How Many Fans Should a PC Have (With Setup Charts)

Listen.

You could go full ham with a dozen Noctuas like that one build you saw on r/battlestations, but let's not empty your wallet just yet…

A solid 3-4 fan setup will keep your components happy without turning your room into a wind tunnel.

Basic setup? Two fans pulling in fresh air at the front and one yeeting hot air out the back. Got a chonky GPU or planning to overclock? Throw in another exhaust fan up top.

Here is a quick table for your reference:

Enough with the numbers—it is time to dive deep into builds:

Mini-ITX Case for a Home Office Build

TL;DR 3-4 fans (2 intake, 1-2 exhaust)

Look, I know what you're thinking—"It's just for Office and Chrome!"

But let's be real? (You'll have 47 browser tabs open by lunch) Since you're working with a Mini-ITX case aka the hot wheels of PC cases, proper airflow isn't just nice to have—it's crucial.

Trust me, nothing kills productivity faster than your PC thermal throttling in the middle of a Zoom call. Been there, sweated through that.

Keep those fans running and your tiny office beast will handle everything from endless email chains to your secret lunch-break YouTube sessions without breaking a sweat.

Why this fan setup actually works?

• Intake fans bring cool air into the case, while exhaust fans kick out the heat. So no heat buildup.
• In these compact cases, even a basic 2-in-1-out setup works wonders because your components are basically spooning in there

Now, before you click 'buy' on those fancy RGB fans, here's what actually matters:

Tips to nail this build:

• Grab a low-profile CPU cooler: Because that Noctua NH-D15 you've been eyeing? Yeah, not happening in this case. We’re aiming for proper ventilation without restricting the air intake here.
• Cable Management: Keep cables tidy with cable ties or tuck them behind panels to avoid airflow obstruction.
• Get high-static pressure fans: Regular fans vs dust filters is like trying to blow through a coffee filter—you need the good stuff.

Micro-ATX Case for a Mid-Range Gaming Build

TL;DR 3-4 fans (2 intake, 1-2 exhaust)

For mid-range gaming setups that run games at 1080p or 1440p, you’ll need a slightly more powerful fan layout.

So this setup will handle your Apex sessions and Fortnite builds without breaking a sweat. Though your aim might still need work. (But hey, at least we can't blame thermal throttling anymore)

Look, you could run these games on less cooling.

But do you really want to be that person who has to lower their settings because their PC is having a heatstroke? And if you're running something like a 3060 or 6600 XT, this airflow setup is your sweet spot.

Why this setup works:

• With a Micro-ATX Case, 2 intake fans + 1-2 exhaust = happy gaming life. It's basically the golden ratio of PC building.
• Positive airflow (more intake fans than exhaust) is key for controlling dust. With dust filters, this configuration helps minimize dust buildup inside your PC, keeping it cleaner for longer.

Stuff I wish someone told me before I bought that tempered glass hotbox:

Mesh vs Glass panels: I know that glass panel looks clean AF, but your 3060 isn't here for a fashion show. Mesh panels allow better airflow.

Chuck a fan on top: It can help remove hot air rising from your GPU.

(And before you ask—yes, you can still add RGB. In fact, you probably should. Everyone knows RGB adds at least 15 FPS)

Mid-Tower ATX Case for a High-End Gaming or Workstation Build

TL;DR 3-4 fans (2 intake, 1-2 exhaust, optional side-mounted fans)

Listen up—if you're rocking a RTX 3090 or 4090 or planning to overclock your CPU until it screams, you need serious airflow. These systems generate a lot of heat, so efficient airflow is crucial.

Why this setup works:

• 2 fans in front let the cool stuff in and 1-2 exhaust fans show the hot air where the exit is.
• Result? Your expensive parts aren't cooking themselves. Unlike my first build where I thought one fan was "probably enough"

Here’s why these fan placements make sense:

• Side-Mounted Fans: Point them straight at your graphics card. (Remember kids: Every degree under thermal throttling is another FPS in Cyberpunk)
• Radiator Placement: If you’re using an AIO liquid cooling setup, radiator placement matters a lot (found that the hard way).

Look, if you're dropping two months' rent on a GPU, you better give it the airflow it deserves.

(Fun fact: Modern GPUs run so hot, you could probably cook an egg on them. Don't try this at home... or do, I'm not your mom)

Full Tower Case for a High-End Workstation (3D Rendering, Video Editing)

TL;DR 3-4 fans (2 intake, 1-2 exhaust, additional for radiators/GPUs)

For these power-hungry monsters, you're looking at 3-4 fans minimum. And no, that single RGB fan that came with your case doesn't count as "cooling".

This isn't just for the gaming crowd. Blender and After Effects users? Yeah, you too. Whether you're rendering the next Pixar movie or trying to run Cyberpunk at 4K with ray tracing, this setup keeps your expensive components from doing their best impression of a toaster.

Why this setup works:

• Additional fans for radiators or GPUs help ensure constant airflow, especially during long rendering sessions where temperatures can climb.

Pro cooling moves:

• Airflow segregation in full towers: Think of it like giving your CPU and GPU their own apartments instead of making them roommates.
• Strategic radiator placement: Got dual GPU? Get a liquid cooling setup because you're gonna need the cooling equivalent of a small swimming pool.

Dual Chamber Case for Custom Loop Builds

TL;DR 3-4 fans (2 intake, 1-2 exhaust)

If you're already dumping your savings into a custom loop, you might as well house it properly. Dual chamber cases are perfect for custom liquid cooling loop setups because they separate components like the PSU and storage from the main airflow path. This keeps the hot air from these components away from the critical CPU and GPU cooling areas.

Why this setup works:

• Having two chambers isn't just for looks (though let's be real, that's why most of us bought these cases). Your CPU and GPU get clean, fresh air while the PSU and drives do their business in their own space.
• Radiator Placement: Dual chamber cases often have ample space for radiators. Placing them in the secondary chamber allows for better cooling efficiency.

Here’s why dual-chamber designs excel in custom loops:

• Push-Pull configs: Radiators in dual chambers benefit from push-pull setups, where one set of fans pushes air through the radiator and another set pulls air out. Max cooling efficiency.
• Isolating PSU/Storage heat: By keeping PSU and storage heat isolated, the airflow in the main chamber is reserved for cooling the more heat-sensitive components (I’m talking about the CPU and GPU duo)

Open-Air Case for Test Benches or Extreme Overclocking

TL;DR 3-4 fans (2 intake, 1 exhaust, optional cooling for key components)

Open-air builds hit differently. No case panels means your components can finally breathe, making them ideal for test benches or extreme overclocking setups.. You still need fans though.

Why this setup works:

• Open-air designs let air circulate freely around your components. But you'll still need fans to directly cool the hotspots like the CPU and GPU.
• Adding extra cooling for specific components, like a beefy GPU keeps temperatures down. (Yep, even when you're pushing your hardware to the limit with overclocking)

Key considerations for open-air builds:

• Fanless operation for extreme overclocking: Fans aren’t always necessary especially in the ones using liquid nitrogen.
• Dust management: Slap some magnetic filters on there if you're not doing sub-zero runs. Yeah, it looks less clean, but so does a dusty motherboard.
• Cooling rads and GPUs: The good news? No case panels blocking your airflow. The bad news? You need to get creative with fan placement.

And that sums up most scenarios! But do consider reading on:

Advanced Scenarios

Radiator Placement

When deciding where to mount your radiator, there are pros and cons to both top and front placement:

• Top-mounted radiators: Let physics do the heavy lifting here. Hot air wants to rise anyway, so might as well help it peace out. Your case temps will thank you, even if your RAM clearance might hate you.
• Front-mounted radiators: Sure, you get that sweet, cool air hitting your rad first. But here's the catch - now you're basically preheating air for everything else. Ideal for GPU cooling in multi-GPU setups though.

Vertical GPU Mounts

Listen, I get it. That 4090 looks beautiful and you want to show it off. But here's the catch: sandwich that bad boy too close to the glass panel, and it'll cook faster than my microwave dinner.

So try this instead:

• Side-mounted intake fans: Position them right, and your vertical mount might actually survive the next Cyberpunk session.
• For you 4090 owners out there: You need serious cooling support. We're talking: premium riser cable, multiple side fans and enough clearance from the panel.