# What makes a CPU fan quiet?



## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

I want my CPU fan to be quiet? Or more quiet then it is right now. What stat in the descriptions describe how loud or quiet the fan will be. 
Currently I am using the stock fan that came with my CPU. 
Please provide a suggestion of fans I can use to replace mine that would make it quiet almost silent. The CPU fan is the loudest fan I have.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

What case are you using?

Is the fan speed set to auto in the bios or a set speed?

Do you AMD Cool and Quiet enabled in the bios?


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## Johnny1982 (Oct 15, 2010)

Most aftermarket CPU coolers are generally much quieter than the stock fans. Just don't use a program like Speedfan to lower the speed, I did it to my dad's PC and it used to restart by itself, it didn't overheat, it just didn't like it. Don't know why, but I solved that by installing a Zalman CNPS7000c Cu CPU cooler and it's whisper quiet now that you can't even hear that the PC is even on. 

It all depends what your budget is, the size of your case, your CPU type, socket, etc. Is your CPU temp normal?


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## gcavan (Aug 13, 2009)

> What stat in the descriptions describe how loud or quiet the fan will be.


db or dbA


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

I have always found frostytech to show a good, unbias, comparison and testing of aftermarket heatsinks.

Top 5 Intel & AMD Heatsinks on Frostytech


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

wrench97 said:


> What case are you using?
> 
> Is the fan speed set to auto in the bios or a set speed?
> 
> Do you AMD Cool and Quiet enabled in the bios?


Case= Cooler Master Elite 341 m-ATX Mini Tower Case Black
True fan speed is set to auto in bios
Yes AMD Cool and Quiet is enabled.


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

. Is your CPU temp normal?[/QUOTE]

Do these settings look good or bad? View attachment


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

can I just swap out the fan for a quieter fan? Not sure what size to get?


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

Checking on my computer info mine states socket am3 (938) This is confusing to me. I am searching at egghead and at the right there is no option for 938? There are only options for 939. 
Can I use something that states 939?


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## gcavan (Aug 13, 2009)

938 is the number of pins. Ignore that. Look for a unit which supports AMD socket AM3

PS: Have you attempted to clean the dust out of your current fan yet.


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

rentonhighlands said:


> Checking on my computer info mine states socket am3 (938) This is confusing to me. I am searching at egghead and at the right there is no option for 938? There are only options for 939.
> Can I use something that states 939?


Socket 939 is the first gen Athlon 64 socket. Socket AM2 and AM3 are 940/941 respectively (although most current AM3 offerings only have 938 pins). Your Phenom II is socket AM3.


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

The fan at this point is not dirty
If mine is AM3 then what I am seeing at new egg is there is only 1 option? This can not be correct?


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

How can I look to see what dbA mine fan is currently at? Or what the stock fan is. I looked at the manufacture website as well as new egg can not find this information. 
The ZALMAN CNPS7000C-AlCu 2 Ball CPU Cooler Newegg.com - ZALMAN CNPS7000C-AlCu 2 Ball CPU Cooler 
seems to be good. It has a 17db reading. Is this quiet?


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Lower the number quieter the sound, you would need testing equipment to determine the current db level of your system.

Does the noise currently get louder and quieter depending on load on the system?


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## Johnny1982 (Oct 15, 2010)

rentonhighlands said:


> The ZALMAN CNPS7000C-AlCu 2 Ball CPU Cooler seems to be good. It has a 17db reading. Is this quiet?


I had the same cooler and it was very silent at the lowest fanspeed, turn it higher and it is a little louder.


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

wrench97 said:


> Lower the number quieter the sound, you would need testing equipment to determine the current db level of your system.
> 
> Does the noise currently get louder and quieter depending on load on the system?


No. It sounds the same all the time. It sounds to be the fan is spinning the same RPM's all the time.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Make sure you have it plugged into the CPU fan header and not a system fan header, 

Make sure Smart Q fan is set to enabled save and exit/reboot.


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

How can I tell on the motherboard what a CPU fan header is vs a system fan header. I have it plugged into the 4 pin motherboard connector based on what the manual says is for the CPU fan. Would this tell us that it is the CPU fan heater I have it plugged into?


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

The CPU fan header should be marked as such, as the system fan headers are usually marked Sys or Sys_Fan. The manual should indicate the proper header for the CPU as well.


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

wrench97: When you are refering to "system fan header" would this also be the same as CHA_FAN? I see on my mobo I have two spots labled CPU and chassis fan connections (4-pin CPU_FAN and 3-pin CHA_FAN). You want me to use the 4-pin CPU connection. I will check on this.


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

CPU_FAN is the CPU header and CHA_FAN is the system fan header.


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

I also found something interesting. From the manual for my mobo it states "The mobo comes with an AM2+/AM2 socket designed for Phenom II/Athlon II/ Phenom/Athlon/Sempron family processors (AM3/AM2+/AM2). Use a CPU that is designed for the AM2/AM2+ socket 
This tells me that I should only use AM2+ or AM2 processors. But I have a AM3 proc here is a link to my proc
AMD Processors for Desktops: AMD Phenom

Is this a problem? Will this cause me any system issues or slowness?


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

What is CHA_FAN is the system fan header refering to. Is it refering to fans for the case?


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## GZ (Jan 31, 2010)

AM3 CPUs will work on most AM2+ socketed boards, so long as the boards chipset and microcode support them.



rentonhighlands said:


> What is CHA_FAN is the system fan header refering to. Is it refering to fans for the case?


Yes, the CHA_FAN (or SYS_FAN) headers are for the case cooling fans.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Check the Smart Q fan setting, just seems to me the CPU fan is running 100% all the time, if that is in fact the happening, no matter what fan/heatsink you use it'll be noisy.


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

At this time Q Fan is set to enabled in bios. I do not run lots of processes on my computer to max out the CPU much.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

What does the Bios report as the fan speed?


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

fan speed is 2385-2393-2402 max is 2732.


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

I only have two fans and the CPU fan is def the one that is creating the noise. The other case fan I have is dead quiet.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

I think the motherboard is not controlling the fan speed correctly.


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## rentonhighlands (Aug 20, 2005)

wrench97 said:


> I think the motherboard is not controlling the fan speed correctly.


Yes I think this may be the case. I def have the CPU fan plugged into the CPU fan port on the mobo. Could this be a mobo driver issue?


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Most likely not unless you are using one of the Asus software programs to override the Bios settings once Windows starts, like Asus AI Suite, Asus EPU4 Engine, Asus Turbo Key and a host of others?


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