to the tempered glass panel. This is why I consistently recommend these fans for bottom or top mounting where the infinity mirror effect faces the viewing angle.

Lian Li UNI FAN SL-INF Build Compatibility

These are standard 120mm fans with a 25mm depth, so they’ll fit anywhere a conventional 120mm fan mounts. The daisy-chain cable adds minimal bulk, and the magnetic connectors are positioned sensibly to avoid interference with adjacent components.

I’ve successfully installed these fans in cases ranging from full-tower ATX down to compact mATX builds. The only scenario where I encountered difficulties was in an extremely space-constrained ITX case where the daisy-chain cable had nowhere to route cleanly. For standard ATX and mATX builds, installation is straightforward.

If you’re planning a radiator-mounted configuration, be aware that the reversed blade design means you’ll want the infinity mirror side facing outward. This is the opposite orientation to traditional radiator fans, so plan your push/pull configuration accordingly. In my testing, these fans performed adequately in both push and pull configurations on radiators, though pull configuration showcased the lighting better.

Performance Comparison & Value Analysis

At £29.98 per fan, the Lian Li UNI FAN SL-INF sits firmly in premium territory. To properly assess value, we need to compare against both performance-focused and aesthetic-focused alternatives.

The value proposition becomes clearer when you factor in the ecosystem costs. A six-fan RGB setup with traditional fans requires a separate RGB controller (£30-50), plus the cable management nightmare. With the UNI FAN SL-INF system, you’re paying more per fan but saving on controller costs and installation time. If you’re building a showcase PC where aesthetics matter as much as performance, the premium is justifiable.

However, if pure cooling performance is your priority, Noctua fans deliver nearly double the airflow for similar money. The Arctic P12 ARGB offers 90% of the cooling performance at half the price, though without the infinity mirror effect. The closest aesthetic competitor is the Corsair QL120, which costs more whilst delivering significantly worse airflow.

For builders using cases with prominent bottom or top fan mounting like the Fractal Design North or O11 Dynamic series, the SL-INF fans make sense. For traditional front-intake configurations where the lighting effect is less visible, you’re better served by conventional RGB fans or performance-focused options.

Reliability & Long-Term Performance

I’ve been running a set of six Lian Li UNI FAN SL-INF fans continuously for four months, and I’ve installed them in three separate client builds. So far, reliability has been excellent. No bearing noise has developed, no LEDs have failed, and the magnetic connectors show no signs of degradation despite multiple disconnections for testing.

The fluid dynamic bearing is a proper implementation rather than marketing nonsense. These fans spin smoothly from 800 RPM up to maximum speed without the bearing clicking that develops in cheaper fans after a few months. The motor hum at full speed is noticeable but not objectionable, and at typical operating speeds of 1200-1500 RPM, they’re effectively silent.

One potential concern is the complexity of the daisy-chain system. If one fan in the chain develops a fault, it could potentially affect the others. However, I haven’t encountered this issue in practice, and Lian Li’s reputation for reliability suggests it’s not a common problem. The magnetic connectors are robust enough that accidental disconnections during case movement are unlikely.

The RGB controller has proven reliable across multiple motherboard RGB implementations. I’ve tested it with ASUS, MSI, and Gigabyte motherboards without compatibility issues. The lighting effects remain smooth and responsive even after months of use, with no stuttering or colour drift developing over time.

Who Should Buy the Lian Li UNI FAN SL-INF?

The Lian Li UNI FAN SL-INF makes sense for a specific type of builder. If you’re creating a showcase PC where aesthetics are as important as performance, and you’re using a case that properly displays the infinity mirror effect, these fans deliver value despite their premium pricing. The simplified cable management genuinely improves the building experience, particularly in multi-fan configurations.

These fans are ideal for bottom-mounted intake configurations where the infinity mirror effect faces upward through the case. They’re also excellent as top-mounted radiator fans where the lighting is visible through the case top. In these applications, the reversed blade design makes more sense, and the visual impact justifies the cost.

However, if you’re building a performance-focused system where every pound matters, or if you’re using a traditional case layout where the fans aren’t prominently displayed, the premium pricing is harder to justify. You can achieve better cooling performance for less money with conventional fans, and the infinity mirror effect is wasted if it’s not properly showcased.

For builders working with cases like the HYXN H1 ATX or similar designs with prominent fan visibility, the SL-INF fans transform the aesthetic. For traditional tower cases with solid front panels, you’re paying for features you won’t properly appreciate.