need help with cpu cooling

[wh0cares]

Alright so here’s the case 
I just built my first pc 
Ryzen 2700x
Rtx 2070 system 
In nzxt h500 case
I’m using the stock cooler right now, but I’m looking to OC my cpu soon, so I am looking to put in a liquid cooler 
My case can have one fan in back 120
One top 140 and up to 240 in the front 
Back and top are exhaust, so can I just put a 240mm liquid cooler in the front and not have an intake, 
or should I get a 140 mm liquid cooler for top and put one intake in the front 
Or should change the back fan to an intake
What should I do?

[Phentos]

Using the front panel as an intake while mounting your radiator there is still a very decent cooling solution, so long as you have good fans for the intake and exhaust via rear and top. 

 

When I had my NZXT S340 Elite case (roughly similar case) I had my AIO radiator in the front with Noctua NF-F12 iPPC-3k fans in a pull config to improve airflow inside the case too. Compared to the stock cooler on my old Ryzen 1700, I saw huge improvements in temps across the board for everything from CPU to GPU to mobo temps. 

[MaratM]

using a massive air cooler is not an option?

[zombieshy_guy81]

Use a 240 in the front, the radiator doesn't really hinder too much airflow so it shouldn't effect airflow in your case, especially if you get some fans with high static pressure that can really force some air through your rad

[wh0cares]

thanks guys, this helps, follow up question, should i do push or full configuration for front intake with radiator

[kevinisbeast707]

14 hours ago, wh0cares said:

thanks guys, this helps, follow up question, should i do push or full configuration for front intake with radiator

All depends on how the fans interact with your case specifically. Tentatively I would say pull so that the fans aren't between two different restrictive barriers which can hurt performance and it also makes it easier to clean the rad without taking the fans off. But the best test would be to mount them in a push and then try a pull and measure both thermals and see which one is louder. Some fans make more sound in pull vs push or may  make a buzzing when the blades pass by the struts of the case and less so when placed up against the radiator.