So you’re working on your computer like it’s an average day at work or at home. The very silent whirring of your CPU’s fan assure you that all is right with the world. Out of the blue, your fan stops, and your computer shuts down abruptly. A second later you start to smell burnt circuit boards and wiring. Alas, all is lost, if only you had a better fan.
The increase in processing speed for CPUs has led to the increasing need for better, more efficient cooling technology. The two most common ways to cool CPUs are through passive heat sink cooling and active heat sink cooling. Both use the same principle of attaching a block of specially-designed and manufactured metal into the CPU, called a heat sink. The heat sink dissipates heat into the ambient air inside the computer, which in turn is dissipated by the system fan/s. Active cooling, unlike passive cooling, uses a fan to blow air directly over the heat sink. Passive cooling does not use a fan, and is often found on older CPUs. Most modern CPUs use active cooling.
The CPU fan bundled with most processors may be fine for average users, but high-end users like gamers and multimedia enthusiasts cannot last for very long using the manufacturer’s bundled fan. High-end applications tend to generate more heat in the processor, so some people use aftermarket fans designed for their needs.
But what exactly should you be looking for in an aftermarket in a CPU fan? Here are some questions you may want to ask yourself before buying a CPU fan:
Do you need one? Aftermarket CPU fans range from $30 to $80. The price is quite steep, which means that you should really consider what you are using your computer for. Having an expensive CPU fan on a computer that runs office applications and the occasional game is impractical, and the OEM bundled CPU fan may do the job just fine. But having an OEM bundled fan on a high-end computer is inefficient, and leads to slow performance and overheating.
Is there room in your case? The general rule is that the bigger the fan, the more air you have flowing on your processor, and the quieter it is. Big fans need big cases, so consider the case you already have in your system. Check to see if there is enough room in the case for a bigger fan, for example a 120 mm fan. Your fan should not touch or be dangerously close to components like transistors and cards. If you really need to cool your system, consider buying a bigger case.
Copper or aluminum? Copper is the best bet right now for cooling CPUs. While fans made out of aluminum are cheaper, copper is better and more efficient at heat transfer. Copper is a much better choice for aftermarket CPU fans, but again, the choice between copper or alumninum depends on what you use your computer for. For high-end applications like games and resource-heavy multimedia, use copper. But for low-end applications like office applications and general home use, aluminum is fine.
Having the right choice in a CPU fan would spare you the hassle of having a bad day at work or at home. Plus, it keeps your PC running efficiently and at its best.