Push or pull?

xiorell · 26 Dec 2015 at 22:13

Hey all

Installing a 120mm AIO cooler, would it be better to have the fan inside on the cpu side pushing air out through (and so including the ambient warm case air)

Or

Have the fan outside the rad (as in, up against the case side of the rad) pulling cold air In from outside, and then another 120mm fan in the roof blowing the ambient air up and out

CaNsA · 26 Dec 2015 at 22:21

I have my AIO with a fan on either side of the rad, mounted inside my case pulling the air out.

Snookums · 26 Dec 2015 at 22:36

There isn't actually a difference between any of them. Push, pull and push/pull are the same pretty much in temps. However I would recommend having the fan pull. As the dust will catch on the side that doesn't have the a fan on making it easier to clean.

Frank Jeagar · 27 Dec 2015 at 13:27

I'd use the AIO as an exhaust, it will have enough cooling performance that the warm case air won't effect your CPU temps too much and stops the CPU dumping more heat into the case.

xiorell · 27 Dec 2015 at 17:46

Ok cheers guys I'll go with the default "through rad > exhaust" setup then

This 120mm AIO is a temporary solution anyway, until I get a bigger case and probably the kraken x61, then recycling this 120 into a mini ITX build for the misses

StudentDavid · 27 Dec 2015 at 18:12

I use push pull on my H110gtx, although there's minimal difference from my tests to doing that or having push or pull alone.