Are double bearing fans intended to be noisier?
Are double bearing fans intended to be noisier?
I recently installed an ASUS ROG 550W replacement. The fan sounds a bit louder than the usual "standard brushless" ones. Is this typical? I recall some discussions about this, but I’m not sure.
UPDATE: Sorry, the ASUS fan comes with a quiet mode in the box.
After removing the covers and testing each fan separately (CPU case with NVIDIA): the hard drives are making noise that sounds like bearings. I had to turn on the ASUS fan manually because it wasn’t moving, and I couldn’t hear it when it was running. I had to physically move the hard drive, which made a noticeable difference—it’s why the sound changed compared to before.
(I just got a ASUS ROG 550W replacement for a 6-year-old Diablo 450W (fan failing) that was removed. The ROG was actually the most affordable option with fan control I could find—hopefully this will extend its lifespan.)
I’m not planning to use this box beyond the age of the PS, so I hope the ASUS ROG double bearing will provide a reliable and long-lasting performance. The ROG was a bit tricky to fit (modular design) because my case isn’t perfect, but it worked.)
If it's a double ball bearing then yes, it tends to be the loudest among all options.
Fan bearings;
sleeve – most affordable yet with the shortest life span of all (~40,000 hours), also tends to wear quicker when installed horizontally.
Ball (including double ball) – moderately priced with an average lifespan (60-75,000 hours), produces noise and is typically found in industrial fans where sound isn’t a concern, though it’s not as costly as the next ones.
fluid-dynamic (FDB, rifle) – relatively costly but offers a long life (~150,000 hours) and silent performance. Most modern PC fans opt for this bearing.
magnetic levitation (mag-lev) – the priciest yet provides the longest lifespan (300,000+ hours) and nearly endless life. Extremely quiet operation. Very few fans use this because of its high cost (e.g., Corsair ML Pro LED fans).
SSO2 – a blend of fluid-dynamic and mag-lev (150,000–300,000 hours). <- All Noctua fans utilize this bearing unless otherwise specified on their specifications.
I avoided "fluid bearing" because I thought the ads might be exaggerated and these products are relatively new, often reused in older promotions.
It’s reassuring to hear someone thinks the updated sleeve designs are superior!
Also, I didn’t notice any Corsair models within my budget when looking at maglev options—no ads for it either. Thanks.
Regarding double bearings, the lifespan isn’t guaranteed. If you bump them (like with an airgun, during cleaning, or accidentally during repairs), they can wear out faster. Single bearings are more durable during that period—"get out of my way, I’m already spinning all my hours, you’re not stopping me." (They’re sturdier over time.)
There’s a new Seasonic fanless design worth mentioning, especially considering its longevity.
(Note: I opted for double bearings because of noise concerns, though I still recall some older versions were noisy enough that people switched back to single bearings after testing.)
(Update: this info might be outdated; a quieter double bearing version could be a good alternative.)
Reputable companies doesn't scam their customers. So, if you want reliable fans, look towards: Noctua, Arctic Cooling and Corsair. Not saying others aren't reliable either (e.g NZXT), but fan selection between the 3 is quite good, loads of different fans to choose from.
Like i said, mag-lev is very expensive.
120mm, pcpp:
https://pcpartpicker.com/products/compar...xr,wPFXsY/
140mm, pcpp:
https://pcpartpicker.com/products/compar...pg,ycH48d/
120mm, specs:
https://www.corsair.com/us/en/LED-Color/...9050042-WW
140mm, specs:
https://www.corsair.com/us/en/LED-Color/...9050048-WW
I have the Corsair ML Pro LED fans in use with my PCs, red LED ones in Skylake and blue LED ones in Haswell. Mostly 140mm but few 120mm as well. Full specs with pics of my PCs, in my sig.
I'd say: No.
Ball bearings work on friction basis. Friction creates heat. Heat weakens metal over time and thus, increases the bearing wear even further.
Sleeve bearings also have friction within the bearing. Sleeve bearing is basically smooth rod inside the motor, with some lubricant around the rod. But since the rod touches the bottom of the housing at the rod's end, it creates friction. Also, mounting it horizontally worsens it's lifespan, since it isn't designed for horizontal use. Usually, the lubricant will escape the bearing and you'll start hearing fan skreeching. This means lubricant is gone and time to replace the fan.
Fluid-dynamic bearings are similar to sleeve bearings, but with a difference that either the rod itself or the shaft housing, has grooves in it. This is needed for the lubricant to flow around the rod (grooves help the lubricant to move around when rod spins). Hence why this bearing is sometimes called rifle bearing. And since the rod doesn't touch the housing at the rod's tip, there isn't any friction issue. Thus, bearing itself is far more quieter and also longer lasting.
Mag-lev is simple, magnetic field is created around the rod, which then levitates inside the housing. 0 friction and as long as magnetig field is sustained, rod doesn't touch anything. Hence the virtually limitless lifespan with 0 heat production (from rod rotation).
Seasonic fanless PSU doesn't have a fan in it. So... how could you compare it to any PSU that has fan in it?
🤔
But yeah, fanless PSU is interesting. Still, i'd rather have PSU with semi-passive fan, where on low loads, when fan doesn't need to turn, it won't. But on high loads, where there is need for active cooling, fan starts spinning. <- My PSUs are like so. I have two Seasonic PRIME TX-650 and one Seasonic Focus PX-550 PSUs in use between my 3 PCs. Also, my PRIME units have fan control button on them, where i can choose between semi-passive or normal fan profile. I have them running as semi-passive.