[SOLVED] Corsair 4000D airflow: 3 small questions

[The_Outlander]

1. The case appears to have the standoffs already already installed in the ATX configuration, but the central standoff is what I would describe as a spike. Am I correct in assuming that the purpose of this "spike" is to anchor the board during installation and that I don't have to screw anything on to it? I hate to ask a question like this, but the "guide" Corsair ships with this case is laughably vague and I want to cover my bases.

2. The case comes with 2 fans, which use 3 pin connectors, but my motherboard's fan headers are all 4 pin. Am I correct in assuming that I can use the 3 pin connectors on 4 pin headers, that the "foolproof" design makes it impossible to connect them incorrectly and that the only disadvantage I will suffer is that I will have no control over the fans and they will run on full power all the time?

3. This one is a bit more complicated. My case has a USB 3.1 type C port and a USB 3.0 port on the front panel, but my motherboard only has one USB 3.2 header and two USB 2.0 headers. My motherboard manual says that the 3.2 header can "provide two USB ports." What do they mean by this?

Also, I'm pretty sure I would need an adapter to even plug the type C connector into a header. At the moment, I don't own any devices with type C connectors, so this isn't the highest priority, but if I were to purchase an adapter could I connect the type C port to one of the USB 2.0 headers? I just don't like the idea of having a case with only two front panel USB ports one of which will have to remain unconnected permanently.

Huh, I guess I asked four questions. Sorry about that.

 

[Darkbreeze]

1. Yes, it is there as an alignment guide. It CAN be removed and replaced with a regular standoff, but it is not necessary.

2. What is your motherboard model? Most motherboards these days have ALL four pin fan connectors but can be configured for DC (3 pin) or PWM (4 pin) in the BIOS.

3. Again, what is your motherboard model? We need to know WHICH type of USB 3.2 internal header it is as there are USB 3.2 Gen 1, USB 3.2 Gen 2 and USB 3.2 Gen 2x2.

4. No, none of the various "Type C" connectors will be compatible with a USB 2.0 internal header. You may be able to buy a PCIe expansion add in card though that has the correct type of internal USB header for your Type C front panel connector.

 

[The_Outlander]

1. Yes, it is there as an alignment guide. It CAN be removed and replaced with a regular standoff, but it is not necessary.

2. What is your motherboard model? Most motherboards these days have ALL four pin fan connectors but can be configured for DC (3 pin) or PWM (4 pin) in the BIOS.

3. Again, what is your motherboard model? We need to know WHICH type of USB 3.2 internal header it is as there are USB 3.2 Gen 1, USB 3.2 Gen 2 and USB 3.2 Gen 2x2.

4. No, none of the various "Type C" connectors will be compatible with a USB 2.0 internal header. You may be able to buy a PCIe expansion add in card though that has the correct type of internal USB header for your Type C front panel connector.

Sorry, my motherboard is a GIGABYTE B550 AORUS PRO AC

https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/B550-AORUS-PRO-AC-rev-1x#kf

The manual says the 3.2 header is Gen 1

 

[Darkbreeze]

So, USB 3.2 Gen 1 is exactly the same as USB 3.0 and USB 3.1 Gen 1. So if the front USB headers need an internal USB 3.0, 3.1 Gen 1 or 3.2 Gen 1 connector, then you are fine. If it needed a USB 3.2 Gen 2 or Gen 2x2, then you would be out of luck. But, you kind of ARE out of luck, at least without installing an expansion card, because your case has two internal connectors for the front panel. One of them requires a USB 3.0, 3.1 Gen 1 or 3.2 Gen 1 connector but the OTHER one requires a USB 3.1 Gen 2 header, which is different, and not especially common. More common though these days than USB 2.0, which your board DOES have two internal headers for, that are not helpful in this case.

Something along those lines anyhow. It's all so convoluted and confusing now that even half the board, case and device manufacturers aren't sure WTF to call half of them anymore either.

What Are USB Headers & How Do You Get More?

Internal USB Headers are extremely practical but a lot of times there are just too few to connect all your cases USB Ports to. Here's how to get more!

www.cgdirector.com

You will need to get either an adapter or more probably an internal expansion card that give you the correct type of USB internal header for your front panel Type C cable to plug into.



That motherboard certainly has configurable fan headers so you can not only tell it whether to run a preset, or a manually configured fan curve, but also whether to operate as DC or PWM. It will also have the option to specificy which internal sensors, CPU, motherboard, VRM, GPU, etc., each header (Except the CPU_FAN header which always has to use the CPU thermal sensor) is to use for control of the fan attached to that header.