Zalman 9700 LED + FanMate 2 Question

[tankbuster1221]

Hey guys,

Just working on a new build and have a quick question for you. I opted to use a a Zalman 9700 LED for my CPU heatsink and was curious if I had to use the included FanMate 2? The motherboard I'm using is a ASUS Sabertooth 990FX R2.0 and the BIOS look pretty thorough. I've read some other articles regarding inadequate fan speeds when using this heatsink and just wanted to make sure that if I plug this thing directly into the MB that it won't cause some issues.

The reason I mentioned the BIOS was because after reading the manual it looked like it has a pretty intense auto detection fan controller suite built-in and would be able to modify the fan speed on its own without the aid of the fanmate 2.

If anybody could point me in the right direction that would be great. Thanks!

 

[PCTC2]

I'm not quite sure for the Sabertooth, but for most motherboards, the CPU header is PWM-only (4-pin fans). The 9700 doesn't have a PWM-capable fan (it's just 3 pins. It's controlled via voltage regulation, not pulse width). This is why the FanMate2 is included. It's a voltage-based fan controller (basically a potentiometer). If you plug it directly into the motherboard, there's a chance it'll just run at 100% all the time (again, it depends on your motherboard's CPU header and if it can control fans that AREN'T PWM).