CPU Rad intake or exhaust?

[Ethanh100]

Hi,
I will be upgrading my system soon and will be getting a closed loop cooler for my cpu, it will most likely be 240mm but may be 120. I will mount it up on the top of the case. Should i have that as Intake our exhaust? I know if i have it as intake, it will result in lower cpu temps, but higher system pressure, and effecting the gpu alot. If i have it as outtake, it helps a bunch with the whole airflow, but cpu will be a little hotter. I will be using an fx 8320, and overclocking from 3.5 to around 4 or 4.2 ghz. Which is a better sacrifice, the graphics card being blasted with heat, or a couple degrees higher on the cpu? Thanks

 

[LostAlone]

Definitely run it as exhaust.

Graphics cards already run very hot (much hotter than CPUs) which makes them much much more sensitive to the increased temperature inside your case. Your CPU will be fine to be a few degrees hotter, but your GPU will likely be seriously effected by the case being 10 degrees hotter.

 

[Karadjgne]

Use as exhaust. You won't 'see' higher temps on the cpu, unless you first run it as intake. For top mount you always use fans as exhaust. Cool air 'in' low front, warm air 'out' high rear.

Think of it this way. If you slapped 2 intake fans on top, plus the intakes in front, you'd only have the single rear exhaust to handle both cpu and gpu heat issues and the top fans will be blowing warm air 'down' away from the exhaust, back towards the gpu. Net affect? Cpu will be nice and cool, case temps go way up and the gpu gets roasted. A single exhaust cannot keep up with 4 intakes.