Improving the cooling in Define R4

[King of Thorns]

I have a windowed white Define R4 configured like this (image for reference, the rig is not mine):

 

 

 

Inside are i5-4670K (currently at stock, will OC again), Asus Z87 Pro mobo, same Phanteks PH-TC14PE cooler, an Asus Expedition 1060 6GB GPU and 2 SSDs + 1 HDD in the bottom drive cage (the main cage is removed for airflow).

Fan config: 2x Fractal Design Silent R2 140mm as front intake, 2x Silent R2 120mm as exaust - 1 in the back, 1 in the top back slot.

While this setup isn't bad per se, I wish to improve the cooling in the case, mainly the GPU cooling (which isn't the strong point of R4). Being a fairly restrictive case because of the door which can't be taken off (I'd appreciate advice on how to do it) and dust fan system R4 has in front, it won't be easy...

 

Anyway, my question is kinda two-fold:

 

1. Will I gain much  by adding a 5th fan as the bottom intake, next to PSU, to blow at the GPU? It wll improve GPU cooling but it will also create more positive pressure (and the exaust fans are already smaller that intakes), and I don't know how it will interfere with intake current...

Will I get anything by removing the PCI covers in the back, to improve exaust (assuming positive pressure)?

 

2. Let's say I replace all the fans (and use 140mm as exausts this time). Which fans do I use and where to place them?

Because of restricted intake, I imagine i need fans with high static pressure in front. I can put whichever in the back, though it would be nice having a really high air flow fan in the back. Silence is not a big issue, since R4 is a silent case and I'm on headphones 95% of the time, then again I wouldn't really want monsters like CM JetFlo or Noctua Industrial IPPCs on high RPM roaring around...so, performance intakes that aren't too noisy.

 

I need to add that the availability where I live (Serbia) is extremely bad and I'd have to order them from abroad, so I'd like to avoid high priced or exotic fans, if possible...

[King of Thorns]

1 minute ago, Phaytuh said:

Do your self a favor and before you spend any money try moving the 120mm fan in the top to the bottom, blowing on the gpu. Then run some benchmarks and see if temperatures get better. I don't think its worth the money to buy all new fans, but you bay want to add a 5th one if my first suggestion does not provide sufficient results.

That would improve GPU cooling but it would also create huge positive pressure, which I'm not so sure it would be good. Adding one on the bottom as 5th while keeing 2 exausts is a better solution, if I go for bottom intake...

 

Still, I'd like to hear some recommendations for the fan replacements, why not...

[WoodenMarker]

What are your temps and what rpm are you running your fans at?

Removing the rear pci covers might help cooling but bring in more dust since that's where the graphics card will take in air.

Adding a bottom fan should help and the positive airflow shouldn't have any negative effects. Any excess air will find it's way out of openings since the case isn't sealed. 

[King of Thorns]

I haven't really had time to do measurements...temps are not alarming or anything, I just want to improve on existing. Intakes run at 1000 RPM, exausts at 850 (they're toned down, which is probaly a mistake, they can go at 1200).

Yeah, removing PCI covers would open up the case for more dust but with positive pressure it wouldn't end up sucking up much dust, if any, I feel.

I guess I'll add a bottom one and see how it does, after I find some time to do benchmarks. I was planning to replace the thermal paste on CPU (it's been a while), do some switching of drives and some other stuff these days, and I'll OC the processor in the process. That would be the right time to arrange fans and measure temps...I just need to get less busy, heh.

Any recommendations for intake fans that would do good with R4's front restrictions?

[WoodenMarker]

1 minute ago, King of Thorns said:

I haven't really had time to do measurements...temps are not alarming or anything, I just want to improve on existing. Intakes run at 1000 RPM, exausts at 850 (they're toned down, which is probaly a mistake, they can go at 1200).

Yeah, removing PCI covers would open up the case for more dust but with positive pressure it wouldn't end up sucking up much dust, if any, I feel.

I guess I'll add a bottom one and see how it does, after I find some time to do benchmarks. I was planning to replace the thermal paste on CPU (it's been a while), do some switching of drives and some other stuff these days, and I'll OC the processor in the process. That would be the right time to arrange fans and measure temps...I just need to get less busy, heh.

Any recommendations for intake fans that would do good with R4's front restrictions?

850-1000rpm isn't high but it isn't very low either.

You'll need a lot of positive airflow to keep the pci slots as exhaust instead of intake and it'll probably take very high rpm intake fans to overcome the localized airflow around the graphics card.

The 4670k isn't that old so your thermal paste should still be fine. 

Where are you shopping/located? Budget?

[LogicalDrm]

18 hours ago, King of Thorns said:

I haven't really had time to do measurements...temps are not alarming or anything, I just want to improve on existing.

What is your goal with improving? If its not temps, and obviously not looks, then what? Noise? Dust?

[Bcat00]

You need to make it clear what your goal is for doing this. The response you are giving is like "i want to lower the temp on my gpu" but i don't know how to go about it. That doesn't really help much when we don't even know what temp its running at full load.