Fan Control - Software vs Hardware...

[jsl10]

I'm trying to decide on my new build if I want to use a front panel controller for my fans (Asus P5Q Deluxe with an LianLi PC-A20B) or just use software. I know there are software methods for fan control like Q-Fan or other products for controlling fan speed and monitoring temps. So I was curious if there is any advantage of using software (and the fan headers on the motherboard) or using a fan controller to do the job. I read one place that the system is more stable if you don't run the fan power across the mother board but I don't know if that is true or not.

 

[MrLoLeR]

Motherboard stability issues caused by having the fans ran directly from the board seems like it would have been a problem in past technology on the boards, but you'd think that newer boards were built specifically for that. Why else would the connectors be on the board.

Even to use the functionality of software like Q-fan, do ALL the fans you are planning on altering, need to be plugged into the board itself, and if so, do they HAVE to be in 4-pin connectors, or will 3-pin suffice?

 

[Deleted member 184142]

I rather a hardware fan controller, if the "Q-fan" is the same as on my ASUS board then it will only actively control the CPU fan, and not the fans plugged into the other headers, those are set in the bios.

Most mobos also have a limit on the amps you can run through a set of headers, so if you are looking at really high power fans, it my not even be a option.