Current state of fan (brands)

[xen]

So in the past there was the Dutch brand Nexus that was cheap and I just bought every fan from them and never had issues. They were normal, decent, and no frills to them.

They looked good too, but very decent and normal and regular.

Most of the brands you see in the stores try to be special or "cool" in some way (I don't mean silent).

But there's hardly any brands anymore that I like:

- Noctua is too expensive for a general purpose computer
- Antec... I'm just not a great fan of Antec fans
- Scythe... I have 2x Scythe Slipstream that came with a cooler. One of them definitely makes noise (The tu tu tu tu tu tu kind of noise) the other one I don't know.
- My Cooler Master case came with 2 stock fans that both made noise (tu tu tu tu tu tu).
- I don't like fans with too many blades
- I don't like fans with too little blades

People try to invent new stuff all the time that is just not needed like fans with hard edges or just a great deal of blades that will cut your fingers but not really enjoy your day or stay.

The number of blades that was normal in the past, people try to deviate from it but to no great effect. I still just want a decent old regular no-frills fan.

Okay so maybe Nexus wasn't Dutch. But they are not sold in the Netherlands anymore. I have now ordered 3 cheap ones from Cooltek, to see how they do.

So what's left to choose from is all "hype" brands like Be Quiet! and Cooler Master and (from my perspective, also Thermalright, Enermax, etc.) and then there is Gelid Solutions, which seems to provide decent fans at low cost, they just seem filthy to me, the color, the brand name, like a form of arrogance. So the actual brand I actually do like is Noctua and maybe Antec. And then Nexus, which isn't sold, or I would probably have bought a bunch already.

I've ordered these ones: https://www.alternate.nl/Cooltek/Silent ... 85?lk=9346. At 6 euro they are worth a test. I prefer black-and-white fans for this case (it is a black Cooler Master case). There is room for 3 fans; I'd like to utilize them all. Not sure I have enough noise reduction cables, but maybe I can get the mobo's voltage control working. I like to keep all my fans at a fixed 800 rpm.

Do you have any favourite brands these days?

[Abula]

Do you have any favourite brands these days?

PWM
1) Noctua
2) Thermalright
2) Scythe

DC
1) Noiseblocker
2) Noctua
3) Scythe
4) Nexus

[quest_for_silence]

0) There ain't be such a thing as a loyable brand.

BTW, about noise signatures:

Do you have any favourite brands these days?

PWM
1) Noctua
2) Thermalright
2) Scythe

Fractal Design (Venturi)
Prolimatech (Ultra Sleek)
BeQuiet (Silent Wings 3)

DC
1) Noiseblocker
2) Noctua
3) Scythe
4) Nexus

NZXT (FN V2)
Silverstone (AP123)
Prolimatech (Vortex)
Antec (True Quiet 140)
Be Quiet (Silent Wings 3)
Phanteks (SP-series)

N.B.: AFAIK Nexus isn't available in EU anymore.

[xen]

I think that would depend on whether these brands change hands (or management).

Nexus was acquired by a US company and hence do not ship to Europe anymore.

Bit strange, they were a Dutch company so I guess they just bought their intellectual property and brand, and manufactoring contracts.

They discontinued the orange fans . (Orange is the Dutch color (because the Royal House is named "van Oranje").

[mikeb]

- Scythe... I have 2x Scythe Slipstream that came with a cooler. One of them definitely makes noise (The tu tu tu tu tu tu kind of noise) the other one I don't know.

Same experience with the Slipstreams. One was fine but 2 others make a loud and audible clicking noises above 600rpm. Also looking for some replacements.

Ironically they actually make well more noise than a 92mm scythe running at double the rpm. I like the air the Slipstreams push and the sound of the blades is fine, now if they could just control quality from fan to fan and use better quality bearings it would be the perfect fan.

[djkest]

This is a good post because so much of the market has changed in the last 4 years making some of the content outdated.

Question related to fans and fan control.

I am looking at this motherboard:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6813128869

It has a CPU fan header that is 4-pin, this is for a PWM fan I am sure.
It also has 3 headers for system fans, and these are also 4-pin headers. Can I assume these are PWM capable headers? But still work with DC fans?

I know that many motherboards offer some form of fan speed control, but I'm wondering what fans I would need to use to modify the voltage through the motherboard.

The case I am getting comes with 2 NZXT FN V2 120mm fans, I am 95% sure they are DC fans, probably 3-pin.

Reading this thread:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/26647 ... connectors

Sounds like some motherboards are able to alter the voltage of the system fan headers, however I usually buy cheap motherboards and I've never had that ability before.

Edit: Looks like the 4-pin system fan headers only really work for PWM fans. Who uses PWM fans for case fans?

[xen]

In general I think a regular non-PWM fan will run fine on a PWM header.

PWM probably just runs on 12V by modulating something else, so you won't have issues running your regular fans but you will have to check whether the motherboard also supports voltage control over the yellow wire. Some motherboards do, but I am not that happy for it because the only time I had it it ruined the operation of the software from the operating system that could also control the fans, and I didn't get any fan readouts from it because the BIOS had taken custody of that.

[lodestar]

I am looking at this motherboard:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6813128869

If you want the facility to use either 3 pin or PWM fans in the motherboard chassis fan headers then you could consider for around the same money an equivalent Asus product such as this one. The BIOS allows Q-Fan tuning or optimization (if you select manual mode). For example manual mode normally allows a minimum PWM duty cycle of 20%. Using the Optimize All facility on the BIOS Q Fan Control Page will test each connected fan (CPU and chassis) and set the lowest speed or PWM duty cycle at which it will actually run. It works with both 3 pin and 4 pin PWM fans. With my Noctua NF-F12 PWM CPU fan for example it reduces the lowest duty cycle setting from 20% to 15%, and the idle speed accordingly. Functionally it is similar to what can be achieved with the Fan Xpert software but is done purely by using the BIOS.

[Abula]

Looks like the 4-pin system fan headers only really work for PWM fans.

Looks can be decieving, its best to check manuals and even crosscheck with users, not all 4pins are full PWM, depends on how the header was design to work, there are 4pin that can do voltage control and PWM like Asus (only newer mobos), and there are others like AsRock that even if they are 4pin, some can and some cant do voltage controlled. MSI their 4pins CPU_FAN headers can only do PWM control and 4pin SYS_FAN used to be able to do only voltage controlled, new MSI mobos on SYS_FANs can only do steady voltage (40%-100% but not dynamic), I suspect they are PWM when you turn on smart on the bios (but never tested it).

Who uses PWM fans for case fans?

PWM fans are not meant to be only a heatsink fan, i used to use PWM all over when i had my R4 running my setup, that said not all PWM are equal by design, there is more variation that there is 3pin, each manufactuer design their own way they want the PWM to rule their fans. Personally i prefer PWM on equal circumstances, as you dont have the issues that voltage control has, for example some fans can operate lower than they can start, like Antec True Quiet 140s. That said there are less options on PWM than there is on 3pin voltage controlled fans, so its a tossup. My suggestion, first to decide what motherboard you wish to use, and from there work into what fans will be proper for their headers (thats if you wish to use the motherboard fan control), for Asus you can use whatever, with their fan headers being switchable you can use whatever you want, on AsRock i would use PWM on all slots if possible, as they only have 2 autodetect headers (that can do voltage control) the rest are PWM. MSI is hard to say now a days, i used to be able to voltage control on SYS_FANs dynamically, now i cant, so i would probably go full PWM with CPU_FAN1 and CPU_FAN2 with PWM fan splitters, one for the CPU and one for the case fans.

[mikeb]

Has anyone tried out the new BeQuiet Silent Wings 3, or the new Corsair ML120 ?