A Guide to Intake/Exhaust Fans and Airflow on Your PC

So the open side of the fan should face outside the case for intake fans on the front or the bottom, and it should face inside the case for fans on the rear or top. Most cases are designed with a certain directional airflow in mind–usually front to back, and bottom to top.

How do I know which way the airflow is on my computer fan?
Are intake and exhaust fans the same?
Do you need intake fans PC?
How do I calculate CFM for exhaust fan?
Is 2 fans enough for a gaming PC?
What direction should PC fans face?
Should a window fan be on intake or exhaust?
Is one exhaust fan enough?
Is 3 intake and 1 exhaust enough?
Is 3 fans enough for a gaming PC?
Are more fans better in a PC?
Is Water Cooling worth it?

How do I know which way the airflow is on my computer fan?

The Rear or Exhaust side (the side that the air comes out of) of our fans will always be the side that houses the fan motor. You will also be able to identify the Exhaust side as you will see power wires entering the fan motor. Lastly, the fan airflow can be identified by the arrow markings on the fan housing.

Are intake and exhaust fans the same?

As for their differences, it's very simple: Intake fans brings fresh air into the PC, while exhaust fans kick stagnant air out. ... Rather than attaching themselves directly to components, intake and exhaust fans attach to your computer's case.

Do you need intake fans PC?

Yes you need a intake fan to create positive air pressure to prevent dust build and increase airflow.

How do I calculate CFM for exhaust fan?

The rule of thumb is that you need at least 1 CFM per square foot of room area. To determine the square footage of your bathroom, multiply the length times the width. For example, if your bathroom is 6 feet wide and 9 feet long, its square footage is 54. Therefore, it should have a fan rated for at least 54 CFM.

Is 2 fans enough for a gaming PC?

2 case fans (1 intake in front, 1 exhaust at the back) show biggest improvements to cpu and gpu thermals. ... It depends on the hardware and layout of the case, but in general a single intake fan is enough for a general-use computer. For a low-end gaming PC, 1/1 is fine, 2/1 or 3/1 for higher-power hardware.

What direction should PC fans face?

Should a window fan be on intake or exhaust?

Prime Placement. Position inward-blowing fans on the shady side of your house, outward-blowing fans on the sunny side. Do this no matter how many stories your house is. But if there are multiple floors, the ground-level fans should pull air in, while the upper-level fans should push rising warm air out.

Is one exhaust fan enough?

You need at least 1 intake and one exhaust. ... I find one exhaust fan at rear top is sufficient to get good airflow for 3-4 intake fans. A GPU essentially splitting the case and airflow in half could call for a second exhaust on the bottom to suck out PSU air.

Is 3 intake and 1 exhaust enough?

It is not a good idea to have 3 exhausts and 1 intake. This will most certainly cause negative pressure inside the case and cause a faster built up of dust inside the case.

Is 3 fans enough for a gaming PC?

Yeah 3 is definitely enough. You're fine. Not overclocking, no problem. Assuming you don't live in an area with extreme weather conditions.

Are more fans better in a PC?

More fans = potential more rgb meaning your wrong. I always do at least 1 more fan blowing in than out for positive pressure. ... If you were to balance your intake/exhaust for equilibrium or negative pressure rather than remove the intake fans, you'd get even better results due to more airflow AND negative pressure.

Is Water Cooling worth it?

Liquid cooling is the best way to cool a CPU because water transfers heat much more efficiently than air. Liquid cooling also makes your PC run quieter because you won't have fans constantly running at a high RPM. However, liquid cooling a PC can also be dangerous if water leaks onto hardware.