Question Vertical GPU Mounting Advice (Brackets, fans, etc)

[ekoila]

I have a few questions that I'm hoping someone can help me with!

I'm currently purchasing the last few things I need to build my new PC.

Case: Lian Li, 011 Dynamic EVO RGB
GPU: MSI, 5080 Gaming Trio
Motherboard: Gigabyte x870E Aorus Pro Ice
Cooler: NZXT, Kraken 360 Elite RGB

The vertical brackets that interest me most:

• Phanteks
• Lian Li (not available til mid-August according to their insta and I'm not absolutely certain it will be available in white)

It seems like the Phanteks is the best choice if I want to build sooner rather than later but it comes with a PCI-e 4, not a 5. There is a Lian Li PCI-e 5 available but it's currently only available in black. I messaged the Phanteks support to see if I can remove their riser cable and swap in a new one but if anyone has experience with that and can answer definitively that would be helpful. I'd really prefer the cable to be white but if it's more or less hidden behind the GPU then I can live with it.

For the fans/radiator, I was planning on having 3 fans on the bottom, 3 fans on the side, and the radiator mounted at the top with one additional fan at the back of the case. Will I be able to fit fans at the bottom of the case with the Phanteks bracket? I have seen a few discussions online re: clearance but haven't found a clear answer and I'm really not sure what I would need to measure in order to figure it out. I was planning on purchasing Corsair's "iCUE LINK LX140-R RGB 140mm PWM Reverse Fans" for the 6 needed on the bottom and side.

Additional fan question: Assuming bottom fans work with the bracket...I was planning on having the fans on the bottom and the side be reverse-blade with one "normal" fan at the back of the case. If the cooler is mounted at the top, will my airflow be okay for a vertical mount? Is there a better layout for the fans that I should consider?

Any advice or experience you can share would be really appreciated - thank you!

 

[Lutfij]

Welcome to the forums, newcomer!

IMHO, I'd steer clear of vertical GPU mounts as the point of failure in display related issues is the ribbon cable. TO add, the Phanteks unit, to me, looks like you'll have the GPU pushed closet to the side panel of the case, which would mean you're purposely subjecting it to higher temps(recycled heat and deprived fresh ambient air.

Regarding your fan question;

UNIVERSAL 4- SLOTS VERTICAL GPU KIT (WITH GEN 4 RISER) - LIAN LI is a Leading Provider of PC Cases | Computer Cases

UNIVERSAL 4- SLOTS VERTICAL GPU KIT(with Gen 4 riser)- For Full Tower / ATX Mid-Tower Supports up to 4 slots GPU at vertical mounting position to show off in most of LIAN LI cases. Includes a PCIe 4.0 riser cable for seamless connectivity. AVAILABLE IN 2 COLORS White BUY NOW Black BUY NOW...

lian-li.com

look at the bottom of the case.

Moved thread from Components section to Systems section.

 

[ekoila]

Thank you!

Re: the ribbon cable - I had heard some people talk about how the cables do sometimes need replacing but is it a common occurrence? Or is it more just that it's just adding to the list of things that might possibly go wrong? I will admit it's largely for aesthetic reasons to mount it that way but the MSI GPU is so pretty that I really would prefer to do it even with the risk T_T it seems like such a shame to not show it off more even though I'm the only one appreciating it haha. I suppose my line of reasoning was that Lian Li releasing its own PCI-e 5 meant that it would be a bit more reliable? Is that delusional? >_<

Re: the phanteks mount. Would the bottom fans not help to pull fresh air onto the card and provide cooler temps? I do not have a very good understanding of how air cycles within a case and I'll admit I've never actually worried about things like GPU temperature, etc. as I am mostly a casual PC user. Is the issue that the card will be near the glass? I had no idea that could be an issue.