PC fan connectors

[Franicelcha]

Hi

Do all PC fans whether they come with the case or are purchased separately come with a 4 hole female connector ?

Also: Are all fan connectors on a motherboard 4 pins or 3 pins or could be both ?



Thank you

 

[legend001523]

No, there are 2 types of fans, 3 pin and 4 pin, with 4 pin you can control the speed, with 3 pin you're very unlikely to be able to control it, all pins on a motherboard are 4 pin but you can still connect 3 pins to it

 

[Outlander_04]

There are more than two kinds

Many fans in cases and aftermarket have a 4 pin molex connector .
Some fave the 3 or 4 pin [ pwm speed control ] that plugs in to the mb .

Some fans have both a mb plug and a molex

 

[Jaxem]

Many motherboards have 3 pin connectors still, they're RPM, Ground, and + voltage, they can be speed controlled through voltage. 4 pin have the same but a PWM pin that makes speed control better, some boards with 4 pin connectors can control 3 pin fans. many fans that come in cases just have a molex connector which you generally can't control from the motherboard at all, they're just on all the time, you need a fan controller if you want any kind of control for them.

So no, there is no kind of consistancy with fans right now...there's 3 pin, 4 pin, and molex, motherboards have 3 or 4 pin, molex plug directly into your PSU. Most lower to mid level Mobos have mostly 3 pin connectors except maybe the CPU connector will be 4 pin. High end Mobo's are usually all 4 pin these days.

 

[Franicelcha]

I hate to have to chose only one best answer. Your answers are all good.

For those not chosen, do not take it personal.