Summary: A computer fan is a hardware device inside a computer that is used for active cooling the computer. Fans are used to draw cooler air from the outside and expel warm air from inside.
Computer fans are functioned using 3/4 pins fan connectors in standard sizes. The speed of the computer fan is measured by RPM, and the higher the speed is, the faster the fan rotates, and the louder the fan sounds.
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Types Of Fans In A Computer
There are several different types of computer fans:
- CPU fan– Located on top of a computer processor, it pulls and blows hot air off the processor.
- Case fan– Located on the side of a computer case, while inside the case, it circulates air in the computer case, and blows hot air out of the case.
- Video card fan– Located on a video card, it prevents powerful video cards from overheating, especially when editing videos, playing video games, etc.
- Power supply fan– Located inside a power supply, it blows hot air out of the power supply and the computer.
How To Install Computer Fans?
CPU fan
The steps to install a CPU fan depend on the type of CPU, CPU fan, and motherboard. The reason is because of some CPU fans have a built-in heat sink, and the entire device connects to the motherboard. While other CPU fans stick directly on the heat sink, then the sink is attached to the motherboard.
Note: A CPU fan can function without drivers. Based on the temperature, the speed of the CPU fan is controlled by the BIOS.
Case Fan
Almost all case fans stick on the front, back, or side of a computer case. Often, the case fan is installed on the back or side of the computer case, and four screws are needed to secure the fan in place. When installed in the front of a computer case, snap-in brackets or screws are used.
Note: A case fan can also function without drivers.
Video card Fan
Generally, the higher-end video cards have already a fan in the unit; hence, there is no need to install a fan for it. If the video card fan stops working, cleaning it using compressed air may solve the issue. Otherwise, we may need to consider replacing a new video card to prevent it from overheating.
Power Supply Fan
Still, power supplies also have a fan that is used to prevent them from overheating, so we don’t need to install the fan for the power supply. And if the fan stops working, users can try the same methods of video card fans to resolve the issue.
Round It Up!
If the computer operates without fans or with bad fans, one or more of the components will overheat, which may cause physical damage. To prevent such a problem, a computer fan is indispensable. Therefore, computer users need to check the fan regularly to ensure the smooth running of the PC.