Define R4 - Fan Setup with Corsair H50.

[FueledByBacon]

The way I see it this case is best used with Front and Bottom Intake fans and rear / top exhaust, however I'm looking for opinions from people who have the Define R4 to see if it's worth the added noise to add additional fans. I have a number of various examples and am wondering what others think, I'm using all of the fans with dust filters as intake and all exhausts will not have filters on them which should hopefully cut down on dust build up in my PC. My PC isn't super high end and I currently have the following rig

 

CPU: FX-6300 @ 4.2GHz

MOBO: Gigabyte 970A-UD3

RAM: Corsair 8GB @ 1600Mhz

GPU: Gigabyte GTX 760 OC (Shipping) 

HD: Western Digital 1TB - 7.2k RPM / 64MB Cache (Black)

PSU: XFX XXX Pro 650W

Cooling: Corsair H50

1. All Fans are 120mm & 60CFM. (18 dB)
2. H50 is always Push / Pull Exhaust.
3. Power Supply is Bottom Mounted exhausting out the bottom with no effect on airflow in the case.

 
Scenario 1 - Image
- 2 x Front Intake
- 1 x Bottom Intake
- 2 x Back Exhaust on H50 Radiator 
 
Scenario 2 - Image
- 2 x Front Intake
- 1 x Bottom Intake
- 1 x Top Exhaust
- 2 x Back Exhaust on H50 Radiator 
 
Now this where I'm at, the GPU (Gigabyte GTX 760 OC) I feel should have enough fresh air from the triple intake however I'm unsure if I should add an additional fan to the side panel as it won't have a dust filter and should as a result contribute dust to the case when it pulls air in, if I put it as exhaust I'm unsure if the front and bottom intake fans will be able to reach the H50 radiator before the side panel fan exhausts the hot air from the GPU as well as the fresh air out of the case. 

 

So what I'm getting at is, do you think I should place the side panel as exhaust, intake or leave it alone and do you believe that a top exhaust would be needed with these setups when used with a push pull Corsair H50.

[GunnAthax]

You won't need more than the two fans i the front as intake

[Kayn]

I would go with scene 1, but really it depends on what kind of fans you're getting.

[EchoRomeoCharlie]

So the only difference is the extra top exhaust?

 

I would just do some testing, get the fans, run tests with both and keep the one that works the best.  There's no real good way to say either way which one will be better without doing it.  

 

I prefer to stay as balanced as possible, and error on the side of 'positive pressure' or slightly more CFM intake than exhaust, so if you're going with 3 in, then a push pull and an extra exhaust on the top would be almost ideal.  I doubt it would have any significant effect on temps though vs just the push/pull exhaust.

[FueledByBacon]

The difference in the pictures is only the top exhaust but the additional difference in the question I added at the end has to do with a side exhaust or intake and the benefit it could provide. Currently my case is a piece of garbage with 2 intake fans (1 on H50, 1 on Side Panel) and I'm sitting at 20c Idle for CPU (45c Peak in Prime95) and 48c Idle on the GPU (75 Peak in 3DMark). Here is another example with just the side panel fan added and a top exhaust. I'm unsure if it would really provide any benefit for the PC given the build up of dust that will occur from a side panel fan with no dust filter.

As for the fans I'll be using until Corsair's fans go on sale again I'm going to be using some of the Cougar Turbine 120mm fans I have, they are at 1.2k RPM with 60CFM and 18dB.

[EchoRomeoCharlie]

Skip the side panel fan, IMO.

[brob]

Power Supply is Bottom Mounted exhausting out the bottom with no effect on airflow in the case.

 

Scenario 1 - Image

- 2 x Front Intake

- 1 x Bottom Intake

- 2 x Back Exhaust on H50 Radiator 

 

Scenario 2 - Image

- 2 x Front Intake

- 1 x Bottom Intake

- 1 x Top Exhaust

- 2 x Back Exhaust on H50 Radiator 

 

Now this where I'm at, the GPU (Gigabyte GTX 760 OC) I feel should have enough fresh air from the triple intake however I'm unsure if I should add an additional fan to the side panel as it won't have a dust filter and should as a result contribute dust to the case when it pulls air in, if I put it as exhaust I'm unsure if the front and bottom intake fans will be able to reach the H50 radiator before the side panel fan exhausts the hot air from the GPU as well as the fresh air out of the case. 

 

So what I'm getting at is, do you think I should place the side panel as exhaust, intake or leave it alone and do you believe that a top exhaust would be needed with these setups when used with a push pull Corsair H50.

 

I believe you will find that the psu in fact draws from below the case and exhausts out the back.

 

Remove the middle drive cage. Remove the bottom drive cage, if not being used or move it to the alternate position towards the back. Two front intake fans. H55 as exhaust. The front intake will blow across the gpu, up and out the rear. If the bottom drive cage is removed one could consider another fan on the bottom intake (provided psu allows), but that would potentially interrupt airflow across the gpu.

 

Keep as many vents closed as possible to minimize escaping noise.

[FueledByBacon]

I believe you will find that the psu in fact draws from below the case and exhausts out the back.

 

Remove the middle drive cage. Remove the bottom drive cage, if not being used or move it to the alternate position towards the back. Two front intake fans. H55 as exhaust. The front intake will blow across the gpu, up and out the rear. If the bottom drive cage is removed one could consider another fan on the bottom intake (provided psu allows), but that would potentially interrupt airflow across the gpu.

 

Keep as many vents closed as possible to minimize escaping noise.

 

So the way you recommend would end up something like this, the difference between this one and my first example is the removal of the HD Cage, I'm unsure if I'll even need it as I can get creative with my mounting of the single HD and future SSD (Back Panel) to achieve better intake.

 

I kind of feel like perhaps a bottom exhaust in this scenario would be better because the GPU I'm using (Gigabyte GTX 760 OC) uses a Windforce cooler that dumps the hot air into the case, I'm unsure if it would end up being better as intake or exhaust on the bottom so I'll have to test it but I'm doubting that it would make any significant difference as exhaust.

[brob]

So the way you recommend would end up something like this, the difference between this one and my first example is the removal of the HD Cage, I'm unsure if I'll even need it as I can get creative with my mounting of the single HD and future SSD (Back Panel) to achieve better intake.

 

 

I kind of feel like perhaps a bottom exhaust in this scenario would be better because the GPU I'm using (Gigabyte GTX 760 OC) uses a Windforce cooler that dumps the hot air into the case, I'm unsure if it would end up being better as intake or exhaust on the bottom so I'll have to test it but I'm doubting that it would make any significant difference as exhaust.

 

The gpu fans draw in air and push it across the the heat sink fins, exhaust is out the top/back. So drawing air in from the front/bottom over the gpu and up to the cpu, then out the top rear is optimal.

 

If you can remove both drive cages and mount three intake fans you should be able to use the integrated fan controller to reduce their speed. This will help reduce noise levels.

[FueledByBacon]

The gpu fans draw in air and push it across the the heat sink fins, exhaust is out the top/back. So drawing air in from the front/bottom over the gpu and up to the cpu, then out the top rear is optimal.

 

If you can remove both drive cages and mount three intake fans you should be able to use the integrated fan controller to reduce their speed. This will help reduce noise levels.

 

Thanks for the help, this is what I'm going to do, now I just need to wait for my stuff to arrive.

[FueledByBacon]

I set it all up, it's idling 1C warmer than my previous temperatures with two less fans which is a good sign after factoring in the sound dampening foam and new thermal compound, I can't get over how freaking silent this case is in comparison to my older case, I could get used to this new found silence until my Corsair K70 arrives and the clickity clack starts up

[brob]

I set it all up, it's idling 1C warmer than my previous temperatures with two less fans which is a good sign after factoring in the sound dampening foam and new thermal compound, I can't get over how freaking silent this case is in comparison to my older case, I could get used to this new found silence until my Corsair K70 arrives and the clickity clack starts up

 

Good to know, thanks.