ACX Cooling and airflow in N200 case

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RabbitSeason

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Aug 21, 2014
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I am looking for help on deciding to return the GTX 770 SC with ACX cooling for a card without ACX cooling. I have read that in small cases, such as the N200 I purchased, the lack of really good airflow can cause the ACX cooler to actually make surrounding parts hotter and even the GPU hotter as well. When running furmark, I got up to around 80 degrees before it seemed to plateau (fans weren't on max or even 85% for some reason). I really don't want the components to fail simply because of the style of cooler on the GPU.

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/RabbitSeason/saved/XxBhP6

The list isn't totally accurate because I now have a 650 watt PSU from Corsair.

Thanks!
 
Solution
geofelt
I recommend the added intake fan only route.
The two 120mm intake fans will have about the same volume of intake air as the cpu cooler and the acx coolers combined. If most of your intake comes from the front through a filter, your case will stay cleaner.
That is called positive pressure.

I think adding side fans disrupts the natural airflow. If your total exhaust fans are stronger than the total intake fans, you will have negative pressore and no cleaning capability.

If need be, you can buy two stronger intake fans. They are not expensive. Look for yate loon at <$8 or so. But stronger fans will run at higher rpm and be noisier. To test, you could relocate an exhaust fan to the front and see how you do.
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vagrantsoul

vagrantsoul

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agree with geofelt. get some higher cfm fans to put on the side panel as exhaust and intake to increase negative pressure in the case (vs more intake = positive pressure) may increase dust a little, but will help pull the hot air bubble out of the case.

120mm or 140mm (not sure what the top and side panel accommodate), something maybe similar to the corsair high airflow fans: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835181028
 
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RabbitSeason

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I can add another intake fan, but the side fan and another exhaust fan may be out of the question. The Hyper 212 infringes on the space the side fan would use, and the other possibility of the exhaust fan on top of the case has very little space, but may be doable. The only easy option is for sure another fan on the front. In light of this, should I just purchase a different card?
 
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trawetSluaP

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ACX coolers are crap, if you can change it for a reference cooler I'd do it. You may have to run the fan profile a little more aggressive but it'll dump all the heat out of the back of the case and you won't have an ACX cooler to worry about.
 
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RabbitSeason

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Aug 21, 2014
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Thanks all. I can only add one more exhaust on the top and one more intake in the front, but I don't think that will be enough. I can find stock coolers on ebay for the card for around 70$. Can anyone recommend a better aftermarket cooler?
 
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geofelt

geofelt

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Oct 9, 2006
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I recommend the added intake fan only route.
The two 120mm intake fans will have about the same volume of intake air as the cpu cooler and the acx coolers combined. If most of your intake comes from the front through a filter, your case will stay cleaner.
That is called positive pressure.

I think adding side fans disrupts the natural airflow. If your total exhaust fans are stronger than the total intake fans, you will have negative pressore and no cleaning capability.

If need be, you can buy two stronger intake fans. They are not expensive. Look for yate loon at <$8 or so. But stronger fans will run at higher rpm and be noisier. To test, you could relocate an exhaust fan to the front and see how you do.
 
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Solution
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RabbitSeason

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Aug 21, 2014
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So, you would buy stronger intake fans than exhaust? I think I will buy a nice fan for intake and a slim fan for exhaust on the roof of the case. Sound reasonable?

Also, what are you thoughts on PCI case coolers? The hot air bubble is below the card and as such there is no room for a fan there...
 
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geofelt

geofelt

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Reasonable.

Some time ago, I used a pci cooler under my graphics card. The graphics card was not a true blower type and had some leakage of hot air around the back. The pci cooler actually worked reasonably well. In time, I abandoned it. The fan was small and made too much noise. You could try one, they are not expensive.
 
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