Question Optimal airflow strategy for Cooler Master Q300L V1 with Ryzen 5 5600X and AK400 air cooler?

[cidra]

Hi all, I have the following components:

- Case Cooler Master Q300L (V1)
- Motherboard MSI B550M VDH Pro Wi-Fi
- CPU Ryzen 5 5600X
- Cooler DeepCool AK400 (Not ordered yet)
- GPU XFX QICK 308 (RX 6600XT)
- PSU NZXT C750 Gold (2024)

I know that this case has not an optimal airflow according to many, but that's what I got due to budget and height requirements and it's not possible to refund.

The above is a build for a person that won't ever fiddle with overclocking and wants something that just works. I'm not an airflow expert either, so my question is what could be an optimal airflow strategy for this build, as it can accomodate the following:

- 2 140mm front fans
- 2 120mm top fans (EDIT: Misleading official spec page - Maybe it can actually fit 140mm?)
- 1 120mm rear fan
- 1 120mm bottom fan

Fans are not yet to be ordered. I think we'll go for Arctic P12/P14 PWM due to tight budgt. I already have some spare P12 Slim PWM fans, but I guess that due to them being slim they may be suboptimal for this case. Any brand/model suggestion is highly appreciated.

What do you think? Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Lutfij]

know that this case has not an optimal airflow according to many, but that's what I got due to budget and height requirements and it's not possible to refund.
Then you might as well deal with the high temps regardless of what you're doing inside the case.

Fans are not yet to be ordered. I think we'll go for Arctic P12/P14 PWM due to tight budgt. I already have some spare P12 Slim PWM fans, but I guess that due to them being slim they may be suboptimal for this case. Any brand/model suggestion is highly appreciated.
With the amount of fans in your build, you could've easily gone with a case that had proper ventilation. Even a Deepcool Matrexx 30 has more airflow that the Q300L and is cheaper.

Return the case and invest the money you're going to spend on the fans behind the case.

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/rn...l-microatx-mini-tower-case-mcb-q300l-kann-s00
vs
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/gx...ini-air-microatx-mid-tower-case-fd-c-por1m-06

In fact you can do with the stock cooler on the processor and that frees up money from the build. One of the things you need to realize is where you can trim and not waste funds on your build.

 

[cidra]

know that this case has not an optimal airflow according to many, but that's what I got due to budget and height requirements and it's not possible to refund.
Then you might as well deal with the high temps regardless of what you're doing inside the case.

Fans are not yet to be ordered. I think we'll go for Arctic P12/P14 PWM due to tight budgt. I already have some spare P12 Slim PWM fans, but I guess that due to them being slim they may be suboptimal for this case. Any brand/model suggestion is highly appreciated.
With the amount of fans in your build, you could've easily gone with a case that had proper ventilation. Even a Deepcool Matrexx 30 has more airflow that the Q300L and is cheaper.

Return the case and invest the money you're going to spend on the fans behind the case.

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/rn...l-microatx-mini-tower-case-mcb-q300l-kann-s00
vs
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/gx...ini-air-microatx-mid-tower-case-fd-c-por1m-06

In fact you can do with the stock cooler on the processor and that frees up money from the build. One of the things you need to realize is where you can trim and not waste funds on your build.

As stated in the post, I can't refund the case. I'd like the topic to focus on this.

 

[Phaaze88]

A)
2 front fans
1 top fan(optional)
1 rear fan

B)
2 front fans
2 top fans
1 rear fan


Sample B favors gpu thermals at the tradeoff of warmer cpu ones. Sample A favors the cpu.
The reason for the 'optional' in Sample A is, if the rear and top fans are close enough, they fight for air, and some airflow efficiency is lost. Depending on how you set your fan curves up, this split can end up being better or worse than simply the rear fan.
Both the cpu and gpu yield higher performance the cooler they run, so you're stuck in a Catch 22 situation.

Unless you position the case's feet about 5cm above the desk, or whatever surface it's going to be sitting on, I wouldn't bother with the bottom fan option. There's a lack of breathing room, plus dust accumulates at the bottom the fastest; many cases don't have tall enough feet to get much out of it, and bottom filtration/intakes need to be cleaned more frequently than others, or it'll do more to bring in dust.

Best PC Fan Picks 2024 - Hardware Busters

Hardware Busters - Best PC Fan Picks 2024 - Best Picks

hwbusters.com

I know that this case has not an optimal airflow according to many, but that's what I got due to budget and height requirements and it's not possible to refund.

Simply remove the magnetic dust filters. I know, it won't look as nice, but it's that, or roll with the higher temperatures.
Unfortunate that you can't return the case, but... height requirements?

 

[thestryker]

I wouldn't recommend installing fans in the top unless you're really worried about GPU temps. It'll cause all sorts of turbulence for the CPU cooler which will decrease cooling and raise noise levels.

If I'm remembering the design correctly there's holes behind the mesh rather than it just being open in front of the fans. Cutting out proper openings for the fans there would probably net you close to the same benefit as removing the mesh would.

 

[cidra]

If I'm remembering the design correctly there's holes behind the mesh rather than it just being open in front of the fans. Cutting out proper openings for the fans there would probably net you close to the same benefit as removing the mesh would.

Looks like an easy mod. It can be done. I may try the sample A pointed out by the kind @Phaaze88 with just the two front fans and one rear fan. I'll use the Arctic P14 and P12 PWM as I got them for like 10 euros in total.

Unfortunate that you can't return the case, but... height requirements?

The case must not be taller than 40cm and deeper than 40cm. There are no hard constraints on the width, but it "must not look square-y". Also, the I/O panel should be on either the front or the side.

 

[Phaaze88]

The case must not be taller than 40cm and deeper than 40cm. There are no hard constraints on the width, but it "must not look square-y". Also, the I/O panel should be on either the front or the side.

So the case is going to put inside some small space, that might not allow the waste heat to go anywhere but right back into the case?

 

[cidra]

So the case is going to put inside some small space, that might not allow the waste heat to go anywhere but right back into the case?

Yes. That's quite an important detail that I omitted that I naively omitted.

 

[Phaaze88]

Yes. That's quite an important detail that I omitted that I naively omitted.

Well, this is going to be a pretty big problem if the heated air leaving the case has nowhere to go but right back in it.
The area behind the case has some space for air to flow up and away, right?

 

[cidra]

Well, this is going to be a pretty big problem if the heated air leaving the case has nowhere to go but right back in it.
The area behind the case has some space for air to flow up and away, right?

The shelf is under a desk and is kind of "suspended", there's no wall behind it. So yes, there's space for air in the back, luckily.

 

[Phaaze88]

The shelf is under a desk and is kind of "suspended", there's no wall behind it. So yes, there's space for air in the back, luckily.

Ok, so there's somewhere else for that exhausted air to go.