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Why you should let your motherboard control how fast your PC fans spin
Your PC will have default fan settings, telling them how fast they should spin at any given temperature value. These are known as fan curves as the higher the temperature of your PC or specific component, the faster the cooling will work to keep them within optimal ranges. While you could install some software for macOS, Linux, or Windows to alter these settings and override your motherboard, I recommend making changes to the UEFI BIOS itself, and here's why.
It's just as easy as software
Move a few sliders and you're done
The BIOS was the last place anyone wanted to be. They weren't terribly good-looking, were difficult and cumbersome for beginners to use, and didn't have as much functionality as their modern counterparts. Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) is the replacement for Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) and brings with it notable improvements to the UI, functionality, and responsiveness. You can even use a mouse instead of a keyboard
Setting custom fan curves is straightforward on most motherboard UEFI solutions. Many board manufacturers have specific tools for managing fans and AIO liquid coolers. You'll notice pump headers on some motherboards, which can be dedicated to adjusting pump speed depending on current CPU (and GPU if in a custom loop) loads. These tools can be as convenient as software written for an OS, allowing you to fine-tune each connected header.
Improved noise-to-performance
Slow things down considerably
No one wants a PC sounding like a jet engine, which is where the fan curve comes into play. Instead of spinning at 40% and then ramping up to 80% instantaneously, you can smooth out how steep this curve is, adjusting each step to gradually increase fan speed and ultimately noise output. Your system will sometimes handle spike loads, which will see the temperatures jump for a second or two, this could be followed by a sudden ramp-up in speed for the fans, which will be noticeable as a regular occurrence.
A smoother fan curve will see your fans react to temperature changes in a less hectic fashion. I have my primary CPU fans configured at 30% for 40C, 40% for 50C, 50% for 60C, 60% for 70C, and 75% for 80C, hitting 100% at 85C. Doing so will ensure you're allowing your components to perform as intended without thermal throttling (depending on your cooling solution) and causing too much noise at lower loads. By setting a fan curve with a better noise-to-performance ratio, you should enjoy a quiet experience.
Make your fans last longer
They don't have to work as hard
Like anything with moving parts, the harder you push PC fans, the more likely you'll reduce their lifespan. Each part has a finite lifespan, which can be cut short by having fans spin at near-maximum power. By adjusting the fan curves accordingly, you can reduce how hard you're pushing the case and cooler fans, potentially allowing them to run for longer before the motor seizes up or some other mechanical fault occurs. This would save you considerably if using more expensive blowers.
Settings are applied at boot
No messing around with the OS
The best part about using the BIOS is everything is saved on the motherboard ROM, which is pulled at each system boot. Instead of relying on software to load up and apply settings when Windows starts, your UEFI BIOS will load your fan profiles once the system successfully passes initial tests. This allows you to boot into any OS and enjoy the same fan curves, keeping your system cool without causing too much noise or unnecessary wear.
Prevent thermal throttling and damage
Keep everything adequately cooled
Depending on how your default fan curves are configured, you can help avoid thermal throttling by gradually increasing fan speeds as loads are applied. Getting ahead of the curve (pun intended) will allow your PC to maintain higher clock speeds as temperatures are better kept in check. Depending on how powerful the components are installed inside your system, you can get much more out of the PC with a few configured fan curves.
It's always important to consider modern AMD and Intel CPUs as they're designed to run as fast as their architecture and temperature limits allow. You'll not need to overclock a modern CPU where automatic boosting is enabled since they will already boost up to thermal limits. More aggressive fan curves (setting speeds to 100% at lower thresholds) will keep the CPU running at lower temperatures with the same overclocked settings applied.
Using the BIOS is great for multi-OS systems
You should spend time inside your UEFI BIOS to see how everything works, make some adjustments to various parts of the system, and familiarize yourself with times you may be required to do a little troubleshooting. The UI of the modern BIOS is incredibly easy to follow and allows you to completely change the way the PC functions with EXPO/XMP and other advanced functions. Setting your fan curves here is a great way to ensure they're always loaded, regardless of boot settings and OS.
