How Long do PC Fans Last?

Fans are the most rudimentary form of cooling, but also the most effective. Fans are usually a set of rotating blades which work to direct a current of air into a specific direction. Outside of providing refreshment on a hot summer day, fans are also one of the most common components to find in a computer. Most computers use air cooling as their main method of dissipating heat. For an effective air cooling system, you need many different types of fans – and not only one your CPU and case! Fans can be found in any PC component that generates heat.

Let’s quickly take a look at those components.

The average lifespan of different PC fans

As with most PC-related lifespan questions, the answer is: it depends. Fans are made of hard plastics which makes them durable, and they perform a fairly simple function which gives them a reasonably-long lifespan. They’re also not electrically-conductive themselves and take a low current so there isn’t a high chance for them to be damaged electrically. Most fans are designed for about 30,000-50,000 hours of continuous use – or 3.5-6 years. However, this does not mean that all fans will last the same amount of time.

There are different types of PC fans, including case fans, CPU fans, GPU fans, PSU fans, and hard drive fans. Different kinds of fans have different lifespans. (Learn more about Different Types of Fans)

A case fan, for example, will likely last for 5-6 years where as a laptop fan may last closer to 10 years. Logistically, this is because a desktop may (in total) run for a longer time per day than a laptop.

A CPU or heatsink fan may sometimes not last as long as a case fan as well because it usually runs at a higher RPM (revolutions per minute). A CPU Fan needs to quickly dissipate a lot of heat from the CPU/heatsink whereas a case fan only needs to maintain a constant flow. That’s not to say that RPM doesn’t matter in a case fan, but a case will usually have anywhere from 4-6 fans working in tandem whereas a CPU will only fan one. Therefore, a CPU fan needs to maintain an RPM of about 3500-5000 whereas case fans should only maintain an RPM of 900-1200. By revolving more times in total, the CPU fan will wear down more quickly giving it a shorter lifespan of perhaps 3 years vs. a case fan’s 6 years. Though, this too depends on other factors.

Similar to a CPU fan, a GPU fan is dedicated to dissipating the heat from the graphics card and usually runs at an RPM of 2700-3500 which isn’t quite as high as a CPU fan but still higher than the average case fan. If we’re using this as a benchmark, then the average GPU fan lifespan would sit at about 4 years.

PSU fans vary greatly from one PSU to the next – recently, most manufacturers have been trying to cap fan speeds to decrease the amount of overall noise produced which means reducing the RPM (down to 1000-1200). Moreover, a PSU may break before the fan does for a multitude of reasons. Because of this the lifespan is a little obscure. However, it will still generally fall into our 3-6 year range, provided that the PSU itself still works.

Lastly, as with Case fans, a Hard Drive fan will have a similar RPM and similar lifespan.  

A fan’s exact lifespan is hard to determine. The industry average is around 50,000 hours of constant operation. It is generally agreed that any fan will last anywhere from 3-6 years in any given computer. However, there are some users that have reported using the same fans for over 10 years without issues. This is most likely with proper care and maintenance. As such, several factors are involved in a fan’s lifespan.

Factors that impact your fans' lifetime

As mentioned previously, not all fans are the same and several factors can contribute to the lifetime of a fan. Among them are: quality, usage, type, maintenance, and environment.

Quality

Quality refers to the grade of the materials from which the fan is made. Now, let’s face it – there isn’t a high chance you’ll be able to easily find out whether or not a fan is made from Polybutylene Terephthalate or Nylon polyamide. Generally speaking, the quality of most fans comes from its brand. Make sure to read reviews for any fan prior to buying it to ensure that it meets quality standards and can last.  

Usage

As with our Case fan vs. Laptop fan example, a fan’s lifespan may depend on how often you use it to begin with. This would mean turning your desktop off at night or when you’re not using it could increase your fans’ lifespan.

Type

As we reviewed in the previous section, different types of fans function differently depending on their role in a PC. Some fans will also run at a higher RPM because of this which will result in faster wear. Generally higher-RPM fans (3000-5000RPM) will wear down faster than lower-RPM fans (900-1500RPM).

Environment

Recall that your computers’ fans are constantly in contact with the outside environment – this includes all the particles in the air. That’s why a computer housed in a garage will get clogged with dust more quickly than one kept in a living room. Regardless of where you put your PC, be sure the space is well-dusted, regularly-cleaned, and pet-free. Dust, hair, and fur are all top contenders for clogging up your PC’s fans and shortening their lifespans. Be aware, even if you have a dust filter, hair and dust can still be sucked in through spaces in your case.

Maintenance

Maintenance is a huge part of why the same fan can last 3 years in one PC and 10 years in another. If you don’t have a dust cover for your fans, immediately invest in one. Not only will it block out a huge amount of dust from settling on your motherboard and around your CPU; it’ll also make cleaning the fans a lot easier. Fans should be cleaned regularly every few months with compressed air and an alcoholic wipe or cotton swab. (Cleaning wipes can also be used as well)

In summary, a fan’s lifespan depends on its initial make and quality, how often its used and under what circumstances (or rather, how fast its designed to function) and how well you can take care of it – both directly through maintenance and indirectly through your PC’s environment.

How do you know if you need new PC fans?

Don’t worry, you don’t have to wait until your PC is on fire to buy new fans – though that would be a direct indicator. There are a few ways to figure out whether or not you need new fans which include: overheating, slowing down, and clicking.

Firstly, if you notice your computer is experience strange lag spikes, frequent shutdowns, or other errors, this may be a sign of overheating. Overheating can occur if your CPU fan has been damaged and isn’t dissipating heat quickly enough of if one of your other fans is experiencing failure – i.e. Case fans not working may disrupt the flow of air in your case which can also lead to overheating.

In this case, it’s a good idea to first check the fans visually and see if you notice any of them have stopped working. If so, you may want to perform some troubleshooting on them before ringing up a new one.

Secondly, slowing down. This may work synchronously with overheating in that a fan doesn’t need to completely stop in order to create the conditions for overheating. For example, a CPU fan may need to function at 5000RPM in order to successfully dissipate enough heat. If it falls to 2000RPM, your naked eye may not notice it but your CPU sure will.

One way to test this is by downloading a maintenance software like SpeedFan, or HWMonitor. These can help you identify how fast every fan in your computer is running. You can then compare those numbers to the original manufacturer’s specs and determine whether or not they’re functioning properly or need replacement.

Lastly, clicking. This is a fairly easy problem to diagnose because you’ll hear it right away once it starts to occur. If you hear any fan in your PC clicking, that means it is in the early stages of failing. The bearings are likely degrading. If it is clicking for a few seconds after being turned on that means you still have some time. Order a replacement fan just to be safe.

Fans come in many different shapes and sizes but all carry one purpose: to help your PC stay cool. Specifically GPU and CPU fans as they hold the most important roles of cooling the processors of your machine. Neither of them can do their job to the fullest without thermal paste. Thermal paste helps transfer heat from the CPU to the fans so they can efficiently dissipate it. Our Kooling Monster KOLD-01 is specialized to be long-lasting and effective as well as safe and easy to use. Try it out!