Why cant i install my AIO on top as an intake ?

[saminam]

Basically im planning on getting an AIO cooler for my r5 2600x. The case i have is the non glass panel phanteks enthoo pro. I have been doing research on AIO's etc. and have found that im much better off installing the AIO as the front intake than top exhaust for temps (thanks bitwit). My question is why cant i install the AIO as an intake on the top ? I feel like its as simple as "you cant idiot" but i gotta ask anyways. Isnt it as simple as installing the 2 AIO fans as case fans then screwing the radiator into the fans ? Also idk if i can actually install on the front without removing my HDD drive. Again i apologise if this is the dumbest question you have read all year but you have to start learning somewhere and this is my first time operating with AIO's. Any replies are appreciated and either way im glad im able to learn.

[2SidedPolygon]

Top fans usually exhaust due to the fact that heat naturally rises.

[Fasauceome]

You can install it on top as intake, but if you have front intake, top intake, and GPU fans all blowing air into the same spot, there's competing airflow that may cause a lot of turbulence and noise.

[dDave64]

You’ll get the best airflow to the whole case by doing front intake and top exhaust.

 

You’ll also get more airflow through the case in general using this method as opposed to doing front and top intake (and less noise as @fasauceome mentioned). The competing intake airflow will cause noise and will stifle airflow which may actually result in worse cooling.

 

you just have to think logically about it. Any air that goes in the computer will get heated and you want it to have it leave the case at that point. If everyone is set to intake then a lot of the air inside the computer will get stuck and won’t be able to move out to let new cooler air in.

[SolarNova]

In all honesty so long as you have ample airflow, you CAN have it as top exhaust and have better overall system temps, as you wont be drawing in air ,heating it up via the rad, and dumping inside the case, but it does require ample airflow.

Basically u want it to exhaust air out through the rad from within the case, and ensure the air within the case is as cool as ambient air outside the case, which you can do so long as you have ample airflow.

 

 

 

[saminam]

13 minutes ago, dDave64 said:

You’ll get the best airflow to the whole case by doing front intake and top exhaust.

 

You’ll also get more airflow through the case in general using this method as opposed to doing front and top intake (and less noise as @fasauceome mentioned). The competing intake airflow will cause noise and will stifle airflow which may actually result in worse cooling.

 

you just have to think logically about it. Any air that goes in the computer will get heated and you want it to have it leave the case at that point. If everyone is set to intake then a lot of the air inside the computer will get stuck and won’t be able to move out to let new cooler air in.

 

Ty for your reply. It does make more sense. basically it would cause bad airflow with 2 intakes and 1 exhaust. The only problem i have now is that i cant install it on the front because i have a HDD installed and it looks like to install it in the front i would need to remove all possible HDD cages. The other options are the previously mentioned top mount and the floor of the case but that would be the same as top if not worse. Unless the bed for the HDD cages allows for a HDD to be installed under it. Im basically asking your advice because im thinking of waiting until i can afford a better SSD and get rid of the HDD and then going for the AIO then.

[dDave64]

2 hours ago, saminam said:

 

Ty for your reply. It does make more sense. basically it would cause bad airflow with 2 intakes and 1 exhaust. The only problem i have now is that i cant install it on the front because i have a HDD installed and it looks like to install it in the front i would need to remove all possible HDD cages. The other options are the previously mentioned top mount and the floor of the case but that would be the same as top if not worse. Unless the bed for the HDD cages allows for a HDD to be installed under it. Im basically asking your advice because im thinking of waiting until i can afford a better SSD and get rid of the HDD and then going for the AIO then.

 

According to the specs for your case (listed on Newegg), you should be able to install several 120mm or 140mm fans as front intake. You should be able to fit a fan or two in front of the hard drive bays to blow past them and into the rest of the case.

 

it wouldn’t be the worst thing ever to do top and front intake with rear exhaust, it’s just not ideal and thermals will suffer slightly because of it.

[aezakmi]

2 hours ago, saminam said:

basically it would cause bad airflow with 2 intakes and 1 exhaust

not if those intakes are front and the exhaust is rear or top

 

my sig rig uses that config and works fine, dual front intake with the radiator and single rear exhaust. Case size helps a lot too but tbh you don't need 6 or 7 fans to have low temps.

[SpaceGhostC2C]

You can install it with any orientation you want in any location it fits.

I personally recommend against radiators as intakes regardless of location, but that doesn't change the fact that it's up to you.