1. Whether it is a processor, a graphics card, a case or a power supply, all need cooling fans to assist in cooling. The cooler plays a role in cooling down the computer. The types of computer cooling fans are divided into 2-pin, 3-pin and 4-pin. Let's start with the difference between 2-pin, 3-pin and 4-pin interface computer cooling fans. Let's take a look!
2. For 2-pin, 3-pin and 4-pin, in technical terms, we would say 2-pin, 3-pin and 4-pin. Different processor heatsinks, case fans, and graphics card fans will be paired with cooling fans of different pin counts. Let's see the difference!
3, 2-pin computer cooling fan (simple construction but no speed measurement)
4, 2-pin cooling fan means it has only two power cables, red and black, and a very simple structure. One for power supply and one for grounding, but no speed measurement function. The 2-pin cooling fan is now widely used in the market, but the 2-pin fan is no longer adequate in terms of variable speed and the 3-pin and 4 frame fans are a more suitable choice.
5, 3-pin cooling fan (VC voltage speed regulation, poor flexibility)
6, The interface of the 3-pin cooling fan is mainly a yellow or black-yellow-green line added to the red and black power cable, mainly used to measure the speed. The motherboard can detect whether the fan is spinning and what the speed is, but the speed of the 3-pin cooling fan is adjusted by adjusting the fan voltage. Also, whether the speed can be adjusted depends on whether the motherboard supports it. Obviously, this speed adjustment is not flexible enough to reflect information about the processor status in real time and requires various settings in the motherboard BIOS.
7. What is more important is that different fans have different start-up voltages and voltage adjustment is not linear. Using voltage to control the speed may result in the fan not reaching the required start-up voltage at low voltage and the fan stops running.
8. 4-pin cooling fan (more flexible and intelligent speed regulation)
9. The 4-pin cooling fan has a PWM line (pulse width modulation) on top of the 3-pin cooling fan. The so-called PWM line is the use of PWM mechanism to adjust the fan speed, the fan voltage is constant, thus avoiding a series of disadvantages of controlling the voltage to change the speed. PWM fans do not need to rely on the motherboard BIOS, more trouble-free and convenient. PWM signal can output different duty cycle, between 0-100% of the duty cycle can be adjusted to different fan speed, so you can achieve precise and flexible control.
10, PWM speed control also has low speed PWM and high speed PWM. low frequency PWM measures a wider range of speed, but there will be fan commutation noise. Compared to high frequency PWM, the overall performance will be better. If some motherboards have a 4-pin interface that is not PWM, then even if the 4-pin PWM controls the cooling fan, the speed cannot be intelligently controlled, and some motherboards may be voltage controlled.
11. There are very few 2-pin fans in daily use today, 3-pin and 4-pin fans are more common. Almost all new motherboards now support 4-pin PWM, which is undoubtedly better than 4-pin cooling fans in terms of application experience. The fan speed can be adjusted more intelligently, which is what we call "temperature control". For example, the 4-pin processor cooler automatically slows down when the processor is not hot and spins faster when the temperature is high. Compared to a 3-pin cooling fan, it has the advantage of being smarter and quieter.
