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Good Performance / Price 140mm Fans?

A

andrx47

Member
Hey everyone,

I am working on getting an Air 540 case from Corsair (although it keeps getting delayed). I am not sure how the stock fans are so I am doing some research on good 140mm fans that don't cost an obscene amount of money. I have heard Noctua's are awesome fans, but for $29 each on Newegg, that seems a little outrageous. Do the Noctua's have something that less expensive fans don't? Is there a fan that has similar performance for cheaper (around $15)?

Thanks everyone,

andrx47 (andrx471)
 
Well, that is a good question. Forgive my lack of desktop fan knowledge, but I am not sure which is better for certain situations. I know this, I have an Z77 Extreme 4 mobo that has :
- 2 x CPU Fan connectors (1 x 4-pin, 1 x 3-pin)
- 3 x Chassis Fan connectors (1 x 4-pin, 2 x 3-pin)
- 1 x Power Fan connector (3-pin)
I will be installing a Kraken X60 for my CPU cooler in a Corsair Air 540 case. I am trying to figure out what the best fan solution and arrangement for this setup. Any ideas? Thanks!
 
Did you get the low or medium speed Yate Loons? I wish there was a benchmark on the stock fans that come with the Air 540 to see if it is even worth upgrading.
 
I just went through a few 140mm fans trying to find something decent. I was looking for moderate airflow with low(ish) noise. I ended up with these and I like them:

Rosewill ROCF-11003 Hyperborea 140mm Case Fan
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835200067

4 pin motherboard connector. Use a speed control if you're plugging it into a 3 pin, or it might run full speed (which is still relatively quiet).
 
Should I look into some kind of fan controller to regulate the fans, or do I just control the speeds via the BIOS?
 
There are LOTS of ways to control fan speeds. You MB might be able to control the fans with the included software, or you might be able to use speedfan (depends a lot on exact MB model). You can also use various fan controllers like a multi-fan unit mounted in a drive bay, or a simple single controller like the Zalman Fan Mate. You can also just plug it into a big molex connector and adjust the voltage to 7v or 5v by switching the wires.
 
Ah ok I see. One last question. I will have 2 intakes in the front, 1 exhaust in the back, and my Kraken X60 at the top of the case as an exhaust. Does this make sense? Would 3 front intakes be better?
 
The case includes three 140mm fans by default, and in addition you have the exhausting Kraken. So that means you don't need to actually buy any additional fans. The ones included are all 3-pin, and your motherboard supports three case fans, so you're covered. The 4-pin connector should support 3-pin fans as well.

Since you can only install two 140mm front intakes into the Air 540, the setup you describe is the only one possible. In any case, the amount of intakes is not that important - exhaust airflow is mostly responsible for cooling performance, while intake airflow mostly keeps up the pressure and avoids dust buildup, assuming the intakes are filtered.

The only problem I can foresee is fan noise, and no means to control it. Asrock boards aren't exactly known for having good voltage fan control - Asus boards are. I would probably buy a 5.25" fan controller rather than replacing the fans: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811998100

Although if you want to spend on better fans than the stock ones, go with Thermalright TY-147 900-1300RPM PWM (supports 1300RPM with voltage control when plugged into 3-pin)
 
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Thanks a lot for the help everyone! I'm thinking a fan controller might be the way to go. Bummer that the drive bays are mounted vertically, so the fan controller will be sideways, but I guess this isn't a huge issue.
 
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