What’s the best PC fan? Well, the right fan will depend on your needs. Is silence most important to you or high airflow for better cooling? Do you want flashy RGB lighting or is it only performance that matters? Are the fans just for general case ventilation or are they being strapped to a CPU cooler or water-cooling radiator? Whatever your answer to any of these questions, we’ve got a fan for you, so read on for our pick of the best PC fans.
To learn how we test our PC fans, check out our how we test page.
Here are the best PC fans in 2023:
- Deepcool FC120 – the best PC fan with RGB
- be quiet! Silent Wings 4 High Speed – the best silent PC fan
- Phanteks T30 – the best PC fan for high airflow
- Scythe Kaze Flex 120 RGB – the best budget PC fan with RGB
1. Deepcool FC120
The best PC fan with RGB is the Deepcool FC120.
Offering an ideal balance of low noise and high airflow and including dazzling RGB lighting with a neat squared-off case design, the Deepcool FC120 have it all. Moreover, they can be daisy-chained together so only one set of cables is needed for several fans. They’re not the absolute cheapest RGB fans available but offer excellent value. Find out more in our Deepcool FC120 review.
Pros:
- Great airflow-to-noise ratio
- Good airflow at 1,000rpm
- Superb value
Cons:
- Limited maximum airflow
- No single-fan option yet
Deepcool FC120 specs:
| Max speed | 1800rpm |
| Stated noise | 28dBA |
| PWM control | Yes |
| RGB lighting | Yes, 3-pin |
| Accessories | Daisy-chain cables |
Price: Expect to pay $20 / £20
2. be quiet! Silent Wings 4 High Speed
The best silent PC fan is the be quiet! Silent Wings 4 High Speed.
Living up to its company name, the be quiet! Silent Wings 4 High Speed are whisper quiet yet still offer good airflow, making them ideal for any system that values efficiency and quiet airflow over all else. They’re not particularly attractive fans and of course lack RGB, plus they’re expensive but if silence is golden, these are 24 carot. Find out more in our full be quiet! Silent Wings 4 High Speed review.
be quiet! Silent Wings 4 High Speed specs:
| Max speed | 2500rpm |
| Stated noise | 31dBA |
| PWM control | Yes |
| RGB lighting | No |
| Accessories | Push-pin case mounts |
Price: Expect to pay $30 / £30
3. Phanteks T30
The best PC fan for high airflow is the Phanteks T30.
If neither flashy RGB lighting nor silence is all that important to you but rather you just want pure power, the Phanteks T30 are the way to go. With a massive 3000rpm maximum speed these fans have huge airflow of 3.79m/sec, making them ideal for driving air through radiators or large coolers where static pressure is so important. They’re also reasonably efficient too, so can be reasonably quiet when not running at full blast, though other fans offer a slightly better balance. They’re not cheap but if sheer revs is what’s required, they’re the best bet. Find out more in our full Phanteks T30 review.
Phanteks T30 specs:
| Max speed | 3000rpm |
| Stated noise | 40dBA |
| PWM control | Yes |
| RGB lighting | No |
| Accessories | Radiator screws, Phanteks Halos screws, PWM extension cable |
Price: Expect to pay $30 / £25
4. Scythe Kaze Flex 120 RGB
The best budget PC fan is the Scythe Kaze Flex 120 RGB.
An amazingly low price coupled with RGB lighting and impressively high airflow makes the Scythe Kaze Flex 120 RGB a great option for those seeking power and dazzle for a low price. It’s not the quietest fan going, though, so isn’t ideal for silence-focused PC builds. Find out more in our full Scythe Kaze Flex 120 RGB review.
Scythe Kaze Flex 120 RGB specs:
| Max speed | 1800rpm |
| Stated noise | 36dBA |
| PWM control | No |
| RGB lighting | Yes, 4-pin |
| Accessories | Molex to 3-pin adapter |
Price: Expect to pay $16 / £26
Finally found the fan of your dreams? Why not check out our other best-of guides to complete your setup:
