Cooling Question

[nheather]

My son has just upgraded his case and AIO and I am going to use his hand-me-downs to improve my setup.

I'm running a B450 AM4 motherboard, with a 5800X3D CPU, a 9060XT graphics card and an 850W PSU.

The newly acquired case is a Corsair mid-tower, a lot roomier because my current one which is so old that it has all the racking for 5.25" drives, CD-ROMS etc. The newly acquired cooler is a 240mm AIO.

What I will definitely have is 3x 120mm fans on the front pulling air into the case and the 240mm AIO radiator on the roof venting out of the case.

My question to the experts here is whether I should fit a single 120mm fan on the rear panel and if so, should it pull air into the case or push it out?

 

[Meridian]

Assuming flow for each 120mm is about the same, since you have 3 x 120mm (the case front) in and 2 x 120mm (the AIO) out then the extra 120mm should blow out to balance. It also means that flow comes in at the front and then moves towards the rear and also upwards.

 

[mickyflinn]

I would not add another fan to the rear to keep positive pressure but I doubt thee would be much difference in terms of temps regardless.

 

[iwrox]

My understanding was the same as the other posters, if you have 3 intakes and 3 top exhausts all things being equal you do not then need a rear exhaust as well.

Certainly with the build I just completed this weekend I also omitted the rear fan for the same reasons.

 

[mickyflinn]

My understanding was the same as the other posters, if you have 3 intakes and 3 top exhausts all things being equal you do not then need a rear exhaust as well.

Certainly with the build I just completed this weekend I also omitted the rear fan for the same reasons.

You should look into positive and negative pressure in a pc case.

Positive Pressure vs Negative Pressure: Which is Best for a Gaming PC?

We explain the differences between positive pressure and negative pressure. And give some guidance for which you should choose.

www.corsair.com

 

[iwrox]

You should look into positive and negative pressure in a pc case.

Positive Pressure vs Negative Pressure: Which is Best for a Gaming PC?

We explain the differences between positive pressure and negative pressure. And give some guidance for which you should choose.

www.corsair.com

Thanks, that does indeed make it clearer! I appear to have lucked into a decent config as the temps seem much lower than I was used to from back in my i7-5820k and 980ti days!

 

[Meridian]

Thanks, that does indeed make it clearer!

Apart from the bit where they say both positive and negative pressure increase the cooling...