Please help me determine what fans I need

[imported_blip]

I’m currently downsizing my pre-built PC into a Raijintek Thetis case, and trying to determine what kind of cooling I need. I don't game (other than really basic ones) and it's mostly for home user so not expecting high temps. It will have a Ryzen 7 1700 with the stock Wraith Spire cooler and an MSI GTX 1050 Gaming with twin fans.

The case comes with 1x120mm rear fan, and space for 2x120mm on the top and 1x120mm on the bottom. It is an inverted design, so my GPU fans will be blowing toward the top of the case. The CPU cooler will be blowing toward the side panel, but plenty of space in between (Wraith is about 70mm high, and case has clearance of 150mm listed).

How many fans do I need, and which way should they be pointing? I’ve read some people say to make the top fans blow out to exhaust the GPU air. I’ve also seen some people say the opposite, in order to push fresh air toward the GPU and CPU. Do I need a bottom fan for extra air? Leave the rear fan as exhaust? The sides and front are solid aluminum, so not much airflow there, just a small mesh area on the back and the top and bottom openings.

Since I’m not really pushing the system, I’m not sure how much I need, and want to keep things as quiet as possible. Should I assume I will need to replace what comes in the case? Or are some stock fans quiet enough?

For mobo connections, my manual lists one “processor-fan cable connector,” one “front chassis fan connector,” and one “chassis fan connector”. They all look like they are 4 pin. Do I use them all, or daisy-chain my fans into one of them? Can all PWM fans be daisy-chained?

Is it recommended to get rubber mounts or pads for the fans, or maybe they will be quiet enough?

Thanks so much for all the help!

 

[aigomorla]

start with not replacing anything and just adding fans which are missing.

Then from there, if your not getting adequate performance values you desire then start replacing.
If you are getting the right performance, but its too loud, then you swap to better fans with higher static, and lesser noise.

So you really shouldnt start swaping parts out until you tried what comes out of the box, and then decide what u want and needs to be changed.

 

[UsandThem]

How many fans do I need, and which way should they be pointing? I’ve read some people say to make the top fans blow out to exhaust the GPU air. I’ve also seen some people say the opposite, in order to push fresh air toward the GPU and CPU. Do I need a bottom fan for extra air? Leave the rear fan as exhaust? The sides and front are solid aluminum, so not much airflow there, just a small mesh area on the back and the top and bottom openings.

Whatever you decide on your fans, you basically want them to pull in cool air from one side of the case, and exhaust the warm air out the other side. Basically a wind tunnel.

 

[imported_blip]

start with not replacing anything and just adding fans which are missing.

Then from there, if your not getting adequate performance values you desire then start replacing.
If you are getting the right performance, but its too loud, then you swap to better fans with higher static, and lesser noise.

So you really shouldnt start swaping parts out until you tried what comes out of the box, and then decide what u want and needs to be changed.

So could one fan be enough? What's the best way of monitoring to make sure? Thanks!

 

[imported_blip]

Whatever you decide on your fans, you basically want them to pull in cool air from one side of the case, and exhaust the warm air out the other side. Basically a wind tunnel.

That's why I was thinking bottom to top. But with the rear fan I can't go front to back since the front is solid. Maybe just an exhaust on the top and the air will be pulled in from the bottom?

 

[UsandThem]

So could one fan be enough? What's the best way of monitoring to make sure? Thanks!

One fan probably would be enough to keep everything from overheating, but most people use at least one intake and one exhaust because demand a little better than "good enough".

You'll just have to monitor your temps in your BIOS or by using a program like Intel Extreme Tuning Utility.

That's why I was thinking bottom to top. But with the rear fan I can't go front to back since the front is solid. Maybe just an exhaust on the top and the air will be pulled in from the bottom?

You can try that out and see what temps you get. Before settling on my fan locations/speed, I tinkered around with it for almost a full day until I achieved my perfect balance of cooling/quiet.

 

[Campy]

Since it's an inverted design I would run a fan as intake on the top, and have the rear fan as exhaust. GPU fans blow air down onto the graphics card PCB, not away from it, so the air gets circulated a bit. Your graphics card isn't very high end and power hungry so I wouldn't worry about it creating much heat.

The rear fan is close to the CPU which is the main heat-producing component in your build, so leaving it as an exhaust fan helps get the heat from the CPU out of the case.

 

[Billb2]

As a rule of thumb:
You want he capacity (total CFMs) of the intakes to be slightly larger than the total of the exhausts. That way the case is slightly pressurized and dust won;t get sucked in through cracks, crevasses,and openings.

The total capacity (CFMs) of the intake fans should be larger that the total capacitie of all the internal fans (ie, CPU and GPU fans). That way the warm air inside the case won't be recirculating back through the internal fans.

 

[imported_blip]

Thanks for the tips. I was thinking the GPU fans were blowing away hot air not blowing cold air into the cards. Good to know! I'll have to see if it pulls in enough air from the top without an intake or if it needs one there. Not sure if I'll put one in the bottom. Guess I'll see what tempsi get.

Thanks again