Optimal fan layout

Juliasmatius · February 22

I have a fractal design pop air case with very good airflow. I got a few fans to put in the top of the case. I'm wondering if these would be better to be intake or exhaust fans for the lowest noice possible.

The computer is currently configured with 2 front intakes and 1 back exhaust and a tower cooler with a fan from front to back.

Meow :3

- Juli

Blazepoint5 · February 22

1 hour ago, Juliasmatius said:

I have a fractal design pop air case with very good airflow. I got a few fans to put in the top of the case. I'm wondering if these would be better to be intake or exhaust fans for the lowest noice possible.

The computer is currently configured with 2 front intakes and 1 back exhaust and a tower cooler with a fan from front to back.

Meow :3

- Juli

With two front intake fans and one rear exhaust fan, your case is already maintaining positive air pressure, which helps reduce dust buildup inside the case. By adding the top fans as intake, you may create an imbalance and increase the positive pressure, leading to more dust accumulation over time.

Exhaust fans generally produce less noise compared to intake fans. This is because intake fans need to overcome the resistance caused by dust filters and other obstructions in the case's front panel, which can increase their noise levels. By using the top fans as exhaust, you can potentially minimize the overall noise generated by your system.

The tower cooler in your system is already pushing hot air towards the rear exhaust fan. By placing the top fans as exhaust, you can help facilitate the natural upward flow of warm air, improving overall airflow efficiency inside the case.

TatamiMatt · February 22

39 minutes ago, Blazepoint5 said:

With two front intake fans and one rear exhaust fan, your case is already maintaining positive air pressure, which helps reduce dust buildup inside the case. By adding the top fans as intake, you may create an imbalance and increase the positive pressure, leading to more dust accumulation over time.

Exhaust fans generally produce less noise compared to intake fans. This is because intake fans need to overcome the resistance caused by dust filters and other obstructions in the case's front panel, which can increase their noise levels. By using the top fans as exhaust, you can potentially minimize the overall noise generated by your system.

The tower cooler in your system is already pushing hot air towards the rear exhaust fan. By placing the top fans as exhaust, you can help facilitate the natural upward flow of warm air, improving overall airflow efficiency inside the case.

However dont populate the frontmost top port with an exhaust as youll just pull cold air away and stop it from entering the air cooler, effectively starving it of some air it would otherwise normally get, your best bet is just to add one rear back exhaust fan (which you have) and one rear top exhaust fan

Do you just have 120mm fans or do you have any 140mms?

Regardless of that, your best bet for airflow should look like this with red as exhaust and green as intake

Blazepoint5 · February 22

1 hour ago, TatamiMatt said:

However dont populate the frontmost top port with an exhaust as youll just pull cold air away and stop it from entering the air cooler, effectively starving it of some air it would otherwise normally get, your best bet is just to add one rear back exhaust fan (which you have) and one rear top exhaust fan

Do you just have 120mm fans or do you have any 140mms?

Regardless of that, your best bet for airflow should look like this with red as exhaust and green as intake

Something like this

Juliasmatius · February 22

They are all 120mm fans. But putting them like that is gonna leave me with a space fan. What should i do with that?

TatamiMatt · February 22

1 hour ago, Juliasmatius said:

They are all 120mm fans. But putting them like that is gonna leave me with a space fan. What should i do with that?

The spare fan space is either going to starve the cooler of air or recycle hot air back into the cooler, if you wanted performace id leave it out altogether, if you want aesthetics, slap it in there