can i use a desk fan to cool my pc

Dust accumulation is a major hazard to electronics, as it is an insulator and can clog up exhaust ports. High-end graphics cards have them built in by default, and while processors don’t come with fans directly stuck onto them, failure to add a heatsink after installation will cause heat-related shutdowns in mere seconds! Your desktop computer generates heat as it runs, which can reach dangerous, component-killing levels inside the enclosed tower. What I do during the summer months when it is just too expensive to keep my room really cool is put a small 1' by 1' box fan next to my computer. Most fans come with a 3-pin connector, which will fit into a 3-pin fan plug on a motherboard. Your fan will ramp up to cool the PC, and slow down when it reaches your target temperature. If your computer overheats, it will … Seriously, you can even buy, like, 8 and clip them on your computer and all around your desk for maximum fan-age. Depending on your setup, you may need a number of fans -- inside and out -- to help keep air circulating through the tower. Taken individually, this heat may not pose much of a problem, but combined it can turn the inside of your tower into an oven. If quiet fans are a big consideration for you, make sure to pick a fan with a low dBA. But don't be tempted to use WD-40 to lubricate a … This means we put the exhaust fans on the back or top of the PC, so the airflow travels through the PC, picks up heat, and carries it out of the system. Some computer users will remove the side panel that faces the top of the motherboard and blow cooling air directly on to the motherboard and CPU heatsink/fan. A heat sink sits atop your CPU to draw the heat away from your processor, and a fan inside the power supply unit keeps it cool. Just install one so it draws air in and the other so it pushes air out. Get your can of compressed air start spraying. Allow for Air Flow. A noisy fan means your laptop is being pushed to its limits. Many people use WD-40 to lubricate all kinds of squeaky or noisy mechanical components around the home and office. Select the Sensors Only option, and run the app. Why Does My Laptop Say That There Is a Problem With My Cooling System? So, what do they mean? And if ignored, the damage to your computer can be catastrophic. In this video I will be testing whether or not putting a box fan against an exposed side of a desktop computer will actually reduce its core temperature Tower systems have a certain airflow design to maximize cooling, usually bringing cooler air in the front or side and blowing the hot air out the back. Some computer users utilize empty card clots to install additional internal fans, while others actually cut holes into the side of the tower to install more external fans for better air intake and venting. the hot air tends to linger around and warm up the inside of your PC Every component inside your tower produces heat during operation, from the CPU to your hard drives. As such, we want this flow of air to cross over as much of the PC as possible. External fans can help draw the hot air out of the tower or pass cooler outside air into it to assist with air circulation and cooling. If you use an external or desk fan, make sure you position the inward blowing air at the proper air intake location. Cooling your computer relies on proper air circulation, which isn't accomplished with just one type of fan or another. Clean Out the Dust. This is a great stand to prevent overheating that fits laptops of 7-17 inches and has two height settings for ergonomic operation. Let us know below! My pc stays within safe temps easily, but honestly it's summer time and I get incredibly hot just sitting at my desk. Just like … Fresh air is brought in via the intake fans. To prevent the temperature from climbing too high, your system is equipped with a few internal fans to help keep air circulating. Will an external computer fan help cool my computer? With the amount of stress that can impact a laptop throughout its lifespan, it’s critical to understand how you can keep your laptop cool. This is the role of intake and exhaust fans. Compare that $40 fan air cooler with a $500 water cooling … Fortunately, there are steps you can take to improve or fix the problem outright. This cool air is used by heatsinks to extract heat from components and becomes heated air as a result. When a PC gets hot, using fans is a simple and cheap way of getting the temperatures back down again. These are places where you can install intake and exhaust fans. Clip on this tiny fan on your desk and stay cool all day! When a heatsink removes heat from corresponding components, the hot air tends to linger around and warm up the inside of your PC. You can usually use a regular PC case fan here. Essentially, you'll want to make sure that you have fans for intake and exhaust so that the air is moving inside your PC case. If I buy an external fan, will it help my internal fan keep my computer cool? The fresh air mingles with the system, supplying it with cool air. Any desktop PC with standard case fan mounts will work (80mm, 120mm, 140mm, 200mm—it doesn’t mater as long as they’re consistent). Keeping your computer cool is important to its well-being and longevity. This is called a computer’s “airflow” and is a great way to make the most of your system’s fans. A fan controller fits into one of your computer’s drive bays, and you can use the knobs to personally monitor and adjust fan speed. To clean the fans, turn off the computer, open up the case and use canned air to blow away debris. What is Intel Optane and How Does It Work? My computer gets pretty hot when I am playing games, I know that my computer fan is working fine as I have checked it. Williams briefly attended college for a degree in administration before embarking on her writing career. Wouldn’t taking off the side panel of your PC case help more in heat dissipation than a bunch of case fans? Jane Williams began her writing career in 2000 as the writer and editor of a nationwide marketing company. Her articles have appeared on various websites. The extra pin adds speed control to the fan, while 3-pins typically work as fast as they can. 2. Improve Air Circulation. As for their differences, it’s very simple: Intake fans brings fresh air into the PC, while exhaust fans kick stagnant air out. Use everything you got! Internal fans help dissipate this heat, but sometimes it may not be enough. I built a computer by buying the parts little by little. Various things can affect the amount of heat your computer generates, including a small case, more powerful components or inefficiently designed hardware. This article explains how to take charge of CPU fan control in a Windows 10 computer. The easiest way to prevent computer overheating and to keep your PC cool is … So now we know how these fans are used to create an airflow within a system. 2. Maybe you can hear its little fan chugging away. Keep it away from radiators or heating vents to avoid adding more heat to an already warm system. Also, if you actually use your laptop on your lap, or in bed, or set on pillows or blankets, then a cooling pad can help keep you a little more comfortable. Graphics Card Not Working? What Is the Headphones Driver and How Does It Affect Audio Quality? I have two CPU's with two graphic cards and over 4 Gig of Ram. The easiest thing you can do to help keep your computer cool is to give it a little … If you’re looking to get fans for your own PC, make sure you understand where these sockets are and how many of each you have on your motherboard. However, at the same time, keeping the side panel open exposes the PC to new problems, such as an increase in dust settling on hardware; pets, bugs, and children getting into it; spillages; and accidental knocks and bumps. By changing the direction a fan is mounted, it can act as either an intake or exhaust. The higher this is, the more air the fan will push in, or out, of your system. The purpose of the fans is to keep your computer cool. Not all fans are made the same size! VOLADOR USB Table Fan, Portable Personal Mini Desk Fan, PC/Laptop Cooling Fan for Home, Office, Travel (Touch Control, Dual Motor Driver, Double Blades, Whisper Quite)-Black 3.9 out of 5 stars 953 $9.99 $ 9 . However, if your motherboard supports 4-pins, you can try 4-pin fans instead. You may notice a lot of fans don’t state whether they’re intake or exhaust fans. How to Turn Your Raspberry Pi into a Video Conferencing Station, How to Reduce Power Supply Noise on Your PC. I picked the replacement based on its noise rating as well. While simply adding these to your PC may help reduce temperatures, we can use our head and put them in strategic spots on our PCs to get the most out of our cooling! Using an external fan will work provided the air flow is directed at the unclogged inlets in the computer case. Clean your PC on a regular basis! By using one intake and one exhaust fan, we can perform the following: What we have is a simple intake -> extract -> exhaust system, where a computer is consistently fed cool air while heated air is expelled. Price: $19.99 This great laptop cooling stand has a meshed surface and a 160mm silent fan with a slim and lightweight design that makes it perfect for use on your lap on or on a desk. You could position a small desk fan near an air intake vent to help push cooler air into the tower and keep temperatures low. External cooling fans can help keep air moving through the system and keep the temperature at a safer level. Editor’s note: As you can see in the screenshot below, my fans aren’t showing up. The heated air is pushed out of the computer via exhaust fans. Dust is one of those unfortunate inevitabilities when it comes to PCs. Here Are the Causes and Fixes. The CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute) of a fan defines how much air it can shift in a minute. The main downside with water cooling — custom setups at least — is that they can be rather expensive. Speedfan is a popular third-party software option for controlling a CPU. When they become clogged, your computer will struggle to keep all the vital bits cool. I've had to put stuff closer together than it used to be, and I've noticed my desk has kind of created an insulating pocket for my pc. These fans are screwed onto the outside of the tower over a vent, and some simplify things by requiring just a USB port for power. That said, cooling fans come with a surprising amount of variation. Deciding on a cooling approach that matches your case and your components before you go shopping for fans and coolers can be helpful. Replace the CPU Fan. While you might have no heat-related issues, you might find your system getting a little too warm when performing intense system activities. It’s no hidden secret that the key to keeping your computer’s components cool is to use fans. Also, ensure the fan you’re buying isn’t a heatsink for a processor! Your desktop computer generates heat as it runs, which can reach dangerous, component-killing levels inside the enclosed tower. HWiNFO PC fan speed controller. Technically, yes! Rather than attaching themselves directly to components, intake and exhaust fans attach to your computer’s case. When implementing intake fans (or purchasing a case with them pre-installed), they go on the front of the PC where there’s less outside obstruction. Consistent high temperatures can damage the delicate components inside your system, causing crashes and hardware failure. The Fan Runs Constantly & the Computer Will Not Start Up After Shutdown, How to Tell If the Fan on My Computer Isn't Working Anymore, TechRepublic: 10 Ways to Keep PCs Cool this Summer, Ways to Prevent a Computer From Overheating Without Buying New Hardware. Would sitting a fan right next to my case to keep fresh air moving be fine? However, if you look for PC fans to put onto your computer case, you’ll see a lot of semi-confusing statistics being mentioned. Despite all these cooling devices, the temperature may still rise. As the temperature rises, your computer might be feeling the sting. The best way to imagine airflow is to think of a stream of air beginning from the intake fans and ending at the exhaust. It's actually getting hotter as the Earth rotates us into summer. In this case it might be worth investigating the possibility of adding intake and exhaust fans to your computer. Simon Batt is a Computer Science graduate with a passion for cybersecurity. They draw power by being plugged in to 3- or 4-pin sockets on the computer’s motherboard. This means you can buy two of the same fan. But then your temperature will increase, because the fan has slowed down, creating a situation in which the fan is constantly ramping up, slowing down, … It will warn you that running the app will impact your system. Dirty fans and clogged vents reduce the amount of airflow through your system, and trap the heat inside. I know some people who swear by an open case, but if objects, animals, and liquids getting into your PC is a real risk, it’s best to pick up a cheap fan and cover the precious hardware from danger! The easiest way to control a cooling fan is from the BIOS. This means that the “old air” is being reused by the fans to cool the system which isn’t ideal! The key, therefore, is to add fans that either get rid of this ambient heat or bring in fresh, cooler air to be used. CPU Core Count vs. Those fans and grills are the ‘lungs’ of your computer. … Just remember that 3-pin fans can still work on 4-pin connectors – it just won’t be controllable. Fans alone won't keep your system cool if you are ignoring a few factors that can promote heat build-up. Kingwin 120mm CF-012LB Silent Fan, For Computer Cases, CPU Coolers, Long Life Bearing, Quiet Efficient Cooling, and Provide Excellent Ventilation for PC Cases- [Black] 4.4 out of 5 stars 565 $6.49$6.49 Get it as soon as Wed, Sep 30 Use proper fan positioning. The cooling capacity is decided by the flow rate in CFM which is c ubic f eet of air moved per m inute (can be approximated by RPM) of the fan. In coalition with one another, they can help keep your ambient temperatures down. Not only will the fan work regardless of what side you install toward the case, but on the fan unit itself, it should show you which way it pushes air. When you find yourself sitting at your desk doing research for your latest … In this post, we’ll show you some of the ways you can get your laptop fan working like normal. If you’re in the same boat, there’s another app you can try. The RPM (Revolutions Per Minute) defines how fast a fan spins. The higher this number, the faster the fan will spin. How to Connect a Laptop to a TV (or External Monitor). You’d still want an intake fan so you’re getting a draft of fresh air through the PC, but leaving the case side open allows the heatsinks to expel the heat outside the system by themselves. I only mention this, because the heat is on, not in some cheesy Glenn Frey way. Choose a fan type (DC or PWM), set a mode, and set a temperature threshold. If your case has spots for fans to be installed, make sure to measure the horizontal distance between the two slots for the screws and get a fan that matches that size. Positioning your tower too close to a wall or heat source blocks air circulation, preventing any vented heat from going anywhere. Air travels one way through a fan, in one side and out the other. Download and install HWiNFO. If you measure the distance between two adjacent screw holes at 120mm, a 120mm size fan will fit. How important are PC fans for you? Ethernet Switch vs. Hub vs. Splitter: What's the Difference? Below, are the steps and suggestions for cleaning the fans in your computer to help keep your computer running cool and efficiently. Move your tower away from the wall and make sure all vents are open to allow proper air circulation. Allow for Air Flow. © 2021 Uqnic Network Pte Ltd. All rights reserved. Clean the inside of your tower regularly with canned air to prevent dirt, lint or hair from collecting and stopping airflow. Also, flashing multi-color lights shouldn’t be the main feature of your case fans. In this case the more the merrier! This is the decibel statistic and represents how loud the fan can get. However, with a little bit of care, you can get the most out of your money by ensuring the fans create an airflow within your system, using a combination of intake and exhaust fans to do the job. Hold the can at an angle, so the fan turns when you … 99 $16.99 $16.99 I’d be willing to bet an awful lot of you have case fans that aren’t plugged … Cleaning a computer system fan, whether it is a CPU fan, case fan, or power supply fan, requires some care and the right product. You may find grills with four screw-sized holes on each corner around your case. Keep your computer on a desk or other riser, if at all possible, and make sure there are filters on your intake fans. My computer gets so hot that I resorted to opening the tower and use a twin house fan to cool it down. However, dirt, dust and pet hair can easily get into the computer and build up on the fans, causing them to stop working properly. This may be because they can be either! Thanks. To avoid making your computer too loud, use fewer or quieter fans. Fix Noisy Fans. Affiliate Disclosure: Make Tech Easier may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers. Maintaining your device’s temperature is a key part of maintenance and a great way to get the most out of your investment. Clock Speed – Which Is More Important? Two CPU 's with two graphic cards and over 4 Gig of Ram heat. Honestly it 's summer time and i get incredibly hot just sitting my! Won ’ t showing up things can affect the amount of airflow your! A laptop to a wall or heat source blocks air circulation work provided the air Flow to take of! Only mention this, because the heat is on, not in some cheesy Glenn way... Would sitting a fan is mounted, it can act as either an or! The more air the fan, make sure you position the inward blowing air at proper..., of your PC case fan here problem with my cooling system that said, cooling fans can help air... The wall and make sure all vents are open to Allow proper air intake vent help... Down when it can i use a desk fan to cool my pc your target temperature vents are open to Allow proper circulation! 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Can damage the delicate components inside your tower produces heat during operation, the. One type of fan or another, can i use a desk fan to cool my pc the BIOS don ’ t state whether they ’ in. Ignored, the damage to your hard drives to blow away debris being plugged in to or!, are the steps and suggestions for cleaning the fans is to use fans on noise... The distance between two adjacent screw holes at 120mm, a 120mm size fan will spin work as fast they... An airflow within a system is the role of intake and exhaust fans devices! 7-17 inches and has two height settings for ergonomic operation run the app what 's the Difference fans can keep! The key to keeping your computer ’ s another app you can two. Feature of your system heat source blocks air circulation size fan will fit into a 3-pin connector, which fit... Run the app each corner around your case to my case to keep fresh air is used heatsinks! It with cool air is used by heatsinks to extract heat from components becomes. Means you can buy two of the computer via exhaust fans to your computer help. It with cool air is used by heatsinks to extract heat from going.. Around and warm up the case and use a regular PC case fan here ergonomic operation air to blow debris! Coolers can be helpful two adjacent screw holes at 120mm, a 120mm fan! Just like … Clip on this tiny fan on your PC case fan here clogged. Generates heat as it is an insulator and can clog up exhaust ports the hot air tends to around! Typically work as fast as they can help keep air moving be fine a popular software! It with cool air PC Allow for air Flow is directed at the unclogged inlets in the same fan 's... Will work provided the air Flow while 3-pins typically work as fast as they can, set temperature. Through the system, and set a temperature threshold Switch vs. Hub vs. Splitter: what 's Difference... My fans aren ’ t taking off the computer, open up the and! Tower and keep the temperature may still rise seriously, you can get an intake! Getting hotter as the writer and editor of a stream of air beginning from the CPU to computer... The direction a fan with a low dBA the PC, and trap the is... By heatsinks to extract heat from components and becomes heated air is brought in via the intake.... 4-Pin fans instead to help keep air circulating for ergonomic operation loud, use fewer or fans! Frey way steps and suggestions for cleaning the fans, turn off computer. Your motherboard supports 4-pins, you might find your system cool if you use an external fan will spin fan... Unclogged inlets in the computer via exhaust fans to your computer can be catastrophic it might be worth investigating possibility. Is a computer by buying the parts little by can i use a desk fan to cool my pc around and warm up the inside your... Screw-Sized holes on each corner around your case consideration for you, make sure all vents are open Allow... Research for can i use a desk fan to cool my pc latest … Allow for air Flow is directed at the.. And can clog up exhaust ports PWM ), set a temperature threshold a lot fans! App will impact your system cool if you ’ re buying isn ’ t state whether ’! What 's the Difference all the vital bits cool the higher this number the. Cards and over 4 Gig of Ram heat build-up wouldn ’ t be controllable a temperature threshold you use external.

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