Best 80mm 4-pin CPU fan?

[Shrek]

I'm thinking of a CPU fan where it is up close to the heat sink, so looks like the NF-A8 PWM ($14.18) beats out the NF-R8 PWM ($12.95); the price difference isn't as bad as I had imagined. There is a black version of the NF-A8 PWM, but that is $21.95 and I don't need all the colored extras.

I can't stand the brown, but I'm not willing to fork out more than 50% extra for black.

 

[freeagent]

I have a little 92x35 DC Koala III 4000 RPM ripper that I swear pushes more air than my 130CFM 2500 RPM 140x25 TY-143

It will remove flesh with no fecks given. And if you hot plug it, you will blow that header sooner or later

 

[Shrek]

OK, when I said function over form... I didn't mean at the expense of my hearing

Noise is such a big issue for me, I run my bedroom fan on a variac.

Part of this interest in CPU fans is because I don't run air conditioning in the Summer so want my computer to be able to take the heat even when the ambient temperature exceeds 100°F.

 

[tabascosauz]

I also realized that while a case fan does not experience much blockage, the same may not be true for a CPU fan
and so the pressure may be more important than flow rate (Fans (noctua.at))

The A8s are unimpeded, but the R8s aren't. It doesn't really affect their ability to push air. These are 80mm fans, we're not exactly looking at top tier air cooling performance both fan- and heatsink-wise so I highly doubt it matters much what you choose.

The price of the Chromax A8 is obscene. You might prefer the A8 for vibration corner pads that the R8 does not have, for heatsink use

 

[oobymach]

Noctua fans vibrate I would just go with any non sleeve bearing fan, if you can see between the blades looking head on at the fan it's high airflow, if you can't see between the blades and the blades are very wide it's high pressure and better suited for a radiator or heatsink.

80mm Case Fans | Newegg.com

Shop 80mm Case Fans on Newegg.com. Watch for amazing deals and get great pricing.

www.newegg.com

 

[Shrek]

Noctua fans vibrate

Just when I thought I had it all figured out...

vibration is not good.

 

[tabascosauz]

Noctua fans vibrate I would just go with any non sleeve bearing fan, if you can see between the blades looking head on at the fan it's high airflow, if you can't see between the blades and the blades are very wide it's high pressure and better suited for a radiator or heatsink.

80mm Case Fans | Newegg.com

Shop 80mm Case Fans on Newegg.com. Watch for amazing deals and get great pricing.

www.newegg.com

ugh this BS again, these aren't even A14s, and they don't use the same motors

do you even have R8s?

 

[eidairaman1]

I have a little 92x35 DC Koala III 4000 RPM ripper that I swear pushes more air than my 130CFM 2500 RPM 140x25 TY-143

It will remove flesh with no fecks given. And if you hot plug it, you will blow that header sooner or later

Thats how that 60mm delta was

All fans vibrate, its when the vibration is violent meaning the blades are not balanced, bearings/motor are giving up is when anyone should be concerned

 

[bobbybluz]

I have a little 92x35 DC Koala III 4000 RPM ripper that I swear pushes more air than my 130CFM 2500 RPM 140x25 TY-143

It will remove flesh with no fecks given. And if you hot plug it, you will blow that header sooner or later

I have some 120 x 38 Deltas that push 250+ cfm and are downright scary. They're so loud I don't have any in use at the moment. The blades are partially made of a fiberglass compound that'll not only remove skin but likely cause bone damage as well. They're the only 12 volt fans I put grilles on just to test. They suck so much power only direct Molex connectors work with them.

On the other hand I have several 120 x 25 Deltas that push 150 cfm and aren't nearly as bad but they also command respect. Direct Molex power for those as well. I know Delta has a 13,000 rpm 80mm fan that pushes 130 cfm but I've never seen one.

 

[cvaldes]

I'm thinking of a CPU fan where it is up close to the heat sink, so looks like the NF-A8 PWM ($14.18) beats out the NF-R8 PWM ($12.95); the price difference isn't as bad as I had imagined. There is a black version of the NF-A8 PWM, but that is $21.95 and I don't need all the colored extras.

I can't stand the brown, but I'm not willing to fork out more than 50% extra for black.

(Disclaimer: I am typing this response on an NZXT H210 build with two Noctua redux fans.)

The price difference is about $7. What is that? Two espresso drinks? 1.5 gallons of gasoline? Half a beer at Coors Field?

It's your money but PC fans are commodity components. Saving $7 is fine but if you're going to grimace about it every time you walk by your computer for the next five years, are the savings worth it? Saving $7 per fan is a consideration if you're replacing a server room full of computers but I don't get that from OP's inquiry.

After all, OP didn't even bother mentioning the fan (manufacturer and model) they were trying to replace.

I have a bunch of Noctua 120mm chroma.black.swap fans in one mid-tower build. Sure, I could have saved $20 buying their beige models for this build but I wanted a certain aesthetic. In another build I have the beige fans.

Going back to the fans, the R8 is the previous design. The A8 is the current improved design. If you look at the photos on the Noctua website there are clear differences in fan geometry. Their redux models are the budget product line.

That doesn't mean one can't get excellent performance from the Noctua redux fans, but they have made compromises vis-a-vis their flagship beige A-series models: design, materials, components, features, and accessories. Of course, all fans (or PC components for that matter) have compromises.

If you look at Noctua's specs on their fan page, the A8 and R8-redux are pretty similar in acoustics and airflow at their top speed. However the A8 blows the R8 away in static pressure.

The A8 is a more capable fan which is why Noctua probably let it emerge from their prototype labs as the successor to the R8.

 

[maxfly]

Just go with the noctuas. They are great 80mm fans. I replaced the ancient stock fans in a lian li pc-70 with a pair of the chromax a8s a while ago. They were quiet but moved a ton of air. The pc-70 is a very old aluminum case that is known for all kinds of lovely fan harmonics. The noctuas don't make a peep in it.

 

[The red spirit]

Loud is not good

I also realized that while a case fan does not experience much blockage, the same may not be true for a CPU fan
and so the pressure may be more important than flow rate (Fans (noctua.at))

NF-A8 PWM

• 55.5 m^3/h
• 2.37 mm H2O

NF-R8 redux-1800 PWM

• 53.5 m^3/h
• 1.41 mm H2O

so the second has almost the same flow rate but much less pressure ability.

There is a black version of the NF-AB PWM, but it costs a good bit more than the brown version. I actually find the grey NF-R8 nicest, but I'll take function over form any day.

Why not explore other brands than Noctua? I have had quit ea bit of fans myself and I find that Noctua fans are just overpriced. They are good and all, but nothing special compared to other fans, but cost around 2 times more. Seems a bit pointless to be so fixated on them.

 

[cvaldes]

Again, we are talking about a commodity component.

Sure, OP can spend another 8-12 hours researching a fan that costs $5 less but unless he is replacing fans for dozens (hundreds?) of computers in a server room, this effort isn't worth it.

Just spend a few extra dollars for one Noctua redux and use the saved time doing something else. Drinking beer, watching football, playing videogames, taking your Significant Other to poundtown, whatever. And I bet Noctua will have a better retail warranty policy than generic Chinese brand X.

 

[tabascosauz]

@Shrek you can give the Arctic P8 a looksie if you need a few choices to choose from. Starts around $10, there's a 5-pack for $28 which looks like a good deal. 2 x R8s would set you back around $26 anyway.

I wouldn't consider their generic F8 design though, or Be Quiet in this category (crap Pure Wings only, no Silent Wings 80).

 

[Braegnok]

I am wondering what 80mm 4-pin CPU fan replacement to get; long life being a big issue for me.

I was thinking about a Noctua till I realized they only consume around 1W, so thought to seek advice here.

I have three NF-A8 PWM chromax.black fans in a HTPC system.

Noctua uses SSO2 Bearing on the chromax fans, come with anti-vibration pads.

They work vary well, are quiet. At 2200 RPM 17,7 db(A)

 

[Shrek]

Why not explore other brands than Noctua? I have had quit ea bit of fans myself and I find that Noctua fans are just overpriced. They are good and all, but nothing special compared to other fans, but cost around 2 times more. Seems a bit pointless to be so fixated on them.

The 150,000 hr life

I did find another (IceBerg), but the gap between the holes was filled and the mounting method used needs the gap

The more obstructed a fan is the higher static pressure is needed. So most cases with drives the front fan should be High Static and the Rear High Air Flow

You run the case at negative pressure?

The price difference is about $7. What is that? Two espresso drinks? 1.5 gallons of gasoline? Half a beer at Coors Field?

It's your money but PC fans are commodity components. Saving $7 is fine but if you're going to grimace about it every time you walk by your computer for the next five years, are the savings worth it? Saving $7 per fan is a consideration if you're replacing a server room full of computers but I don't get that from OP's inquiry.

After all, OP didn't even bother mentioning the fan (manufacturer and model) they were trying to replace.

I actually have 5 PCs to maintain at home and two of them take 92mm fans with the same mount as 80mm fans (I'd buy 2 fans to get free shipping on Amazon)

 

[Bones]

Usually the larger the fan at the same rated CFM the quieter it will be if noise is an issue - Provided you have an option to use a different size fan.

Blade design is important for efficiency and can be said as a general rule the slower a fan turns the longer it will tend to last, larger fans not needing to turn huge amounts of RPM to get the CFM's from it vs smaller ones.

Most any fan though of about 30-40 CFM should be fine for a case fan, you'd want it a little higher in CFM for a CPU cooler, absolutely no less than 50 CFM to get proper airflow through it but there is also the option of a variable speed fan with it's own controller if it's really needed.
I know fans can be controlled in the BIOS, I'm saying if there is an issue with that you can do it that way if you must.

And yes I've got a few high CFM Delta's myself, one being a 240 CFM unit and it's a monster - Not suitable at all for a standard case but great for a do it yourself remote controlled hovercraft/drone but you gotta be sure the powercable to it is long enough.

 

[Shrek]

Most any fan though of about 30-40 CFM should be fine for a case fan, you'd want it a little higher in CFM for a CPU cooler, absolutely no less than 50 CFM to get proper airflow through it

Then the 80mm Noctua is out (~33 CFM), although I really like quiet (and long life).

 

[Bones]

Then the 80mm Noctua is out

What are the specs of the one you have now?
That fan may still be useable, I forgot to say some of that depends on your setup so it may be useable.
Useage is probrably the biggest thing to base it all on.

 

[Bill_Bright]

What cooler is this going on? Or more to my point, is it tall (long fins) or a low profile with short fins? The taller the fins, the less important back pressure issues become since there will be substantially more open space on the fin sides to allow the air flow (and its captured heat) to move out.

And if an upright cooler where the fan blows all the way through the fins, then static pressure's role is pretty much negligible.

Then the 80mm Noctua is out

I think that is wise. If you look here, Andy, the Noctua NF-A8 is indeed quiet but that most likely is due to its low airflow capability. With your stated potentially very high ambient temps, IMO, you need a fan that moves a lot more air. And then of course, you need great case cooling to quickly exhaust that heated air out of the case.

While I sympathize with your desire and priority of low noise, I think, because of your exceedingly high ambient temps, you need to push that priority down a bit and concentrate on air volume.

If you look at the Bgears 80mm, it has a rated maximum airflow of 78 CFM. That is good. And while yes, it is louder at 37dB, with good case cooling that noise level will be substantially reduced as its rotation speeds decrease.

Also note a good case will greatly suppress noise too - especially with a CPU fan which is not mount directly to the case.

Plus, this fan is black, not brown and cheaper. And according to the website has a life expectancy of 60,000 hours - that is 6.8 years of continuous (24/7/365) service.

 

[Shrek]

What are the specs of the one you have now?

Of the 5 machines, the one I am looking at uses a 0.7A (64 CFM) fan, but I also see a 0.35A unit on a similar PC

That works out to

• 8.4W (AVC DS08025T12U)

or

• 4.2W (Nidec T80T12MS11A7-07A02)

hence my concern over the Noctua (~1W)

 

[Bones]

What cooler is this going on? Or more to my point, is it tall (long fins) or a low profile with short fins? The taller the fins, the less important back pressure issues become since there will be substantially more open space on the fin sides to allow the air flow (and its captured heat) to move out.

And if an upright cooler where the fan blows all the way through the fins, then static pressure's role is pretty much negligible.

I think that is wise. If you look here, Andy, the Noctua NF-A8 is indeed quiet but that most likely is due to its low airflow capability. With your stated potentially very high ambient temps, IMO, you need a fan that moves a lot more air. And then of course, you need great case cooling to quickly exhaust that heated air out of the case.

While I sympathize with your desire and priority of low noise, I think, because of your exceedingly high ambient temps, you need to push that priority down a bit and concentrate on air volume.

If you look at the Bgears 80mm, it has a rated maximum airflow of 78 CFM. That is good. And while yes, it is louder at 37dB, with good case cooling that noise level will be substantially reduced as its rotation speeds decrease.

Also note a good case will greatly suppress noise too - especially with a CPU fan which is not mount directly to the case.

Plus, this fan is black, not brown and cheaper. And according to the website has a life expectancy of 60,000 hours - that is 6.8 years of continuous (24/7/365) service.

This.
If you can't get the heat out of the case no fan is going to be of much use for the chip.

More CFM through the case is the first consideration here, remember your CPU cooler/fan relies on air in the case that's already being warmed by other components. If you can't get enough cooler air in, temps to the CPU will naturally go up too.

Fan setup configuration is another thing, I've always said if you can get it going straight out the top that's good because heat naturally rises, you can take advantage of this effect to make your cooling more efficient if nothing else.

Let the heat go where it's wanting to go anyway.

My personal preference is out at the back and top, in from the sides and if possible from the bottom too but do remember that depends on where the system itself is physically. If it's on the floor, it will be sucking dust all the time since dust itself wants to settle to the floor if it can, that being the ultimate destination for it.
Sitting on a desk - It's better but dust can still collect underneath so I suggest a dust filter if using fans pulling in air from the bottom.

 

[Shrek]

@Shrek you can give the Arctic P8 a looksie if you need a few choices to choose from. Starts around $10, there's a 5-pack for $28 which looks like a good deal.

Need PWM (4-pin)

but it does look like a great deal

Sure, OP can spend another 8-12 hours researching a fan that costs $5 less but unless he is replacing fans for dozens (hundreds?) of computers in a server room, this effort isn't worth it.

Just spend a few extra dollars for one Noctua redux and use the saved time doing something else.

A very valid point, but I'm actually using this as a break from my main work (which is unpaid).

 

[eidairaman1]

The 150,000 hr life

I did find another (IceBerg), but the gap between the holes was filled and the mounting method used needs the gap



You run the case at negative pressure?



I actually have 5 PCs to maintain at home and two of them take 92mm fans with the same mount as 80mm fans (I'd buy 2 fans to get free shipping on Amazon)

No I don't run my case as a vacuum look at my signature Rig Specs, it's neutral with my case as big as it is I don't need high static pressure fans (EATX/ATX-XL full tower) there are 2x 2.5" drives which don't hamper the large front fan

My case Layout is this, Large intake front, Small mm intake bottom, Large mm exhaust top, Small mm exhaust aft. Look at my Signature Rig Specs

Those fancy tempered glass front cases I would for sure use high static pressure fans or if you have tons of 3.5 Storage or a WC Rad.

 

[The red spirit]

The 150,000 hr life

I would completely ignore this number. Sleeve bearing fans don't die fast. I have several fans that are over 15 years old and still are perfectly functional. As long as you aren't smoker or use computer in coal mine, they don't die easily. At worst, you can always take them apart, put some lubricating oil and they will work better.