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CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide

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EXAM TIP Missing slot covers can cause the PC to overheat!

Reducing Fan Noise

Fans generate noise. In an effort to ensure proper cooling, many techs put

several high-speed fans into a case, making the PC sound like a jet engine.

You can reduce fan noise by using manually adjustable fans, larger fans, or

specialty “quiet” fans. Many motherboards enable you to control fans through

software.

Manually adjustable fans have a little knob you can turn to speed up or

slow down the fan (see Figure 7-36). This kind of fan can reduce some of the

noise, but you run the risk of slowing down the fan too much and thus letting

the interior of the case heat up. A better solution is to get quieter fans.

Figure 7-36 Manual fan adjustment device

Larger fans that spin more slowly are another way to reduce noise while

maintaining good airflow. Fans sizes are measured in millimeters (mm) or

centimeters (cm). Traditionally, the industry used 80-mm power supply and

cooling fans, but today you’ll find 100-mm, 120-mm, and even larger fans in

power supplies and cases.

Many companies manufacture and sell higher-end low-noise fans. The

fans have better bearings than run-of-the-mill fans, so they cost a little more,

but they’re definitely worth it. They market these fans as “quiet” or “silencer”

or other similar adjectives. If you run into a PC that sounds like a jet, try

swapping out the case fans for a low-decibel fan from Cooler Master or

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