Connexion
How to Set Fan Curves in NZXT CAM
Short answer: In NZXT CAM, open the Cooling tab and click the fan or pump you want to change. Pick a preset (Fixed, Silent or Performance) or choose Custom and drag the curve's points up or down. Then set the temperature source: CPU, GPU or liquid temperature on an NZXT liquid cooler.
A good fan curve is the difference between a PC you can hear from the next room and one that stays quiet until a game needs the airflow. CAM gives you full control over it, as long as your fans are connected to something CAM can talk to.
What can CAM control?
CAM only sees fans plugged into a compatible NZXT controller. That can be a standalone device or one built into another product:
- Kraken Elite and Kraken Plus coolers, through their fan connectors
- The NZXT Control Hub and RGB & Fan Controller
- NZXT N-Series motherboards
Fans on any other motherboard's headers are controlled from that motherboard's BIOS or software instead. The Kraken Core and Kraken 120 aren't CAM-powered at all. They run from your motherboard's headers, so their curves live in BIOS. Our guide to which header to use for your AIO pump covers that setup.
How to change a fan curve
- Open CAM and click Cooling in the left sidebar.
- Find your device and click the fan or pump channel you want to change. This opens its fan curve and temperature source.
- Choose a preset or choose Custom to draw your own.
- Set the Temperature Source the curve should follow.
The four presets
| Preset | What it does | Pick it if |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed | Holds one constant speed, whatever the temperature | You want a steady, predictable sound |
| Silent | Low speed at idle and light load, ramping up as things heat up | Quiet matters most |
| Performance | Moderate to high speed at idle, ramping hard under load | You want the lowest temps and don't mind the noise |
| Custom | Follows a curve you draw | You want to tune it for your exact build |
Silent suits most builds and is the best place to start. Switch to Custom only if Silent ramps up more than you'd like.
Drawing a custom curve
The curve plots fan speed (up the side) against temperature (along the bottom). Click a point and drag it up for more speed at that temperature or down for less.
Points can't cross each other. A point can't sit lower than the one to its left or higher than the one to its right. Drag past that and the neighboring points move with it, which is why a curve can seem to fight you.
Stop fans ramping up and down
The most common complaint is fans that rev up and settle down over and over. That happens when your CPU's everyday temperature sits right where the curve turns steep. The fix is to find that temperature and shape the curve around it.
- Set the fans to Silent.
- Run a CPU stress test at medium load, such as OCCT, for about 10 minutes.
- Note the temperature the CPU settles at. That's roughly how hot it runs under a realistic load.
- Switch to Custom. Make the curve gentler up to that temperature, then let it climb steeply above it.
Below your normal load temperature the fans stay calm. Only real heat, like a long gaming session, pushes them up.
Choose the right temperature source
Most channels can follow CPU or GPU temperature. With a compatible NZXT liquid cooler you also get liquid temperature. Liquid temperature rises and falls slowly, so fans that follow it ramp much less than fans chasing CPU temperature, which jumps around second to second. It's a good choice for the radiator fans on a Kraken.
Case fans that mostly cool your graphics card can follow GPU temperature instead, so they speed up when you game and stay quiet when you don't.
Frequently asked questions
Can CAM control the fans on my motherboard?
Only on NZXT N-Series motherboards. On any other board, set fan curves in the BIOS or with the motherboard maker's own software. To get CAM control of those fans, connect them to an NZXT Control Hub instead.
Can I plug my AIO pump into an NZXT fan controller?
No. Pumps draw more power than a controller channel is built for. It can damage the pump, the controller or both. Connect the pump the way its manual shows, usually to an AIO_PUMP or CPU_FAN header.
Which Kraken coolers have fan control in CAM?
The Kraken Elite, Kraken Plus and Kraken (2023) all do. The Kraken Core and Kraken 120 don't, because they aren't CAM-powered. Older models vary: the Kraken Z does, the Kraken X3 doesn't.
My Kraken Core's fan RPM jumps around. Is something wrong?
No. Some early Kraken Core units report jumpy RPM readings even though the fans spin at a steady speed. It's a reporting quirk. Anything within about 10% of the set speed is normal. Our post on why Kraken Core RPM readings look jumpy shows the testing.
My fans read 0 RPM after I changed the curve. Did I break them?
Probably not. A curve set to 0% at your current temperature stops the fan on purpose. Drag the point up and they'll spin again. If they still don't, our guide to fixing fans that won't spin covers the other causes.
Do my fan curves still work if CAM is closed?
Not on Krakens or NZXT controllers. Custom curves need CAM running there. CAM-powered Krakens drop back to fixed default speeds without it. The Control Hub needs CAM to manage its fans at all. Make sure CAM starts with Windows. Our guide to whether you need CAM running covers what each product does without it.
Not seeing your fans in CAM?
If the Cooling tab doesn't list your controller or cooler, CAM can't see it yet. Our guide to NZXT CAM not detecting your device works through the fix step by step.
