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What is the purpose of a CPU fan, and does it have advantages over a system fan?

LibeRatioNZzXx
By LibeRatioNZzXx
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I was looking in my system today and noticed that the fan on my heatsink was under a 4-pin fan header labeled as "CPU fan". I am wondering does 4-pin have any advantages and is it necessary for a heatsink as I was planning to upgrade to 2 fans for my hyper 212 plus and both will be 3-pin.

Thank you in advance

| Cooler Master HAF 912 Plus | MSI P67A-G45 | i5 2500K @ 4.2GHz |  Coolermaster Hyper 212 Plus | EVGA GTX 670 FTW Edition 2GB | 8GB (2X4GB) Mushkin Blackline @ 1600MHz | 256GB OCZ Vertex 4 SSD | 1TB Western Digital Caviar Green | Corsair 600CX V2 | Windows 7 64-bit |

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Cpu fan is for named controlling fan curves differently than chassis/system fans.

4-Pin PWM is just able to run at lower RPM than 3-pin fans.

Error 709: Walrus on the road!

My build log: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/131216-the-small-white-p-node-304-build http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/190057-build-the-large-p/

 

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The 4 pin headers will not benefit you if you're using fans with 3 pin headers.

"It pays to keep an open mind, but not so open your brain falls out." - Carl Sagan.

"I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you" - Edward I. Koch

"I didn't die! I performed a tactical reset!" - Apollolol

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Yeah my main question is it necessary for a heatsink?

| Cooler Master HAF 912 Plus | MSI P67A-G45 | i5 2500K @ 4.2GHz |  Coolermaster Hyper 212 Plus | EVGA GTX 670 FTW Edition 2GB | 8GB (2X4GB) Mushkin Blackline @ 1600MHz | 256GB OCZ Vertex 4 SSD | 1TB Western Digital Caviar Green | Corsair 600CX V2 | Windows 7 64-bit |

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Yeah my main question is it necessary for a heatsink?

There is no difference in performance.

And you must have fan blugged to heatsink.

Error 709: Walrus on the road!

My build log: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/131216-the-small-white-p-node-304-build http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/190057-build-the-large-p/

 

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Yeah my main question is it necessary for a heatsink?

parts generate alot of heat so this is a way of cooling them some better than others such as liquid cooling

main rig: http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/GFvH7P

next upgrades. h440 . 8320.  possible liquid cooling AIO

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Yeah my main question is it necessary for a heatsink?

Definitely, it's too cool your CPU, otherwise it would just overheat. The heat is spread onto the fins of the heatsink and is then dissipated by the fans. If you don't use a heatsink you could destroy your CPU.

CPU: Intel Core i5 2550K @ 4GHz | Cooler: Gelid Tranquillo Rev. 2 | Mobo: Gigabyte GA-Z68AP-D3

GPU: XFX 1GB HD6850 OC'd | SSD: OCZ Agility 3 60GB | HDD: Samsung 500GB | PSU: Corsair HX520W | Case: Zalman Z11+

 
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Definitely, it's too cool your CPU, otherwise it would just overheat. The heat is spread onto the fins of the heatsink and is then dissipated by the fans. If you don't use a heatsink you could destroy your CPU.

I know that, I am wondering if it is necessary to sue the 4-pin header fan to cool it, or would 3-pin fans be OK?

| Cooler Master HAF 912 Plus | MSI P67A-G45 | i5 2500K @ 4.2GHz |  Coolermaster Hyper 212 Plus | EVGA GTX 670 FTW Edition 2GB | 8GB (2X4GB) Mushkin Blackline @ 1600MHz | 256GB OCZ Vertex 4 SSD | 1TB Western Digital Caviar Green | Corsair 600CX V2 | Windows 7 64-bit |

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I know that, I am wondering if it is necessary to sue the 4-pin header fan to cool it, or would 3-pin fans be OK?

As M-ursu has stated (Below), the 4-pin is PWM, which allows the fans to alter their speed. You can use it by all means, you can plug the 3-pin fan into a 4-pin header, you just lose the PWM functionality, but if the fan hasn't got 4-pins, then you have nothing to worry about. If you have 3-pin fans, they will run at the speed they have been manufactured for. You can place the 3-pin fans, into the 4-pin header, and then the fans will run at their manufactured speed.

 

The labeled 'CPU Fan' header is there so the fan can change it's speed depending on the workload you set it, the higher the workload, the fan curve will alter so it can keep it cool. Same if you don't give it any workload, the curves will change so the fan doesn't have to be ramped up to keep it cool.

 

Cpu fan is for named controlling fan curves differently than chassis/system fans.

4-Pin PWM is just able to run at lower RPM than 3-pin fans.

CPU: Intel Core i5 2550K @ 4GHz | Cooler: Gelid Tranquillo Rev. 2 | Mobo: Gigabyte GA-Z68AP-D3

GPU: XFX 1GB HD6850 OC'd | SSD: OCZ Agility 3 60GB | HDD: Samsung 500GB | PSU: Corsair HX520W | Case: Zalman Z11+

 
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@KieranThePCGuy. False. 3-pin fans can have their speed altered. It's through altering voltage though. PWM works through voltage too, but shoots bursts of 12V to the fans to maintain a certain speed.

"It pays to keep an open mind, but not so open your brain falls out." - Carl Sagan.

"I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you" - Edward I. Koch

"I didn't die! I performed a tactical reset!" - Apollolol

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@KieranThePCGuy. False. 3-pin fans can have their speed altered. It's through altering voltage though. PWM works through voltage too, but shoots bursts of 12V to the fans to maintain a certain speed.

Oh I didn't know this. You learn something new every day! Thankyou for correcting me! :)

CPU: Intel Core i5 2550K @ 4GHz | Cooler: Gelid Tranquillo Rev. 2 | Mobo: Gigabyte GA-Z68AP-D3

GPU: XFX 1GB HD6850 OC'd | SSD: OCZ Agility 3 60GB | HDD: Samsung 500GB | PSU: Corsair HX520W | Case: Zalman Z11+

 
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Oh I didn't know this. You learn something new every day! Thankyou for correcting me! :)

You're welcome.

"It pays to keep an open mind, but not so open your brain falls out." - Carl Sagan.

"I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you" - Edward I. Koch

"I didn't die! I performed a tactical reset!" - Apollolol

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