What are the most effective PC followers? Upgrading your PC followers is not only for silent PC obsessives or including RGB lighting. All gaming PCs want good cooling to make sure constant operation with none crashes or drops in velocity. In the event you’re constructing a brand new system, many PC instances both ship with no followers or solely embody a number of, so you will want to purchase at the least some followers. Whether or not you are precedence is peak efficiency, quiet operation, all of the RGB, or value, our record has the correct fan for you.
The very best fan total is the Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM because it affords the most effective steadiness of excessive airflow, static stress and quiet operation for a excessive however honest worth. Nonetheless, the most effective RGB fan is the Corsair LL120 RGB that packs in 16 lighting zones, together with the case and fan blades. In the meantime, the most effective finances PC fan is the Arctic P12. It’s totally primary however prices underneath $10. Try our full record beneath for extra selections. In the meantime, in order for you a bit extra PC fan shopping for recommendation, take a look at the how to decide on a PC fan part on the backside of this record. The FAQ part must also reply some other PC fan questions you will have.
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Greatest PC followers:
Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM
Greatest PC fan total
Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM specs:| Sizes | 120mm |
| Airflow (CFM) | 60 |
| Pace (RPM) | 2,000 |
| Noise (dBA at max velocity) | 22.6 dB |
| Connector | 4-pin PWM |
| Lighting | None |
| Sort | Balanced |
Professionals- Implausible construct high quality
- Very best steadiness of airflow and low noise
- Excessive static stress splendid for CPU coolers
Cons- Coloration scheme will not match most instances
- Cannot be daisy chained
- No RGB
- Costly
Noctua is the most important title in PC followers for a purpose, with its merchandise constantly being among the many greatest constructed, most dependable, and greatest performing you should purchase. Of its huge vary of choices, the Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM is the go-to alternative for anybody searching for a normal use fan for normal PC case airflow and attaching to CPU coolers – each air coolers and water cooling radiators as discovered on the most effective AIO coolers.
This commonplace 25mm-thick, 120x120mm fan can ship as much as 60CFM of airflow at simply 22.6dB, which is whisper quiet. There are quieter followers on the market, in addition to greater airflow ones however few can match the steadiness of efficiency right here, and particularly not whereas delivering such a super steadiness of excessive static stress and airflow.
This fan additionally ships with a low-noise adapter that you may match to the cable to cut back the utmost fan velocity from 2,000rpm to 1,700rpm, with velocity in any other case managed by way of PWM management out of your motherboard or different fan controllers. Every fan additionally comes with a large six-year guarantee for peace of thoughts.
There are simply two downsides to this fan. One is the pretty excessive worth. For a primary, non-RGB fan, $35 a chunk makes these among the many costliest followers of their kind, even when the worth is justified with their supreme construct high quality. In the meantime, maybe much more of a draw back for some builds is that they are solely out there in a plain black or the brown and beige proven right here, so aren’t match for a white case, as an illustration.
Be quiet! Silent Wings 4
Greatest quiet PC fan
Be quiet! Silent Wings 4 specs:| Sizes | 120mm or 140mm |
| Airflow (CFM) | 47.8 |
| Pace (RPM) | 1,600 |
| Noise (dBA at max velocity) | 18.9 |
| Connector | 4-pin PWM |
| Lighting | None |
| Sort | Static stress |
Professionals- Extremely quiet operation
- First rate airflow for his or her velocity
- Out there in black and white
Cons- Fairly dear
- Not nice for quicker airflow conditions
In the event you’re after the last word low-noise PC fan, look no additional than the Be Quiet! Silent Wings 4. These followers are solely optimised to be as quiet as doable, with built-in rubber mounts minimising vibrations being handed on to your case and a 6-pole motor with fluid-dynamic bearing present easy operation. The result’s a peak noise stage of simply 18.9dB at 100% velocity.
Whereas that’s extremely quiet – it is really class-leading – this silence does come considerably on the expense of excessive airflow. With a peak spin velocity of 1,600rpm and a most airflow of 47.8cfm, this is not a fan for pumping giant volumes of air. Nonetheless, it does have good static stress so is effectively suited to use with CPU coolers and is a perfect companion for a big water cooling radiator the place a number of of those followers spinning slowly is a lot to push the warmth away.
This is not an RGB fan however, not like the Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM, it’s out there in white in addition to black so is an efficient alternative for a color-matching however unobtrusive fan in your typical black or white colours utilized by many of the greatest PC case choices. Utilizing a number of of those for a roof-mounted radiator whereas spending massive on RGB followers for the extra seen elements of your gaming PC is a wise strategy.
These are fairly dear choices for a non-RGB fan however are nonetheless quiet a bit cheaper than the Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM, at round $26 a chunk. You miss out on the low noise adapter and six-year guarantee (it is simply 5 years right here) however these are nonetheless respectable compromises for a fan of this high quality.
Corsair LL120 RGB
Greatest RGB PC fan
Corsair LL120 RGB specs:| Sizes | 120mm, 140mm |
| Airflow (CFM) | 63 |
| Pace (RPM) | 2,200 |
| Noise (dBA at max velocity) | 36 |
| Connector | 4-pin PWM |
| Lighting | Rim and fan blades – 16 zones |
| Sort | Balanced |
Professionals- Gorgeous RGB lighting
- Highly effective peak airflow
- Fairly quiet when not at full velocity
Cons- Noisy at full velocity
- Fairly costly
In the event you’re on the lookout for an RGB gentle present in your gaming PC, look no additional than the Corsair LL120 RGB in your alternative of case fan. These followers pack in 16 LEDs every, with 4 within the fins and 12 across the rim of the fan. These mix for a very putting gentle present that may be managed by way of Corsair’s iCUE software program, if utilizing the correct motherboard or fan controller.
One factor these followers do not significantly declare is to be silent, with a max noise stage of 36dB. Nonetheless, that is once they’re spinning at 2,200rpm, which is greater than the likes of the Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM and also you’re getting a better airflow too, of 63cfm. Plus, with full PWM velocity management, you may simply tailor these to run slower and quieter if wants be.
What’s extra, whereas these aren’t precisely low-cost followers, at round $25 every, they’re nice worth for the quantity of RGB you get. They won’t be the last word seen-and-not-heard fan choice but when lighting is a better precedence than whole silence, they’re those to go for.
Arctic P12 PWM
Greatest finances PC fan
Arctic P12 PWM specs:| Sizes | 120mm |
| Airflow (CFM) | 56.3 |
| Pace (RPM) | 1,800 |
| Noise (dBA at max velocity) | 0.3 sone or ~35dB |
| Connector | Three-pin |
| Lighting | None |
| Sort | Airflow |
Professionals- Extremely low-cost
- Six yr guarantee, regardless of low value
- Loads of airflow and static stress
Cons- No 4-pin PWM velocity management
- Not significantly quiet, particularly with out velocity management
The Arctic P12 PWM are the last word finances PC fan. At simply $9.49 every, they’re far cheaper than most known-brand options but you are still getting the trusted title of PC cooling stalwart, Arctic, and these include a large six yr guarantee.
In any other case, these are fairly primary followers, with no RGB and no PWM velocity management, with this fan utilizing only a 3-pin connector. You’ll be able to nonetheless management velocity by merely reducing the voltage to the fan (by way of your motherboard or different fan controller) however this tends to be not as simple to setup as PWM management.
With 56.3cfm of airflow, these followers are a lot energy, although at that full velocity they’re pretty noisy, with Arctic score them at 0.3 sone, which is roughly the equal of 35dB. They’re additionally not significantly excessive static stress so aren’t essentially the most optimized for actually forcing air by way of CPu coolers and radiator grills.
Nonetheless, in case you seize your self slightly fan controller like this one and a handful of those followers, you will have a cool and decently quiet setup for a fraction of the price of different followers.
Lian Li Uni Fan TL120 LCD Wi-fi
Greatest daisy-chain PC fan
Lian Li Uni Fan TL120 LCD Wi-fi specs:| Sizes | 120mm |
| Airflow | 62 |
| Pace | 1,900 |
| Noise (dBA at max velocity) | 27 |
| Connector | Uni fan daisy chain and wi-fi dongle |
| Lighting | RGB on case, LCD in fan middle |
| Sort | Balanced |
Professionals- Unimaginable show in middle of fan
- Fashionable design
- Stable efficiency
Cons- Very costly
- Solely three yr guarantee
- No lighting on blades
In the event you’re on the lookout for merely the last word fan of all proper now, the Lian Li Uni Fan TL120 LCD Wi-fi is it. These unimaginable followers supply the straightforward becoming of a daisy-chain system whereby the followers merely clip collectively to go their energy and sign on to the following fan, however that is simply the beginning of it.
Not solely are these daisy-chain followers (a part of Lian Li’s Uni Fan system) however they are often related with a wi-fi USB dongle. You simply want an influence connector to get began. The actually standout characteristic of those followers, although, is the LCD show that sits in the midst of every fan. This may be programmed to indicate system data or no matter picture you need.
You additionally get RGB lighting included into the body of the fan, and the fan casing has a very putting design that appears wonderful in fashionable instances with a lot of glass panels and a transparent view inside.
As for efficiency, these are strong choices with a decently excessive most airflow fee of 62cfm whereas solely making 27dB of noise. Actually, the one draw back right here is the excessive value of those followers, with the priced at $150 for 3 or $61 every.
Noctua NF-A12x15
Greatest slim PC fan
Noctua NF-A12x15 specs:| Sizes | 120mm |
| Airflow (CFM) | 55.4 |
| Pace (RPM) | 450 – 1,850 |
| Noise (dBA at max velocity) | 23.9 |
| Connector | 4-pin PWM (three-pin additionally out there) |
| Lighting | None |
| Sort | Airflow |
Professionals- Tiny sufficient to slot in SFF PCs
- Constructed-in anti-vibration pads
Cons- Dear
- Brown and beige colorway
The Noctua NF-A12x15 seems as if somebody unintentionally sat on an NF-A12x25, flattening it to present it a low profile. No matter the way it obtained so slim, being simply 15mm thick makes it splendid for small type issue (SFF) instances and CPU coolers when there is not quite a lot of clearance.
For its dimension, it is fairly speedy at 1,850 RPM. The 23.9dBA noise stage actually is not something to scoff at, however you will have the selection to decrease this to a near-inaudible 16.8dBA in case you use the low noise adapter it comes bundled with – simply be ready to sacrifice some airflow within the course of. And, as with all Noctua gear, you will get anti-vibration mounts to cement its silence.
Be Quiet! Silent Wings 4 excessive velocity
Greatest excessive airflow PC fan
Be Quiet! Silent Wings 4 excessive velocity specs:| Sizes | 120mm and 140mm |
| Airflow (CFM) | 76.7 |
| Pace (RPM) | 2,500 |
| Noise (dBa at max velocity) | 31.2 |
| Connector | 4-pin |
| Lighting | None |
| Sort | Airflow (however nonetheless excessive static stress) |
Professionals- Large most airflow with excessive static stress
- Comparatively low noise for quantity of airflow
- Affordable worth
Cons- Excessive airflow inevitably means greater noise
- Pretty costly
- No RGB
For gaming PC builders that simply need to guarantee they’ll get completely lots of cooling energy when required – one thing has to eliminate that 600W of RTX 5090 warmth – the Be Quiet! Silent Wings 4 excessive velocity is the perfect fan. Whereas it may well nonetheless ship moderately quiet efficiency with respectable static stress at decrease speeds, when cranked up it may well ship greatest in school quantities of airflow.
At its peak velocity of two,500rpm, it does get noticeably loud, nevertheless it’s nonetheless quieter than the Corsair LL120, as an illustration, whereas delivering 14cfm (24%) extra airflow. That is at the least partly all the way down to using built-in rubber mounts for the fan that isolate vibration.
In the event you’re on the lookout for RGB, simple daisy chain connections, or glossy styling, these are the followers for you, however in case you merely want uncooked efficiency when it counts, they’re our prime choose.
How to decide on a PC fan
Struggling to determine which fan is best for you? We now have a number of pointers so that you can think about which ought to assist make the method simpler.
To begin with, you could think about what your priorities are. In case your PC has clear panels and also you need to have a light-weight present in your PC, RGB followers are an effective way so as to add in lighting. Nonetheless, remember the fact that the fan mounts in lots of instances aren’t that seen. If in case you have a traditional case with entrance, prime, and rear fan mounts, it is typically solely the one rear mount that is seen, so you possibly can skimp on becoming RGB followers within the different positions. In the meantime there are many different methods too add RGB lighting to your system, corresponding to becoming LED gentle strips.
Subsequent up, you must verify which sizes of fan your case (or the mounts in your CPU cooler or AIO radiator, in case you’re trying to swap these followers) can accommodate. Almost all fashionable PC instances can have a handful of 120mm fan mounting factors (typically two or three within the entrance, two within the prime and one on the again) however bigger instances will supply extra and significantly giant instances can accommodate bigger 140mm followers. These bigger followers can spin slower for a similar quantity of airflow so could be value getting, although they do value extra.
In the meantime, when you’ve got a small type issue PC, be careful for any fan mounts that use barely smaller followers. You might discover 80mm followers or smaller are required.
In any other case, it is the steadiness of cooling and quiet operation that must be your most important concerns. Most of us need a quiet PC, particularly if it is on our gaming desk subsequent to us. Nonetheless, in case your gaming PC is housing an RTX 5090 pumping out over 600W, you might must compromise on whole silence for the sake of simply getting warmth out your system.
Many fashionable PC followers supply the flexibility to run slowly and quietly whereas nonetheless having the ability to ramp as much as greater speeds to supply a lot of airflow, however some fashions and a few manufacturers, corresponding to Be Quiet!, are inclined to prioritize silence above all else. In the meantime, some choices such because the Thermaltake Toughfan 12 Turbo push extra for energy over silence.
In the meantime, quite a lot of followers can supply quiet operation simply by spinning slowly and providing poor airflow, which tends to be the case with cheaper quiet fan choices. To seek out the correct steadiness for you, search for the dBA scores of the followers on our record in addition to the fan velocity scores. The very best followers will supply dBA scores of underneath 25dBA whereas nonetheless hitting as excessive as 2,000rpm.
PC case fan often requested questions (FAQs)
What’s the greatest fan configuration for PC?
This may rely in your case and your elements. Nonetheless, usually, you need to steadiness the quantity of air being pushed or pulled right into a case with the quantity being blown out. You additionally need to guarantee airflow is in as constant a course as doable, relatively than followers working in opposition to one another.
In apply, because of this in a typical mid-size tower case you will have two or three 120mm followers within the entrance blowing air in then one on the again and two within the roof which can be pushing air out of the case. Nonetheless, many small type issue instances or additional giant dual-chamber instances can have a unique setup, so it is value consulting the producers web site for his or her suggestions.
Is an excessive amount of airflow dangerous in your PC?
Assuming we’re not speaking about hurricane ranges of wind energy then, no, an excessive amount of airflow is not actually a factor for PCs. Essentially the most air, the cooler your PC, which might typically assist with making certain elements last more, in addition to probably run quicker with both computerized or handbook overclocking.
Nonetheless, there completely is a case of diminishing returns to airflow. In case your CPU cooler would not have a big sufficient heatsink or airflow to sure areas of the case is blocked, no quantity of airflow will overcome these limitations. Likewise, previous a sure level, any additional airflow and resultant cooling will not really assist your {hardware} run any quicker of extra secure.
You are a lot better off decreasing your fan velocity till you really discover temperatures rising and clock speeds falling then bumping fan velocity again up only a small quantity. That time can be the place you have optimized cooling and noise.
Do you have to preserve your PC followers at 100%?
That is solely as much as you. Nonetheless, typically it is not needed or essentially the most wise solution to setup your gaming PC. The fan controllers in your motherboard or different units usually permit so that you can have your followers begin off gradual (and even off) to maintain your PC quiet when idle however then can reply to rises in CPU, RAM, or different system temperatures and improve their spin velocity to spice up cooling.
We advocate choosing the quiet profile for many motherboards and coolers as a place to begin. If this does not keep cool sufficient, you may strive extra aggressive fan profiles or you may strive dialing within the fan velocity your self – the latter could be significantly helpful in case you’re utilizing an AIO cooler or different water cooling {hardware} the place it is best to have the followers reply to coolant temperature, not CPU temperature.
Does it matter what kind of fan you employ?
It is a massively subjective query as a result of what issues will range from individual to individual. Some followers have been designed with aesthetics in thoughts, and a few haven’t. This may matter to those that need their gaming house to look excellent. Some followers will make extra noise than others, and this can matter to individuals who discover the sound of followers irritating.
The principle consideration outdoors of favor, velocity, and noise is whether or not to go for a excessive airflow or excessive static stress model of fan, which we clarify beneath.
What is the distinction between airflow and static stress followers?
Airflow followers are, as their title suggests, optimized for prime constant airflow, which is nice for facilitating the movement of recent air in a case. These could be helpful for normal air flow on the entrance and rear of a case, although it is actually not important to decide on this model of followers for these areas over excessive static stress followers.
Excessive static stress followers are optimized to keep up a excessive stage of air-pushing energy as a substitute of total airflow. This makes them splendid for pushing air by way of the fan grilles of PC instances and the radiators and heatsink fins of CPU coolers. Typically, we advocate followers that target excessive static stress for many makes use of in PCs, as they have an inclination to supply the most effective noise to cooling energy ratio, although as talked about above, sure instances can profit from airflow optimised followers in sure areas.
We hope that helps you discover the correct PC fan. If you wish to discover different choices, learn our information on the most effective CPU cooler the place now we have a great deal of additional suggestions.
