Upgrade Noctua NH-L12 stock fans?

[newoski]

I've built a bartop arcade with a 4670K (no overclock). The Noctua NH-L12 is the largest/best cooler I can fit in my build, but my temps are still higher than I'd like. I was wondering if anyone knew of any larger/more powerful fans that I could swap out to improve the performance of the NH-L12...

 

[newoski]

So far, I've successfully replaced the top fan with an NF-F12 Industrial 2000 PWM fan. Seems to lower the temps a few degrees so far, in initial testing. I'm going to try to mount a 140mm Noctua on top if at all possible, and I just grabbed some uber low profile RAM to try another NF-F12 Industrial 2000 PWM on the bottom as well for push/pull.

Any thoughts?

 

[neverumindnow]

If your case is full of hot air, ever larger fans on your heatsink will only help so much. Would it be possible to improve on getting warm air out of the case, and cooler air in.

 

[newoski]

Oops, didn't mean to mark this solved, just yet.

Yes, I'm going to try to add exhaust fans near the top -- looking like 2 Noctua either 120mm or 140mm. I'm also going to try to put an intake fan or two -- they would have to be the low profile/thinner variety -- on the bottom at the back.

If I added additional fans on the back in the middle, would it be better to use intake or exhaust? The middle fans will either be intake/exhaust lined up with 2 HDDs that I have mounted.

 

[neverumindnow]

I am no expert, but the cooler the air being sucked into your heatsink, the more heat it will take with it when it goes. You'd have to suss out the best airflow setup for your system and where it's located. I take the easy way and locate my box where there is good airflow, replace windows in the case with mesh, or add large mesh panels, and concentrate on pushing out the hot air that is exiting the CPU heatsink. I figure with an open case and strong exhaust, the air is going to find its way in. I live in a very warm area, so it's easy to hobble the whole system by filling the case and its immediate environs with hot air.