[SOLVED] How can I keep my RTX 3080 cool in a small case with CPU watercooling?

[Ganymede1]

Hi all!

I am fortunate to have managed to get an ASUS 3080 TUF OC and I'm really happy with the card so far. The problem I'm having though is in keeping the temperature within the case down.

The case is an NZXT H500i and I have an NZXT Kraken X52 sitting at the front of the case providing watercooling to the CPU. This leaves me with just 2 fans (one on the case back at the top, and one on the case top at the back). I've got them both extracting heat right now. The problem is that the 3080 when pushed on games like Red Dead 2 can handle the load but the case top gets crazy hot so I prefer to tone down settings to not damage any components.

So a few solutions came to mind:

1. Watercool the GPU
   I'm scared to take this new one apart and fit GPU watercooling which I haven't done before... I guess it's also a big investment
2. Invest in better fans
   The two NZXT case fans might benefit from an upgrade to some Noctua case fans maybe?
3. Reconfigure fan layout somehow?!
4. Buy a bigger case with more fan slots!

I'd really appreciate some advice on this and thanks so much in advance!
Nick

 

[geofelt]

What is the cpu that you are trying to cool?
As it is, your cpu is cooled the best, but the heated air is used to cool the motherboard and graphics card.

My suggestion is to re mount your radiator on the top, sending hot air out of the case.
Your cpu cooling will take only a minor hit.

Mount two 140mm fans as intakes.
140mm fans move more air quietly than 120mm fans.
Probably 1200 rpm will suffice, but you can buy some good noctua 140mm fans that will run up to 3000 rpm. The price for high rpm fans is more noise.

 

[Ganymede1]

What is the cpu that you are trying to cool?
As it is, your cpu is cooled the best, but the heated air is used to cool the motherboard and graphics card.

My suggestion is to re mount your radiator on the top, sending hot air out of the case.
Your cpu cooling will take only a minor hit.

Mount two 140mm fans as intakes.
140mm fans move more air quietly than 120mm fans.
Probably 1200 rpm will suffice, but you can buy some good noctua 140mm fans that will run up to 3000 rpm. The price for high rpm fans is more noise.

Thanks for your reply!
The CPU is an i9 10900K so it does also require solid cooling. Moving the radiator to the top is something I hadn't really considered. Is it ok though that the radiator would overlap part of the case top which doesn't have a vent in it?

 

[geofelt]

Thanks for your reply!
The CPU is an i9 10900K so it does also require solid cooling. Moving the radiator to the top is something I hadn't really considered. Is it ok though that the radiator would overlap part of the case top which doesn't have a vent in it?

OOPS! I misread the specs and thought that the top could hold two 120mm fans.
I don't think covering half of your radiators would work.

As an alternative, install a top twin tower air cooler like the noctua NH-D15s.
The two towers are about equivalent to the two 120mm radiators on the kraken X52. Your cpu cooling should be the same and you will get better airflow to the motherboard and gpu.
Here is a review of the kraken X52.
https://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/8...-System-Setup-Thermal-Tests-and-Noise-Results
It shows the same performance as a NH-D15(the NH-D15s is a similar but better compatible version)

As an added plus, the 10900K is going to want good motherboard vrm cooling.
A good air cooler will handle vrm cooling better.

 

[GarrettL]

As an owner of the 510H, I'd recommend you get another PC case with better airflow. While the 510H is a good case for some builds it's not a good solution when running high end cpu's an gpu's that output that much heat.

 

[Phaaze88]

H500i + 10900K + RTX 3080 = X_X
To get around the H500's shortcomings means liquid cooling the gpu and air cooling the cpu.
And don't say an air cooler can't handle the 10900K, because the top end ones totally can, thanks to Intel's conservative power limits.

If you don't want to do that, then get a new chassis.

 

[digitalgriffin]

Hi all!

I am fortunate to have managed to get an ASUS 3080 TUF OC and I'm really happy with the card so far. The problem I'm having though is in keeping the temperature within the case down.

The case is an NZXT H500i and I have an NZXT Kraken X52 sitting at the front of the case providing watercooling to the CPU. This leaves me with just 2 fans (one on the case back at the top, and one on the case top at the back). I've got them both extracting heat right now. The problem is that the 3080 when pushed on games like Red Dead 2 can handle the load but the case top gets crazy hot so I prefer to tone down settings to not damage any components.

So a few solutions came to mind:

1. Watercool the GPU
   I'm scared to take this new one apart and fit GPU watercooling which I haven't done before... I guess it's also a big investment
2. Invest in better fans
   The two NZXT case fans might benefit from an upgrade to some Noctua case fans maybe?
3. Reconfigure fan layout somehow?!
4. Buy a bigger case with more fan slots!

I'd really appreciate some advice on this and thanks so much in advance!
Nick

The case can be toasty. That's perfectly normal and okay. Pay attention to the thermals on the GPU and CPU and motherboard and see what they say.

But to be honest, that case is limited in it's airflow. Might be time to switch up.

 

[Ganymede1]

Thanks everyone for your answers! It is much appreciated! I think the route I would go is to upgrade case then...
Is it still possible to have a mid-tower case which does the trick or do I need to upgrade to full? Any recommendations/favourites?

 

[Phaaze88]

Is it still possible to have a mid-tower case which does the trick or do I need to upgrade to full? Any recommendations/favourites?

Well... NZXT did make a H500-like chassis without the downsides of the original. Though it is more of a brute force method.

H700 series.

 

[geofelt]

Thanks everyone for your answers! It is much appreciated! I think the route I would go is to upgrade case then...
Is it still possible to have a mid-tower case which does the trick or do I need to upgrade to full? Any recommendations/favourites?

Do not look at mid/full or other such descriptions of cases.
For good airflow, look at the unrestricted front intake capability.
Your H500I is a problem only because you want to use a aio cooler that is not suited to the case.
True, the front has a solid front panel, which restricts the air intake a bit.
But, it does allow for two 140mm intakes which should be sufficient.
The design reduces the noise of the fans.
For a less restrictive front, look for the mesh fronts which allow for unrestricted air intake.
One review I really like is for the lian li lancool mesh:
https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/lian-li-lancool-ii-mesh-performance-review
A ATX case will allow 7 expansion slots if that is what your motherboard has.
a MATX case allows smaller matx motherboards with 4 slots.
Either can cool very well.
A case in point is the silverstone TJ-08E MATX case that I use.
It has a 180mm front intake running at half speed.
Stress test shows 65c. max.