I need help with my MOBO + Fans + fan controller

Hardware Cooling
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Hello boyos. I’m almost done planning my new PC build. YAY. Now it’s time to save I guess. So, I have a couple questions regarding cooling, let me explain myself.

My build is pretty much your standard B350 Ryzen 5 build on a mini/micro atx, everything put in a Fractal Define Mini C non windowed version. My dad used to have a semi-custom build PC with bequiet! fans and that computer was dead silent, granted that he wasn’t using it for gaming or anything but it was cool and silent. The MOBO i’m planning to build my system is the Bazooka B350, and I have a couple questions regarding the fans and fan controller/fan controller software:

  1. Which fans should be controlled by the fan controller? I guess (just guessing, correct me if I’m wrong) that the exaust fan shouldn’t be controlled. The intakes should be constant right? Or they should be controlled so when things get more hot the fans put more fresh air in the case? Or should the CPU fans be the ones controlled?

  2. Second question! My rig will be cooled by bequiet’s Dark Rock Pro 4. Is the three fan setup a bit overkill? At the time being I don’t want to overclock my CPU.

  3. My MOBO as far as I know and if I’m not mistaken can’t control 2 CPU fans + 2 case fans, so I guess I need an external fan controller. Can I control all those fans through one MOBO 4 pin controller + an external fan controller? Could you give me recomendations for fan controllers? I’d rather not buy those controllers that go into the DVD tray…

  4. Noctua vs bequiet fans? I dont’ care about looks because I plan to get a case (as I said, Fractal’s Define Mini C) without a window. The case itself is already pretty silent, so I’d guess I could prioritize performance vs silence. Should I get all my case fans PWM versions or not?

  5. Best fan control curve software? I’m compiling useful software for my rig, been using a laptop for ages so I’m really a newb for that kind of software (or hardware for that matter).

And that’s all, hope is everything clear. Let me point out that where I live things get hot in summer (+30ºC = +86ºF for my non metric dudes and dudettes), so I’d make two fan curves, one for summer/late spring, another for the rest of the year.

Thank you so much!

2

  1. With two PWM system fan headers, using a Y-Splitter for intake and exhaust should work. Keep in mind every fan you add will make some more noise (even just air moving through a mesh will).

  2. Even a single fan should do. To run 2 fans, just get a Y-Splitter cable and hook both fans to the CPU fan header.

  3. Y-Splitter?

  4. Noctua, BeQuiet, NoiseBlocker or EK make some good fans.
    To make your decision harder:
    NB eLoop Fan
    NB BlackSilentPro PL-PS (SingularityComputers likes these)
    EK Vardar F3-120 (keep in mind they can do 1850rpm, that will make some noise)
    be quiet Silent Wings 3 PWM
    Noctua NF-S12B redux (running 2 of these)
    Noctua NF-P14s redux (running 2 of these)

  5. Just use the BIOS?

1 Like
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Thanks! I’m taking notes hahahah. How are the Noctua fans treating you?

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I like them. Despite them hanging in >40°C exhaust air from CPU and GPU, they still run like new. Would buy again but probably won´t have to^^

I also found powered internal fan splitter: https://www.highflow.nl/aircooling/fans/accessories-4/4-pin-pwm-splitter-hub-10-way-channel-1x-pwm-10x-pwm-molex-sata-powered.html

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The thing is with this mobo is that it has 1 x 4-pin CPU fan connector
3 x 4-pin system fan connectors. Not sure if all four connectors allow me to control the fans through the mobo bios or software.

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I’ve seen stuff like the NZXT Grid Plus v2, not sure if I can fully control all my fans through that (two CPU fans + 3 case fans)

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I would imagine someone on this forum knows.