Best fan configuration for gaming PC

[mldvn33]

I'm trying to optimize my recent build for first time overclocking and at least dual SLI for 4K gaming:

Motherboard: Asrock Z87 Extreme6
CPU: Intel 3.5GHz 4770K Haswell
Liquid cooler: Thermaltake 3.0 Extreme
GPU: GTX 780 Ti (soon getting another for 2 way SLI)
Case: Corsair Carbide 300R
PSU: Rosewill 850W
SSD: Samsung EVO 250GB
HDD: Seagate Barracuda 1TB
RAM: G.Skill dual band total 16GB at 2133MHz frequency

My liquid cooler is mounted on the case roof under two corsair SP120mm fans pushing cold air down through the radiator into the case.
I have another corsair SP120mm mounted as the rear exhaust.
One stock 140mm fan sucking in air through front case panel filter, and another 120mm sucking air in under it through the 3.5" drive bays (this was originally the stock rear exhaust).
Lastly I have two 120mm fans sucking cold air in from the side panel onto the GPU, soon to be 2 GPUs.
My PSU fan is facing downward sucking in air from the bottom, is this ok? Or should I flip it so it sucks in the warm air from the GPUs and blows it out its rear?

Any constructive feedback is greatly appreciated.

 

[i7Baby]

http://www.corsair.com/en/carbide-series-300r-compact-pc-gaming-case -
Front: (x2) 120/140mm
Top: (x2) 120/140mm
Rear: (x1) 120mm
Side: (x2) 120/140mm

You get a 120mm fan rear and front. I'd add another one to the front to pressurise the case slightly.

Your cooler should push air up out of the case - not hot air into the case.

 

[mldvn33]

I know the case fan configuration slots, I own it.

And like I said I have a 140mm front intake and a 120mm front intake.

The radiator fans pointing downwards vs upwards I've been researching a whole lot. I've had it pushing air up through the radiator out of the case for a few months. I wanted to try another configuration, specifically to push cold air through the radiator instead of the already hot air inside the case; and also debating push vs pull as well. Any other suggestions on that matter?

 

[i7Baby]

I didn't and had to write it down to remember it.

I'd leave your psu the way it is and do what I said. Top fans blowing out, not in. No need for so many fans. How do you control them all?

 

[mldvn33]

All the fans are controlled by the motherboard.

Regarding the radiator intake vs exhaust, heres an article with data showing that intake is better than exhaust with a radiator for the CPU itself, and it made me switch my configuration in order to test it for myself:

http://asetek.com/press-room/blog/2011/air-flow-matters,-part-1.aspx

 

[i7Baby]

That guy says intake better but then he says "This is due to the fact that the case temperature of a CPU has a 1:1 relationship with the temperature of the ambient air moving through the radiator." So - don't blow hot air into the case - it heats up the cpu. Another IT guy smoking weed while working?

 

[mldvn33]

Blowing cool air through the radiator cools the CPU more than blowing hot air through the same radiator...it's logical, and I'm willing to do it for optimal CPU over clocking, the trade off is that the case temperature would increase for the other components, and I'd need to implement more exhaust to balance out the excessive positive pressure I've created.

 

[tech-wreck]

theoretically, the radiator would function better with cool air passing through it, but as the others have said, you don't want a radiator warming the air up as it enters the case.

i would have thought that separating the radiator airflow from the case airflow would give the best results. or is that thinking outside the box?

 

[mldvn33]

theoretically, the radiator would function better with cool air passing through it, but as the others have said, you don't want a radiator warming the air up as it enters the case.

i would have thought that separating the radiator airflow from the case airflow would give the best results. or is that thinking outside the box?

I guess I'll see. I'm willing to try it either way, I'll even considering switching the two 120mm side panel fans to exhausts to balance the pressure, maybe even replace the side panel for clear panel that corsair offers for the 300r, which appears to have the side panel fan slots higher up more opposite from the CPU, I think they'd serve as sufficient exhausts coupled with the rear exhaust. Another issue I was contemplating over is whether I need the SP fans for the pressure or AF for more airflow as exhausts?

 

[tech-wreck]

what i meant was, if i was installing a radiator in my pc, i'd fabricate a couple of brackets and mount it to the outside of the case, at the side behind the mobo tray rather than on top. aesthetically, it would be $h1t, but i've never been accused of putting form before function.

as for fans, IIRC you want max CFM for exhausts, and high static pressure for rads.

 

[mldvn33]

I'll have to look into it