How many case fans?

H

Hot Sauce

Limp Gawd
Joined
Oct 10, 2005
Messages
154
How many case fans are ideal for good cooling? Right now I only have an 120mm stock case fan in there. They're pretty cheap, so I wouldn't mind buying another one if it will help.
 
Kind of a unanswerable question. A least its way to broad ... what case do you have? and what is your goal.

but then again, short answer their is no ideal number of fans its preference based on a lot of things :D
 
A smaller number of big fans will generally be better than a lot of small fans - i.e. a couple of good 120mm will beat a bag full of 80mm on noise and capacity if done right.

But the previous poster is right - you need to be more specific about the case and what you're putting in it.
 
Hot Sauce said:
How many case fans are ideal for good cooling? Right now I only have an 120mm stock case fan in there. They're pretty cheap, so I wouldn't mind buying another one if it will help.
Click to expand...
I'd check to see how many your case can hold first and then see where you want extra air flow. Also, the 120mm fans will push more air and be quieter than an 80mm fan. You can also always buy an 80mm to 92mm adapter and use a 92mm fan in it's place.
 
I'm running a couple (side and rear) and a CPU one. About to get a front intake one. Don't need it yet, but when the weather is getting to the triple digits I think I will have to get a front one.
 
My case(cm690) has alot of room for fans(9, 8 120mm and 1 80mm) I have 8 fans and it keeps it really cool But i would think that with good airflow 3 fans would be good.
 
A little bit but ive gotten use to it. You can always buy a fan controller.
 
Fan controllers can do wonders.

I have 2 140MM in the front
A 140MM fan blowing air out right above the CPU heatsink
and 2 92 MM fans blowing air out around the video card.
The 5 fans run dead silent when turned all the way down....but when cranked up it can be somewhat loud but there are no air restrictions so most of the noise is from air movement.

A restrictive case will make the fans louder trying to push air though holes and shit.

Thats why i made my own case no restrictions.

For every day computers that don't fold and need heavy cooling a 120 in back a 120 in front and the PS should be fine.
 
If the system in your signature is accurate, then that 120mm is enough. I like to keep fans to a minimum as long as there is adequate cooling.
 
i have a lian li pc-7b running 5 80mm case fans (2 in lower front and 2 in 2 upper 5 1/4 bays that intake, 1 rear fan right behind ac freezer pro 7 helping with outflow). I also have the 120mm in the corsair 550vx.

CPU temps idle around 21C. this is a new system so now that i have the cooling down i am going to start playing around with overclocking. hopefully i can get some good results.

the 80mm case fans that i have are the masscool ones from newegg that are 10 for $12.90 with free shipping. they are pretty quite and move a good bit of air.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835150007

funny story on the side. the 2 80mm fans that i have rigged into 2 5 1/4 bays dont have a grill or anything covering them. well my cat walked by my case which is on the ground and his tail got caught in one of the fans and he turned around and started swatting the fans and freaking out then his paws were getting caught in them. i was laughing so hard. :) it didnt take long for me to move my case onto my desk.
 
skadebo said:
If the system in your signature is accurate, then that 120mm is enough. I like to keep fans to a minimum as long as there is adequate cooling.
Click to expand...

I actually just got a new computer. I'll update my signature. If the single 120mm fan was enough for that system, then it definitely won't be for my new one.

My current case only has room for an 80mm fan in the front. If I decide to get one, does it matter how/which way I install it?
 
Hot Sauce said:
I actually just got a new computer. I'll update my signature. If the single 120mm fan was enough for that system, then it definitely won't be for my new one.

My current case only has room for an 80mm fan in the front. If I decide to get one, does it matter how/which way I install it?
Click to expand...

Most definitely, you want that 80mm to be sucking air in. You can tell which side is sucking air in by the fact that its face will be clean, the side that is blowing air is the one with the supports on it that holds up the fan.
 
* Nexus Real Silent Case Fan D12SL-12
* ARX FD1212-A Series
* ebmPapst 4412 Series
* Antec Tri-Cool 120
* Noctua NF-S12 Series
* Scythe S-Flex & Kama Flow Series
These are the best silent case fan they say on the market i have the Scythe 1200 rpm model and the kama Bay with a 1200 rpm model fan and they are almost silent very had to hear unless you put your ear right next to case from 5 feet quite. and they blow a lot of air keeps my case centurian cool 25c on a 68 degree room board is 30-32 cpu idle 29c load 40's no higher.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top