Fan config: Does it matter? Testing push vs pull vs push/pull

When I built my first PC a few years back, I used the excellent Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO to cool the processor. However, I remember feeling very confused about how I should mount the fan to the heatsink – some people said ‘just stick it on any way', while some online pundits were certain that I HAD to use two fans in a push/pull configuration or else my PC would burst into flames at any moment.

I am of course exaggerating slightly, but there is a great deal of misinformation and contradictory statements to be found online about setting up the fan(s) for the CPU cooler. This article is designed to cut through the noise and get to the facts: does it actually matter where you mount your fans, or how many you use? Read on for how I put this to the test, as well as the all-important results and what conclusions can be drawn from the data we gathered.

Become a Patron!