5 Best PC Case Fans for Cooling

Here are some of the best case fans you can buy to keep your PC’s internal components cool. We have everything from high speed to LCD options.

Picture of a collection of PC case fans
A collection of PC case fans (Image via Corsair | Thermalright | Lian Li)

Office PCs can often get away with minimal or no case fans at all without overheating internal components. That’s because their low-power components don’t heat up a lot. Therefore, there’s no need for additional fans to bring in cold and fresh air. However, if you have a gaming PC or a workstation, chances are there are some high-end or flagship-level CPUs and GPUs.

To keep such power components from overheating and throttling, you must feed them with a constant flow of cold and fresh air. However, there are so many options in the market when it comes to PC case fans that people get confused. That’s why we have compiled a list of case fans below that we recommend you should buy. Keep in mind that the list is unranked.

Note: Parts of this article are subjective and reflect the writer’s opinions. Also, the prices mentioned herein are subject to change.

Best PC Case Fans You Should Buy for Cooling

1) CORSAIR RS120 ARGB

Picture of CORSAIR RS120
CORSAIR RS120 (Image via Corsair)

Price: $42.74

The CORSAIR RS120 ARGB PC case fans keep your PC cooler and also make it quite dashing. They come in 120mm or 140mm sizes to suit different cases and airflow needs. The former size allows the best compatibility with PC cases, but the latter provides higher air flow. These fans can rotate at a rate of up to 2,100 RPM with high static pressure. Therefore, they can also be used with radiators of liquid coolers. Also, these are ARGB fans, so you can fully customize the colors and everything.

2) Thermalright TL-C12C X3

Picture of Thermalright TL-C12C X3
Thermalright TL-C12C X3 (Image via Thermalright)

Price: $11.99

Thermalright TL-C12C X3 is a set of three no-nonsense PC case fans. There are no LEDs or RGB of any kind. They are just pure black fans, perfect for those who are not fans of the RGB lighting system, pun intended. These fans have a top speed of 1550 RPM, which you can configure according to your system’s temperature. After all, they support PWM, so you can set up a fan curve in BIOS. The airflow is also quite good, so they are great for bringing in cold air and pushing out hot air.

However, they should not be used on radiators due to low static pressure. Fortunately, their affordable price tag makes them an ideal choice for budget gamers.

3) Lian Li UNI Infinity 120 Triple Pack ARGB

PIcture of Lian Li UNI Fan SL-Infinity 120
Lian Li UNI Fan SL-Infinity 120 (Image via Lian Li)

Price: $89.99

The Lian Li UNI Infinity 120 sets of fans are just as good as the CORSAIR RS120 ARGB we discussed above, but with more addressable RGB design elements. In fact, there’s RGB all around the fans. The fan blades have RGB. The center of the fan blades has RGB with a mirror-like design, which can also be found on the sides. Also, these fans are connected to each other using an interlocking system, which minimizes the need for cables.

In fact, only one cable comes out of this three-fan pack, which then connects to the controller for power, lighting, and customization. Also, the fans can reach 2100 RPM at 29dBA max, which is much quieter.

4) Lian Li UNI Fan TL LCD Wireless 120 Triple Pack

Picture of Lian Li UNI Fan TL LCD Wireless
Lian Li UNI Fan TL LCD Wireless (Image Lian Li)

Price: $131.99

The Lian Li UNI Fan TL LCD Wireless takes the concept of cooling fans to a whole new level. It features a tiny 1.6-inch LCD screen at the center, which can display the CPU temperature, utilization, fan speed, and much more. There are also ring-like RGB effects at the front and RGB infinity mirror design elements on the sides, but they look more subtle than other RGB fans.

If you want a splash of colors and instant access to CPU temps, fan speeds, and some other info, the Lian Li UNI Fan TL LCD Wireless fans are what you should get. They can reach speeds of up to 1900 RPM.

5) ARCTIC P12 Max

Picture of ARCTIC P12 Max
ARCTIC P12 Max (Image via ARCTIC)

Price: $15.99

The ARCTIC P12 Max is the fastest case fan on this list. It can reach a staggering 3300 RPM. Therefore, you can use it as both a case fan and a CPU fan. It supports PWM, so you can fully control the speed from 200 RPM to 3300 RPM. Obviously, at those super high speeds, the fan will become noisy and very audible.

However, due to the rubber pads and fluid dynamic bearing design, the fan doesn’t vibrate at all. You can set the fan to operate only up to 2000 RPM when the CPU temperature reaches 60°C and only increase to 3300 RPM when the CPU temperature reaches 80°C.


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