For most of us, intense gaming is the main reason why we own a personal computer (PC). And who can blame us? After a long day at work, the awesome gaming session is the best way to release pressure and stress. However, this session can often add to the stress because of an overheating PC.
That is where the fan for radiator comes in handy. It helps make your PC cooler, avoiding the damage and crash that is caused by heat. For this reason, you enjoy a prolonged gaming session.
Therefore, it is quite important to get the best 120mm or 140mm fan for the radiator for your computer. Sadly, there are a lot of models available on the market today, making your selection process hard. But don’t fret; we have compiled a list of the top 5 fans as of now to help you get value for your bucks.
Top 5 fans for the radiator
1. Noctua NF-A14 PWM Chromax.Black.Swap Premium-Grade Quite 140mm Fan
Having scoped over 100 awards as well as recommendations from top hardware magazines and websites, the NF-A14 PWM is among the most popular and renowned 140mm fans.
Its square construction makes it perfect for use as a case fan or on water cooling radiators. The fan’s pads allow color-customization of your fan in order to match your preferred color schemes. You can choose from black, yellow, green, blue, white, and red anti-vibration pads.
The Noctua NF-A14 PWM also boasts of over 150,000 hours MTTF, 6-years manufacturer’s warranty, and premium-grade SSO2 bearing.
Recently, my friend bought half a dozen of these fans to replace all his case fans and they are wonderful. Four things that stood out:
- They very study.
- They are heavier than most fans.
- They are pretty quiet.
- They push a lot of air.
The only downside we experienced is the odd vibration at some speeds, but nothing big, as changing by about 3% made the noise disappear
NF-A14 PWM is the best bet if you are a person who values individual aesthetics like me, as well as performance and class-leading quality.
2. Be Quiet! BL071 SILENTWINGS 3 PWM 140mm Cooling Fan
The Be Quiet! BL071 3 PWM is a premium cooling fan. Actually, when you purchase this item, you will get 2 different fittings for all corners. However, we are looking at the 140mm cooling fan.
The product pride itself of the anti-vibration fittings. In fact, it is a removable anti-vibration fitting that reduces the vibrations that are transmitted to your PC case. The fittings look nice, but since I have never used them before, I can only state that the images from the manufacturer have them looking nice.
And also, the BL071 3 PWM has 7 fan blades that provide an optimized airflow. That’s not all since they will provide you with over 300,000 hours of operation.
The fan has proven to provide many benefits including:
- It is extremely quiet.
- It reduces the temperature to a high degree.
- Comes with PMW control.
- Great value for money.
The fan is a little expensive when you compare to most model out there, but for the service, you will get, it is worth every dollar.
It might seem overkill to get these fans, but a person who doesn’t want to get average products should invest in only the best.
3. Pack of 5 Aigo Halo Led Ring Fan 120mm
Pack of 5 Led case fans has been specifically designed to provide you with a superb visual effect by simple-button control. This enables you to change the speed, color, and mode with ease.
The pack is ideal for the radiator of 120/240/360 CPU water cooler and offers an ultra-silent operation. Their blades are made of translucent materials which provide delicate and soft LED shine.
Overall, these are decent fans that match the best models on the market today and at a lower price. Specifically, they are well-known for being:
- Large and bright.
- Very affordable.
- Well-designed
- Easy to install
Although they are not the most durable fans you will get on the shelves, they still offer the service that matches their price.
I would recommend these products for people searching for a specific look at a reasonable price.
4. Corsair ML120 PRO 120MM Premium Magnetic Levitation RGB LED PWM Fan
Generally, case fans are not exciting, but they are important parts of your PC – and the Corsair ML120 Pro is pretty cool. I love their construction of levitation as opposed to ball bearing which ensures that they provide zero friction.
This guarantees quieter operation than fans operating at a similar speed (or at higher or equal speed). That’s quite promising, and that’s not all since they deliver one of the best performances of a radiator’s fan.
Their innovative magnetic levitation tech is well supported by fun LEDs and noise-damping corners to provide that premium quality.
Their advantages are endless with some of the top ones being:
- Durable construction.
- Comes with pretty lights.
- Extremely quiet operation.
- Works effectively.
Just like all fans, they have a few issues such as lack of RGB lighting, but they have the LED type.
These are the fans for an individual who wants the latest technology in their PC. They can surely add that class to your machine as you enjoy your gaming session.
5. Corsair Air Series SP120 High-Performance Edition Single Fan
Here is a fan that combines low-pitch blades and wide body to provide an amazing cooling experience. If you are looking for a truly stronger and silent fan, this is the model for you.
The fan comes with an advanced design that provides high static pressure that heatsinks and radiators demand. This is all achieved will the fan maintain a quiet operation.
It also boasts of customized fan enclosure that helps the air to flow in the right direction. Furthermore, there are colored rings that enable you to customize the appearance of your fan to match other hardware.
Corsair Air Series SP120 offers a lot of pros which include:
- High-quality fans.
- Whisper quiet operation.
- Last longer than most fans.
- Cools the PC effectively.
However, you might still a slight noise when operating on full load, but it’s more of a whisper than noise.
So, for high-volume cooling needs in restrictive surroundings, this is the fan for you. We would highly recommend it.
Guide to Choosing the Right Fans
This section will help you choose the best fan for your PC. Some of the things that you should consider include:
Size of the Fan
A standard fan ranges from 25-250mm. But the common ones are:
- 80mm
- 120mm
- 140mm
- 200mm
I am sure that you don’t want to buy a fan that won’t fit your case. And since we are looking at 120mm and 140mm fans, it’s only logical we give you more information about the two models.
The 120mm fans produce more airflow than the 80mm models, and of course, they are bigger. They come with bigger blades, but their sizes often restrict the airflow. The also spin slower than the 80mm models and produces less noise when operating.
The 140mm fans have bigger blades than the ordinary ones and operate slower than the 120mm model. That reduces noise levels and adds to their longevity. Furthermore, they have 2 useful features:
- Their holes are spaced just like the 120mm – meaning you can use them instead of the 120mm models.
- They feature interchangeable rims.
Case Fans Size Do Matter
The size often determines most of the features of the fans and it is very important to get a unit that fulfills the needs of your PC. The size also determines the amount of air produced and the amount of cooling your PC will receive.
Air Flow vs. Static Pressure
One thing that you should watch out for is the static pressure. As a rule of thumb, the higher the static pressure the better the fan for cooling radiators.
The other aspect that you should consider is the airflow; the amount of air moving via an opening. This is measured in cubic feet per minute and a fan with a higher flow is better.
Other Features to Look For
Other features that you should consider include:
- Speed – It is represented by revolution per minute or RPM. The higher the speed the better the fan.
- Noise level – This is labeled on the package. The noise level usually ranges from 10 dB to 36 dB. It makes sense to get a product with the least noise.
Conclusion
You stand to have an easier time when using your PC if you installed the best 120mm or 140mm fan for the radiator. But you can only get the best if you follow our buying guide and consider different factors of buying these products like noise level, speed, size, and others.
I hope you are now in a better position to decide which fans to get but if you haven’t made your mind yet, consider the Corsair ML120 PRO 120MM/140MM Premium Magnetic Levitation RGB LED PWM Fan. It is an efficient fan that always performs at the top level.