Front mounted AIO as intake or exhaust

[JimmyJimmy215]

So this is my build, 

PCPartPicker Part List

Type	Item	Price
CPU	Intel Core i9-9900K 3.6 GHz 8-Core Processor	$514.89 @ B&H
CPU Cooler	Corsair iCUE H115i RGB Pro XT 63 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler	$139.99 @ Amazon
Motherboard	MSI MPG Z390 GAMING PRO CARBON ATX LGA1151 Motherboard
Memory	Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory	$200.00 @ Amazon
Storage	Samsung 970 Evo 500 GB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive	$99.99 @ Amazon
Storage	Samsung 860 Evo 1 TB 2.5" Solid State Drive	$169.99 @ Adorama
Video Card	Zotac GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER 8 GB GAMING AMP Video Card	$699.99 @ B&H
Case	NZXT H510i ATX Mid Tower Case	$99.99 @ Amazon
Power Supply	Corsair RMx (2018) 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply	$144.99 @ Best Buy
	Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts
	Total	$2069.83
	Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-05-12 23:36 EDT-0400

and I'm wondering whether or not I should have my h115i as an intake(Picture 2) or exhaust (picture 1)

 

an

[DominicNikon]

I would say have the radiator be a front intake with the top and back fan exhausting. This is also based on physics where heat will rise causing the top fan to be helped by physics. 

[foldingNoob]

15 minutes ago, DominicNikon said:

This is also based on physics where heat will rise causing the top fan to be helped by physics.

That force is weak. So weak to be insignificant. Heat will go where fans blow it. There are videos on youtube proving this.

[Statik]

Computers are generally, and usually best off opposite. Intake front/bottom, and exhaust rear/top. I would personally mount your rad as top exhaust, then have a fan exhaust, and other fans as intake on the front.

[JimmyJimmy215]

34 minutes ago, DominicNikon said:

I would say have the radiator be a front intake with the top and back fan exhausting. This is also based on physics where heat will rise causing the top fan to be helped by physics. 

So you reccomend I mount the radiator fans at the front of the case as an intake and add a top and back fan to the case as exhausts?

[foldingNoob]

You are forced to either blow hot air onto your gpu or have no intake for the GPU. I would have the radiator act as exhaust. For the reason that it will pull hot air out and away from the GPU, and the GPU is going to be your hottest component.

[JimmyJimmy215]

1 minute ago, foldingNoob said:

You are forced to either blow hot air onto your gpu or have no intake for the GPU. I would have the radiator act as exhaust. For the reason that it will pull hot air out and away from the GPU, and the GPU is going to be your hottest component.

So exhaust at the front of the case? Paired with the other exhausts in the case wouldn't that make a fully negative air pressure setup?

[JimmyJimmy215]

18 minutes ago, Statik said:

Computers are generally, and usually best off opposite. Intake front/bottom, and exhaust rear/top. I would personally mount your rad as top exhaust, then have a fan exhaust, and other fans as intake on the front.

Its an h510i, no room for a 280mm on the top of the case 

[foldingNoob]

4 minutes ago, JimmyJimmy215 said:

So exhaust at the front of the case? Paired with the other exhausts in the case wouldn't that make a fully negative air pressure setup?

No I'm speaking of what you put in the picture above. Back & top intake, front exhaust.

BTW Positive/negative pressure benefits has also been debunked as seen on youtube. I think LTT tested it. I've tested it myself. Under negative pressure, gaps in the case block themselves with dust bunnies and internal components do not get dirtier.

There is something else to consider. Where are you placing the computer? If the front exhaust will be facing you it will be very annoying. I have experimented with this myself over many years and many cases. Air cooling a GPU is always problematic in any way you place the case fans.

It would be ideal to have a case, or mod your case to have the radiator on top. Over 10 years ago when all cases sucked people would mount radiators outside the case and so early water cooling-friendly cases had holes for water cooling tubes for external rads. This is what I would do. Cut a hole big enough to slide the pump through the top, and mount the GPU to the top. Give your case a radiator mowhawk.

[JimmyJimmy215]

13 minutes ago, foldingNoob said:

No I'm speaking of what you put in the picture above. Back & top intake, front exhaust.

BTW Positive/negative pressure benefits has also been debunked as seen on youtube. I think LTT tested it. I've tested it myself. Under negative pressure, gaps in the case block themselves with dust bunnies and internal components do not get dirtier.

There is something else to consider. Where are you placing the computer? If the front exhaust will be facing you it will be very annoying. I have experimented with this myself over many years and many cases. Air cooling a GPU is always problematic in any way you place the case fans.

It would be ideal to have a case, or mod your case to have the radiator on top. Over 10 years ago when all cases sucked people would mount radiators outside the case and so early water cooling-friendly cases had holes for water cooling tubes for external rads. This is what I would do. Cut a hole big enough to slide the pump through the top, and mount the GPU to the top. Give your case a radiator mowhawk.

I'd rather refrain from modding my case, also. What would be the downside to the radiator fans as an intake in the front of the case. Would the hot air on the GPU be that bad? 

[foldingNoob]

24 minutes ago, JimmyJimmy215 said:

I'd rather refrain from modding my case, also. What would be the downside to the radiator fans as an intake in the front of the case. Would the hot air on the GPU be that bad? 

keep it as stock then. We're talking about a few degrees difference. It won't hurt either way you do it.

[JimmyJimmy215]

25 minutes ago, foldingNoob said:

keep it as stock then. We're talking about a few degrees difference. It won't hurt either way you do it.

So having a configuration of a radiator at the front of the case with the radiator fans acting as intakes as well a exhaust fan for the fan mounts at the back and the top of the case will provide good temperatures for both the GPU and CPU?

 

[foldingNoob]

3 minutes ago, JimmyJimmy215 said:

So having a configuration of a radiator at the front of the case with the radiator fans acting as intakes as well a exhaust fan for the fan mounts at the back and the top of the case will provide good temperatures for both the GPU and CPU?

 

I just realised I might be confusing you. We are not talking a game changing difference. You do not have a bad case and it will work fine without doing anything weird.

[JimmyJimmy215]

6 minutes ago, foldingNoob said:

I just realised I might be confusing you. We are not talking a game changing difference. You do not have a bad case and it will work fine without doing anything weird.

Gotcha, thanks 

[foldingNoob]

18 minutes ago, JimmyJimmy215 said:

Gotcha, thanks 

but if you do want to do something weird. I totally support that.

[JimmyJimmy215]

10 hours ago, foldingNoob said:

but if you do want to do something weird. I totally support that.

One more question. It seems that the h115i RGB PRO XT comes with 2 different types of screws for mounting. Very long screws to secure the fans to the radiator and then shorter screws to secure the radiator to the chassis. My problem is, that I dont know what to do if I wanted to mount the radiator fans to the chasis instead of the radiator itself to the chassis