Meshify C Fan Arrangement?

[redsquirrel0249]

I've had a gaming computer for around a year now, and have had no trouble with my rather overkill cooling solution of 5 noctua fans in a Meshify C for a Ryzen 5 1600 at 3.75 GHz and a stock 1080. I've got 3 intake 120mm Noctua P-12 redux fans in front and a rear exhaust S-12B redux behind the CPU and another S-12B exhaust above. Also, my PSU intakes below the GPU inside the case.

 

However, I've heard exhausting above a CPU in general is bad, wasting intake air. In general, I have better CPU thermals than GPU thermals, and I'd like to focus on cooling the GPU. with what I've heard about top exhaust and with no mounts to improve the GPU, should I reorient the top fan, remove it all together, or stick with what I've got? Any feedback is appreciated.

[PopsicleHustler]

I have Meshify C fully loaded with Silent Wing fans. x2 140mm front intake, and  3 120mm exhausts - 1 in the rear and 2 on top.  My GPU and CPU thermals are perfect, but that could be down to a massive heatsink on the GPU.

 

There is no issues with moving too much air  in Meshify C because of compact internal design. air moves in and out quickly without creating low pressure zones.

 

I've tried using different fan configs, but temps only got worse.

[RAS_3885]

What are you CPU and GPU thermals?  You already have what sounds like more than adequate airflow through the case, so swapping one fan around isn't really going to make a significant difference

 

If you keep the top rear fan it should be an exhaust since hot air rises, but I don't think having a fan there is necessary.  Less fans = less noise.

[TVwazhere]

25 minutes ago, redsquirrel0249 said:

However, I've heard exhausting above a CPU in general is bad, wasting intake air. 

This is referring to top mounted fan (close to the front) that pulls air out of the case before it reaches the CPU tower. Your fan is directly above the Cooling tower, so it's not really in danger of sucking in cooler air before it gets to the tower.

 

As @PopsicleHustler mentioned, this is usually more noticeable in cases that are much longer (4-8" longer in some cases) 

 

I would however switch the PSU to intake from the bottom of the case, as the PSU is fighting the GPU for the fresh air that's in between the PSU shroud and the GPU. This will be kind of a pain to do however, as it will most likely mean redoing your cables

[redsquirrel0249]

1 hour ago, RAS_3885 said:

CPU and GPU thermals

84C max on CPU during gameplay, mostly under 80, and 77C max on graphics during normal gameplay at about 19.5C ambient.

1 hour ago, PopsicleHustler said:

My GPU and CPU thermals are perfect

Define perfect. Also did you try removing any fans in your alternate configurations?

47 minutes ago, TVwazhere said:

This is referring to top mounted fan (close to the front) that pulls air out of the case before it reaches the CPU tower

Yes, I just heard the effect could also occur to a lesser degree in my circumstance, but I knew when I installed it it wouldn't be as bad as the forward position, especially with the dimensions of the case.

47 minutes ago, TVwazhere said:

I would however switch the PSU

I figured the PSU would just tank the hot air output by the graphics card. Without that fan, It seems rather difficult to get flow through that lower shaft between the PSU shroud and graphics card.

[TVwazhere]

1 minute ago, redsquirrel0249 said:

I figured the PSU would just tank the hot air output by the graphics card. Without that fan, It seems rather difficult to get flow through that lower shaft between the PSU shroud and graphics card.

The PSU pulls air in from the fan side and exhausts it out the grill in the back. So it's trying to pull the air in front of the GPU away from the GPU

[redsquirrel0249]

11 minutes ago, TVwazhere said:

PSU pulls air in from the fan side

I understand this, but it seems an extra fan would improve the directionality of the airflow, and it seems this would aid GPU thermals. Air pressure is also coming from the graphics card fans, and as long as that air is forced somewhere else, the problem would seem to be solved, right?

[TVwazhere]

6 minutes ago, redsquirrel0249 said:

as long as that air is forced somewhere else, the problem would seem to be solved, right?

Ideally the top exhaust fan and the rear exhaust fan would handle all the exhausting of hot air from both the CPU and GPU without causing resistance or turbulence. Having the PSU pull air away from the GPU unfortunately causes resistance, and offsets any benefit there might be of pulling hot air coming form an open face GPU that exhausts air back into the case

[redsquirrel0249]

10 minutes ago, TVwazhere said:

causes resistance

Ok. I had always figured there was too much physical resistance for graphics card air to be exhausted through the rear and top fan, but I suppose since the graphics card fans aren't directional, it's not too difficult. I tried to make the system rather balanced for pressure, I'm not sure what pressure config would improve graphics card air circulation.