mATX inverted case airflow help!

[Razorcat]

This is my first time building with an inverted case, and I'm having some trouble finding what the ideal fan/rad setup would be for optimal system-wide cooling. The biggest struggle is that the flipped GPU means it would be trying to pull in air from the top of the case. The small case also means the GPU looks like ti would create more of an airblock. The way I see it, there would either need to be no top fans, or they would have to be intake (or vertically mount the GPU instead...?)

This is the case https://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=796&area=en

It supports 

Front: 2 x 120/140mm

Rear: 1 x 120mm

Top: 2 x 120/140mm

 

I've drawn up three options that I've been thinking about. What are some of your opinions on these setups, and is there a better setup that I'm not considering? It's a bit unorthodox, but I'm honestly leaning towards option 1 currently as it top mounts the radiator (to prevent air bubbles in the pump) and the larger front fan allows for a less extreme positive pressure difference.

 

Option 1: front 140 exhaust, top rad intake, rear intake

- More neutral pressure

- MOBO gets fresh air

- GPU gets air from CPU rad

- Top-mounted rad prevents air bubbles in the pump

 

 

Option 2: Front rad intake, top intake, rear exhaust.

- Positive static pressure (can turn the exhaust up and top intake down to reduce the pressure difference a little...)

- Fresh air for both cpu and gpu 

- MOBO gets no fresh air

 

 

Option 3: Front intake, top rad intake, rear exhaust

- Positive static pressure (can turn the exhaust up and front intake down to reduce the pressure difference a little...)

- MOBO gets fresh(er) air

- GPU gets air from CPU rad

- Top-mounted rad prevents air bubbles in the pump

 

 

[andrewmp6]

I'd do the 240 in the front as intake,2 120s on the roof as intake and the lower one as exhaust.Front mounting the aio with the tubes up will be higher then the pump and be fine like that.

[Razorcat]

3 minutes ago, andrewmp6 said:

I'd do the 240 in the front as intake,2 120s on the roof as intake and the lower one as exhaust.Front mounting the aio with the tubes up will be higher then the pump and be fine like that.

Any concerns about that being too much intake to exhausts? I generally prefer positive pressure, but that seems like a bit too much.

[andrewmp6]

Just now, Razorcat said:

Any concerns about that being too much intake to exhausts? I generally prefer positive pressure, but that seems like a bit too much.

With the rear of the case being mesh it will exhaust itself out.You can test it by flipping the top fans and see the temps difference.I guessing the gpu will be 5 degrees cooler with those fans as intake.

 

[andrewmp6]

 

[Razorcat]

18 minutes ago, andrewmp6 said:

 

I like how he's detailing the exact struggles I'm going through around 9:00 lol. This case really does make you think about airflow a lot more than your standard case.

I do like the idea of having fresh intake both for GPU and CPU, so as long as the high number of intakes isn't a problem I'll think I'll go that route then. Thanks!

[Razorcat]

Welp went to go do that, and realized I can't really mount on the front anyway because the non-removable 3.5 bay cover blocks the tubing on the bottom. And I do not want to put the tubes on top as per Gamer's Nexus's video (air bubbles would accumulate in the top tank restricting the flow through the tube openings)

 

[andrewmp6]

On 2/19/2022 at 12:34 AM, Razorcat said:

Welp went to go do that, and realized I can't really mount on the front anyway because the non-removable 3.5 bay cover blocks the tubing on the bottom. And I do not want to put the tubes on top as per Gamer's Nexus's video (air bubbles would accumulate in the top tank restricting the flow through the tube openings)