About 2 years ago I bought an Intel NUC 8 to be used as a Linux server at home. Since it runs 24/7/365, it’s just a matter of time when the fan will fail. That time was about 5-6 weeks ago.
NUC8 Fan Model BSC0805HA-00
The internal fan (model: BSC0805HA-00) of the NUC 8 is not your average computer fan, and it’s also different from the earlier and later NUC versions. The fan for the older and newer NUC versions are abundantly available online through the regular channels. Not so much luck for the NUC 8 model…
There are some vendors on AliExpress that sell this type of fan. The problem is that I normally buy stuff from vendors that have sold hundreds of the item I want or need (there’s a difference :-) ).
Since there was no Dutch or European shop that had these fans in stock I had to try. It was that or buy a new NUC ($$$).
The fan I bought on AliExpress was ~$25USD, which was basically the cheapest option available. It arrived after about 3 weeks and it looked like the real thing.
On the left the new AliExpress fan. On the right the old noisy fan still attached to the NUC
After replacing the fan it was dead-quiet again in my room (and yes, the fan still moved air through the NUC). Now fingers crossed that this fan holds out for another 2 years.
B.t.w. If you’re looking for instructions on how to disassemble the NUC; just try YouTube
UPDATE @ 08-20-2022: The fan actually lasted a little bit more than a year. I ordered a new fan (from a local NUC ports supplier) yesterday. Let’s see how long that fan will last.