Push or pull through radiator ?

[Gripen90]

Getting ready to build my ITX machine this weekend (motherboard arrives later today), I want to put my Corsair H100X into use. Instead of using the stock fans I am using the Corsair ML120 Premium fans. However I am unsure whether to mount the fans in a push or a pull configuration ? The radiator will be top mounted, and the fans on the radiator will be the only ones in the PC except for the fans on the graphics card (open shroud with dual fans). I want the best airflow environment/best thermal dissipation that is possible in this ITX case (Sharkoon QB One) when using this AIO solution.

 

[Gripen90]

Thank you for the replies I will set the fans to exhaust. Picking up the motherboard in a few minutes so the build can be done tomorrow - finally.

 

[Gripen90]

I ended up trying 3 sets of fans all pushing the air through the radiator and out up the top. I had originally installed the Corsair ML120 Premium fans, but they were just way too noisy at 1500rpm (they are rated at 2400rpm). At full rpm they sound like a couple of Pratt & Whitney F100 turbofan engines. The performance at 1500rpm was also quite lackluster on my Corsair H100X where the temperatures at max load (running AIDA 64 / OCCT) on the Ryzen 9 3900X would hit around 92~95°c, at a bearable noiselevel.
I then ordered a set of 2 Noctua NF-F12 PWM Chromax Black fans and 2 Noctua NF-A12x25 PWM fans. The latter weren't in stock at the time of ordering so I recieved the NF-F12 first. And they were soooo much quieter running at their max 1300rpm than the Corsair ML120 at the same rpm, and the temperatures were also much better now stabilizing at 84°c at max load (AIDA 64 / OCCT).
However today I got the NF-A12x25 PWM fans, and I thought what the heck I'll give them a try. And I must say these are absolutely beasts running at 2000rpm they are ever so slightly louder than the NF-F12's at 1300rpm. The load temperatures now stabilizes at a constant 79°c during AIDA 64 / OCCT stresstesting. So while the colours don't match particularly well with the brown/beige of these fans instead of the Black Chromax fans, I dediced to keep them in the ITX build because they cool so well with a minimal noise increase during absolute load which the PC never will reach during normal usage.
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