Question about CPU cooler fans

deankenny

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Apr 29, 2013
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I want to overclock my i5 3570k and have seen various forums recommending the Coolermaster 212evo cooler, but i want a led lit fan.

Question is, i see the size of the cooler fan is 120mm so can i just buy any 120mm fan and attach it, or do i need a certain one so it has a connector to connect to the motherboards fan control pins ?
 
Any one will work, just make sure it has the 4 pin CPU fan connection for the mobo. I would read the reviews and research the fans you want to buy to make sure they are quiet under load. The 212 evo also comes with extra brackets to attach two fans if you want and have the room.
 
Exactly. As long as the fan is the right size and has the right connector for the motherboard, it will work.

If the CPU fan header on the motherboard is a 4 pin PWM header try, to get the same as this enables the motherboard to control the fan speed.

If it is a 3 pin fan header, either a 3 or 4 pin fan will work, but you can't control fan speed.
 
yes Larry i see this now, im wondering if i might aswell just leave the stock fan on the coolermaster cooler and buy some 120mm fans to go around the case, should still light it up nicely? or would you think a led fan on the cpu cooler would help much? with the lighting inside
 
i left my stock one on one pc and replaced it with another pc with a led fan. Both look nice, as the other fans in the case are led. But the fan that comes with the 212 is very quite, even under load and I have my pc OC'ed to 4.2.
 
I can't really speak the the water coolers as i have never used one. But, from what I have heard on here, those types of water coolers are not much better than the air coolers. Most, I think would say, you have to go to a custom water loop to get any benefit over a good air cooler.