RGB Case Cooling - Anidees AI Crystal Cube Lite - CM MasterFan Pro RGB Series - ASUS Aura

[posarius]

I'm looking at getting 8-10 CoolerMaster MasterFan Pro RGB fans to make my computer nice and gaudy.

 

The case in question is: http://www.anidees.com/ai-crystal/ai-crystal-l

 

I'm cooling an i7-7700k with a Corsair h100i and an ASUS Strix 1080ti.

 

I currently have 7 fans in the case:

2x 140mm intake for the main chamber

4x 120mm exhaust for the top (2 through the radiator in the main chamber, 2 through the side chamber)

1x 120mm exhaust in the rear of the main chamber.

 

I'm planning on replacing all fans and getting more for:

 

2x 140mm intake for the main chamber or 4x 120mm intake for both chambers

4x 120mm exhaust for the top

1x 120mm exhaust in the rear

1x 120mm intake on the bottom

 

Assuming this is the best configuration for the fans and radiator (because damn there are a lot of differing opinions), which configuration should I go with, and which fans in the series should I use? My thoughts are to go with the 4x 120mm in the front because it would look silly with only half of the front lit up and synced. As far as I'm aware, going with 140mm would only be preferable for noise, and after running two cards in crossfire for a long time, this is already much quieter.

 

The Cooler Master Pro RGB fans come in 3 varieties, Air Pressure, Air Balance, and Air Flow. The Cooler Master site and reviews don't agree on the use cases of some of these fans. The general consensus seems to be that Air Flow should be used for bottom intake and for exhaust but not for the radiator. Air Pressure should be used for the Radiator, even though it's exhausting air. The confusion seems to be with intake. Cooler Master is recommending the Air Pressure for the front intake while some reviews are recommending the Air Flow. Which would be the best choice? I'm assuming Air Balance isn't even an option here as if I'm spending stupid amounts of money on lighty-up fans, I might as well get ones that are specifically designed for their place in the case.

 

I can take pictures if absolutely necessary, but I haven't spent a lot of time on cable management because I didn't have the fans, and I'm also looking into getting custom sleeved cables.

 

Edit: I'm looking at syncing all of this through Asus Aura, which is why I'm pretty set on this fan series. The only other option I am aware of is the Akasa Vegas x7 RGB fan, and I don't like the look of that one as much as I do the CM fan(s).

[Himommies]

I prefer the Aer or the ML fans

[posarius]

I'm looking at syncing all of this through Asus Aura. I think the only fans available for purchase at the moment that can be synced are the CM ones and the Akasa Vegas x7 RGB something another.

[Damascus]

5 minutes ago, Himommies said:

I prefer the Aer or the ML fans

The cooler master fans are better then the ML though I'm not sure about the aer.

[Himommies]

2 minutes ago, Damascus said:

The cooler master fans are better then the ML though I'm not sure about the aer.

really.not airflow wise because if your buying these you probably don't care.The ML look better and have more consistent lighting IMO

[Damascus]

2 minutes ago, Himommies said:

really.not airflow wise because if your buying these you probably don't care.The ML look better and have more consistent lighting IMO

Sure but they suck in comparison for SP.

[Himommies]

Just now, Damascus said:

Sure but they suck in comparison for SP.

Like I said.If your buying RGB fans like these.You probably don't care

[Damascus]

Just now, Himommies said:

Like I said.If your buying RGB fans like these.You probably don't care

as someone who calls himself king of rgbIstan Ima tell you right now that I never sacrifice performance for it.  

 

Besides, the corsair fans are 5050 header leds, meaning no bulky external box or glitchy interfaces, just syncs up with your mobo.

[Himommies]

Just now, Damascus said:

Besides, the corsair fans are 5050 header leds, meaning no bulky external box or glitchy interfaces, just syncs up with your mobo.

Are you argueing against yourself

 

Just now, Damascus said:

as someone who calls himself king of rgbIstan Ima tell you right now that I never sacrifice performance for it.  

Fan's don't contribute that much performance anyways so like OP's choice

[posarius]

1 minute ago, Damascus said:

as someone who calls himself king of rgbIstan Ima tell you right now that I never sacrifice performance for it.  

 

Besides, the corsair fans are 5050 header leds, meaning no bulky external box or glitchy interfaces, just syncs up with your mobo.

I thought the Corsair fans had a different RGB pin layout meaning they can't be synced with anything other than their own control box.

 

Regardless, none of the fans mentioned are Aura compatible. Sorry, I've edited the OP to reflect that requirement.

[Damascus]

1 minute ago, Himommies said:

Are you argueing against yourself

 

Fan's don't contribute that much performance anyways so like OP's choice

Accidental mistyped, also fans are a huge impacter of performance.  If I put my gentle typhoons up against some gamers torment SP optimized fans (not exactly cheap shit case fans)  I see a good couple c difference

Just now, posarius said:

I thought the Corsair fans had a different RGB pin layout meaning they can't be synced with anything other than their own control box.

Yeah, that's a typo.  I meant cooler master.

[Himommies]

Just now, Damascus said:

Accidental mistyped, also fans are a huge impacter of performance.  If I put my gentle typhoons up against some gamers torment SP optimized fans (not exactly cheap shit case fans)  I see a good couple c difference

But that's 2 completely different price categories.2 fans in the same price range and same  category will perform pretty similarly  

[posarius]

Just now, Damascus said:

Accidental mistyped, also fans are a huge impacter of performance.  If I put my gentle typhoons up against some gamers torment SP optimized fans (not exactly cheap shit case fans)  I see a good couple c difference

Yeah, that's a typo.  I meant cooler master.

Any insight into which fans would be preferable? I think this is likely a weird edge case where I won't really know what would be the best option until I try it, but at $20 USD a fan...I'd rather not have to buy more than I need.

[Damascus]

6 minutes ago, Himommies said:

But that's 2 completely different price categories.2 fans in the same price range and same  category will perform pretty similarly  

Not really a different category, deepcool fans are 15 a pop and typhoons are 15-20.

[Damascus]

Air pressure on the radiator no matter what.  Air balance everywhere else 

[posarius]

Just now, Damascus said:

Air pressure on the radiator no matter what.  Air balance everywhere else 

Why Air Balance versus the other two? Would it not really matter because so many fans are being used?

[Damascus]

12 minutes ago, posarius said:

Why Air Balance versus the other two? Would it not really matter because so many fans are being used?

Air balance are quiet, effective and versatile.

[Himommies]

19 minutes ago, Damascus said:

Not really a different category, deepcool fans are 15 a pop and typhoons are 15-20.

They also have to be in the same category.You can compare Typhoons to Vardars but Not a ML to a typhoon

[Damascus]

1 minute ago, Himommies said:

They also have to be in the same category.You can compare Typhoons to Vardars but Not a ML to a typhoon

Corsair sells the ML as direct competitor to a vardar etc.

 

The ML are not quieter, less versatile, better at pushing or longer lived.  Not worth it IMO 

[posarius]

8 minutes ago, Damascus said:

Air balance are quiet, effective and versatile.

All three variations of the fan have the same noise specifications. I haven't seen a review that lists either of the three fans being louder or quieter than the other. Effectiveness would really depend on how they're being used (and I would imagine the placement in the case), and versatility isn't really needed. I'm not trying to be argumentative, but with the different pressure...outputs?...of each fan, I wonder if it would be more effective to have higher pressure intakes and lower pressure exhausts.

[Damascus]

My answer is still the same M8, if you want to put air flow fans on unblocked areas go for it