Fan Size Rant

[Hugo Vedal]

Cooling. Noise. Cable clutter. How could you possibly solve them all?

I'm amazed that the case manufacturers still haven't solved these problems together when they all have been so darn close. Silverstone, Cooler Master, Corsair, NZXT. The list goes on and on. I may sound like an autist by making this rant, and a douche when I say "the answer is right in front of your eyes", but I really don't care.

Think about the typical tower case. Two-hundred and something millimeters width, 450mm+ depth and height. How do we utilize the dimensions to get the most cooling and silence out of it?

"well, just strap half a dozen 120mm fans on it, just make sure our new aio cooler fits"

-Every case manufacturer ever.

Stop trying so hard. Just take a step back and think. If you aren't going to make a small, space-saving, innovative case anyway, at least utilize what you already have. And if you didn't get what my point is, it is to change the fan sizes that all the manufacturers use.

Take Fractal Design as an example. I own the Define R5 myself. It is a sleek and beautifully constructed case. The only thing I can't get over is how they even considered 140mm fans for a case that is 235mm wide. Seriously, you lead the industry for silent and efficient cases, and this is the best you could come up with? The same horrible fan to case width is for almost every single case.

The thing the manufacturers have to do is to put fewer and larger fans in their cases. Bigger cooling, less noise and easier installation.

Even though this isn't amazingly written, I hope the consumers and the case manufacturers get the message. Just put some bigger fans in the big cases. Please.

TL;DR: Case manufacturers need to put 180mm+ fans in their biggest cases to save wasted space, gain better cooling, get more silent operation and make for easier installation.

[Tedster]

Take Fractal Design as an example. I own the Define R5 myself. It is a sleek and beautifully constructed case. The only thing I can't get over is how they even considered 140mm fans for a case that is 235mm wide. Seriously, you lead the industry for silent and efficient cases, and this is the best you could come up with? The same horrible fan to case width is for almost every single case.

The thing the manufacturers have to do is to put fewer and larger fans in their cases. Bigger cooling, less noise and easier installation.

Even though this isn't amazingly written, I hope the consumers and the case manufacturers get the message. Just put some bigger fans in the big cases. Please.

TL;DR: Case manufacturers need to put 180mm+ fans in their biggest cases to save wasted space, gain better cooling, get more silent operation and make for easier installation.

Yes.

I almost bought a HAF 932 and I'm kinda regretting getting the R4 instead.

[CoolaxGaming]

M8, bigger fans look ugly as shit

[Tedster]

M8, bigger fans look ugly as shit

No they don't! They're awesome and quiet.

[Enderman]

Larger fans do not offer higher airflow per area

also their static pressure is shit

[MourningSouls]

Silverstone.

 

EDIT: Far from my best post, but Silverstone actually does stuff like you want. Also they tend to listen well to feedback, so tell them.

[SirSquid]

Why I love my prodigy, it supports a 230mm fan.

[0ld_Chicken]

M8, bigger fans look ugly as shit

I'm with you, I'll never give up my 120's!!!!  even a 140 looks strange to me

[Tim Drake]

Larger fans do not offer higher airflow per area

also their static pressure is shit

[DildorTheDecent]

Need somewhere to put this beast of a fan

http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Sanyo-Denki/9GV2048P0G201/?qs=FTQF2dEqrCAEx2OCJKBSJA%3D%3D

[ICantThinkOfAnyGoodName]

Past 140mm you don't get much of an advantage in silence and you get low static pressure.

[GlassBomb]

Manufacturers don't put 140+mm fans into cases because 120 and 140mm is the norm. It's the cheapest thing you can get from OEM's. Along with beyond those dimensions airflow performance decreases by quite a bit.

 

Yes, larger fans running at lower RPM will make them more quiet. But you will also lose some static performance from the fans.

[Tedster]

Need somewhere to put this beast of a fan

http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Sanyo-Denki/9GV2048P0G201/?qs=FTQF2dEqrCAEx2OCJKBSJA%3D%3D

Away from people who could cut their fingers off with it.

[werto165]

I see the benefit of cases using 120/140 mm fans, it's just usually a standard, and later on the fans could be repurposed to use on a rad or anything else, if you start having fans cutom made to each case it will just become more and more of a problem down the line when you want to use those fans but they don't fit your new case.

[DildorTheDecent]

Away from people who could cut their fingers off with it.

Mo' fingers, mo' problems

[Hugo Vedal]

I see the benefit of cases using 120/140 mm fans, it's just usually a standard, and later on the fans could be repurposed to use on a rad or anything else, if you start having fans cutom made to each case it will just become more and more of a problem down the line when you want to use those fans but they don't fit your new case.

180mm and 200mm both fans and rads are produced by several manufacturers including big ones like Silverstone, EK, Magicool, and bitfenix. The rest of the industry has to follow those standards.

[Necrodead]

I think the solution is just to get a case that uses the space better.

I think for my next computer I'll have to build my own since, as you say, most cases have wasted space.

[GlassBomb]

I think the solution is just to get a case that uses the space better.

I think for my next computer I'll have to build my own since, as you say, most cases have wasted space.

 

Cases that are designed well will have as little dead space as possible. And many cases have a lot of potential that is rarely used.

 

Pretty much all cases that fits the ATX standard will have a lot of unused space, no matter how you look at it. 

[Guest Generallee]

 

Srry m8 wut was that

[LeightonPC]

I agree with putting in bigger fans. People do like to use them, they just never give us the option.

[GoodBytes]

Cooling. Noise. Cable clutter. How could you possibly solve them all?

I'm amazed that the case manufacturers still haven't solved these problems together when they all have been so darn close. Silverstone, Cooler Master, Corsair, NZXT. The list goes on and on. I may sound like an autist by making this rant, and a douche when I say "the answer is right in front of your eyes", but I really don't care.

Think about the typical tower case. Two-hundred and something millimeters width, 450mm+ depth and height. How do we utilize the dimensions to get the most cooling and silence out of it?

"well, just strap half a dozen 120mm fans on it, just make sure our new aio cooler fits"

-Every case manufacturer ever.

Stop trying so hard. Just take a step back and think. If you aren't going to make a small, space-saving, innovative case anyway, at least utilize what you already have. And if you didn't get what my point is, it is to change the fan sizes that all the manufacturers use.

Take Fractal Design as an example. I own the Define R5 myself. It is a sleek and beautifully constructed case. The only thing I can't get over is how they even considered 140mm fans for a case that is 235mm wide. Seriously, you lead the industry for silent and efficient cases, and this is the best you could come up with? The same horrible fan to case width is for almost every single case.

The thing the manufacturers have to do is to put fewer and larger fans in their cases. Bigger cooling, less noise and easier installation.

Even though this isn't amazingly written, I hope the consumers and the case manufacturers get the message. Just put some bigger fans in the big cases. Please.

TL;DR: Case manufacturers need to put 180mm+ fans in their biggest cases to save wasted space, gain better cooling, get more silent operation and make for easier installation.

This is something I have been saying for a long time, but people don't seam to agree with me.

The problem is that reviewers don't see like us. Look at Linus videos. Every single case review is how to jam in his water cooling solution that probably very few people here on the forum has. Beside, the need to mass cool the CPU is getting less relevant by the year due to more efficient chips design, dropping the amount of heat the processor produces.

This is why case manufacture focuses on 120mm fans, and abilities to put a radiator at the top, the front, heck even on the sides. They need to please the reviewers. Imagine a case with no top ventilation because they try to put sound damping materials to reduce system sound instead. It will get marked down at its reviews. Heck even Fractal Design could not get away with this. Their case has these cheapo plastic covers that you put on the top of the case to cover the vent holes for the radiator to TRY and please reviewers, and the actual target market of the case.

If you get CPU air heatsink, they are quieter than the water cooling solution. Because you start with better fans. Say you get a Noctua heatsink. You use only 1 fan, and let's not forget, no pump noise. So yes, you won't be able to overclock your CPU as much, but you gain quietness. Many people don't even touch voltages much to require a mass cooling solution in the first place, they just play with the multiplier.

Also, there is this mentality of "I'll just put headphones, so I don't care" which is sadly most people. The demand for quiet computing is low, which I find sad.

So, to get good reviews case manufacture follows a check list:

-> Must support a massive radiator at minimum 2 positions.

-> Must have extra large water cooling wholes on the back of the case, ignoring the fact that people that actually use an external water cooling system, have tools and expertises already to do the cut. And they can pick the right size.

-> They must top fan wholes

-> They must have a HUGE cutout for the CPU, which honestly I don't get it. But every reviews mentioned on how the CPU cut out is large, or not large enough, despite clearly showing plenty of space around the actual CPU already.

-> They MUST have a side case vent, even though in reality it doesn't help with temperature and just make other areas where you don't have temperature sensors increase in temperature due to the awkward air path you just created.

-> Clearly indicated USB ports, that shows like a sore thumb.

-> Think that everyone will run this massive HDD RAID setup so include countless HDD mounts. Again, reviewers seams to put a lot of emphasis on that, despite most people having at most 1x SSD and 1x HDD.

What I would like to see:

-> Clean case design.

-> No fan wholes at the top, or side, and good sound dampening material everywhere. They could include an entire top panel with vents for those with a radiator, and have a system like the N-Case M1 of panel swapping. Like this, the case looks awesome on both configurations, and please everyone.

-> USB ports that are invisible. What I mean, is be like the USB ports of Razer, Apple or Microsoft Surface line systems. Meaning, that the USB casing is died to the case color, the whole is cut perfectly to not show the metal casing body of teh USB port. Small detail yes, but look how all the mentioned system look sleek because of it. Imagine your case. Yet again, reviews ignores that. I understand on cheap affordable case, but even pricey cases is being ignored. Heck even the N-Case M1 a 250$ case, has ugly ass USB ports that sticks like a sore thumb. Come on! Get a ruler and measure your holes! Stop being lazy.

-> Stop connecting the frontal audio connector to the case and/or USB ground wire. This creates mass interference when connecting headphone to. I know they the manufacture buys the crap generic stuff from China 'cause no one gives a damn, but still. You can ask them to not do that.

-> Larger fan. But include GOOD ONES, not your usual crap ones. If you don't know how to make one, contact the pros like BeQuiet or Noctua. You can build a partnership, and get (as a case manufacture) a promotional price due to the advertisement of the fan manufacture. Imagine a Corsair case with special black Noctua fans with rubber mounts. Or Be Quiet ones. Sure it would cost more. But I am sure it will cost for us, consumers, less then buying separately. So everyone wins.

-> HDD vibration mount. We are in 2015 and still they are cases without any sort of decent sound absorbing HDD mounts. Luckily some do have, so it is nice to see. But I would like to see more.

-> As previously mentioned, stop thinking that everyone has 20 HDD RAID setup. Most people have at most an 1x SSD, and 1x HDD these days. Make 1x SSD, and 2x HDD for the 'just in the case' situation. and the money saved from not using all that material, you can apply the above mentioned improvements.

[Jedicake]

They can put bigger fans in. But do NOT remove the option for 120mm, I use 16 120mm fans in my case for the static pressure, get that garbage 200mm out of my face.

[Mightyinvader]

I love rants

[Dabombinable]

They can put bigger fans in. But do NOT remove the option for 120mm, I use 16 120mm fans in my case for the static pressure, get that garbage 200mm out of my face.

So you'd like mounting holes all over the place and a computer that's louder overall?

[Jedicake]

So you'd like mounting holes all over the place and a computer that's louder overall?

My computer is pretty quiet actually. Typically 800rpm for each fan. You can definitely hear the fans if you're up close but meh!

 

Don't mind the mounting holes.