We find the best 200mm case fan on the market
Updated: Mar 16, 2023 1:44 pm
01
Noctua NF-A20 PWM
02
Cooler Master MasterFan MF200R RGB
03
AeroCool Silent Master 200mm
It doesn’t matter whether you’re using your PC for gaming, streaming, work, or watching movies – it’s going to get hot!
Excessive heat in a computer can have a number of negative implications such as your performance being hindered, shortened component lifespan, and even system failure. Everything you don’t want to happen really.
There are many ways to keep a system cool but one of the least expensive and easy-to-install ways is to use case fans. However, when it comes to purchasing the right fan, it’s not that easy! There are thousands of fans on the market and each of them works in different ways from their competitors.
Which one should you choose? Will it fit into my case? How many do I need? These are all questions we see asked every day.
It’s easy to get confused when shopping for fans, but simply put, any fan is better than no fan at all! We’ve put together this comprehensive guide of the best 200mm fans, what to look for, and which options would suit you best.
With all that in mind, let’s move on to our next section where we’ll briefly show off some of our choices and talk about how we came to these decisions.
How we choose
It doesn’t matter if we’re looking at the best 4K monitors, AMD GPUs or 200mm case fans, we know that choosing the right ones can be a daunting task. When it comes to making our recommendations, it can take hours upon hours of research before we can be confident in what we pick.
We do this so you don’t have to! Here at WePC, we aim to take away the stress of research and product comparisons so that our readers can make their final decision easier.
We know that a lot of the time when people click on a ‘best of’ page, they are doing so because they are completely lost on what to choose. If you aren’t very tech-savvy or even if you just want to see what’s currently available, you’ve come to the right place.
How we test
Now, we couldn’t just go around recommending any old product! That wouldn’t be fair to our readers, especially if they end up parting ways with their cash based on our recommendations.
To make sure what we are recommending is the ‘best’ in its category, we use a strict selection process that involves a lot of research and when we can, extensive product testing.
In the case of fans, there are a couple of key factors we’re looking for. It goes without saying that their cooling performance is the main factor, but that’s not the only thing to consider. As this is a component that will be moving around a lot, the build quality and longevity of the parts are also important factors to consider.
In the era of RGB and sleek gaming systems, we also make sure we factor in the design of these fans when looking at them. Fans are no longer the hidden spinning component of your system. Open front cases and cases with windows have their fans take center stage so it makes sense that they should look the part.
Things to consider
What budget should I set for 200mm fans?
You’ll be happy to know that case fans aren’t terribly expensive, the cost only starts to add up due to the fact that you’ll definitely want more than one! There are great budget options out there with fans that cost as little as $10, these will cool your system perfectly well but might be a little on the bland side for their price.
Moving up the price scale, you can find better-looking fans at around the $20 – $30 range. These fans are made by brands you may recognize such as Corsair and Cooler Master and are usually made of stronger components and may offer features such as RGB.
If you’ve got a bit of cash to splash you could easily end up spending upwards of $100 on case fans. If you do this, you’ll likely be purchasing a package of fans that are made of premium materials, efficient fan blades and come with great color schemes.
If you are looking at spending that amount of money though, it might be more efficient to look at some type of water cooling setup to go alongside a couple of fans to achieve the lowest temperatures possible.
Fan size
In this article, we are focusing entirely on 200mm case fans, but they aren’t the only ones out there. There are a number of different size fans you can pick up for your system ranging from 80mm, 120mm, 140mm, 200mm, and upwards.
One of the main benefits of having a larger fan is that they are able to push more air per rotation than a smaller fan. This means that they can spin much more slowly than smaller counterparts which are great for keeping noise levels low.
However, you need to make sure your case can support the size of the fan you’re going to install. 200mm and 140mm are generally the widest adopted fan sizes that case manufacturers currently support. That’s not to say you can’t install smaller or larger fans, but it won’t be very straightforward and you should check they fit your case beforehand.
Noise levels
You’ve no doubt heard just how loud a PC can get when the fans start spinning up, if this is your main concern when choosing a case fan, it is possible to get fans that won’t make it sound like your computer is about to take off.
Usually measured in decibels (dBA), you’ll be looking for the lowest number you can find here. Be wary though, some manufacturers have been known to be less than scientific when they conduct their noise tests, all in the aim to be ‘silent’. Buying from a known brand is a good way to ensure what’s written on the box turns out to be true.
Pin types
Fans can come in a number of different pin types too, this is simply the connector that is used to connect the fan to a power supply. The only major difference between a 3-pin and 4-pin connector is the extra wire, If you choose a 4-pin fan, the extra pin allows for some Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) control that allows for the fan to be controlled by software.
Having ‘intelligent’ fans that only spin up when temperatures get too high or completely shut off when the system is cool is great for keeping those noise levels low.
Design and styling
If you choose to spend a bit extra on your case fans you’ll be able to pick up one which looks great while it keeps your system cool. These fans can have different color fan blades, and frames and even include RGB LEDs so that you can customize your system to suit you.
If you already have some RGB in your system, picking up an extra RGB fan is a great, inexpensive way to make your system shine.
Some companies even offer ‘limited edition’ fans with interesting designs. If you’re going for an all-white system build, for example, you’ll easily be able to find a couple of fans that keep your theme going.
Best 200mm fan
Noctua NF-A20 PWM
Pros
- Great looking design
- Strong materials
Cons
- Some may not like the color
While some people may hate the color, the Noctua NF-A20 is certainly a striking fan. With a cream-colored frame and chocolate brown fan blades, this fan has a classic look that adds a bit of class and unique flair to your system.
It’s not all about the looks though, the frame on this fan is particularly impressive. With different levels of hole spacing, you’ll be able to fit this into a wide range of PC cases. The fan blades also do a great job of pushing air through the system and keeping temperatures low.
Overall, this fan is very sturdy, and well built and we could see it lasting for years to come. The incorporation of anti-vibration mounts also does a great job to limit sound production when these fans are spinning quickly.
You will pay a bit of a premium for these extra features, however, so if you know you need to pick up more than one fan this is definitely something to consider.
Best RGB 200mm fan
Cooler Master MasterFan MF200R RGB
Pros
- RGB lighting
- Smart sensor
If RGB functionality is at the top of your priority list then this is a great fan to add to your system. It’s not the most expensive RGB option on the list which does result in some compromises on the running volume.
The Cooler Master fan is compatible with ASUS Aura Sync, MSI Mystic Light, Gigabyte Fusion and ASRock RGB LED, so you’ll be able to set these fans up to show whatever colors or programs you want to with relative ease.
This fan also comes with noise reduction technology that aims to minimize the amount of irritating noise you’ll hear by utilizing sound-reducing pads. This works pretty well, but as with most noise-canceling systems, at higher fan speeds you’ll still be able to hear some noise.
This fan also comes with sensors to detect if any cables are in danger of being snagged or pulled in by the fans. This is great for those who are installing fans in tight spaces where there may be a trailing cable or two.
Best silent 200mm fan
AeroCool Silent Master 200mm
Pros
- Small form factor
- Very cheap
Cons
- Build quality isn’t the best
If you are on a really tight budget or simply need to pick up more than one fan, the AeroCool is a decent option to choose. Its ultra-thin design makes it easy to fit into almost any case however this does come at the cost of some pretty cheap-feeling materials.
When it comes to build quality, the plastics used in this fan look quite thin and we imagine you wouldn’t want to move it much once you’ve screwed it in. That’s not to say it’s going to fall apart though, the fan is quite sturdy and receives high praise from reviewers.
For its price, the fan looks great. While it doesn’t look very expensive, there is some joy to be found in its simple design which consists of transparent black plastic, light blue fan blades and LED lighting. Speaking of the lighting, you won’t be able to control these blue LED lights, but they are definitely a nice feature to have if you want to light up your case.
Best budget 200mm fan
Thermaltake CL-F015-PL20BL-A
Pros
- Great budget option
- Easy to install
Cons
- Simple design
- Not the greatest build quality
If you simply want an easy-to-install, no-thrills 200mm case fan, the Thermaltake is a great option. While it may not have the most interesting design out there, the fan is well-built and cheap enough to replace if you end up needing more.
The all-black design may seem a bit bland but if you have no need for fancy RGB and this fan isn’t going to be on display, this is a great way to save some money. There are LED versions available which cost a little bit more, but no RGB to speak of as of yet.
The fan blades have been designed in a way to focus airflow and reduce noise effectively. We have to say, this is actually pretty effective considering the low price! This fan is also very easy to install due to its shaved frame which means you should have no issues fitting it in the tightest of spaces.
Final word
While choosing fans for your PC may not be the most exciting part of building a gaming station, they are a vital element to ensure everything stays nice and cool.
We hope this comprehensive guide to the best 200mm case fans currently available has been helpful. It’s hard to narrow down the search when there are so many options out there but we hope this has made the choice easier to make.
