Get Optimal Cooling With 4-Pin 80 mm Computer Case Fans
Air cooling has been the norm for temperature control in desktop computers. While other solutions like water cooling are available, they aren't the most budget nor user-friendly. Installing case fans is an easy and effective solution to keeping your computer components from burning out, making case fans an efficient and practical solution for PC enthusiasts and beginners alike.
What Are Case Fans For?
- Airflow: Case fans allow you to configure the flow of cold air coming into your CPU case and also how the system exhausts the hot air coming from the interior. There are two types of pressure: negative and positive. Negative pressure describes the flow of air going out of the case, which positive pressure describes that of sucking air into the case. It is said that a balance between these types of pressure should create optimal airflow for your CPU, motherboard, and other important components.
- Aesthetics: Case fans may also come equipped with LED lighting or color configurations. Choose from transparent fans to neon-colored and LED-lit fans to PWM fans that make for a splendid light show. PWM stands for pulse width modulation, which manipulates the brightness of the lights to coincide with the wavelengths of the audio coming out of the PC. PWM is also used for regulating fan speeds. Your motherboard should have a 4-pin PWM header in which you can plug your fans that support variable speeds to control noise levels.
- Overclocking: Fans are also integral for enthusiasts because they allow for better overall cooling. Overclocking is the practice of pushing your computer components to their limits by increasing the voltage input to increase performance but results in more heat output. This means that if you install high-power fans on your overclocked computer, you can regulate the temperature to stabilize it at its state of increased performance.
How Do I Install an 80 mm Computer Case Fan?
- Clearance: Planning well cannot be understated. Before ordering your fans, ensure that your case has enough clearance between important sections like the CPU cooler and the rear vent of the case. You can install the fan outside, but it would be an eyesore. The front of the case must also have enough clearance so make sure there is a gap between the front of the case and the drive bays equivalent to the thickness of your 80 mm fan.
- Mounting: Mount the fan by screwing them in the built-in holes in your PC case. Ensure that the fasteners are torqued in well to prevent vibrations from occurring.
- Connecting: After mounting, make sure there are proper channels for the cables to go through or along. A 4-pin connector should be at the end of the leads coming from your fan and should be plugged into the matching connector from your PC power supply. Cable management is also key to making the upgrade look great.