Fan control software?

[phreakwarz]

Whats the best fan control software?

specs.
i7-4790k
MB-gigabyte-GA-Z97X-UD3H-BK
windows 10

 

[BonzaiDuck]

You could take a look at Almico's SpeedFan. I'm sure it's still current and updated, and I'd be surprised if it weren't. It is supposedly tedious -- or used to be tedious -- to configure.

In my personal opinion and accounting for my sense of relative ease, I'm more of the opinion that:

a) The motherboard's proprietary bundled fan-control software is the best choice;

(but) b) -- the design of that software and the design of the board vary, so that this factor figures to a reasonable extent in my choice of board-maker;

c) If the board maker allows fan-control to be configured solely within the BIOS even with Windows bundled fan-control software provided, then you don't need to install the software, and BIOS-configurable fan-control is best -- above all.

Custom fan-control has always been important to me, and I have wasted money over several years searching for third-party hardware add-ons that can be controlled through a USB connection by software. That option is always more expensive, adds more clutter to the hardware configuration.

This time around, with my signature Skylake system, I made some best-guesses about how much I'd like to spend on a motherboard among choices exclusive to my preferred board-maker -- ASUS. I settled on a Sabertooth Z170 S -- less expensive than the Mark I, but otherwise identical except for the plastic motherboard duct plate. There are some nine 4-pin fan ports which accommodate either 3-pin or PWM under BIOS-selectable voltage versus PWM control, and there are some three to five more 3-pin auxiliary fan ports. All of those ports can be configured to follow temperatures from any one of some ten sensors.

This was way more fan-control than I really needed, but the number of choices just made it all better anyway, and I think the board cost me $180 when I bought it.

I uninstalled the proprietary ASUS AI-Suite software, including the fan-control component. Nor do I need the software for monitoring. HWInfo64 covers everything on the board in the way of sensors.

I've seen the Gigabyte software for my GTX 1070 graphics card. It's "OK," but I don't use it, either, preferring MSI Afterburner. If the motherboard software is similar, it should be made to work, but it wouldn't be my "cup of tea." Only you would know if you can set up fan-control profiles within the Gigabyte motherboard BIOS.

 

[Ketchup]

Have you tried the fan control software that came with your board? I believe even the BIOS on that board will have some good adjustment available.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Have you tried the fan control software that came with your board? I believe even the BIOS on that board will have some good adjustment available.

If that's the case, I'll add my vote to your solution.