Help me choose new Case Fans

[WhipperSnapper]

The 4.5 year old case fans (5 of them) in my current case are becoming increasingly loud and now my computer is starting to sound like a truck. I probably have a higher tolerance for fan noise than most people, but the occasional buzzing and rattling sounds are getting out of control. So, it's probably time for me to get some new case fans. Obviously, I'd prefer fans that push the most air for the least amount of noise (while being reasonably priced and long-term reliable).

Here are 6 that looked interesting in terms of the total cost for 5 with local pickup or shipping:

Xigmatek XSF-F8251, $22.5, 29.5 / 21 db

Red Evercool SFF-8, $24.26, 32.5 CFM / 20 db

Cooler Master ST2, $25, 29 CFM / 21 db

Enermax Marathon, $29.26, 24 CFM / 14 db

Enermax TB Silence, $45, 47.5 CFM / 15 db

CoolJag, $45, 35 CFM / 18 db

What makes this tough is that it's difficult to take the noise and airflow stats seriously. The Red Evercool and Xigmatek look like a good bang for the buck. The Enermax TB Silence fans look good but can those stats be taken seriously? Would the Enermax TB Silence (they claim 100,000 hours MTBF) bet the best bet?

 

[nyker96]

if you just after case fans, just get some cheap yate loons, I think yates I got last time is like $3-3.5/each on sale. D12SL or D12SH on fan controller will do nicely for you.

check this out: http://www.jab-tech.com/YATE-LOON-120mm-Case-Fan-D12SL-12-pr-3009.html

oh, don't worry too much on cfm/db, you can always turn it down with a fan controller thus make it silent.

But if money isn't a problem, the slipstream or gentle typhoon is the best in my opinion.

 

[MagickMan]

I vote for the Scythe GTs. Great fans, especially for rads and heatsinks. They cost, but they're worth it.

 

[RussianSensation]

Maybe grab a budget case instead? $40 w/ free shipping gets you modern PSU setup moved to the bottom of the case, black painted interior and 2 x 120mm fans. Should be sufficient.

Scythe GTs are awesome but 5 of those will run $80+.

 

[Baasha]

any 120mm LED fans you guys recommend?

I think the Delta 120mm or Scythe Ultra Kaze are the "best" in terms of performance. They are obviously on the louder side and don't have LEDs but it's a question of function over form for airflow IMO.

 

[SorryImLate]

I just got 3 of these and they push a lot of air.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-048-_-Product

 

[ckoons1]

San Ace are without a doubt the very best.Connect to a fan controller and you can make them quiet or WHOOSSHH

 

[WhipperSnapper]

Maybe grab a budget case instead? $40 w/ free shipping gets you modern PSU setup moved to the bottom of the case, black painted interior and 2 x 120mm fans. Should be sufficient.

Getting another case might be an option, but I'd probably want a nice large one. I currently have a Chieftec Matrix/Dragon.

If you have a PSU with a fan that points down, does that mean that you have to mount the PSU upside down in a case where it goes on the bottom? If you mount it right-side up, how does it get the air it needs?

 

[RussianSensation]

If you have a PSU with a fan that points down, does that mean that you have to mount the PSU upside down in a case where it goes on the bottom? If you mount it right-side up, how does it get the air it needs?

Some cases with bottom mounting PSUs have a honeycomb mesh cutout at the bottom of the case. Therefore, you can mount the PSU either way you like. Even with this option, I still chose to mount mine so that the fan sucks hot air from the inside of the case (fan mounted side up) and exhausts it out the back. This way the PSU fan also acts as an additional exhaust fan.

 

[Halogen23]

I vote for the Scythe GTs. Great fans, especially for rads and heatsinks. They cost, but they're worth it.

I second this, and I have had good experience from thesehttp://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002XISTXM/ref=pd_luc_sim_01_03

 

[velvetpants]

I just switched all my loud fans out for these http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-006-_-Product
They are pretty much dead silent, now the hard drives are the loudest things in the case.