Yes, due to how fans work, you could attach any fan to the heatsink and it would cool it. Preferably it should be a PWM fan however (which case fans rarely are), as otherwise it will always run at 100% and thus be still fairly loud. Answer from SlipperAnimal on reddit.com
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Tom's Hardware Forum
forums.tomshardware.com โ€บ home โ€บ graphics cards
Can I use any fan to replace the fan on my cpu cooler? | Tom's Hardware Forum
May 5, 2014 - I think it needs to be a speed-controlled fan This is what I thought so too. IDK if all the fans are speed controlled or only certain ones. ... yes, as long as it has the same mounting holes. My Noctua NH-D14 has CPU case fans used, and i have added another 2 of the same case fans, works fine.
Discussions

Replace fan, or entire CPU cooler?
I've had a Scythe Fuma 2 cooler attached to my Ryzen 9 3900X for just about three years. It seems to do a good job keeping the CPU temperatures under control while the CPU runs at 100% utilization for BOINC distributed computing projects. However, I've noticed recently that the front fan on the... More on forums.anandtech.com
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March 25, 2023
Replacing my CPU fan - PC Building - Newegg Gamer Community
I was looking to replace my CPU fan, but I bought a prebuild and Iโ€™m not too sure what to look for in terms of size or specifications. I bought the MSI Codex R2 gaming desktop. Any suggestions would be appreciated More on newegg.com
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August 12, 2025
Tips for Installing a New CPU Fan
I just ordered a new CPU fan but I have never installed one before. Is it hard to replace the stock cooler on a Ryzen 7 CPU? Any installation tips to avoid damaging the board? More on discuss.cryosparc.com
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October 16, 2025
CPU fan replacement - Build Hardware Troubleshooting - Corsair Community
Ok so i got a corsair case and cooling. Problem is my top fan bairing is wearing out casing it to rattle in the casing when i start gaming and alike. its a type 12v DC 0.28A and i have been looking for a replacement but its no were to be found. Can i just replace it with a similair one or do i ne... More on forum.corsair.com
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March 23, 2022
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Enermax
enermaxusa.com โ€บ home โ€บ cooler fans
Cooler Fans
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Amazon
amazon.com โ€บ Cooling-Mini-Replacement-Dissipation-Installation โ€บ dp โ€บ B0DRFVRFTV
Amazon.com: CPU Cooling Fan, Mini PC Fan CPU Cooling Fan Replacement with 4 Pin for Heat Dissipation, Easy Installation : Electronics
Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE CPU Cooler, 6 Heat Pipes AGHP Technology, Dual 120mm PWM Fans, 1550RPM Speed, for AMD:AM4 AM5/Intel LGA 1700/1150/1151/1200/1851,PC Cooler ... [Easy Installation] Simple to connect and operate, saving installation time. [Compatible ] Designed for elitedesk and prodesk series, replacement ...
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Corsair
corsair.com โ€บ us โ€บ en โ€บ explorer โ€บ diy-builder โ€บ cpu-coolers โ€บ can-you-change-the-fans-on-your-aio
Can you change the fans on your AIO? - Corsair
CPU Cooler Articles, Guides & Tips from CORSAIR. Explore expert guides for your existing products, or discover the latest news on our newest releases.
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Best Buy
bestbuy.com โ€บ best buy โ€บ computers & tablets โ€บ computer cards & components โ€บ fans, heatsinks & cooling
Fans, Heatsinks & Cooling: CPU fans, Computer Cooling - Best Buy
Shop for fans, heatsinks and computer cooling components at Best Buy. Choose from a selection of case fans, fan grills, water cooling fans and more.
Find elsewhere
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AnandTech
forums.anandtech.com โ€บ home โ€บ hardware and technology โ€บ cases & cooling
Question - Replace fan, or entire CPU cooler? | AnandTech Forums: Technology, Hardware, Software, and Deals
March 25, 2023 - The 25mm fan in the middle of the cooler seems to be working fine still so I might put one new fan on the front first and test the performance, then swap both to see if the reversed direction of the current middle fan actually makes any noticeable difference in CPU temperatures. ... I find it very interesting that replacing the dying front 15mm fan that I had capped at 700rpm to keep it from screaming, with a new 25mm fan with much higher airflow and a more normal control curve actually didn't seem to make any difference at all in CPU temps with the same 100% load.
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StarTech.com
startech.com โ€บ home โ€บ computer parts โ€บ computer fans & coolers
Computer Fans & Coolers | Computer Parts | StarTech.com Europe
We offer a broad selection of computer fans and coolers that enable you to maintain ideal operating temperatures for your valuable desktop or laptop computer, in turn helping to deliver optimum system performance. | Europe
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iFixit
ifixit.com โ€บ Guide โ€บ Gaming+PC+CPU+Cooler+Replacement โ€บ 114784
Gaming PC CPU Cooler Replacement - iFixit Repair Guide
October 3, 2024 - Unscrew the screws holding the cooler at the corners of the CPU. Take out the cooler and place it at a reasonable location, underside up. Remember the location of where the cable connected to the cooler is. ... Find the location of the radiator and locate the screws holding it. Remove the screws and being to hold both the radiator and fan as the last screw is coming off.
Top answer
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It's likely. Photos taken to a local computer store will confirm for sure and they will be able to sell you something.

The clips require pinching to allow the fan to lift up (if I'm thinking of the right thing). This can be difficult, and I'm not sure if there's a tool available for it (any time I've done it has been disassembly and destruction hasn't been a concern).

The most important numbers are the voltage (probably either 5V or 12V) and the diameter of the fan (so that it fits on the existing mounts)

Edit: I've looked at the specific CPU fan you quote, and it's definitely a non-standard shape. You may have more difficulty replacing just the fan, and may require a new heatsink/fan combo. Note this will be a more intrusive change and will require thermal paste as well.

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TLDR available at the end.


You can't replace the fan without replacing the entire plastic housing on most of the stock Intel coolers. The fan assembly is built right into that plastic frame, which you can see by looking into the gap where the wires connect the fan, as well as between the fan itself and that plastic frame where you can see the bearing assembly and the motor.

Here's a picture of the fan after disassembly:

You pull that apart and there's a decent chance you're not getting it put back together. In either case, you'll need to remove the cooler from the CPU / motherboard entirely to make sure that you don't damage any components trying to rip the cooler apart. You don't save any time or work on disassembly by only going for the fan.

There are other problems with this approach as well. Just from disassembly we've exposed either the motor or the bearing assembly which means that dirt and dust can get in there now. You can see that you'll also be required to have some soldering tools and skills at your disposal as well.

You can find cheap used ones on sites like craigslist and ebay for about $10 USD very easily, just get one that matches the motherboard socket / CPU generation you have in your PC.


TLDR: This project is not worth saving $10. Buy a replacement cooler.


How to find a replacement cooler:

If you don't want to buy a used one then you can find aftermarket low profile coolers for $15-35 USD. You don't need anything high end for normal use. Relevant metrics will be:

  • "cooler height" = how tall of a cooler your case can fit, basically distance from mobo socket to the opposite side of the case

  • "TDP" = Thermal Design Power (this basically describes thermal dissipation). Your CPU model will have this listed on the specification sheet, so will the coolers. A CPU with a TDP of 95W (watts) will require a cooler with a TDP of equal or greater value than 95W.

  • "decibel level" = amount of noise generated, lower number is less noise.

  • "CFM" = Cubic feet per minute of airflow. This is a useful objective measurement you can use to compare fan performance against other fans. Higher CFM = more air being moved.

If a cooler doesn't list these specifications anywhere (check multiple sellers and the manufacturer site) then it is not worth purchasing.

You will also need some thermal paste to install the new (or used) cooler. I recommend Arctic Silver 5 for reliable performance and longevity at a good price. There are better pastes out there in terms of thermal conductivity but they tend to dry out faster on average than Arctic Silver.

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Amazon
amazon.com โ€บ Replacement-Processors-E97379-003-CNDP751K50-DTC-DAB16 โ€บ dp โ€บ B082XH47ZY
Amazon.com: Replacement New CPU Cooling Fan with Heatsink for Intel LGA1150 LGA1151 LGA1155 LGA1156 Celeron/Pentium/i3/i5/i7 Processors Series Fan E97379-003 CNDP751K50 DTC-DAB16 DC12V 0.60A : Electronics
New heatsink CPU Cooling Fan for Intel i3/i5/i7 lga 115x 1150 1151 1155 1156 X3430 X3440 X3450 X3460 X3470 X3480 Series E97379-003 D34223 D75716 D95263 E18764 E33681 E97375 E97378โ€“001 4-PIN 3.5-Inch ยท Thermaltake Gravity i2 95W Intel LGA 1200/1156/1155/1150/1151 92mm CPU Cooler CLP0556-D, Compatible with Desktop ... Replacement ...
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Micro Center
microcenter.com โ€บ home โ€บ build, install, & repair services โ€บ cpu cooler and fan replacement service
CPU Cooler and Fan Replacement Service
CPU Cooler and Fan Replacement Service
CPU Cooler and Fan Replacement Service; Heatsink failures are devastating. We can fix this to prevent CPU issues.
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Amazon
amazon.com โ€บ Replacement-Cf0006dx-Cf0012dx-Cf0013dx-Cf0014dx โ€บ dp โ€บ B0BS47GL3W
Amazon.com: Replacement CPU Cooling Fan Air Cooler for 14 Cf0xxx 14 Cf0006dx 14 Cf0012dx 14 Cf0013dx 14 Cf0014dx DC 5V 0.5A 4 Pin : Electronics
Buy Replacement CPU Cooling Fan Air Cooler for 14 Cf0xxx 14 Cf0006dx 14 Cf0012dx 14 Cf0013dx 14 Cf0014dx DC 5V 0.5A 4 Pin: CPU Cooling Fans - Amazon.com โœ“ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases
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Newegg
newegg.com โ€บ pc building
Replacing my CPU fan - PC Building - Newegg Gamer Community
August 12, 2025 - I was looking to replace my CPU fan, but I bought a prebuild and Iโ€™m not too sure what to look for in terms of size or specifications. I bought the MSI Codex R2 gaming desktop. Any suggestions would be appreciated
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CryoSPARC
discuss.cryosparc.com โ€บ hardware and performance
Tips for Installing a New CPU Fan - Hardware and Performance - CryoSPARC Discuss
October 16, 2025 - I just ordered a new CPU fan but I have never installed one before. Is it hard to replace the stock cooler on a Ryzen 7 CPU? Any installation tips to avoid damaging the board?
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Corsair Community
forum.corsair.com โ€บ forums โ€บ technical support & customer service โ€บ build hardware troubleshooting
CPU fan replacement - Build Hardware Troubleshooting - Corsair Community
March 23, 2022 - Ok so i got a corsair case and cooling. Problem is my top fan bairing is wearing out casing it to rattle in the casing when i start gaming and alike. its a type 12v DC 0.28A and i have been looking for a replacement but its no were to be found. Can i just replace it with a similair one or do i ne...
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HP Support Community
h30434.www3.hp.com โ€บ t5 โ€บ Desktop-Hardware-and-Upgrade-Questions โ€บ I-need-a-new-cpu-fan-not-sure-which-or-how-to-install โ€บ td-p โ€บ 6053241
I need a new cpu fan, not sure which or how to install? - HP Support Community - 6053241
August 5, 2017 - You might want to use a can of compressed air to blow out the dust and then judge if you need additional hardware. HP doesn't have a documented procedure to replace the CPU fan/heat sink.
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DeepCool
deepcool.com
DeepCool
DeepCool was founded with the mission of providing professional, innovative, high-performance PC hardware and high-quality thermal solutions for enthusiasts across the world.
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Thermalright
thermalright.com
Thermalright โ€“ Ultimate CPU Cooling Solution
In addition, some radiators need to purchase the AM5 mounting kits, so that our loyal fans can continue to enjoy high-efficiency heat dissipation. . The AM5 upgrade kit includes: one set of fixing frame, [โ€ฆ] ... THERMALRIGHT upgrade mounting kit supports Intel LGA1700 CPU.