3 pin or 4 pin what's the difference to me?

[kent_b29]

Sorry for the newbie question, but what's the difference between a 4 pin and a 3 pin fan? I'm wondering because I'm getting a Chieftec Matrix mid-tower case from directron and i'm wondering which case fans I'm gonna put on it.

thanks,
Kent

 

[Loyalty]

Three pin fans are able to be easily hooked up to the motherboard in order to be monitored, and four pin fans hook up to your power supply and are not monitored.

 

[hellrazrblade]

if it's a really high rpm fan, you should get a 4pin because your motherboard (3pin) can't handle the wattage it will use.

 

[cyber mouse45]

Yeah, get the fans that have the four pin connectors. That case can hold 5 fans? I don’t think any motherboard has that many three pin connectors, so you would have to get some four pin ones anyway.