The 7 Best External Cooling Fans for Mini PCs, Ranked & Reviewed

Our verdict: A 120mm fan with 55.8 CFM at an 18 dBA rating, the best balance of airflow and silence.

The X1 is a 130mm by 130mm by 48.6mm housing around a 120mm fan running at 850 RPM, rated for 55.8 CFM and 18 dB(A). A 20.87 inch USB cable is built in. For a mini PC on a desk where you hear every sound, that noise rating is the headline.

It ranks first because it delivers nearly the same airflow as the Wathai at a lower speed and noise rating. A slow, large fan is the right answer for a small PC: it moves a lot of air without the whine of a small fast fan. The housing is thicker than the Wathai's slim frame, so it takes more desk room. The integrated cable also means no spare USB lead to swap.

Buy it for a home office or bedroom where silence matters. Skip it if you need a slim fan that squeezes into a tight shelf.

Airflow

55.8 CFM

Noise

18 dB(A)

Fan

120mm, 850 RPM

Size

130 x 130 x 48.6 mm

Our verdict: A slim 120mm fan with 56.7 CFM, 23 dBA and a 35,000 hour rated life.

The Wathai is a 120mm by 120mm by 25mm fan on 5V USB power, drawing 0.2A at 1500 RPM. It is rated for 56.7 CFM of airflow and 23 dBA, uses a sleeve bearing, and carries a 35,000 hour rated life.

It ranks second because it moves slightly more air than the GSCOLER on paper, but at 1500 RPM and 23 dBA it is louder, and a sleeve bearing is the simplest bearing type, usually the shortest-lived under constant use. The 25mm thickness is a real advantage in a tight spot, and 35,000 hours is still about four years of nonstop running.

Buy it if you want the strongest airflow figure and a slim fan. Skip it if noise is your priority.

Airflow

56.7 CFM

Noise

23 dBA

Speed

1500 RPM, 5V 0.2A

Bearing

Sleeve, 35,000 hours

Our verdict: A 120mm fan stand with low, medium and high speeds and eight anti-vibration feet.

The Marame is a 120mm fan on a stand with a 3-speed switch, eight anti-vibration rubber feet and a metal safety wire grille. It is sold for routers but fits any small sealed box.

It ranks third because the speed switch lets you run it quietly at idle and bump it up for a long compile or video export. That flexibility beats a single-speed fan for a PC with variable load. The feet cut vibration noise on a hard desk. Unlike the top two, the listing gives no CFM or dBA figures, so we cannot compare airflow numerically.

Buy it for a mini PC that swings between idle and heavy work. Skip it if you want documented airflow numbers.

Fan

120mm

Speeds

3 (low, medium, high)

Feet

8 anti-vibration rubber

Grille

Metal safety wire

Our verdict: Two 120mm fans with a 3-speed controller up to 2000 RPM for intake and exhaust cooling.

The Easy Cloud pack contains two 120mm fans, a 3-speed controller that tops out at 2000 RPM, eight anti-vibration feet per fan and dual-ball bearings. Two fans let you cool both ends of a sealed PC.

It ranks fourth because a pair of fans is a more complete answer for a sealed box: one pushes cool air toward the intake while the other pulls hot air from the exhaust side. Dual-ball bearings usually outlast the sleeve bearing in the Wathai under nonstop use. The cost is double the desk space and a louder profile at 2000 RPM.

Buy it if your mini PC runs hot and you can fit two fans. Skip it if desk space is tight.

Fans

2 x 120mm

Speeds

3, up to 2000 RPM

Bearing

Dual-ball

Feet

8 anti-vibration per fan

Our verdict: A 40mm fan with dual-ball bearings rated for 67,000 hours, for an always-on mini PC.

The MULTIFAN Mini is a 40mm by 40mm by 20mm fan rated for 12 CFM at 18 dBA, with dual-ball bearings, a 67,000 hour rated life and a multi-speed controller.

It ranks fifth because small fans move little air: 12 CFM is a fraction of the 120mm models. The reason to buy it is longevity. 67,000 hours is about seven and a half years of continuous running, and it will fit where nothing else will. It suits a mini PC that sits on a shelf or in a rack and runs around the clock as a server.

Buy it for a home server or a NAS-style mini PC. Skip it if the PC is a hot gaming box that needs strong airflow.

Airflow

12 CFM

Noise

18 dBA

Size

40 x 40 x 20 mm

Bearing

Dual-ball, 67,000 hours

Our verdict: A purpose-built aluminum mount with a fan for Mac mini, supporting VESA 75mm and 100mm.

The IFCASE is an aluminum alloy wrap-around mount designed for the Mac mini. It supports VESA 75mm and 100mm patterns for wall, under-desk or monitor-back mounting, and it includes a USB 1.1 hub.

It ranks sixth because it is only for one machine, and the listing gives no CFM or noise figure. What it offers is integration: the fan is built into a mount that holds the Mac mini out of the way, and the aluminum body conducts some heat away.

Buy it if you own a Mac mini and want to hide it behind a monitor. Skip it for any other mini PC, as it is made for the Mac mini footprint.

Fits

Mac mini

Body

Aluminum alloy wrap-around

Mount

VESA 75mm and 100mm

Hub

USB 1.1

Our verdict: Two 40mm fans in a metal frame with three speeds, for setups with almost no clearance.

The ELUTENG has two 40mm by 40mm by 25mm fans, a 3-speed control, a metal frame with finger protection and a hydraulic bearing motor.

It ranks last because 40mm fans are small and the listing gives no CFM or noise figure. Two of them double the coverage of a single small fan, and the metal frame gives a sturdy mount. It earns a place by fitting where a 120mm fan cannot.

Buy it if you have a cramped shelf or cabinet. Skip it if you have room for a 120mm fan, which will move far more air.

Fans

2 x 40mm

Size

40 x 40 x 25 mm each

Speeds

3

Bearing

Hydraulic