Lila Brooks

Watch for noise that is not actually from the fan. Thin pad frames love to vibrate which turns into an annoying hum. Add soft spacers at the corners between pad and desk and again between pad and that model so the fan is decoupled. Heavier pads or anything with rubber isolators tend to sound calmer at the same airflow. Cheap fix. Mesh matters too. You want a lot of open area and smooth transitions so the air is not whistling through tiny holes. A pad that is wider than your that model inch base helps because the edges are not blocking the flow near the sides. Run the fan just high enough to stop the that model ramps, then back it off a click. Stable temps beat chasing the lowest possible number.