Best PC case fans in 2024 (2024)

There's only really one effective way of keeping your PC running at optimal performance and that's through adequate cooling. This can be achieved by installing case fans. Most PC cases support either 120mm or 140mm fans (usually both) and we're going to showcase some of our favorites that will surely help keep all your internal components running cool.

Our top picks for best PC case fans in 2023

Best case fan

Noctua NF-S12B

The best PC case fan, period

Noctua makes some of the best PC coolers on the market and the NF-S12B is a brilliant case fan. It's powerful, quiet, and doesn't have Noctua's ... interesting brown color scheme. It's a 120mm fan with a maximum speed of 1,200 RPM.

Brand

Noctua

Cooling Method

Fan

Integrated Lighting

No

Noise Level

~18.1 dB

Fan Speed

1,200 RPM

Pros

• Excellent performance
• Rated for long lifespan
• PWM control

Cons

• Not the quietest
• No RGB lighting

$15 at Amazon$15 at Newegg

Noctua don't make the best-looking fans, but they make some of the best in terms of performance. We're big fans of the Noctua NF-S12B as it offers excellent cooling performance without unnecessary noise. With a maximum level of just 18.1 dBA, this is one of the quietest fans in our collection, but it's also one of the best for pushing a large volume of air through a PC case. You won't find any RGB lighting here, but for those who value thermal performance above all else, we view this as the fan to buy.

Best RGB case fan

Corsair LL120 RGB

Light up your PC and your life with this high-quality fan

$24 $32 Save $8

The Corsair LL120 RGB is a premium fan from the brand with gorgeous lighting effects. Corsair has been in the business of making RGB fans for years now and this latest generation of case cooling is effective at keeping components adequately cooled.

Brand

Corsair

Noise Level

24.8 dBA

Maximum Rotational Speed

1,500 RPM

Air Flow Capacity

43.3 CFM

Pros

• Great RGB lighting
• Cooling performance
• PWM control

Cons

• Weaker airflow
• Can get loud
• Pricey

$24 at Amazon$32 at Newegg

Corsair makes some of the best-looking fans in the business and its LL120 RGB range is packed full of them. These are some premium RGB-capable case fans with a strong emphasis on style and performance. Though they may be considerably more expensive per fan compared to other options in our guide here, they're worth it if your budget can stretch to accommodate them. Capable of pulling through 43.3 CFM of air at up to 24.8 dBA, the Corsair LL120 RGB is an excellent choice for those who want a cool PC with some flashing lights.

Best-performing case fan

Thermaltake Toughfan 12 Turbo

This is the fan to buy for maximum cooling performance

$20 $30 Save $10

The Thermaltake Toughfan 12 Turbo has some serious horsepower, allowing the blades to spin up to 2,500 times per minute, as well as offering an airflow capacity of up to 72.69 CFM, making this one of the more powerful fans.

Brand

Thermaltake

Noise Level

28.1

Maximum Rotational Speed

2500 RPM

Air Flow Capacity

72.69 CFM

Pros

• Best-in-class performance
• PWM control

Cons

• Gets LOUD
• Not the best-looking fan

See Also

The best PC fans | Digital Trends

$20 at Amazon$30 at Newegg

Thermaltake doesn't mess around when it comes to the Thermaltake Toughfan 12 Turbo. This is one serious piece of kit. Airflow clocks in at a whopping 72.69, which is among the best out there, aside from some of be quiet!'s solutions. Capable of spinning up to 2,500 RPM, this isn't the quietest fan on the market, but if you're into getting as much performance out of your CPU and other components, it may be worth investing in a few of these, as well as the best headphones to drown out the noise.

Best budget case fan

Arctic F12-120

Save money for other PC components

The Arctic F12-120 range of fans is excellent for most PC builds where enthusiast-grade overclocking won't take place, thanks to the decent performance and high airflow support. They may not be built or designed as well as more premium fans, but these are a great budget-friendly choice.

Brand

Arctic

Noise Level

22.5 dBA

Maximum Rotational Speed

1,350

Air Flow Capacity

53 CFM

Pros

• Affordable
• Decent performance
• PWM control

Cons

• Design and build quality
• Can get loud

$12 at Amazon$20 at Newegg

Just because the Arctic F12-120 is affordable, and you can buy it at a steep discount with a pack of five, it doesn't mean you shouldn't expect much in terms of cooling performance. These are capable of spinning at speeds of up to 1,350 RPM and are capable of moving up to 53 CFM of air. These aren't terrible specifications are could even give more expensive fans a run for their money, but where the Arctic F12-120 falls a little short is with its build quality and noise generation.

Best silent case fan

be quiet! Silent Wings 4

Keep the noise down with these silent spinning blades

There's nothing quite like the be quiet! Silent Wings 4. This is one seriously quiet PC case fan that doesn't sacrifice too heavily on cooling performance. So long as you have a case with good airflow, you'll barely notice they're spinning.

Brand

be quiet!

Noise Level

18.9 dBA

Maximum Rotational Speed

1,600 RPM

Air Flow Capacity

48.7 CFM

Pros

• Near-silent operation
• Cooling performance
• PWM control

Cons

• Weaker airflow
• Can get loud
• Pricey

$24 at Amazon$24 at Newegg

be quiet! is one of the best brands in the cooling business with its focus on airflow for just about every product it releases. The company's be quiet! Silent Wings 4 is an excellent case fan with some serious numbers, but you will be expected to pay a small premium for the luxury. At lower speeds, the Silent Wings 4 is almost silent, yet it's still capable of pushing up to 48 CFM of air. Emitting just 18.9 dBA, you'll barely notice they're spinning until they climb up to their maximum rotational speed of 1,600 RPM.

Best premium case fan

Lian Li UNI Fan SL120 V2

These are the most unique PC case fans

The Lian Li UNI Fan SL120 V2 is a unique PC case fan in that it allows for up to three fans to daisy-chain by physically connecting with one another. This cuts down on the cable clutter that can occur by linking together RGB fans. They're also excellent at cooling.

Brand

Lian Li

Noise Level

29.2

Maximum Rotational Speed

2,000 RPM

Air Flow Capacity

64.5 CFM

Pros

• Near-silent operation
• Cooling performance
• PWM control

Cons

• Weaker airflow
• Can get loud
• Pricey

$83 at Amazon$83 at Newegg

Lian Li makes some compelling hardware and the Lian Li UNI Fan SL120 V2 is no exception. This is a unique fan in that you can daisy-chain up to three of them without any cables. Lian Li designed them this way to minimize the cable clutter inside the chassis. They also look great with gorgeous RGB lighting and a striking clean design. The PWM control and up to 64.5 CFM of airflow capacity ensure you'll be able to cool even the most powerful CPU in style. Just be prepared to pay a small fortune.

Best RGB case fan

NZXT F120 RGB Duo

Create quite the lightshow with these fans

Brand

NZXT

Noise Level

29 dBA

Maximum Rotational Speed

1,300 RPM

Air Flow Capacity

48.58 CFM

Pros

• Good performance
• Attractive design
• Bright RGB lighting

Cons

• Expensive
• Can get loud

$33 at Amazon$33 at NZXT$41 at Newegg

NZXT's F series of fans have come a long way. The latest iteration in the form of the F120 RGB Duo is a gorgeous addition to any PC build. Not only do these blowers look the part with RGB lighting on both sides of the fan, but they're powerful too. Strap them to a radiator, including a trusty NZXT Kraken AIO, or to the PC case directly and you'll be creating a light show with the ability to keep internal components operating at their designed limits.

Best large case fan

Thermaltake Pure 20

Push through as much air as possible

Thwermaltake's Pure 20 is a massive 200mm case fan with the potential to push through up to 129.6 CFM of air. This is ample cooling potential for even the more powerful system builds. So long as your case supports the installation of a 200mm fan, you'll have access to serious cooling performance.

Brand

Thermaltake

Noise Level

28.2 dBA

Maximum Rotational Speed

800 RPM

Air Flow Capacity

129.6 CFM

Pros

• Great performance
• Stealthy look

Cons

• No RGB lighting
• May not fit inside most PC cases

$14 at Amazon

If you have an available mount on your PC case for a 200mm fan, we'd recommend the Thermaltake Pure 20 series. This fan means serious business and is capable of forcing through up to 129.6 CFM of air. This is considerably more than other 120mm fans we recommend in this collection, making 200mm fans such as this ideal for more powerful PC builds where heat may be an issue. You'll need to look elsewhere for RGB lighting effects, however.

Choosing the best PC case fan

You can't really go wrong with PC case fans. So long as they have spinning blades at an RPM where you can physically feel the movement of air, you'll be good to go. If you happen to have some budget to spare and want something special for your PC, our collection of the very best PC case fans will happily cool all your components. Our top pick is the exceptional Noctua NF-S12B with its impressive specifications and affordable price tag. If you simply want the basics when it comes to case cooling, you can't go wrong with the Arctic F12-120, which can be purchased in packs of five.

Best case fan

Noctua NF-S12B

Noctua makes some of the best PC coolers on the market and the NF-S12B is a brilliant case fan. It's powerful, quiet, and doesn't have Noctua's ... interesting brown color scheme. It's a 120mm fan with a maximum speed of 1,200 RPM.

$15 at Amazon$15 at Newegg