Question Help me rearrange my PC cooling setup ?

[ttonks93]

So i currently have 2 intake fans on the front, 1 exhaust on the rear and a AIO CPU cooler on top.

I want to swap my air cooled GPU for a liquid AIO GPU. Where should i place my coolers though?

GPU at the front as an intake, CPU as an intake at the top and 1 exhaust?

GPU at the top and CPU at front?

Maybe 1 intake fan at the rear and GPU at the front as an exhaust and CPU at the top as an exhaust?

Too many options with no previous experience of this.

 

[Lutfij]

Welcome to the forums, newcomer!

Please list the specs to your build like so:
CPU:
CPU cooler:
Motherboard:
Ram:
SSD/HDD:
GPU:
PSU:
Chassis:

If the fans are aftermarket, then include their make and models.

I want to swap my air cooled GPU for a liquid AIO GPU
Like something from Alphacool? You're going to have to be more specific, include a link to the AIO for your GPU you're referring to.

 

[dwd999]

It would depend on how much space you have in your current case for the 2nd radiator, and how many ventilation holes you have in your case besides the ones being used by the fans and radiators. You would have to tell us the size of the front fans so that we would know whether you could install either a 240 or 280 mm radiator there.

Since the currently proposed AIO gpus will most likely be using 320mm radiators, optimally a case that supports a 420mm cpu radiator in the top (exhaust) and a 360mm gpu radiator in the front (intake) would be best. Add to that space in the bottom of the case for 2 or 3 120mm or 140mm intake fans and maybe a second rear exhaust fan and that would be ideal.

 

[ttonks93]

CPU: i9-13900k

CPU cooler: PCS FrostFlow 360 Series ARGB High Performance Liquid Cooler

Motherboard: GIGABYTE Z790 GAMING X AX (DDR5, USB 3.2, PCIe 5.0)

Ram:
64GB Corsair VENGEANCE RGB DDR5 6000MHz (2 x 32GB)

SSD/HDD: 1TB SAMSUNG 980 PRO M.2, PCIe NVMe

GPU: MSI RTX5090 Supreme Liquid

PSU: CORSAIR 1600W AX1600i

Chassis: FRACTAL MESHIFY 2 LIGHT TEMPERED GLASS

 

[ttonks93]

It would depend on how much space you have in your current case for the 2nd radiator, and how many ventilation holes you have in your case besides the ones being used by the fans and radiators. You would have to tell us the size of the front fans so that we would know whether you could install either a 240 or 280 mm radiator there.

Since the currently proposed AIO gpus will most likely be using 320mm radiators, optimally a case that supports a 420mm cpu radiator in the top (exhaust) and a 360mm gpu radiator in the front (intake) would be best. Add to that space in the bottom of the case for 2 or 3 120mm or 140mm intake fans and maybe a second rear exhaust fan and that would be ideal.

I’ve heard it’s bad to have an AIO cooler as an intake as the in case ambient temps would be higher?

 

[dwd999]

I’ve heard it’s bad to have an AIO cooler as an intake as the in case ambient temps would be higher?

Most AIO cpu coolers are shipped with the fans set for exhaust so that would be the manufacturer's preference. If you look at the video for your gpu cooler its also designed as an exhaust.

https://storage-asset.msi.com/globa...res/suprim-liquid/1_Hybrid_Liquid_Cooling.mp4

The 2 recommended cooler radiator positions are 1st, top of case with tubes towards the front of case (which you would use for your cpu) and 2nd, front of case with tubes toward the bottom of case (which you would use for your gpu). These are shown on page 35 of the manual for your case. It would depend on the size of the tube fittings as to whether the top cooler could have its tubes toward the front or the back of the case; front is preferred but either one would be acceptable as long as the radiator is above the cpu pump. You would have to install the front radiator first and then see if the top radiator can fit with tubes in front or if they have to go in the rear. You can install 2 fans in the bottom of the case for air intake (page 33) and the rear fan and holes in the back of the case will serve as exhaust. This will help cool the components not cooled by the AIOs; you can monitor your VRM temps to make sure they are acceptable.

https://www.fractal-design.com/app/uploads/2022/05/Meshify-2-Lite-Manual.pdf

 

[ttonks93]

Most AIO cpu coolers are shipped with the fans set for exhaust so that would be the manufacturer's preference. If you look at the video for your gpu cooler its also designed as an exhaust.

https://storage-asset.msi.com/globa...res/suprim-liquid/1_Hybrid_Liquid_Cooling.mp4

The 2 recommended cooler radiator positions are 1st, top of case with tubes towards the front of case (which you would use for your cpu) and 2nd, front of case with tubes toward the bottom of case (which you would use for your gpu). These are shown on page 35 of the manual for your case. It would depend on the size of the tube fittings as to whether the top cooler could have its tubes toward the front or the back of the case; front is preferred but either one would be acceptable as long as the radiator is above the cpu pump. You would have to install the front radiator first and then see if the top radiator can fit with tubes in front or if they have to go in the rear. You can install 2 fans in the bottom of the case for air intake (page 33) and the rear fan and holes in the back of the case will serve as exhaust. This will help cool the components not cooled by the AIOs; you can monitor your VRM temps to make sure they are acceptable.

https://www.fractal-design.com/app/uploads/2022/05/Meshify-2-Lite-Manual.pdf

Thanks for the reply. So the CPU cooler at the top as an exhaust? GPU cooler at the front as an intake and 2 extra intake fans on the bottom?

Which side do the fans go on the AIO, fans on the inside for exhaust and fans on the outside for intake?

 

[dwd999]

Thanks for the reply. So the CPU cooler at the top as an exhaust? GPU cooler at the front as an intake and 2 extra intake fans on the bottom?

Which side do the fans go on the AIO, fans on the inside for exhaust and fans on the outside for intake?

The video from MSI for the gpu cooler you intend to buy shows the fans on the inside for exhaust. Just follow the manufacturer's manual and mounting instructions; they know best since they designed the products.

 

[ttonks93]

So do the fans pull air through the cooler on my MSI RTX 5090 Liquid? Just want to make sure i have it mounted right.