[SOLVED] Cooling Advice, Please

[blatherscribe]

Greetings,

I'm looking for some advice on keeping my new computer cooled. I'm trying some new things with this one, and I want to make sure I don't make any unpleasant mistakes.

I have an Intel Core i9 CPU on an Asus ROG Strix Z390-E motherboard, with an Asus ROG Strix RTX 2080 video card, in a Fractal Design Define R6 case. Fans (CPU, two intake, one exhaust) are all from Noctua. What I'm doing differently this time around is, in pursuit of silence, setting up as many fans as possible so that they'll turn off when not needed.

Based on advice I found here and elsewhere, I've got the case fans using the PCH temperature. They start spinning when it hits 48 C (I found that waiting until 50 C seemed to make the GPU run a bit hotter), and the power curve is basically a straight line to 100% at 75 C. The GPU fans start spinning when it hits 50 C, and max out at 85 C.

What I've noticed while gaming is that, thus far, the GPU seems to hit 64 C at the highest, and the PCH only 50 or 51. CPU usually runs at 55-56 gaming, once went as high as 65 C. But I haven't tested it with any games that really try to set fire to your computer. Only Assassin's Creed: Origins so far. Before I try to run anything really excruciating, I want to make sure this is a reasonable setup.

Does this seem safe? Or should I be more aggressive with the fan speeds? Should I tie the case fans to the CPU? I've noticed the PCH doesn't seem to get terribly hot, and I don't want to starve the CPU of fresh air.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[geofelt]

I think you are spot on.

A high performance graphics card will target 80c for max performance and adjust the fan speed accordingly.
Yes, they do run hot but are built to do so.
Not much you can do about that other than to feed the graphics card with sufficient cooling airflow.

Two front 140mm fans should be plenty.
A single 120mm rear exhaust is all you need to direct the airflow past your cooler and out the back.
Whatever fresh air comes in the front will exit somewhere taking component heat with it.
If all the intake is filtered, your parts will stay cleaner.
Adding more exhaust capability will tend to draw in unfiltered air from adjacent openings.

As to the cpu, do not worry. 85c. is a usual target temperature for an overclock stress test.
The processor will slow down or shut off if it detects a dangerous temperature.
That is around 100c.

Bottom line---------------------- you are good.

 

[blatherscribe]

Thanks! I appreciate the help.

 

[tennis2]

I'd set passive at 60C for both CPU&GPU