Define S Air Optimization

[Redfern]

Hi, I have ordered the Define S and am wondering the best fan setup for my build. I don't have any AiO's yet and I have 6 / 7 fans that I could install and wanted some suggestions on the best airflow choice's as I'm unsure. I'm thinking 3 pulling in from the front, 1 outtake out the back, 1 outtake near the PSU and maybe any on the top? Thanks.

[Curufinwe_wins]

Hi, I have ordered the Define S and am wondering the best fan setup for my build. I don't have any AiO's yet and I have 6 / 7 fans that I could install and wanted some suggestions on the best airflow choice's as I'm unsure. I'm thinking 3 pulling in from the front, 1 outtake out the back, 1 outtake near the PSU and maybe any on the top? Thanks.

Three in the front, one in by the psu, three out the top, one out the back.

 

If you have it all use it and this way all intakes are filtered.

[Redfern]

Thanks

[Curufinwe_wins]

Thanks

Also if you get an AIO place it in the top outtakes.

[manikyath]

honestly, i'm gonna say something radical here:

- decent tower cooler on the cpu with one or two fans.

- 3 filtered intakes in the front.

- power supply fan down

 

and leave the rest up to the air pressure of the front intakes.

my define R5 is set up this way (with 2 intakes) and as long as my fan filters arent stuffed i'm getting very good temps, and OH the glorious silence.

[ELSknutson]

What size ,what rpm fans

[SurvivorNVL]

Moduvents on top, three 140mm in front, one 140mm in back, PSU down, and like manikyath said - NH-D15s or Cryorig R1 Universal as a tower cooler.  Turn the Define S in to a wind-tunnel. Maximum silence, maximum cooling.  So, three in-take a the front, out-take at the back, in-take via the PSU because it'll be fan-side down.  Positive air.  Maximum lack of dust entering that case!

[Curufinwe_wins]

I would argue that any way you put it, adding more fans will increase that air flow so if max airflow is what you are looking for then use them all! hahaha.

[Redfern]

Moduvents on top, three 140mm in front, one 140mm in back, PSU down, and like manikyath said - NH-D15s or Cryorig R1 Universal as a tower cooler.  Turn the Define S in to a wind-tunnel. Maximum silence, maximum cooling.  So, three in-take a the front, out-take at the back, in-take via the PSU because it'll be fan-side down.  Positive air.  Maximum lack of dust entering that case!

 

Thanks for all the great suggestions, will do that, turn it into a wind tunnel haha, maybe when I get the case and my builds in with all the fans I will post a picture, thanks again.

[spwath]

Three in the front, one in by the psu, three out the top, one out the back.

If you have it all use it and this way all intakes are filtered.

No no no.

3 front intake, 1 rear exhaust

[spwath]

I would argue that any way you put it, adding more fans will increase that air flow so if max airflow is what you are looking for then use them all! hahaha.

No no no.

That's wrong.

More fans can hurt temperatures.

If you want to argue the point, I can happily explain why

[Curufinwe_wins]

No no no.

That's wrong.

More fans can hurt temperatures.

If you want to argue the point, I can happily explain why

I am well aware of the fluid dynamics however if you check my setup (from bottom front to back top) you are dealing with a cross flow in the same manner that the common suggestion is a back to front flow. Air pressure won't actually increase very much though because you still have massive leakage in a case like the R5 (example through the area infront of the PSU) so not using the fans does nothing to help that way... 

 

In all events, while I would disagree that temperatures would be worse, I MUST note that my exact statement was 'FOR MAXIMUM AIRFLOW' a statement that is UNEQUIVOCALLY correct with the additional fans over the systems others proposed.

 

The more flow you have (even if it isn't going in the same direction as the cpu/gpu cooling) the shorter amount of time ON AVERAGE the each particle of air stays in the case, which (assuming there is no stagnant flow vortexes directly caused by the additional fans, which I would argue there wouldn't be due to the flow path) directly leads to lower in case temperatures, leading to lower component temperatures (ESP for blower style gpu's and aio systems)

 

 

I agree that in particular situations additional fans can hurt. I disagree that they would in this case.

[spwath]

I am well aware of the fluid dynamics however if you check my setup (from bottom front to back top) you are dealing with a cross flow in the same manner that the common suggestion is a back to front flow. Air pressure won't actually increase very much though because you still have massive leakage in a case like the R5 (example through the area infront of the PSU) so not using the fans does nothing to help that way...

In all events, while I would disagree that temperatures would be worse, I MUST note that my exact statement was 'FOR MAXIMUM AIRFLOW' a statement that is UNEQUIVOCALLY correct with the additional fans over the systems others proposed.

The more flow you have (even if it isn't going in the same direction as the cpu/gpu cooling) the shorter amount of time ON AVERAGE the each particle of air stays in the case, which (assuming there is no stagnant flow vortexes directly caused by the additional fans, which I would argue there wouldn't be due to the flow path) directly leads to lower in case temperatures, leading to lower component temperatures (ESP for blower style gpu's and aio systems)

I agree that in particular situations additional fans can hurt. I disagree that they would in this case.

The front most top fans would just suck the cold air from the intakes

[Curufinwe_wins]

The front most top fans would just suck the cold air from the intakes

 

Then skip that one, you definitely want however the placeholder in front of the psu to be working as a clean intake, because without a fan there forcing air into the case, it will allow air to flow down and out before reaching the hot spots (I mean I suppose you could try to seal the case too, but that's getting pretty mod heavy.) Air rushing out there would also create stagnant flow in front of the gpu fans pulling air in (and hence up).

 

The back top two is an ideal place for a 280 rad if using one (just as the back exhaust is for a 140), and while I personally believe even on air cooling the back two would help even with air cooling, I concede that without testing it really isn't possible to know if the benefits to overall case temperature outweigh the losses to parallel flow towards an air cooling tower (or in a small sense the back of a gpu pcb).

[SteveGrabowski0]

The front most top fans would just suck the cold air from the intakes

 

What do you think of the bottom intake in front of the PSU? Is that something better for reference cards when you need cool air coming into the shroud? Will it be working against the downward axial fans in a standard aftermarket GPU setup?

[Redfern]

What do you think of the bottom intake in front of the PSU? Is that something better for reference cards when you need cool air coming into the shroud? Will it be working against the downward axial fans in a standard aftermarket GPU setup?

 

So fan next to PSU as intake or outtake?