How many fans are needed?

Ayoralyn

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jan 30, 2011
Messages
226
So I'm in the process of buying a new PC (Parts being difficult to get and all), and I want to buy some case fans. In this search I've come across several questions that I've had difficulties finding an answer to. So I turn to you guys, who have always been super helpful in the past.

I'll be buying the Ryzen 5 5600 whenever I can get my hands on one, and a RTX 3060, 3070 or 3080 depending on my budget at the time of availability. More then likely thought, the 3080 will be too expensive. I've bought the Fractal Design Define 7, which already comes with 3 fans. 2 intakes, 1 exhaust. According to the manual, the case has space for 9 fans total. I won't be overclocking, but I like to run my games at as high settings as possible, and I do from time to time play some demanding games.

After watching a few videos and reading some articles, my first question is: Do I even need to buy any? Do I need to replace the stock fans, or will they do just fine?

Second question would be: 120mm vs 140mm?

Last question in case I definitely should get some fans: How many? And what sort of ratio should I be looking at for intake/exhaust?

I should mention that I'm a big fan of my PC running as silent as possible.
 
You can stay with the stock fans for now, although they are only mediocre. If things turns out to run too loud and/or too hot, you can add more fans or replace them.

140mm fans generally run quieter than 120mm ones at the same airflow. Good and cost-effective is a 5-pack of Arctic P14 PWM PST.
 
So I'm in the process of buying a new PC (Parts being difficult to get and all), and I want to buy some case fans. In this search I've come across several questions that I've had difficulties finding an answer to. So I turn to you guys, who have always been super helpful in the past.

I'll be buying the Ryzen 5 5600 whenever I can get my hands on one, and a RTX 3060, 3070 or 3080 depending on my budget at the time of availability. More then likely thought, the 3080 will be too expensive. I've bought the Fractal Design Define 7, which already comes with 3 fans. 2 intakes, 1 exhaust. According to the manual, the case has space for 9 fans total. I won't be overclocking, but I like to run my games at as high settings as possible, and I do from time to time play some demanding games.

After watching a few videos and reading some articles, my first question is: Do I even need to buy any? Do I need to replace the stock fans, or will they do just fine?

Second question would be: 120mm vs 140mm?

Last question in case I definitely should get some fans: How many? And what sort of ratio should I be looking at for intake/exhaust?

I should mention that I'm a big fan of my PC running as silent as possible.
You need to figure out Which GPU you will have and how you are cooling your GPU (Heatsink + fan and then which one, exactly. or some form of watercooling), before you lock down your case fan setup.
 
So I'm in the process of buying a new PC (Parts being difficult to get and all), and I want to buy some case fans. In this search I've come across several questions that I've had difficulties finding an answer to. So I turn to you guys, who have always been super helpful in the past.

I'll be buying the Ryzen 5 5600 whenever I can get my hands on one, and a RTX 3060, 3070 or 3080 depending on my budget at the time of availability. More then likely thought, the 3080 will be too expensive. I've bought the Fractal Design Define 7, which already comes with 3 fans. 2 intakes, 1 exhaust. According to the manual, the case has space for 9 fans total. I won't be overclocking, but I like to run my games at as high settings as possible, and I do from time to time play some demanding games.

After watching a few videos and reading some articles, my first question is: Do I even need to buy any? Do I need to replace the stock fans, or will they do just fine?

Second question would be: 120mm vs 140mm?

Last question in case I definitely should get some fans: How many? And what sort of ratio should I be looking at for intake/exhaust?

I should mention that I'm a big fan of my PC running as silent as possible.

You can stay with the stock fans for now, although they are only mediocre. If things turns out to run too loud and/or too hot, you can add more fans or replace them.

140mm fans generally run quieter than 120mm ones at the same airflow. Good and cost-effective is a 5-pack of Arctic P14 PWM PST.
op, that^^ and ill even vouch for the fan recommendation. they are all i have in my case. youll probably be ok as is but if you want more airflow or quietness, id do 3x140 in front and 2/3x140 in back/top. just buy more of the same ones, theyre good.
one thing to note if you go with those fans, they have a low speed tick(close to stopping point). so find it and go up 100rpm.
 
I also use the arctic P14 PWM 5 pack, its been fantastic for me.
I have more airflow than is necessary (absolutely testable because my top exhausts barely get warm) but I'm running 3x 140mm in the front, 3x 140mm top/rear exhaust and then I have another 120mm slim fan exhaust under my GPU. An exhaust fan below the GPU is difficult/impractical to pull off in most cases, but it is actually probably the one that lowers my case temps the most because of how much heat my GPU would recirculate in the case otherwise.

For a modern PC, at a minimum, i'd like to say 2x 140 (or 120mm) in the front and a 140mm top rear exhaust.
 
You can stay with the stock fans for now, although they are only mediocre. If things turns out to run too loud and/or too hot, you can add more fans or replace them.

140mm fans generally run quieter than 120mm ones at the same airflow. Good and cost-effective is a 5-pack of Arctic P14 PWM PST.
Ive seen a few reviews on those fane and Id buy them.
 
You need to figure out Which GPU you will have and how you are cooling your GPU (Heatsink + fan and then which one, exactly. or some form of watercooling), before you lock down your case fan setup.

One of the local stores just announced they'll be recieving some MSI 3X 3060 cards in a couple of weeks. I think I'll try to see if I can't snatch a couple of those, as the 3060 seems to be the best bang for your buck right now, if you can get one from a store that is.

I like the option with the P14 PWM PST value pack. It seems like a decent choice. They'll cost me around 70 euro for 2 packs, versus over 200 euro for any 10 Noctua ones. And since I won't be overclocking or anything, I really feel like 200 euro is a lot of money on fans.
 
The Fractal stock fans are pretty decent. I replaced mine due to a very mild bass rumble, but I'm oversensitive to fan noise; my wife couldn't hear anything.

Don't buy replacement case fans until you've tried the stock parts.
 
At least this many...
case-made-of-fans.jpg
 
re the P14 fans and their 10 year warranty. i just had one go bad after hitting a knuckle in it. i emailed them and asked how the warranty works. they asked for the invoice and are shipping me a new one, simple.
edit: new fan is in the mail, coming from US.
edit: received the new one this morning. two weeks from contact, 1.5wks for shipping from SC to Alberta. not too shabby.
 
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