Increasing the number of supporters, yet still figuring out the right title.
Increasing the number of supporters, yet still figuring out the right title.
Hey there! I think you're looking for guidance on choosing the right header for your build. Since you're adding more fans and a CPU, it's best to use the CPU header for speed control. This way, you can manage fan speeds efficiently. If you need a splitter, consider getting one specifically for the CPU to keep things organized. Let me know if you need more details!
The difference between 3 (voltage controlled) and 4-pin (PWM controlled) fans is negligible. It comes down to how you manage them or group them. You can use external software such as Fan Control to pair them and offer more settings. Personally, I use a built-in splitter for two CPU fans, one front panel fan with three pins from the same splitter, and an exhaust fan. They connect to separate headers, allowing me to adjust the CPU, intake, exhaust, and maintain a slight delay in exhaust speed compared to intake. This helps keep my CPU temperature stable.
I've noticed PWM fans tend to operate at lower speeds when idle versus DC-controlled ones, which makes sense. 3-pin fans essentially maintain a baseline speed that stays above PWM performance. I usually prefer PWM because it lets me keep fans running at a steady low RPM during idle. The idea is that you can only reduce VCC so much before the stator windings' inductance and friction come into play, along with other technical details in electrical design.
Certain software can mimic the same fan-stop response (such as my front fan being 3-pin, yet Aorus SIV manages to stop them via the CPU OPT port on my board). This is largely dependent on motherboard and controller design. It seems many users prefer their case fans to halt regardless, which explains why there isn’t a clear advantage. All of my case fans are 140mm, contributing to quieter operation. I also use a 120mm fan as an auxiliary intake when temperatures rise, but it still stops normally thanks to PWM control. It sits on top of the case and lacks robust dust filtration compared to the front unit.