CPU Cooling - best option to aid GPU cooling (or at least not make it worse)?

[Haggisman]

Current setup:

CPU: Ryzen 5800X3D
GPU: Reference 7800XT
Case: Be Quiet! Pure Base 500DX

Currently have 1x 140mm fan in the front intake, 1x140mm fan at the rear exhaust, and 1x140mm fan at the top exhaust
CPU cooler is an Alpenfohn Matterhorn

Looking to reduce noise levels of the CPU cooler, as it's the noisiest fan in my system, and does some annoying revving at times.
At the same time, it would be nice to drop the temps of my GPU if at all possible.

So, 2 options I'm looking at:

Arctic Liquid Freezer II 280mm, front mounted intake, moving the existing 140mm intake to the top exhaust
Noctua DH15 + additional 140mm intake in front of case + additional 140mm exhaust on top of case

I can't really find a consensus about which is the better option,

• With the AIO, the air coming into the case will be warmer, but there will be more space above the GPU for air circulation, rather than a heat source, and a huge heatsink right next to it blocking air flow.
• With the air cooler, there will be cool air entering the system, along with the fans on the CPU cooler possibly helping take the hot air away from the GPU, but also maybe reducing the amount of dissipation and concentrating the heat in that area of the system.

Help?

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

When possible depending on cpu etc
A good air cooler
Has less points of failure over an AIO

Don't need to splash out on noctua
Thermalright peerless assassin or their phantom spirit
And forgot the other 2 models
Are fantastic coolers at fantastic prices

 

[mickyflinn]

Move the top 140mm to the front and buy the Thermalright Phantom spirit 120 or Peerless Assassin for £30

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

^ I meant phantom spirit
Having trouble remembering all these models lol
Thanks mickyflinn

 

[Haggisman]

Move the top 140mm to the front

It's not worth getting the extra 2x 140mm to increase both intake and exhaust?

Don't need to splash out on noctua
Thermalright peerless assassin or their phantom spirit
And forgot the other 2 models
Are fantastic coolers at fantastic prices

buy the Thermalright Phantom spirit 120 or Peerless Assassin for £30

There's a B-Grade Noctua DH15 which I've put an offer in for.

Those Thermalright coolers look OK, but they are 120mm and rated much louder than the Noctua?

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

Frost commander and forgot the other
Think those are 140mm

Depends what rpm we are talking about?
If ramped to maximum
Then possibly will be louder


But fair enough if can grab a b grade noctua
At a good price
Then it's probably worth it

 

[Haggisman]

Frost commander and forgot the other
Think those are 140mm

Depends what rpm we are talking about?
If ramped to maximum
Then possibly will be louder


But fair enough if can grab a b grade noctua
At a good price
Then it's probably worth it

Thanks - so I'm guessing the AIO is going to cool the CPU better (maybe), but at detriment to the GPU then?

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

Thanks - so I'm guessing the AIO is going to cool the CPU better (maybe), but at detriment to the GPU then?

Probably a few degrees
Since bringing warm air in through the rad
But that way makes the cpu a few degrees cooler

As long as there's airflow
And you're not on the edge of temperature limits
I have found either intake or exhaust through rads
Its pretty much swings and roundabouts
have done it both ways over the years just depending what
Pc case I used at the time

It's more a case of
If an air cooler can handle your cpu
You don't have the worry of an AIO pump failure
For what it's worth
Thermalright now make AIO too
Got about 4 models
As low as £55 for 360mm with argb fans too
They're after the bang for buck section of AIO now too

 

[Haggisman]

Probably a few degrees
Since bringing warm air in through the rad
But that way makes the cpu a few degrees cooler

As long as there's airflow
And you're not on the edge of temperature limits
I have found either intake or exhaust through rads
Its pretty much swings and roundabouts
have done it both ways over the years just depending what
Pc case I used at the time

It's more a case of
If an air cooler can handle your cpu
You don't have the worry of an AIO pump failure
For what it's worth
Thermalright now make AIO too
Got about 4 models
As low as £55 for 360mm with argb fans too
They're after the bang for buck section of AIO now too

Nice one, thanks, that all makes sense, and good point about AIO pump as another point of failure. Current cooler has been going strong across 3 different systems and 5 different CPUs since 2015, and is only showing any signs of struggling now with the 5800X3D

 

[srekal34]

Move the top 140mm to the front and buy the Thermalright Phantom spirit 120 or Peerless Assassin for £30

I second that, AIO isnt worth it with Ryzen

 

[Havana_UK]

I agree with mickyflinn's solution. I think part of your problem is the current intake/exhaust config. As a general rule of thumb, more intake vs less exhaust provides a better cooling solution. Many of today's best performing cases for cooling have only intake fans. This also creates positive pressure in your case, reducing dustr ingress.

 

[Haggisman]

I agree with mickyflinn's solution. I think part of your problem is the current intake/exhaust config. As a general rule of thumb, more intake vs less exhaust provides a better cooling solution. Many of today's best performing cases for cooling have only intake fans. This also creates positive pressure in your case, reducing dustr ingress.

Cheers - that saves me ~£30 on the additional 2 fans as well then

I can always experiment with adding them in future (I think I have a couple of old 120mms lying around anyway I can at least see if it makes any difference and get some decent fans if it seems worthwhile).

 

[Havana_UK]

Yeah, I would move your top exhaust to the front and use it as intake to start with. That way you'll encourage front to back airflow in the case, and have 2x the intake vs exhaust.

 

[Armageus]

Looking to reduce noise levels of the CPU cooler, as it's the noisiest fan in my system, and does some annoying revving at times.

Some of that will be down to the fan curve and hysteresis

At the same time, it would be nice to drop the temps of my GPU if at all possible.

Having all 3 front intake fans populated would help with that - the lower two are going to blow straight at the GPU, whilst the top one will keep air moving over towards the CPU cooler

Noctua DH15 + additional 140mm intake in front of case + additional 140mm exhaust on top of case

Additional exhaust at the frontmost top position wouldn't help, as all you end up doing then is pulling the cool air straight up and out before it's had chance to blow over anything.

I think just having 3 intake fans, with a single exhaust fan would make a fair difference, although as already mentioned a new CPU cooler will certainly help (as things have moved on in the 10+ years since the Matterhorn was originally around)

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

Yeah they've certainly had their moneys worth
Out of the cooler

Every pc case is different
People put different stuff in same cases too
Basic principle is of course get airflow
But sometimes you just have to experiment
And move some fans or reverse their direction etc
See what works best for you

Another advantage over an AIO
Not usually simple and straightforward to try flipped fans
Should you want to try intake instead of exhaust
And vice versa