I have just finished assembling my new build with a Ryzen 5600x CPU running in a Fractal Define 7 case under the stock AMD cooler, but that cooler is pretty whiny and peaks too frequently.
So I need a new cooler but can't conclude what's the best way to go for such a large case while looking for:
- Silence above all else, since I use the computer for audio recording.
- Decent performance as some gaming shall happen once I can buy a good GPU
- No need or wish to overclock right now
So this is what I am considering:
- I should not place any fans on top of the case and keep it closed to reduce noise. So a top mounted radiator becomes out of question. Or not?
- Thought about a 120mm AIO on rear exhaust. Never used an AIO before, but imagined that a 120 should be silent enough while preventing the fan speed instability that we normally see on air coolers. Everybody says a 120mm aio is not worth it, but wouldn't it look cool and do a discreet but decent job? Or are those noisy?
- Thought about an air cooler. Those are ugly and heavy, although I used a Megahalen for 10 years without damage to the motherboard. They seem larger now though, most recommended models have 2 fans. Would they be quieter than a 120 AIO?
- Then it occurred to me I could invert air flow: use the rear as intake and mount a 240mm AIO to the front as exhaust. But I don't recall seeing that before. Any chance that could work? Tubes would have to be long to cross the vast emptiness at the front of that case.
Any help is much appreciated!
So I need a new cooler but can't conclude what's the best way to go for such a large case while looking for:
- Silence above all else, since I use the computer for audio recording.
- Decent performance as some gaming shall happen once I can buy a good GPU
- No need or wish to overclock right now
So this is what I am considering:
- I should not place any fans on top of the case and keep it closed to reduce noise. So a top mounted radiator becomes out of question. Or not?
- Thought about a 120mm AIO on rear exhaust. Never used an AIO before, but imagined that a 120 should be silent enough while preventing the fan speed instability that we normally see on air coolers. Everybody says a 120mm aio is not worth it, but wouldn't it look cool and do a discreet but decent job? Or are those noisy?
- Thought about an air cooler. Those are ugly and heavy, although I used a Megahalen for 10 years without damage to the motherboard. They seem larger now though, most recommended models have 2 fans. Would they be quieter than a 120 AIO?
- Then it occurred to me I could invert air flow: use the rear as intake and mount a 240mm AIO to the front as exhaust. But I don't recall seeing that before. Any chance that could work? Tubes would have to be long to cross the vast emptiness at the front of that case.
Any help is much appreciated!