Optimal Airflow or Mistake? Need Expert Advice on My PC Cooling Setup

[Oxej]

This is how my PC case is set up. The fans on the right side intake fresh air, and the bottom fans also intake fresh air. The top fans and the single rear fan are set as exhaust.


A friend suggested that the top fans should be intake instead of exhaust, saying that this would be a better airflow configuration. However, I’m not sure how the rest of the fans should be arranged in that case.


Can you tell me if my current setup is correct or if there is a better way to optimize airflow?

 

[ShrimpBrime]

Rad fans to be exhaust. Never dump heat into the case. Other than that, just have a directional flow, and that should do the trick. Front to back, top to bottom, bottom to top. As long as your system temps look like they are similar to everyone else's, just leave it alone and enjoy.

 

[oxrufiioxo]

That's basically how my 011XL is set up and temps are fantastic even with a near 600w load during gaming. My aio is top mounted it's hard to tell if yours is side mount but my guess is that would make a couple C difference at most.

A huge factor would be what cpu and gpu you are using.

 

[Outback Bronze]

Rad fans to be exhaust. Never dump heat into the case.

This can be a bit of a double-edged sword. Rads prefer cold air intake to keep the loops colder. For instance, I have both CPU and GPU on a loop so for me it's better to have cold air intake coming in on my rads and the little excess heat inside the case has little performance penalties for my mobo and ram. I could have a top fan for straight heat extraction, but I have opted not to for more silence. Any heat will slowly just exit the top anyways as heat will obviously rise.
My setup is dual rad at the front with cold air intake with only a 1x120mm fan at the back for case flow going front to back. Seems to work well.

 

[Dr. Dro]

Your setup is correct and this is how a dual chamber case must have its airflow set up. Golden rule is: remember that hot air has lower density and thus, goes up.

 

[Oxej]

That's basically how my 011XL is set up and temps are fantastic even with a near 600w load during gaming. My aio is top mounted it's hard to tell if yours is side mount but my guess is that would make a couple C difference at most.

A huge factor would be what cpu and gpu you are using.

The radiator is mounted at the top of the case, with exhaust fans blowing through the radiator.
CPU: 14700KF, GPU: ASUS TUF 4080 SUPER.
The side fans are intake, the bottom fans are intake, the top fans are exhaust, and the single rear fan is also exhaust.

 

[Oxej]

Your setup is correct and this is how a dual chamber case must have its airflow set up. Golden rule is: remember that hot air has lower density and thus, goes up.

Are my temperatures normal?

 

[Onasi]

Are my temperatures normal?

We aren’t psychic here, you didn’t provide any temperatures to discuss, so…

 

[Oxej]

We aren’t psychic here, you didn’t provide any temperatures to discuss, so…

 

[Dr. Dro]

Are my temperatures normal?

Hehe ehh about that...

But if your CPU isn't hitting 100 under full load you're gonna be ok

 

[Oxej]

Hehe ehh about that...

But if your CPU isn't hitting 100 under full load you're gonna be ok

CPU Z is 100C with stress test and average 90 95 degrees in games is normal?

 

[Dr. Dro]

CPU Z is 100C with stress test and average 90 95 degrees in games is normal?

No, they are not. Those temps are horrible. If you assembled this computer, please check if the cooler is installed correctly. I reckon the person who built this machine forgot to peel off the protective sticker from the heatsink before installing it. If you're getting 90-95 in games, you're already losing a lot of performance due to thermal throttling. If you didn't build it, take it to the shop where you bought it from so they can take a look.

 

[Oxej]

No, they are not. Those temps are horrible. If you assembled this computer, please check if the cooler is installed correctly. I reckon the person who built this machine forgot to peel off the protective sticker from the heatsink before installing it. If you're getting 90-95 in games, you're already losing a lot of performance due to thermal throttling. If you didn't build it, take it to the shop where you bought it from so they can take a look.

I didn't assemble the system, but I recently replaced the thermal paste and applied it in an X shape on the CPU. Also, there was no protective sticker under the cooler block.

 

[Outback Bronze]

No, they are not. Those temps are horrible.

I'd say it's the 1.5v he's running.

You might want to try 1.4v first to see if its stable by locking that in or use a negative offset like 0.100 and see what that does.

 

[Oxej]

I'd say it's the 1.5v he's running.

You might want to try 1.4v first to see if its stable by locking that in or use a negative offset like 0.100 and see what that does.

How can I set it to 1.4V? Can you explain the steps? I can send you BIOS photos from here.

 

[Onasi]

I'd say it's the 1.5v he's running.

You might want to try 1.4v first to see if its stable by locking that in or use a negative offset like 0.100 and see what that does.

Could even be a shit MCE setting enabled by default in the UEFI. I would try to make sure that everything is on Intel defaults there and check temps then. Go from there accordingly.

 

[Timbaloo]

It's been a while since I built a system with recent intel HW, but in the past some MB makers (and Asus being one of them) defaulted to overly high voltages. I'd check that, because the gaming temps are not cool (pun intended) at all. Comparing to the TPU review of the 14700K.

Edit: Slowbaloo...

 

[AusWolf]

Looks fine.

Nice setup, btw.

 

[Oxej]

Friends, I’m very inexperienced with these things, and I would really appreciate your guidance.


I’m sending the photos now. If there are any other settings you want me to check, I can look at them as well.


I haven’t changed any of the BIOS settings I shared with you, and the temperatures are as I mentioned.

 

[Dr. Dro]

I'd say it's the 1.5v he's running.

You might want to try 1.4v first to see if its stable by locking that in or use a negative offset like 0.100 and see what that does.

That CPU shouldn't be running that high, the 14700KF doesn't even support TVB

Friends, I’m very inexperienced with these things, and I would really appreciate your guidance.


I’m sending the photos now. If there are any other settings you want me to check, I can look at them as well.


I haven’t changed any of the BIOS settings I shared with you, and the temperatures are as I mentioned.

View attachment 388658View attachment 388659View attachment 388660View attachment 388661View attachment 388662View attachment 388663View attachment 388664View attachment 388665View attachment 388666

Please leave everything on automatic mode, Intel Default Settings, Performance, Multicore Enhancement Off - Enforce all limits and test to see if temps continue absurd, your idles look fine.

Also what monitoring software are you using? Please use the latest version of HWiNFO64

 

[Oxej]

That CPU shouldn't be running that high, the 14700KF doesn't even support TVB



Please leave everything on automatic mode, Intel Default Settings, Performance, Multicore Enhancement Off - Enforce all limits and test to see if temps continue absurd, your idles look fine.

Also what monitoring software are you using? Please use the latest version of HWiNFO64

I just installed HWiNFO64; I think I had an older version before, but I'm not sure.


Now that you've seen my BIOS settings, is there anything I need to do? Can you see the things you mentioned?

 

[AusWolf]

Friends, I’m very inexperienced with these things, and I would really appreciate your guidance.


I’m sending the photos now. If there are any other settings you want me to check, I can look at them as well.


I haven’t changed any of the BIOS settings I shared with you, and the temperatures are as I mentioned.

View attachment 388658View attachment 388659View attachment 388660View attachment 388661View attachment 388662View attachment 388663View attachment 388664View attachment 388665View attachment 388666

It looks all fine to me. As a rule of thumb, don't tinker with what you don't understand. Your motherboard will handle the rest.