Question Fan installation direction question

Aug 26, 2022
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I just bought components to build my new pc and went with the Corsair iCUE 5000X RGB ATX Mid Tower Case. The radiator push air up through the top of the case, the front fans bring air into the case and the rear fan blows hot air from the inside of the case and the case I have I am able to add three 120 mm fans in the side of the case toward the front. Should these fans be blowing out of the case or into? Out could vent the hot air but since it's close to the front fans that bring air in, it seems I might be removing the cool air before it can do it's job. In brings cooler air but would it be fighting the front fans which are meant to bring cooler air in and back to force hot air off the components?

Any help would be appreciated.
 
If you want to use said slots, intake would be the best option.
You are correct they would essentially vent the cool air as it entered the case if they were set as exhaust.
Intake would allow for them to pressurize the case, allowing for the cool air to be more available for the rest of the system, into the exhaust fans.
That said, you are also onto something with them fighting the directional flow of the front fans, causing turbulence.

Honestly, those side fans are there so people can look at the pretty RGB fans, not for performance reasons.
I would try the system without them and see how it does first.
 
Aug 26, 2022
45
2
35
And I'll admit, I am guilty of the RBG fixation. Thought the additional fans might help...but it seems the positioning isn't ideal. I have them; I can build(GPU come in next week) and try an intensive game and see where it goes and go from there. Another question of fans since we're here, The case allows for a vertical setting of the GPU. Am I wrong to be concerned about picking this since it will push the GPU closer to the glass making 'fresh' air intake harder to get placing strain on the card? In the traditional(horizontal) placement, won't it push air up and into the path of the cooler air from the front fans and out the back easier?
 

Zerk2012

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I just bought components to build my new pc and went with the Corsair iCUE 5000X RGB ATX Mid Tower Case. The radiator push air up through the top of the case, the front fans bring air into the case and the rear fan blows hot air from the inside of the case and the case I have I am able to add three 120 mm fans in the side of the case toward the front. Should these fans be blowing out of the case or into? Out could vent the hot air but since it's close to the front fans that bring air in, it seems I might be removing the cool air before it can do it's job. In brings cooler air but would it be fighting the front fans which are meant to bring cooler air in and back to force hot air off the components?

Any help would be appreciated.
No it would not be fighting with the front fans if you had the side and front as intake it would simply be adding more intake.

If you had the side fans as exhaust then the intake from the front fans would be leaving from the side fans really hurting airflow.

The 500X already has restricted airflow from the front fans because of the glass front.
 
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Phaaze88

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There are vertical kits that use the horizontal PCIe slots, thus positioning it closer to the motherboard. If you use one of those, it shouldn't be an issue, otherwise a card up against the glass should be liquid cooled.

In the horizontal position, the cooler ejects the heated air out of its sides, and several things happen at the same time:
-some heat is absorbed by the motherboard and the glass.
-the flow splits upwards and downwards upon hitting the above mentioned solid surfaces, thus getting pulled out of the case as well as circling back into the cooler.
*some cards have that cutout at the top of it for air to go straight up.

In the vertical position, the cooler ejects the heated air up and down, and:
-heat exhausted upwards gets pulled out by the top and rear fans.
-heat exhausted downwards makes its way back into the cooler.
*some cards with the top cutout... that air gets blown towards the motherboard.
 

Zerk2012

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And I'll admit, I am guilty of the RBG fixation. Thought the additional fans might help...but it seems the positioning isn't ideal. I have them; I can build(GPU come in next week) and try an intensive game and see where it goes and go from there. Another question of fans since we're here, The case allows for a vertical setting of the GPU. Am I wrong to be concerned about picking this since it will push the GPU closer to the glass making 'fresh' air intake harder to get placing strain on the card? In the traditional(horizontal) placement, won't it push air up and into the path of the cooler air from the front fans and out the back easier?
Actually that is depending on the card used for that mounting it's made for 2 slot cards but some of todays cards are bigger 2.5 3 slot cards that might not even fit. From looking at the back of the case a 3 slot card might fit but be right next to the glass.
 
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