Is it worth building a PC with one big fan instead of several small ones? Why is this solution not common in partial computers, but rather in pre-built systems from some manufacturers? What limits can we find if we use a oversized fan?
In our PC we have several fans, but we must bear in mind that their job is to move the hot air inside the case or tower to the outside and to bring less hot air from outside to maintain a stable temperature in which the components of our PC can operate without problems. If the temperature inside our computer is very high, the fans will have to do much more work continuously. And on what basis do we measure this? Well, in the flow or volume of air they push out.
What is the benefit of using a large fan?
Obviously the more air they move the louder they make, a 230mm fan will make a lot more noise than a 120mm fan at the same speed. But if we calculate the airflow required for a specific solution, we can see that the most important airflow to cool a system requires so little speed that the noise generated is much lower. Which brings us to a question that may seem trivial, but which explains why the vast majority of gaming towers we see use small fans to add ventilation capacity instead of a very large one.
Why aren’t larger fans used in PCs?
We must start from the fact that it depends on the size of the fan and the revolutions per minute at which it rotates. The larger this is, the less RPM it will take to push a given volume of air in or out. On the other hand, if it overheats, a big one, if it turns too fast, obviously it will make a lot more noise. However, if we make sure that the temperature in the case does not exceed the limits, we end up with a completely silent computer.
One idea that may seem crazy is to use a 12V fan for automotive radiators, like the one you see in the picture above. However, this causes a number of additional problems:
- Due to the enormous airflow it would move an advanced filtration system would be required, because with a fan of this size the amount of dust particles that would enter the box would be much higher. The use of air filters would force to further maintenance and the purchase of spare parts on an ongoing basis. However, if the airflow is properly filtered, it creates an overpressure that prevents dust from being sucked into the case.
- Good airflow is not enough to cool, but the entire ventilation system must be designed. This means that the box and the rest of the computer elements must be completely aligned. What goes against the concept, do it yourself from the PC.
- These fans consume much more and end up needing its own supplemental power supply.
Do we have an example of this in the market?
There are brands like Alienware that have assembled their computers behind this concept, but they can do that as they sell the complete product themselves as it is a pre-built model. In other words, the box, in theory the box was designed for this purpose and the two complement each other. Of course, the problem comes when you see that it’s more for aesthetics and not for functionality.
In other words, instead of designing a product with well-thought-out airflow and a large enough fan for it, you end up with a system with massive thermal throttling due to widespread poor design. In contrast, products like next-gen consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series that rely on large fans don’t have this problem because they have a functional design. In all these cases, these are bespoke designs and not separate pieces that we can obtain separately to join them in a final composition.
We have to clarify that these are not car radiator fans in the PC but they are the closest thing to them and with that we are left with the problem that they have to be custom made .
