Fan in front or back of the radiator for best GPU performance / temp?

[TheNaitsyrk]

Got EVGA SC2 Hybrid, bought Noctua 3000RPM Industrial fan. Once it's at full speed you're ready for takeoff but damn this thing is good. Temps hoover around 47-49C under full load when overclocked. When headphones are on you don't notice it, but...

 

Would the performance / temperature be better if the 3000RPM fan was in front of the GPU? It's currently behind it and in front of it there's SP120. SP120 goes up to 1600RPM.

 

(Sorry for the pathetic photo, it was easier to take this way).

[migeo]

If I understand correctly you're asking if it's better to have the noctua fan in pull or push? If I were you, I would leave the noctua fan as is and even remove the corsair fan. The noctua is more than enough. this way you'll have a quieter setup with one less fan but more importantly, you'll be able to clean the dust from the radiator, something you can't do if you have a fan in push. My setup has a fan in pull and my older one had it in pull as well. You'll be amazed by how much dust you can clean this way.

[TheNaitsyrk]

1 minute ago, migeo said:

If I understand correctly you're asking if it's better to have the noctua fan in pull or push? If I were you, I would leave the noctua fan as is and even remove the corsair fan. The noctua is more than enough. this way you'll have a quieter setup with one less fan but more importantly, you'll be able to clean the dust from the radiator, something you can't do if you have a fan in push. My setup has a fan in pull and my older one had it in pull as well. You'll be amazed by how much dust you can clean this way.

Nope, whether it's better for the faster fan to be in the front of the radiator so air moves faster through the aluminium fins instead of pulling it from the radiator.

[Pachuca]

best setup is to have the fan push cool air through the radiator like in your picture. If you run the other way, you won't see a huge difference because the hybrid coolers are so good at keeping a gpu cool anyway. Most important is to have good airflow in your case so you don't end up building up heat inside over time than your fan starts blowing warm/hot air through the radiator which will increase temps, but not by much. 

[migeo]

1 minute ago, TheNaitsyrk said:

Nope, whether it's better for the faster fan to be in the front of the radiator so air moves faster through the aluminium fins instead of pulling it from the radiator.

Yes that's what I understood. So pulling is my personal preferance. I would rather have the faster fan pulling the air from the radiator and removing the slower fan completely.

[TheNaitsyrk]

Just now, Pachuca said:

best setup is to have the fan push cool air through the radiator like in your picture. If you run the other way, you won't see a huge difference because the hybrid coolers are so good at keeping a gpu cool anyway. Most important is to have good airflow in your case so you don't end up building up heat inside over time than your fan starts blowing warm/hot air through the radiator which will increase temps, but not by much. 

The air goes into the case, not outside of it.

[migeo]

Just now, Pachuca said:

best setup is to have the fan push cool air through the radiator like in your picture. If you run the other way, you won't see a huge difference because the hybrid coolers are so good at keeping a gpu cool anyway. Most important is to have good airflow in your case so you don't end up building up heat inside over time than your fan starts blowing warm/hot air through the radiator which will increase temps, but not by much. 

In the picture the fan is pushing not pulling

[TheNaitsyrk]

Just now, migeo said:

Yes that's what I understood. So pulling is my personal preferance. I would rather have the faster fan pulling the air from the radiator and removing the slower fan completely.

Well, the temps are great, I was just thinking maybe I could improve it if I switched the fans around. Slow fan isn't affecting anything so I just leave it there for looks, so front of the case is lit red. I can have it turned off. I have Sentry 3 Fan controller.

[TheNaitsyrk]

1 minute ago, migeo said:

In the picture the fan is pushing not pulling

Well, I checked, the air goes into the case from the outside. Believe this fan has a kick so if I put my hand in front of it it's like a small leaf blower. This is how I know it goes into the case.

[migeo]

Just now, TheNaitsyrk said:

Well, the temps are great, I was just thinking maybe I could improve it if I switched the fans around. Slow fan isn't affecting anything so I just leave it there for looks, so front of the case is lit red. I can have it turned off. I have Sentry 3 Fan controller.

Yes but if you have it there, this means that the noctua fan has to "pull" more since there is another obstacle the corsair fan. If you don't mind the sound then keep the corsair fan. Personally I would remove it for sound and being able to clean the radiator periodically.

[TheNaitsyrk]

Just now, migeo said:

Yes but if you have it there, this means that the noctua fan has to "pull" more since there is another obstacle the corsair fan. If you don't mind the sound then keep the corsair fan. Personally I would remove it for sound and being able to clean the radiator periodically.

SP120 is silent + I said I have Sentry 3 so I can turn it off completely without removing it. I don't think it's obstructing.

[Pachuca]

1 minute ago, TheNaitsyrk said:

The air goes into the case, not outside of it.

Oh, so you have no air going outside of the case?

[migeo]

1 minute ago, TheNaitsyrk said:

SP120 is silent + I said I have Sentry 3 so I can turn it off completely without removing it. I don't think it's obstructing.

As you wish.

[Quaker]

27 minutes ago, TheNaitsyrk said:

Got EVGA SC2 Hybrid, bought Noctua 3000RPM Industrial fan. Once it's at full speed you're ready for takeoff but damn this thing is good. Temps hoover around 47-49C under full load when overclocked. When headphones are on you don't notice it, but...

There is really no reason to be that concerned about the temps. If the card was running at 57-59C it wouldn't perform any differently. I suggest you go back to the original fan and reduce the noise.

[TheNaitsyrk]

Just now, Quaker said:

There is really no reason to be that concerned about the temps. If the card was running at 57-59C it wouldn't perform any differently. I suggest you go back to the original fan and reduce the noise.

I'm pretty happy with it as is, I like the low temps, and I can reduce the speeds, it doesn't have to go 100%. I can turn it off, change RPM on the go etc.

 

1 minute ago, Pachuca said:

Oh, so you have no air going outside of the case?

I have made a config that pulls in air this way:

>>>  ^^^ <<<

[Pachuca]

7 minutes ago, TheNaitsyrk said:

The air goes into the case, not outside of it.

anyway, it really won't make a big difference because these coolers are so good. I can run my fan at 800rpm and my gpu is still cooler than the stock cooler it came with when the fans are at 100%.

[TheNaitsyrk]

10 minutes ago, Pachuca said:

anyway, it really won't make a big difference because these coolers are so good. I can run my fan at 800rpm and my gpu is still cooler than the stock cooler it came with when the fans are at 100%.

Well with just SP120 running at 100% I get 56C on the GPU (1400-1500RPM), but they're really silent so it's fine. That one fan reduced temps by 7-10C. Having options is nice. Ambient temp here is high so I like the be prepared.

 

With the EVGA Fan on my 1080 TI it would be 3-4C lower since it's on AUTO and it monitors temps, but this is better obviously.