Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

smcFanControl VS thinkfan

Compare smcFanControl VS thinkfan and see what are their differences

smcFanControl logo smcFanControl

[Download] smcFanControl 2.

thinkfan logo thinkfan

Thinkfan is a simple, lightweight fan control program.
  • smcFanControl Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-20
  • thinkfan Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-16

smcFanControl features and specs

  • Temperature Management
    smcFanControl allows users to manually adjust the fan speed of their Mac, helping to prevent overheating and potentially prolonging the lifespan of the device.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The software features a simple and intuitive interface, making it accessible for users who are not technically inclined.
  • Customizable Settings
    Users can define multiple presets for different environments or tasks, facilitating quick adjustments in fan speed based on current needs.
  • System Monitoring
    The application provides real-time monitoring of CPU temperature and other vital statistics, allowing for ongoing assessment of system health.

Possible disadvantages of smcFanControl

  • Compatibility Issues
    smcFanControl may not work on all newer Mac models, as Apple frequently updates hardware and software which can render third-party applications inoperable.
  • Potential Noise Increase
    Increasing the fan speed results in higher noise levels, which may be disruptive in quiet environments.
  • Limited Feature Set
    The application is focused solely on fan control and lacks additional features or integrations that might be found in more comprehensive system management tools.
  • Risk of Incorrect Settings
    Users who set fan speeds too high or too low can inadvertently cause damage or performance issues, requiring careful management and potentially voiding warranties.

thinkfan features and specs

  • Lightweight
    Thinkfan is a minimalistic utility that consumes very few system resources, making it ideal for systems with limited processing power.
  • Customizable
    Thinkfan allows users to define custom temperature thresholds and fan speed levels, providing granular control over system cooling.
  • Compatibility
    Designed to work well with ThinkPad laptops but can be used on other systems by configuring manually, offering broader applicability.
  • Ease of Use
    Thinkfan is relatively straightforward to set up and use for those familiar with Linux command-line tools, providing a simple approach to fan control.
  • Open Source
    As an open-source project, thinkfan allows users to contribute, modify, and enhance the code, fostering community-driven improvements.

Possible disadvantages of thinkfan

  • Limited GUI
    Thinkfan lacks a graphical user interface, which can make configuration and usage more challenging for users unfamiliar with command-line operations.
  • System Specific Setup
    Although it can be adapted for various systems, thinkfan requires manual configuration, potentially leading to a steeper learning curve for non-ThinkPad users.
  • Potential Risk
    Incorrect configuration may lead to inadequate cooling and overheating, which poses a risk to system stability and hardware integrity.
  • Limited Features
    Compared to some other fan control utilities, thinkfan provides basic functionalities without advanced features like fan profiles or logging.
  • Requires Understanding of System Sensors
    Users need some understanding of the system's thermal sensors to effectively configure thinkfan, which may be a barrier for less experienced users.

smcFanControl videos

How to Cool down your Mac! With smcFanControl

More videos:

  • Review - SMCFancontrol Review! Run a cooler Mac for Gaming/ Editing!

thinkfan videos

Lenovo W520 Fan Control using thinkfan

More videos:

  • Review - Thinkfan on Thinkpad T410 - thinkpad_acpi doesn't seem to support fan_control (2 Solutions!!)
  • Review - Ubuntu: thinkfan control doesn't use the fan full potential when needed (2 Solutions!!)

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to smcFanControl and thinkfan)
Monitoring Tools
62 62%
38% 38
Log Management
56 56%
44% 44
Device Management
65 65%
35% 35
OS & Utilities
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using smcFanControl and thinkfan. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, thinkfan seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 14 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

smcFanControl mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of smcFanControl yet. Tracking of smcFanControl recommendations started around Mar 2021.

thinkfan mentions (14)

  • [Linux@T460] Fan running non-stop (every now and then)
    I use Thinkfan on my T420, T440, X230 and X1 that run Linux. I linked the author's github page, but I believe it's available straight from the package manager in Ubuntu/Mint, so elementary might have it too. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Fans issue on my Lenovo Thinpad P16s AMD on Ubuntu
    I have found Thinkfan seems to be a good way to control Thinkpad fans on Ubuntu. Https://github.com/vmatare/thinkfan. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Black screen after suspend resume - gnome wayland
    Solved that with Thinkfan (https://github.com/vmatare/thinkfan). Source: over 2 years ago
  • The minimum viable fan control script
    The second solution on this page probably isn't reliable, because hwmon paths like `hwmon3` depend on module load order. That's likely the same reason for the `card*` workaround mentioned above. I am using thinkfan for this and it works really well: https://github.com/vmatare/thinkfan. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • Problem building thinkfan from source: DSO missing from command line
    As thinkfan (https://github.com/vmatare/thinkfan) doesn't come prepackaged with my Debian version I tried to build it myself. I installed all the libraries as instructed in the README file, and followed the build instructions. Running cmake works fine, but then when I run make I get the following linker error that I cannot solve no matter what I try (this is actually my first time building a project!):. Source: almost 3 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing smcFanControl and thinkfan, you can also consider the following products

SpeedFan - Hardware monitor for Windows that can access digital temperature sensors located on several 2-wire SMBus Serial Bus. Can access voltages and fan speeds and control fan speeds. Includes technical articles and docs.

iMac HDD Fan Control - iMac HDD Fan Control is an HDD fan control for the Mac operating systems by using which the Mac users can control the speed and noise of the fan of the Mac.

Open Hardware Monitor - Monitors temperature sensors, fan speeds, voltages, load and clock speeds, with optional graph.

Macs Fan Control - Macs Fan Control is an iMac, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Mac Mini and Mac Pro fan control that is the solution of two basic issues namely noise problems and overheating problems.

iStat Menus - "An advanced Mac system monitor for your menubar."

Argus Monitor - Argus Monitor is for monitoring and analyzing the temperature and the health status of the hardware parts of the system.