PC fans come in many different sizes and can use different connectors.
But there must be a universal standard for all fans, right?
Themost common case fan dimensionsare 80mm, 92mm, 120mm, 140mm, and 200mm.
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Somewhat uncommon, but still standard sizes are 40mm, 60mm, and 220mm.
120mm and 140mm are by far the most popular.
you might find them in computers of all shapes and sizes, frommini-ITXto full-tower cases.
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If you plan tobuy a pack of fans, I recommend sticking with 120mm or 140mm.
verify to measure the width edge-to-edge, not the diagonal size or the distance between the mounting holes.
Don’t be distraught if your case fan isn’t the “standard” 120mm or 140mm width.
Thread your mounting screws through the mesh holes instead.
They’re interchangeable, as not all pins have to be plugged in.
As for the pins, there are 2-pin,3-pin, and 4-pin fans.
The two essential pins are for ground and power.
The fourth pin is for apulse width modulation (PWM) signal.
you’re able to find it on premium case fans and CPU coolers.
Most motherboards have at least one for the CPU fan, and higher-end models often have multiple.
You may also come across those large and wide 4-pin connectors known as MOLEX on some fans.
They connect directly to theMOLEX cable from your power supply unit (PSU).
These have fallen out of style because they don’t allow for communication between the fan and the computer.
Screws Dont Fit?
The best part is that this method works even if you’ve completely stripped the mounting holes.
Repeat for the other three holes and cut off the excess zip tie.
If you’re scrounging for case fans, don’t sweat the small stuff like compatibility.
