What is the best way to get less dust and better airflow?

[Karansekhon251]

I have a Nzxt Phantom full tower case with 3 120mm fans and 1 200mm fan, should I put all fans on exhaust or suck air in? What's the best way to keep my components cool and keep dust out at the Sa,e time? The community seems to be very divided on this and it varies from case to case so I thought I'd ask the question on here. Thanks in advance

 

[Dronzer Dragneel]

IMO..put 200 mm fan in front for intake, which pulls cool air from front and remaining three 120 mm fans, use them as exhaust. 1 on back the side and 2 on the upside that pushes hot air from back and upside of your case
and also use dust filters for dustfree case
Note- as hot air is heavier than cool air, its better to use so above mentioned positions and it'll will work fine

 

[synphul]

Some people prefer a positive airflow case, more intake than exhaust. Provided the intake fans are well filtered that will help cut down on dust some. I'd try leaving the 200mm exhaust fan up top the way the case comes, use the 120mm as exhaust in the rear and use 2x 120mm as front intake. Filters will help but there's no real alternative to regular cleaning. The filters will need cleaned regularly and assuming they work well and trap dust/dirt the more debris the filters catch the more they will reduce fresh air coming into the case.

It's one or the other, unfiltered maximum airflow (dust in the case) or filters that clog (as they catch the dust) and slow down airflow into the case. In the end how dirty/dusty the room is or isn't will determine the issues caused by dust. Filtered cases still get dusty unless someone has gone out of their way to fully enclose the case, use hepa filters and add additional fans with frequent maintenance of the filters.

Hot air is not heavier than cold air, fans aside convection means hot air rises and cold air drops. With the addition of fans the presence of convection isn't nearly as noticeable. Air physically moved by powered fans overcome convection. You don't want all fans as intake or all fans as exhaust, both are poor setups. You want continuous airflow, fresh cooler air in, warmer air out.

 

[Dronzer Dragneel]

Some people prefer a positive airflow case, more intake than exhaust. Provided the intake fans are well filtered that will help cut down on dust some. I'd try leaving the 200mm exhaust fan up top the way the case comes, use the 120mm as exhaust in the rear and use 2x 120mm as front intake. Filters will help but there's no real alternative to regular cleaning. The filters will need cleaned regularly and assuming they work well and trap dust/dirt the more debris the filters catch the more they will reduce fresh air coming into the case.

It's one or the other, unfiltered maximum airflow (dust in the case) or filters that clog (as they catch the dust) and slow down airflow into the case. In the end how dirty/dusty the room is or isn't will determine the issues caused by dust. Filtered cases still get dusty unless someone has gone out of their way to fully enclose the case, use hepa filters and add additional fans with frequent maintenance of the filters.

Hot air is not heavier than cold air, fans aside convection means hot air rises and cold air drops. With the addition of fans the presence of convection isn't nearly as noticeable. Air physically moved by powered fans overcome convection. You don't want all fans as intake or all fans as exhaust, both are poor setups. You want continuous airflow, fresh cooler air in, warmer air out.

Sorry, I mean, cold air is heavier..i'm not good in science