How many case fans do you need?
Case fans move cool air in and hot air out. You do not need a lot of them, but you do need them in the right places.
What case fans do
Intake fans pull cool air into the case and exhaust fans push warm air out. Your CPU cooler and graphics card then work with cooler air, so they can run faster for longer without slowing down.
A simple layout that works
For most gaming PCs, put two or three fans at the front as intake and one at the rear as exhaust. Add one or two fans at the top as exhaust if the case has room. Three fans on the front also give you a place to mount a 360 mm radiator later.
Slightly more intake than exhaust gives positive pressure inside the case. Air then escapes through gaps instead of being pulled in through them, which helps keep dust out.
120 mm or 140 mm
Most cases are built around 120 mm fans. A 140 mm fan moves more air at a lower speed, and so can run quieter, but only if the mounting position supports it. Check what the case allows before you buy.
PWM or DC
A PWM fan has four pins and lets the motherboard change its speed smoothly, so it stays quiet when idle and speeds up under load. A DC fan has three pins and is controlled by voltage. PWM is the better choice for a gaming PC.
RGB fans and sync
RGB fans connect to a lighting header on the motherboard or to a separate controller, and you control the colours from the maker's software. Check that the fan's lighting works with your motherboard's software before you buy, so the colours match the rest of your build.
How many fans each SONIC case takes
The table shows what fans each SONIC case supports and includes. The SONIC PRO 120 PWM CYCLONE V2 kit gives you three 120 mm PWM RGB fans for PKR 5,500.
Fan support in every SONIC case
| Case | Fans supported and included |
|---|---|
| SONIC V200R | Bottom 12 cm × 3 · Rear 12 cm × 1 · M/B side 12 cm × 3 |
| SONIC V100R | Bottom 12 cm × 3 · Rear 12 cm × 1 / 14 cm × 1 · Top 12 cm × 3 / 14 cm × 2 · M/B side 12 cm × 3 |
| SONIC V208R | Bottom 12 cm × 3 · Rear 12 cm × 1 · Top 12 cm × 3 / 14 cm × 2 · M/B side 12 cm × 3 |
| SONIC 217R | Bottom 12 cm × 3 · Rear 12 cm × 1 · Top 12 cm × 3 / 14 cm × 2 · M/B side 12 cm × 2 |
| SONIC V500R | Top 12 cm × 2 (optional) · Rear 12 cm × 1 (included) · PSU bay 12 cm × 3 (optional) · M/B side 12 cm × 2 (optional) |
| SONIC H7 | Front 12 cm × 3 / 14 cm × 3 · Rear 12 cm × 1 / 14 cm × 1 · Top 12 cm × 3 / 14 cm × 2 |
| SONIC C05 | M/B side 12 cm × 3 (included) · Top 12 cm × 2 (optional) · Rear 12 cm × 1 (included) |
| SONIC C19 | M/B side 12 cm × 3 (included) · Top 12 cm × 3 (optional) · Rear 12 cm × 1 (included) |
| SONIC EL2 | M/B side 12 cm × 3 (included) · Top 12 cm × 3 (optional) · Rear 12 cm × 1 (included) |
| SONIC F301 | M/B side 12 cm × 2 (included) · Top 12 cm × 3 (optional) · Rear 12 cm × 1 (included) |
| SONIC F317 | M/B side 12 cm × 2 (included) · Top 12 cm × 3 (optional) · Rear 12 cm × 1 (included) |
| SONIC K10 | M/B side 12 cm × 2 (included) · Top 12 cm × 3 or 14 cm × 2 (optional) · Rear 12 cm × 1 (included) |
Frequently asked questions
Is it better to have more intake or more exhaust fans?
Slightly more intake than exhaust is a good default. It keeps positive pressure in the case, which reduces dust.
Do I need a rear exhaust fan?
Yes, it is a good idea. A fan at the rear gives the warm air from the CPU area a direct way out of the case.
What does PWM mean on a fan?
PWM is a four-pin fan connection that lets the motherboard control the fan speed smoothly, so the fan is quiet at idle and faster under load.
Updated 13 October 2026. Prices and specifications are taken from the SONIC product pages.