The CPU Fans

The fans in your computer do a lot more than just make noise. The main purpose of the fan is to cool the CPU and prevent your computer from actually melting down (which is not something you want to experience). I was a little disappointed after I bought my Dell computer because when I turned it on for the first time, it sounded like a race car. The race car sound is usually not the sound you want to hear when your computer is in the same room as your vocal mic. After opening the computer, I realized why it was so noisy. There are four large fans in the computer. I’ve had computers where I saw one or two fans, but four? The reason it has four fans was because the CPU works hard and gets super hot. In fact, using my computer is very similar to using an electric space heater (no exaggeration!). Again, my computer has a 3.6 GHz (single) Intel Pentium 4 processor, and at the time I bought it, I thought that because it was so fast, I would just have to live with the fan issue. If I had it to do over, I probably would’ve asked a few more questions about the fans. If you look hard enough within the manufacturer’s specs, you should be able to find a dB (decibel) measurement for fan noise.

There are companies such as Sound Construction & Supply (http://www.custom-consoles.com) that create cabinets where you can put your computer to reduce fan noise, but I don’t see this as a clever alternative. Even though these cabinets have internal fans, the computer still needs to “breathe,” and putting it in a cabinet is not going to help it breathe any better and puts it at greater risk for meltdown. The only alternative to a noisy fan is replacing it with a quieter fan. This can be tricky because you definitely want to make sure you get a fan suited to your computer and processor. Most computers also have heat sinks that work along with the fans to cool the CPU. Every few months you should spray out your fans and your computer with a can of compressed air. Cleaning your fans will prevent worse noise down the road and will also keep your computer from overheating. Don’t be so squeamish about opening a computer to clean it out. Unlike a TV or a synthesizer, computer towers are designed to open easily for cleaning or installing other hardware. Check your computer’s manual for more on this. The biggest thing to worry about is static electricity, but if you follow your computer manufacturer’s instructions, you should have no problems.