A case fan might be the last thing that comes to your mind when building a PC, but it plays a vital role in extending the lifespan of your PC as well as allowing the GPU and CPU to perform at full potential. In addition, it will cool down the computer hardware, especially when you’re working on big projects like editing photos/videos or playing lots of games. The best-case fan will cool your PC without making a lot of noise. With the perfect case fan, you will be able to use your PC without worrying about the heating problem. Many people struggle to choose between 200mm and 140mm case fans. However, while choosing any of them, you must consider many aspects like noise, airflow, CFM, and many more.
200mm vs 140mm Case Fan Review
Should you always go with the bigger one if you have to choose between the 200mm and 140mm case fans? Well, luckily, we’re here to help you decide which one suits your PC the most.
Cooling Power
The numbers you want to pay attention to when talking about cooling power are “CFM,” which stands for “cubic feet per minute,” and RPM stands for revolutions per minute. CFM, or cubic feet per minute, refers to how much air can be moved in a minute through a fan, and RPM is revolutions per minute means how many times a fan rotates in its origin in a minute.
The major advantage of larger fans is that they have the ability to operate at a lower RPM and speed and create more CFM. So compared to a 140mm case fan, a 200mm case fan have more cooling power.
However, two 140mm fans will provide the same or even more airflow than a single 200mm fan if running at the same rpm. As two 140mm fans occupy a larger surface area, so they can spin slower and move the same amount of air as a 200mm case fan.
Noise
Fan noise is measured in decibels (or dBA), and the smaller the number, the quieter the fan.
Bigger fans push more air, but they often spin slower, which means a 200mm case fan will offer much quieter operation than a 140mm case fan. With a 200mm case fan, you can get the same or better cooling at a lower noise level. That’s why most prefer a bigger fan on the side panel so it can be quiet and provide greater airflow onto the major components like GPU, and CPU.
Compatibility
200mm aren’t as widely-compatible as 140 mm case fans. 140 mm case fans are the second-most-common case fan size on the market. With most Micro ATX and ATX systems, a 140 mm case fan offers superior results. The 140mm cooling fans work excellently in the cabinet types like Mid-Tower ATX, Full Tower ATX, and Extended ATX Towers with supported liquid cooling radiators.
Because of the 200mm case fan’s size and great airflow, it’s suitable for specialized computer cabinets.
200 mm fans are becoming more popular for some SFF (Small Form Factor) cases as a way to significantly increase airflow without mounting multiple numbers of 120 or 140 mm fans. If you plan to build an SFF (Small Form Factor) PC build, a 200mm fan would be perfect.
200mm vs 2 140mm Case Fan
- What happens when you use two 140mm case fan? Are two 140mm case offers better performance than one 200mm case fan?
“Well, in terms of cooling power, two 140mm fans will provide the same or even more airflow than a single 200mm fan if running at the same rpm. As two 140mm fans occupy a larger surface area, so they can spin slower and move the same amount of air as a 200mm case fan.”
However, if you want a quieter operation, then you might have to switch to a 200mm case fan because two 140mm are definitely going to be noisy.
Final Verdict
“One of the main benefits of a 200mm case fan is that, compared to the 140mm one, it can move more air each rotation, and because they spin much more slowly, they cause less noise. However, two 140mm case fans can provide the airflow you want for your PC, but they won’t solve the problem of noise.”
Additionally, you must ensure that the fan’s size is appropriate for your case. 140mm are generally the widest adopted fan size for many PC setups, whereas the 200mm one’s for specific computer cases.
