Amount of fans in Fractal Design Define R5

[frantic6]

Hi,

I've recently upgraded my case to the Fractal Design Define R5, and I'm wondering how many fans to install and the best layout for the most efficient and silent system. I already have a Corsair H80i and I'm considering buying some Aerocool DS 140mm fans, but i'm not sure if it's necessary.

The case comes with two 'silent' 140mm fans pre-installed, and can accommodate:
2 x front
1 x bottom
3 x top
1 x back

Thanks for any help

 

[ShakedG]

You could stay with the existing fans. Put the h80i in the back as exhaust, then both fans in the front. This will give you a relatively quiet system and decent cooling.
For better cooling (which isn't that necessary since you have a liquid cooler for your CPU): h80i in the back as exhaust, both aerocool in the front as intake, and then one fractal fan in the bottom and one on top.

 

[frantic6]

Thanks for the reply,

That sounds pretty good, thanks for the quick reply. Would you recommend a fan on the bottom to supply my graphics card, or would that disrupt airflow?

Thanks

 

[madmatt30]

Not worth using a bottom fan - 2 front 140mm intakes will do the job very well.

 

[ShakedG]

Not worth using a bottom fan - 2 front 140mm intakes will do the job very well.

I agree, I think my first suggestion is probably the best for you, and will be very quiet.

 

[JasonL265]

From what I remember, there are 3 top Fans, but the one in the front will be blocked off if you install a CD drive, and you also have to remove the CD Drive cage in order to install a fan. The bottom has 2 slots as well (3 if you include the one for the PSU), but the front one is blocked by the Hard drive cage and the middle one is usable, but it can also be blocked off if you have one of the longer power supplies. So for most people you will have 2 front, 2 top, 1 back and maybe 1 bottom. The 2 front ones are normally intake and the back is exhaust (in your case for the radiator for the h80). If you can fit it then the top two are normally exhaust and the bottom is an intake (already has a dust filter).

So basically 2 Front and Bottom (optional) intake.
2 Top and Back Exhaust.

 

[frantic6]

I will have a total of three 3.5" hard drives, will these make a big difference? Where would you recommend putting them? They can be placed in the middle or bottom of the front of the case.

Also, are the Aerocool fans a major improvement over the stock Fractal Design ones?

Thanks for all the advice

 

[ShakedG]

I will have a total of three 3.5" hard drives, will these make a big difference? Where would you recommend putting them? They can be placed in the middle or bottom of the front of the case.

Also, are the Aerocool fans a major improvement over the stock Fractal Design ones?

Thanks for all the advice

The aerocool fans are a pretty big improvement, but the stock ones are pretty good themselves. If you want to get the Aerocool ones then I'd say H80i exhaust in the back, both Aerocool as intake in the front and both stock fans in the top as exhaust. Hopefully the Aerocool are strong enough to keep a positive air pressure, but just to be safe it may be smarter to put one of the stock fan on the top and one on the bottom. Better yet, get a third Aerocool and have 2 intake front aerocool, h80i back exhaust, 1 intake bottom aerocool, and 2 stock top exhaust.

 

[frantic6]

Thanks ShakedG, I think I'll try your first suggestion and see what results I get, then maybe upgrade to the Aerocools later on.

Thanks again.