Case Fan Layout?

RabidNinja64 · Jul 30, 2016

Currently building up a PC and just getting everything set up, as a first time build.

For reference sake, I'm running with the CiT neptune case

https://www.cclonline.com/product/105682/CP-626-BLUE/Cases/CiT-Neptune-Gaming-Case/CAS0790/

It's position is under a desk with plenty of legroom at its side where I can situate 2 fans onto the window (I presume).

As it stands, I have a front fan and rear fan (120mm) and running the stock Intel CPU cooler (Which obviously faces the window with ventilation holes). As im aiming for good ventilation over noise, I'm considering the inclusion of a side window fan, but my problem is understanding if it should be intake or exhaust?

It being intake, i presume it would create a cross-breeze across the board and push components to a higher unnecessary heat?

With it being switched to exhaust, I expect that there won't be enough air going through the case to the components to keep heat to a minimum?

I should also note that I MIGHT be buying the reference RX 480, So fan orientation will most likely be all over the place, so some expert advice will be worth investing in.

Y'know, before I set my rig on fire

coozie7 · Jul 30, 2016

Most fans installed in less expensive cases are, frankly, poor.
To start with swap them out fro better quality parts, they'll be quieter and have better airflow, Sythe, Noctua, Phanteks, Be Quiet!, Noiseblocker and Corsair all make excellent alternatives.

If you're worried about other components getting hot using a reference type GPU is a good way to keep the heat out of the system but I'll advise you stay away from a reference cooled RX480, the cooler isn't really up to the job. Either look for a dual fan alternative or look at a reference cooled GTX1060, it's a little faster than the RX480 but more expensive, the cooler is better, though.

Realistically, two fans are all you should need with the current build, especially if you use relatively low power cards like the rX480 or GTX1060.

Isokolon · Jul 30, 2016

Don't buy reference cards, neither AMD nor Gforce
I had a fan installed at the side right around the GPU. My experience: it's better as intake as it provides cool air for the GPU.

But it depends on your case.
Good fan brands are Noctua, Phanteks, Noiseblocker, bequiet (although they got a relatively poor performance but are dead silent), Corsair and surprisingly good: Cougar.

What's your case?
What kind of expansion is possible in it?

For front intake I suggest to look out for a good pressure. Doesn't have to be some crazy high pressure fans, but for example the loved silent wings by bequiet make for a poor front intake due to very low pressure, if you need a good airflow Into your case while they are quite good for exhausting air.

Also make sure to take a look at how they are mounted. Some fans make a weird noise if mounted horizontally (like the Phanteks) but work fine vertically.

I highly recommend nit using metal screws

RabidNinja64 · Jul 30, 2016

Isokolon :

Here is my Case: https://www.cclonline.com/product/105682/CP-626-BLUE/Cases/CiT-Neptune-Gaming-Case/CAS0790/

I'd say there isn't a whole lot of expansion, Got 7 expansions slots at the back; Just the barebone basics of a case. Actually just ripped out an old CD-RW for the front and it works really well.

Isokolon · Jul 30, 2016

Yeah there is no mention in that link as to how many fans can be attached to the case and where it's possible to do so.
I'd remove one of the drive cages if possible to get a better flow

But for example:
I use an AMD 955, TBD 125W
And an R6850 PE TBD 130W

For some time in the beginning I had only 1 intake fan front, 1 intake at the side, no exhaust. Neither GPU nor CPU spiked over 73°/77°
Now with a rear exhaust I don't get to 70°C/75°C
(starting with 48°C idle - my room is very hot

But I don't rate the Intel stock cooler very highly. You could give your cpu a treat and gift it a nice cooler.

coozie7 · Jul 30, 2016

The specs show the case can handle 2 front 120mm and one rear 120mm fans.
Both front fans should be intake, the rear exhaust.

The RX480 reference cooler isn't good enough, all the reviews point to it being quite noisy and hot running, which can cause the card to 'throttle' that is to say reduce its speed to keep the temperature within designed limits. If you want to go for the RX 480, go for one of the dual fan designs, but be sure it can fit, the gap between the case rear and the HDD bays looks quite small and the specs don't mention this dimension-check it with a tape measure to be sure.

There's actually nothing really wrong with the GTX1060 reference cooler, maybe it isn't a quiet as the bigger dual fan solutions but it's easily capable of keeping the card below its throttle temperature and has the additional benefit of exhausting all of its hot air out of the case.

RabidNinja64 · Jul 31, 2016

coozie7 :

Thanks, I'll consider the inclusion of 2 front fans, but as it stands, I'm looking to include a side fan as well, Im just curious as to whether I should or not.

Oh, and measure the case area last night; runs just over 9 inches from rear to HDD bay, Which i'd say is more than enough for a standard 8 inch PCB (Hopefully!)

As for the 480, I don't mind waiting out for the other designs if it increases heat disipation and performance across the board, so i'll take that into account. If money becomes an issue during my build I might have to rely on the reference, or even a different card.

BONUS QUESTION: seeing how the Powercolor devil RX 480 is getting somewhat favourable reviews, would you say they're a good brand? Or should I wait it out for Sapphire's design?

bboiprfsr · Jul 31, 2016

bonus: Powercolor is a second tier manufacturer (budget manufacturers include: HIS, Zotac, Palit, Biostar, Diamond, Gainward, Galax, PNY, Powercolor, Sparkle and VisionTek). I recommend sticking with top shelf manufacturers like ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte, Sapphire, XFX and EVGA. Let's say you have a problem (omg my card died. hmm who should i contact? i need customer service on RMA, etc), the well known brands should technically help you out more promptly.

Side fans do help in managing your graphics card's temperature by several degrees if you decide to overclock it. Basically you want to intake the cooler ambient room temperature air into the heated graphics card so it can exhaust that hot air out of the case while intaking cold air from the outside environment again from the side fan. hope that makes sense.

and yeah, don't get reference designed graphics cards. they're bottom of the barrel. think of stock coolers (never mind, you're using one) - they're budget conscious, noisy, and inefficient; only used to meet minimum requirements. Aftermarket is the way to go. Read reviews or watch videos. They'll prove it using empirical evidence if you think otherwise.

i'd also like to add you should get an aftermarket cpu cooler, like cryorig's H7. pretty affordable and a major investment for longevity!

Isokolon · Jul 31, 2016

One has to say that especially Zotac, Palit, Gainward & Powercolour seem to be aiming for Tier1 as of late.
Zotac for example provides 5 years warranty for some cards, the more expensive Gainward models seem to have a very good build quality.

Side intake is nice. But it doesn't have to be a high performance fan from my experience. You can pick a rather silent fan (noiseblocker, BeQuiet) as it will provide direct airflow to the GPU and will be more than sufficient.

madmatt30 · Jul 31, 2016

There is no such thing as a second tier manufacturer.

Galax (kfa2) make some of the best aftermarket cards on the planet as do power color with their devil series & zotac with their amp edition cards

bboiprfsr · Jul 31, 2016

yo i just copied and pasted it from some other post with the same exact question, matt. Umm i disagree with that. There will always be "second tier" products that try to offer better value from a name brand product by lowering costs through various means, such as less advertising, less packaging, cheaper labor, or cheaper materials.

madmatt30 · Jul 31, 2016

^ second tier products maybe yes but not manufacturers (I may give you the palit/vtx3d branded cards- same firm)

You have to go by card model itself not the brand.
Galax & power color id personally put above MSI on build & component quality.

RabidNinja64 · Aug 1, 2016

bboiprfsr :

Thank you for the in-depth information and choice of CPU fan, I'll put it to good use as the stock cooler is only going to cause more problems if it's that close to my side intake fan.

My only concern now is keeping it cool, as I lack upper case fans. I didn't realise air flow was such a bitch to try and figure out xD

Isokolon · Aug 1, 2016

Upper case fans are mostly overkill.
As I stated before, I use a CPU & GPU that produce more heat than a modern i7+GTX1080
And I got a small case
With one intake fan and one exhaust and the temps don't go over 70 degrees C, although my room alone reaches 40 on a hot day
Also when mounting the exhaust as side intake, my GPU runs cooler but since changing to a bigger cpu cooler I do not have the space in my case to do so.

So you'll be fine even without top exhaust probably.

RabidNinja64 · Aug 2, 2016

Isokolon :

"Probably" yeah haha. even if I currently cant mount it due to my case lacking the space for one.

Saying that, would it be worth investing in a big dual fan CPU cooler, nulifying the necessity of a side fan, or mounting an exhaust side fan while I mount my stock intel cooler? because as it stands, most of my heat is going out the back, as it should (Duh!), but with my theoretical non-reference RX480 in the mix, it becomes a tad more confusing than it should be, for a noobie such as myself haha.

Currently drawn 2 Theorised layouts, keeping standard intake and exhaust ports at front & back:

Layout 1: with my stock CPU cooler exhausting air, the side fan exhausts the air further, as well as the GPU air blown its sides. Front intake provides minimal difference (presumably), but might necessitate a second front intake fan in place of any front external drive bays for CD readers.

Layout 2: Dual Fan cooler for CPU, which sucks in GPU fan air as it mixes with front intake fan airflow, exhausts out the back, cycle continues. CPU may suffer from minimal heat increase, but necessitates a better thermal paste to combat efficiency.

madmatt30 · Aug 2, 2016

^ layout 1 - you have the wrong idea about the stock CPU fan mate , it draws air into the heatsink .

A side fan as an exhaust interferes with it negatively.

I've never ever bothered with side fans .
Two front intakes , half decent rear blowing tower cooler , good 120/140mm exhaust fan.

That's all you really need

Isokolon · Aug 2, 2016

I'm not convinced by dual-fan CPU coolers. they mostly offer little benefit, as the fan blows the air straight out the cooler anyway.

I'd go: 1-2 fans for front intake, 1 fan side intake, 1(-2) fan CPU cooler, 1fan rear case exhaust

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