[SOLVED] Phanteks Evolv X dual system: advice needed for cooling options

[TimSmo]

Hey, new guy here. Hopefully i'm in the right forum for my question.

I'm currently in the process of building my dual system inside a Phanteks Evolv X case and i'm unsure about how to arrange the cooling options.

For the mini ITX system, that is mounted on top, i plan to use a Ryzen 3600 and it'll be used as a modest gaming rig (no overclock). For the main ATX system, i'm probably going to run a current Intel I5 and this system will be my main work machine. Just for clearance reasons i thought about water-cooling the mini-ITX system on top, so i can use a decent size air-cooler for the main atx system (both systems are quite close together in the Evolv X case, so i think it's best to water-cool at least one system).

Basically i came up with two options, but i'm unsure which one is the better or if it'll work at all. Maybe some of you guys might have some feedback here. So here is what i came up with (i link some pictures to better illustrate what i'm trying to do, hopefully you can open those):

Option #1

Evolv X with 280mm radiator in front

• 280mm radiator (from an AIO, which cools the ITX system) in front + one 140mm fan in front (both intake)
• 140mm fan on top (exhaust)
• 140mm fan in the back (exhaust)

Running a 280mm AIO should be plenty enough for the Ryzen 3600 CPU on the ITX board. I'm just not sure if i can even fit a 280mm AIO plus a 140mm fan in the front. Has someone tried this and can tell me whether this will fit at all? The manual says the front can take up to a 420 radiator. I'm just not sure if that also means i can with a 280mm Radiator plus the 140mm (mathematically it adds up, but i think the radiator is always a bit longer than the corresponding fans? idk).

Option #2

Evolv X with 120mm radiator at the top

• 120 mm radiator at the top next to the top mounted ITX system (exhaust)
• 3 x 140mm fans in the front (all intake)
• 1 x 140mm in the back (exhaust)

This option uses "just" a 120mm radiator (from an AIO which will cool the ITX system) mounted on top. For this option i'm wondering if a 120mm AIO would be enough to decently cool the Ryzen 3600 (which i don't plan on overclocking). I heard good things about the Arctic Liquid Freezer II and there is a 120mm version of that AIO. Otherwise the three 140mm front fans and the one in the back should be enough to guarantee proper airflow i guess. Again i'm just not sure if the 120mm rad will be enough.

What do you guys think? Does someone know if the 280mm AIO plus the 140mm fan will fit in the front? Or do you guys think that the 120mm AIO would be enough?

Any feedback on this i greatly appreciated.

Thank you very much for your time.

cheers!

 

[Barty1884]

For the mini ITX system, that is mounted on top, i plan to use a Ryzen 3600 and it'll be used as a modest gaming rig (no overclock).

I'm not too familiar with the EvolvX (and Google isn't helping), but from the dual-system cases I've seen, there's no option of a discreet GPU for the secondary ITX system. Is there room for a GPU in the EvolvX?

Qption #1
The manual says the front can take up to a 420 radiator. I'm just not sure if that also means i can with a 280mm Radiator plus the 140mm (mathematically it adds up, but i think the radiator is always a bit longer than the corresponding fans? idk).

It might be possible, the rails for mounting appear to stretch to the top & bottom of the case, which will give you a little bit of wiggle room..... but you're right, the length of the radiator will be more than the sum of it's 2x140mm parts.

IF it can be done, it looks like the bottom 140mm fan will be ~1/2 contained within the PSU shroud, so not likely to give you great airflow to the air cooled system, although air will move through a Rad easy enough.

Option #2
This option uses "just" a 120mm radiator (from an AIO which will cool the ITX system) mounted on top. For this option i'm wondering if a 120mm AIO would be enough to decently cool the Ryzen 3600 (which i don't plan on overclocking). I heard good things about the Arctic Liquid Freezer II and there is a 120mm version of that AIO. Otherwise the three 140mm front fans and the one in the back should be enough to guarantee proper airflow i guess. Again i'm just not sure if the 120mm rad will be enough.

This is probably the route I would go. A 120mm AIO should be plenty for a 3600, especially at stock.
120mm's tend to be poor value in general, but in this scenario, it makes a lot of sense.
The Artic Liquid Freezer II reviews well, but there's no info on long-term.

The EVGA CLC 120 should do well, if the 240 (or bigger) is anything to go by.
Unfortunately though, the EVGA results are obtained via a pretty noisy fan.

 

[TimSmo]

Hey thank you for your feedback.

from the dual-system cases I've seen, there's no option of a discreet GPU for the secondary ITX system. Is there room for a GPU in the EvolvX?

there is indeed. you basically have the option to vertical mount a GPU in the slots below and use a riser cable, which phanteks conveniently sells in the right length. you can even route this cable along the back, so it won't be visible or interfere with anything an the main ATX system.

IF it can be done, it looks like the bottom 140mm fan will be ~1/2 contained within the PSU shroud

that is a good point. i guess it won't harm though. additionally the bottom fan would partly cool any HDD i might mount, since they can be mounted in that bottom compartment.

This is probably the route I would go. A 120mm AIO should be plenty for a 3600, especially at stock.
120mm's tend to be poor value in general, but in this scenario, it makes a lot of sense.

that is good to know. good thing is, the arctic liquid freezer 120 goes for around 50 bucks here in germany. so i guess it's not a huge loss if if it doesn't work out or if i want to upgrade down the line to a bigger 240/280. i just hope the clearance is enough, since the pump on the the arctic freezer has the tubes coming out the top. they will most likely collide with the air cooler of the atx system. i guess i just have to find out if i can maneuver them around the air-cooler.


Thank you again for your time!