Saturday, December 12, 2009

Big Computer Fan Vs. Multiple Small Fans

If you have the option of adjusting computer fan type and placement, you have several things to consider: how different numbers and placements of fans affect case temperature, how much electricity you're using and how much noise these fans generate.

    Displacement and Blade Size

  1. Generally, the larger the computer fan, the quieter. With its larger blades, it does not have to spin as much to move (displace) as much air in a given amount of time as a smaller fan.
  2. Connection Practicalities

  3. The inside of a computer only has so many places where you can plug a fan's power cable. Using a smaller number of larger fans ensures you won't run out of plugs.
  4. Airflow Necessities

  5. Regardless, you want to have at least two case fans: One pulling in cool air from the front and another pushing hot air out the back. A single, large fan is not reliable for keeping a case from overheating.
  6. Tight Spaces

  7. You may also need a small fan to address quirks in your airflow, which can be caused by unusually large or unusually shaped internal components. Here, a small fan can focus on an area better than a large fan.
  8. Excessive Size

  9. Eighty to 120 millimeters is an efficient range for case fans. Below this range, fans get noisy. Above this range, their ability to pull air (known as "static pressure") is not strong enough to be effective with the air filters that become necessary with larger fans.

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