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WHAT DOES PWM MEAN? PWM stands for Pulse Width Modulation. When it comes to most PC fans, they are powered by a constant load of 12v. The voltage never changes, however, by turning the power off and on, we can modulate (adjust) the speed of the fan.
- PWM vs. DC vs. Auto Fan Modes
- What Is PWM and How Does It Work?
- What Are DC Fans? How Do They Work?
- What Mode to Pick – DC Or PWM?
- PWM vs. DC Fan Noise
The Short Answer – DC or PWM Mode?
Before getting started on the explanation, I’ll condense it down for those who want a quick answer. If you have a 3-pin fan connector, pick DC mode. On the other hand, if you have a 4-pin fan connector, select PWM mode. If your motherboard fan headeronly has 3 pins, pick DC regardless of whether you have a 4-pin PWM or 3-pin DC fan. If you want to find out more about these mysterious terms, read on!
PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) fansallow motherboards to control fan speeds using rapid power pulses (on-off cycles). Simply put, a PWM fan turns off and on very fast to run at lower speeds. This type of fan requires a 4-pin fan connector like the one shown below: As you can see in the PWM fan pin diagram above, the 4thpin (blue) allows the motherboa...
DC (Direct Current) fansare a bit different. For one, they come equipped with a 3-pin connector like this one: As you can see, the 4thpinout is missing on DC fans. While PWM fans rely on sending the same voltage (12V) through a fan but turn the power ‘on and off’ rapidly to achieve lower speeds, DC fans can only change speeds by varying the voltage...
Now, the above section has probably given you a clue about what happens when picking the wrong mode for a fan. If you have a DC fan, and you’ve selected PWM mode on that fan header, the fan will ALWAYS receive a voltage of 12V. It just doesn’t have that 4thpin to recognize or control pulses, and you end up with a fan that works at 100% all the time...
PWM fans will generally be quieter than DC fans because sometimes you’ll hear more electrical noise in some motors when they operate below a specific voltage. Moreover, as I said above, PWM fans can achieve much lower speeds, which again helps with the noise. DC fans are cheaper to manufacture, and you’ll see them extensively used in systems that a...
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Aug 26, 2023 · Pulse Width Modulation, or PWM, is a dynamic technique that controls various aspects, such as fan speed and RGB lighting. With PWM fans, the ability to adjust their speed dynamically based on factors like cooling requirements, ambient temperature, and noise preferences is facilitated.
Dec 16, 2023 · A white LED on your motherboard may just be informational but it can also indicate issues with your CPU, GPU, RAM Modules and Boot process. Here's how to troubleshoot white motherboard LEDs quickly.
Feb 19, 2024 · Option 1: PWM Header on Your Motherboard. Most likely, you just need to plug your PWM fan into an existing PWM header on your motherboard. It will be labeled “CHA_FAN”, “PWM_FAN”, “SYS_FAN”, or something similar.
Aug 7, 2023 · The PWM fans generally provide much better speed control than DC fans since it is relatively easier to control the duty cycle than the input voltage. However, the latest motherboards have started providing good control even for DC fans. What does matter nowadays is the minimum possible speed for the fans.
Jun 22, 2022 · PWM or Pulse Width Modulation fans, are a form of air cooling. What sets PWM fans apart is that they are connected via a 4-pin motherboard header, which can control the speed. Utilising on/off power cycles, the speed (RPM) can be adjusted via software to alter how fast the fans rotate.
