120mm Vs 140mm Fans: Which One Is Better

120mm and 140mm are the commonest sizes of case followers that individuals use nowadays. That is why most PC circumstances include fan slots which are appropriate for one or each of those fan sizes.

While smaller circumstances often solely have 120mm fan slots, medium to giant PC circumstances help each kinds of followers. If you might be constructing a PC on a case that helps each, you may need to know which fan provides you with one of the best outcome.

The total design and high quality of the fan additionally make a fantastic distinction. You can’t anticipate a mediocre 140mm fan to carry out higher than a high-quality 120mm fan.

But between the followers of comparable fashions, a typical 140mm fan is at all times superior to a 120mm one in most regards. So, at any time when I’m constructing any PC, I at all times go for the most important doable dimension for my case followers.

Differences Between 120mm and 140mm Case Fans

You will often discover 14/12 or 140/120 within the names of the case followers to point their dimension. For instance, on NZXT Rifle bearing case followers, the title of the 120mm fan is NZXT Rifle Bearing RF-AF12C-RB, and that for the 140mm fan is NZXT Rifle Bearing RF-AF14C-RB.

A 120mm case fan has dimensions of about 120mm x 120mm x 25mm, and its screw holes are about 105mm aside. For 140mm followers, the scale are 140mm x 140mm x 25mm, and the space between the screw holes is 120mm. The dimensions of particular person products differ barely inside a small tolerance vary.

While the general sizes are completely different, the motors for the same fashions are considerably the identical. So you will see many variations concerning the manufacturing of airflow and noise, together with the fan pace. The completely different distance between the screw holes additionally signifies that they require completely different sizes of fan slots on the PC case. Let’s focus on !

Speed, Airflow and Cooling Efficiency

As 140mm followers are bigger, they rotate slower in comparison with 120mm followers with the identical voltage. So they have an inclination to have decrease RPMs. However, don’t let that idiot you into considering they’ve decrease cooling effectivity. If something, it’s the alternative.

140mm followers have longer blades and more floor space, so they have an inclination to maneuver more air. So if you happen to take a look at these case followers, you will see that 140mm followers have larger airflow than 120mm followers. Consequently, they’re higher at cooling.

I examined the CPU and GPU temperature whereas working stress assessments below the identical situation whereas using just one 120mm and 140mm case fan individually on my PC as exhaust. I ran the followers at full pace (1455 RPM for 120mm fan/1100 RPM for 140mm fan) and graphed out the ensuing temperature.

As you may see from the graph, there’s not a lot distinction in CPU temperature since I used to be using an AIO CPU cooler. But for the GPU, the temperature resulting from 140mm fan is way decrease at low stress. Under excessive GPU utilization, the distinction shouldn’t be that vital however with 140mm fan, the GPU nonetheless stays barely cooler.

Other than airflow, static strain additionally issues after we are speaking about cooling. It represents how effectively the air can get by way of obstructions contained in the PC case like cables and high-profile parts.

140mm followers usually present much less static strain than 120mm followers. However, they’re often more suitable with bigger PC circumstances the place the parts are more unfold out and don’t want excessive static strain.

In smaller PC circumstances, the inner parts are grouped more carefully and there are more obstructions whatever the cable administration. 120mm followers, with larger static strain are a lot better at sustaining optimum temperature.

Noise

Fans primarily produce noise resulting from friction with the bearing and turbulence on the fan blades. So it’s considerably depending on their rotation pace.

As 140mm followers present more airflow even with much less RPM, they often produce much less noise than 120mm followers if we take into account related airflow. As you may see on the image under, the noise stage with the 140mm NZXT Rifle Bearing RF-AF14C-RB fan was barely decrease than the 120mm NZXT Rifle Bearing RF-AF12C-RB fan below the identical room circumstances.

The noise additionally depends upon the design of the fan. While testing out the be quiet Pure Wings case followers, we discovered the Pure Wings 2 120mm PWM fan to be a lot quieter than the the Pure Wings 2 140mm high-speed fan.

Regardless, if you wish to scale back the noise, a 140mm fan is mostly preferable over a 120mm one usually.

Compatibility

While 140mm followers have a slight edge when contemplating cooling effectivity and noise, they don’t seem to be suitable with most PC circumstances on the market. 

Most Mini ITX, Mid-tower ATX, Full tower ATX, and even some Extended ATX Tower PC circumstances enable using 120mm followers. 140 mm followers are just too giant for many Mini ITX and even just a few Mid-tower ATX circumstances.

If you could have already purchased a PC case, you must test its supporting case fan dimension earlier than shopping for any followers. Also, understand that your motherboard could not enable mounting the case followers on sure places resulting from its structure. So you’ll want to contemplate it as effectively.

While 140mm followers are often higher than 120mm followers, the distinction shouldn’t be a lot that it’s good to get one other case. So it’s best to stay with what you should use.

Cost

140mm followers are greater and require more materials, so they’re often barely costlier in comparison with 120mm followers. However, the distinction shouldn’t be that massive and effectively well worth the value. For instance, an NZXT Rifle Bearing RF-AF12C-RB prices about US $7.5, and an NZXT Rifle Bearing RF-AF14C-RB prices US $11.

Also, you solely want to make use of fewer 140mm followers to chill down your PC in comparison with 120mm followers. So, the whole value for all of the 140mm followers is likely to be decrease in comparison with a equally efficient mixture of 120mm followers.

On the flip aspect, you’ll doubtless want a much bigger case to put in 140mm followers, which might value more.

Which Case Fan Should I Choose?

All the variations I’ve defined above ought to have already given you an thought of which case fan it’s good to select. In normal,

• If you have already got a PC case, it’s at all times a good suggestion to go for the most important suitable case followers for all of the fan slots you want to use. It is particularly true in case you are using an air CPU cooler because it closely depends upon the airflow contained in the case.
• If you need to decide the case followers earlier than selecting the PC case, I like to recommend 140mm followers over 120mm ones. Of course, you additionally want to contemplate your total finances for the PC case and all of the case followers you’ll want.
• 140mm followers generate higher airflow, however 120mm ones may also present enough cooling. Just just remember to purchase high-quality followers after completely going by way of their specs and person opinions.