The Best CPU fan is one that offers High Cooling Capacity and Low noise: The best CPU fan is one that is both quiet and does a great job of keeping the CPU cool. No one likes a noisy computer. And no one likes a computer that is constantly overheating... If the PC is in the home theater room; the HTPC user cannot tolerate the distraction of a loud PC fan. The Easy Part of PC Cooling:Making a CPU fan that cools well and sounds like a blower off your car is easy. Making one that works well and is a silent CPU fan? Well, that one is a bit more difficult. How to Choose the best CPU Fan for Your PC (and socket):You can’t just pick any CPU fan and slap it in your PC. Chances are; it won't fit... You must first determine the type of socket that your PC uses. Check your CPU type; this will tell you the type of socket that your fan will need to accommodate. Whether building a new PC or upgrading an old PC: When you know the socket type, now you can choose your fanThe first thing to do is to choose a fan. Then make sure it is not too tall to fit in your PC case.
Choose the CPU fan size: bigger is usually better. (often the fan is included in the kit) What is CFM? CFM or cubic feet per minute is -the measurement that fan manufacturers use to calculate the amount of air the fan will move. *See Zalman 90mm cooler to right. The only problem is; manufacturers sometimes make specs look better than they really are. So get a brand name CPU fan by a manufacturer that has a good reputation (like Skythe). Compare the fans to other fans in their product lines. A good company should use the same system for calculating all of their CFM ratings. Choosing the CPU fan size:I like to use really large 120mm fans on the CPU. The larger fan can move at a slower speed creating less wind turbulence. Larger fans also don’t have to work as hard to push the same amount of air; and they do it quietly. I don’t plan on telling you which CPU fans to use. Your needs may vary from mine considerably. And all coolers do one thing; cool your CPU. Small Coolers and stock Cooling systems:If you see a tiny cooler with a small fan don’t expect it to do better than a large cooler with lots of fins and a large fan. It just isn’t possible. (unless it is spinning at very high RPM) The cooling is done by the surface area of the fins and the amount of air moving over them. The quality of metal on the cooling contact block and the size and CFM of the CPU fan will have an effect of how well the system will cool as well. Not sure which is better for you; AMD VS Intel CPU? Water coolers and the CPU:If you want the best CPU fan possible you will have to use a water cooler on your CPU. CPU water cooling systems are not as complex and scary as they seem. There are several sealed systems on the market that will do a good job keeping your temps down. Air Coolers and the CPU:I have used several with very good results. One of my favorites is the Skythe Ninja. (just as an example) It is really large and will only fit in some PC cases. It has a 120mm fan that is very quiet. And it also includes an external fan control knob for making quick adjustment to the fan speed. So if you are gaming turn it up. If you are just surfing the web or watching a Blu Ray your CPU demands will be low and you can turn it down. I leave mine set to low unless I am playing a game. The large area of heat sink allows this cooler to keep the processor very cool without a need to spin the fan at high RPM’s. The cpu fan on the Skythe Ninja is nearly silent. Other Related Articles• Building a HTPC• Learn more about the HTPC -Return to HTPC from: Best CPU Fan • Building A Home Theater PC • HTPC Build • How to Clean LCD Monitor • What does CPU Stand For? • Return to Home Speaker from: Best CPU Fan Go back to the top of page! |
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Customer Testimonials:
"Peter, I just wanted to drop you a quick note and say how impressed I am with these speakers. They are EXACTLY what I was looking for..very very small with big sound.
My wife loves them as well. They look great, and you hardly notice them at all sitting on the shelf. They integrate perfectly as surrounds. I have them crossed over at 150 as you recommended...simply fantastic. I only have about 15 hours on them so far, so I know they will only get better. You really have something here. Kelly ~ Montana USA
"I found these speakers by accident and after reading all the available info and after several emails back and forth with the company owner I decided I had nothing to lose, so I ordered a set of 5 mini cube speakers.
Peter was very helpful and patient and always responded to my emails within hours.
I have had the speakers set up for a couple of days and they sound great; they are everything described on the web site.
The sound from these small speakers truly is awesome.
I replaced a set of very high quality but also very large speakers and have not been disappointed... and the wife loves not having four large speakers in the living room.
The sound from these speakers really does fill the entire house, I was concerned about the small size of the speakers due to the fact I like to listen to music and movies at volumes most would consider loud.
These speakers are more than capable of playing at volume levels louder than I ever need while also maintaining very high quality sound. ~by; William (Corinth,TX)
"I ordered these speakers in the hope of bringing some life to my entertainment system... I didn’t think it would bring room filling sound to my entire house. These speakers not only fill my den with crystal clear sound, but radiate great sound throughout the house. Thanks for such a great product!" Celia ~Malasia IP#110.159.58.99
"these speakers breathed new life back into my music, I had no idea such small surround sound speakers could perform so well." John from US IP# 24.177.193.45
"how you got so much performance out of these speakers I have no idea -Great product!" Andrew from Denmark IP# 130.225.22.254
"nice speakers, nice finish, blended in with my room well and the wife is happy too. Great sound presentation! Now I just wish you guys made a subwoofer." Kyle from US IP# 98.233.53.244
"These surround sound speakers are amazing! After running them in for a couple days, I decided to play some tunes, and they never once sounded distorted or strained...
While I know they should be paired with a good sub-woofer bass system, I think they sound good enough that I can wait until I have the money to buy a really nice sub." Fred US IP#76.208.13.182
"Wow, what a great set of speakers. I really understand what you mean by a large sound-stage." Sandy from US IP# 137.100.121.30
"Recently I came to realize that my HDTV was better than my sound system... So, I decided to piece together a better sound system. Running across your site (and these speakers) was the best thing that has happened to my home theater.
My current system is; an older receiver, a home theater PC with a blue-ray player drive, and one pair of your Mini-Cubes. (for now; I plan to buy 3 more speakers soon)" Kevin US IP#98.179.199.26
"Purchasing a new set of surround sound speakers was a must for me. My old system looked awful and sounded even worse. The quality and look of your Mini-Cube speaker were a perfect fit.
Once I reviewed the ratings and tests I knew they would be perfect. I will be sure to look for more information and products from you. I can't believe the performance of these surround sound speakers for the modest price. I would recommend these speakers to anyone!" Mike US IP#172.16.2.142
"The overall quality and dynamic capacity of these speakers really took me by surprise. Their imaging is distinct, tonality is crystal clear, and oh yeah... they pump out some serious volume!
I feel like I have stolen speakers that I can't afford. People that spend more are Suckers!!" Micah US #Ohio