How to change fans on the computer

The computer suddenly became very noisy, generating an annoying hiss of fans or recreating an unpleasant "helicopter" effect every time we open a game or a very heavy program "> How to change the fan speed in Windows 10

Replace the computer heatsink

Inside the computer there are various types of fans: in order to reduce noise or temperatures we will have to change them all, so as to be sure that the air returns to circulate correctly and without hindrance.

How to change the processor fan

The most important fan is undoubtedly that of the processor, one of the hottest components present inside the case. The processor cooling system consists of a real fan and a heat sink, which has the task of facilitating the heat exchange between the air and the metal surface of the processor. If the fan is full of dust, it will have to turn very quickly for effective heat exchange .

To quickly solve any problem, we advise you to change the fan and the heatsink together, so as to obtain a cooling system that is much more effective than that provided by the CPU manufacturer (it clogs up immediately and makes an absurd din!). The heatsinks are sold to be compatible with both AMD and Intel sockets, so it will be enough to derive the name of the processor socket to be able to quickly choose a compatible heatsink.
The best heatsinks we can buy for a modern computer are:

1. ARCTIC Freezer 7 Pro (23 €)
2. Cooler Master Hyper TX3 EVO (24 €)
3. ARCTIC Freezer 34 eSports DUO (39 €)
4. Noctua NH-U12S (€ 59)
5. Be Quiet! BK022 (€ 82)

On all heatsinks we recommend using a good thermal paste, such as the one shown here -> ARCTIC MX-4 (€ 10).
Once we have chosen the heatsink suitable for our CPU and case (some are very large, so make sure we have enough space inside the case), turn off the computer, remove the power plug and open the side panel of the case, so as to access the internal components. Now let's identify the old heatsink: it will be clearly visible, being the only front view fan with the motherboard. Once the old heat sink has been identified, we follow its power cable to the motherboard, so as to identify the CPU_FAN socket (remember carefully where it is, since it will also be used for the new heat sink) and remove the small socket gently.

Once the cable has been removed, we can unhook our heat sink from the motherboard: it is usually sufficient to turn and raise the anchor clips on the four sides of the cooling block, but on some models it may be necessary to unscrew the screws. With all the four blocks released, we raise the heatsink and check the state of the CPU surface : we will find it dirty with thermal paste, that is the substance that facilitates the heat exchange between the metal surface of the processor and the metal surface of the heatsink. Before placing the new heatsink, clean the processor surface with a small cotton swab dipped in alcohol or a suitable substance, place a drop of new thermal paste on the processor (just one drop as large as a grain of rice is enough) and place the new cooling block, pressing the latches to keep it in place. After checking the stability of the heatsink, connect its cable to the CPU_Fan socket, close the case, supply electricity and turn on the computer: if we have done everything correctly, the PC will start without any problem, with a much more bearable noise (in many cases it will be so silent that we don't even notice we turned it on!).
We can deepen the topic by reading our guides on CPU Heatsink: when to buy it new and If the CPU temperature is high and too hot, what to do to cool it .

How to change the case fans

On the case there are usually one or more fans, with the task of turning the air inside and lowering the temperatures of all the internal components. They are very important, because otherwise the heat dissipated by the CPU and other components would remain inside, slowly but surely increasing the temperature (and therefore the noises and deterioration).
For a good cooling it is always advisable to configure two fans on the case: one in suction (sends fresh air inside) and one in exhalation (throws the hot air outside).

The case fans can be accessed both from the rear (near the sockets) and from the front of the case (usually at the bottom), but on some gaming houses we can find fans also at the top or on the side, on the panel. access.
The standard fans are 12mm in size, but on some houses we can also find large fans (14mm), double fans side by side (24mm) or smaller fans (10 or 8mm). The best fans we can buy for our computer case are.

1. ARCTIC F8 - 80mm fan (7 €)
2. ARCTIC F12 - 120 mm (7 €)
3. Be Quiet! BL046 Pure Wings 2 (€ 10)
4. upHere 120mm High Performance Fan (11 €)
5. upHere 120mm PC Fan 3-Pin Five Colored LED (16 €)

Once we have chosen the fans to be used on our computer, we remove the electrical socket, open the side panel of the case, remove the fan power outlets (on the motherboard we will find them connected to the Sys_FAN or FAN_1, FAN_2 etc. sockets ) and finally identify the screws their fixing (they can also be hidden by an anti-dust grid, to be removed with snap mechanisms). To understand the direction of the air flow of each fan, we carefully check the edges: we should find an arrow, so as to immediately understand the direction of the air flow.

Once the old fans are removed, we immediately fix the new ones, reconnect the power cables in the exact order, reassemble the side panel of the case and the power socket. If everything went correctly, when the PC starts up we will hear the new fans starting (if they have an LED, we will also see the lights appear).

Change the other fans

Inside the case there are other types of fans that can generate noise and accumulate dust: the fans of the video card (if present) and the fan of the power supply).
To reduce the noise of the fans of the video card, we choose a new card that offers passive mode, that is, it manages to dissipate the heat without the help of the fans (or better, it keeps them still when the GPU load is minimal). The best video cards with 0 Decibel mode or with fanless system are:

1. Gigabyte GeForce GT 710 2 GB GDDR5 (54 €)
2. Asus GeForce GTX 1050TI 4GB (€ 159)
3. ASUS AMD Radeon RX 580 8 GB (€ 229)
4. Asus ROG STRIX RTX 2060 Advanced Edition 6 GB GDDR6 (€ 424)
5. Asus DUAL RTX 2080 OC Edition 8 GB GDDR6 (€ 786)

Another noisy component is the heatsink fan, which can accumulate a lot of dust and generate a noise that becomes unbearable after a few years. Fortunately, there are commercially available fanless or semi-fanless power supplies, such as those listed below:

1. Mars Gaming MPB650 650 W ultra-quiet (39 €)
2. Cooler Master MasterWatt 550 EU Semi-Fanless (64 €)
3. SilverStone SST-NJ520 Nightjar Series, 520W fanless (138 €)
4. Seasonic Prime Fanless Titanium 600W (€ 217)

On PC power supplies we can also read our guide on Which power supply to choose for the PC and how many Watts are required .

Conclusions

Even if you regularly clean the fans and the case from dust, over time the "rotating" components will become noisy, making the experience in front of the PC quite unpleasant for our ears (especially if we play often or use very heavy programs). By following the tips illustrated above we will be able to make any desktop computer quieter, improving air circulation, component temperatures and their durability.
It is very important to read the guide to manage the PC fans for better cooling and air flow .
About the temperatures of the computer, we can deepen the topic by reading our guides on how to control temperature and heat in the PC and what to do if the PC turns itself off .
If, on the other hand, we have a laptop, we recommend that you follow the tips described in our article on Keeping your laptop cool .