Help with fan setup

[Laphroaig10]

Hi Everyone!

I am trying to decide on the fan setup for my first build. There are a bunch of fan headers that I could use:

* three 2-pin fan controller headers (Arc Mini R2)
* four 4-pin PWM on the mobo (Asus VIII Gene)
* there will also be two 4-pin PMW on the graphics card (asus 1080 rog strix)

CPU will be watercooled (will have a radiator on top) so I guess the main concern should be the graphics card heat? I was planning to install two front 120mm intake fans and one 120mm exhaust at the back. I could also install a bottom 120mm intake fan - would it be worth it?

So if I get PWM fans, I am not sure whether to use graphics cards headers, mobo headers, or a combination:
* graphics card has two headers, so for three fans I will need a splitter.
* or maybe connect two intake fans to graphics card, and exhaust to mobo (or to controller)?
* or perhaps add a bottom fan and connect it to mobo (so that mobo has control over a bottom intake and an exhaust fan, while gpu controls two front intakes)?
* or maybe I am overthinking it and using mobo headers for all fans is just as good?

Would appreciate any advice

Thank you!

 

[UsandThem]

Hi Everyone!
* four 4-pin PWM on the mobo (Asus VIII Gene)

* or maybe I am overthinking it and using mobo headers for all fans is just as good?

Just use your motherboard headers. You can create fan profiles right in the BIOS on Asus boards (quiet, performance, full speed, etc.).....Just let PWM do its job, and you can always manually tweakthem if you need more cooling in there as well. For example, have your exhaust fan spin at a higher RPM or start speeding up at a lower temp.

Two front intakes and a rear exhaust is good enough for most people. However, there is a lot of different fans out there with a large difference in performance, so it's impossible to say if you should install another fan on the bottom.

 

[Laphroaig10]

Just use your motherboard headers. You can create fan profiles right in the BIOS on Asus boards (quiet, performance, full speed, etc.).....Just let PWM do its job, and you can always manually tweakthem if you need more cooling in there as well. For example, have your exhaust fan spin at a higher RPM or start speeding up at a lower temp.

Two front intakes and a rear exhaust is good enough for most people. However, there is a lot of different fans out there with a large difference in performance, so it's impossible to say if you should install another fan on the bottom.

Thank you! I'm thinking to get bitfenix spectre led pwm fans. Are there any good alternatives with pwm+led(on/off) that are better in terms of airflow and noise?

 

[UsandThem]

Thank you! I'm thinking to get bitfenix spectre led pwm fans. Are there any good alternatives with pwm+led(on/off) that are better in terms of airflow and noise?

Well, the fans you mentioned are 700-1800 RPM, 51.3 CFM, 22.5 dBa. They shouldn't be too hard to beat, but I have zero knowledge of the current LED fans as I don't use them. I generally use Noctua and Prolimatech fans for quietness.

A Google search turned up these:

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/1...m_PWM_Fan_-_Red_LED.html?tl=g36c331s518#blank

600-1500 RPM, 64 CFM, 10-25 dBa.

I don't know what case you are using, but if you are able to use 140mm fans, that would be the way to go for cooling/quietness.

This site here does a lot of fan reviews, so maybe you will see a fan you like there:

http://www.overclockers.com/category/reviews/cooling-reviews/