Server fans and heatsinks cover processor heatsinks and cooling fans for rack servers, tower servers and workstations. They suit IT managers and technicians who are replacing or upgrading cooling in existing machines. Our range includes parts from HP Enterprise, Lenovo, Supermicro and Inter-Tech, plus ARCTIC and Scythe for more general-purpose cooling.
How to choose server fans and heatsinks
Socket and server model. A heatsink must match the processor socket and the mounting holes on the board. For branded servers from HP Enterprise or Lenovo, check the exact server generation and part number, because the brackets and airflow guides are often specific to one chassis.
Height and chassis size. A 1U server leaves very little vertical room, so it needs a low-profile heatsink. A 2U or tower chassis can take taller fin stacks and larger fans. Measure the clearance, including nearby memory slots, before ordering.
Active or passive design. An active unit has its own fan. A passive heatsink has no fan and relies on a steady airflow from the chassis fans, which is how most rack servers are built. Fitting a passive heatsink in a case without strong front-to-back airflow will lead to overheating.
Thermal capacity. Compare the cooler's supported TDP with the rating of your processor. High-core-count server CPUs produce far more heat than desktop chips, so a cooler with only a small margin will push fan speeds up and noise with them.
Original or universal parts. Original parts keep the server's fan monitoring and warranty conditions intact. Universal coolers from brands such as ARCTIC or Scythe suit workstations and home lab builds where you control the case and the fan control settings.
Brands we carry
- HP Enterprise (HPE): the maker of ProLiant servers, so its heatsinks and fans are mostly spare parts for those specific models.
- Lenovo: supplies cooling parts for its ThinkSystem and ThinkServer lines, matched to the original chassis.
- Supermicro: well known for server motherboards and chassis, with heatsinks designed for its own boards in 1U and 2U systems.
- Inter-Tech: known for rack-mount cases and PC components, and its coolers fit a variety of server and workstation builds.
- ARCTIC: known for quiet, good-value fans and processor coolers, which suit workstations and smaller servers.
- Scythe: a Japanese cooling specialist known for large tower coolers and low-noise fans.
- IBM: a long-established server manufacturer, so its parts are usually replacements for older IBM systems.
Also in our range: Akasa, TeamGroup, ROLINE and be quiet!.
Frequently asked questions about server fans and heatsinks
What is the difference between an active and a passive server heatsink?
An active heatsink has a fan attached, while a passive heatsink is a fin block with no fan. Passive designs depend on the chassis fans pushing air through the fins. Most rack servers use this approach because it allows central, redundant fan modules.
Can I use a desktop CPU cooler in a server?
Sometimes, but only if it fits the socket and the case. Many server sockets use different mounting patterns from desktop ones, and rack cases limit cooler height. A desktop cooler also does not report to the server's fan monitoring in the same way, which can trigger warnings.
How do I find the right heatsink for my server?
Start with the server's model name and the processor socket, then match the part number from the manufacturer's documentation. Check the chassis height as well, since 1U, 2U and tower systems need different heatsink profiles. Where an original part number is printed on the old heatsink, use that as a cross-check.
Do I need new thermal paste when fitting a heatsink?
Yes, apply fresh thermal paste whenever you remove and refit a heatsink. The old layer is disturbed and no longer fills the gaps between the processor and the heatsink evenly. Some heatsinks come with paste pre-applied, which is intended for a single fitting only.
