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Case Study: Air Cooling Inside an NCASE M1
- Thread starter MeltedCactus
- Start date
I'm also doing an X52 + M1 build, and I'm wondering what my fan configurations should be to start.
- Is the X52 pulling from the rad and exhausting it out the side?
- Are you using a 92mm rear fan?
- Do you have any bottom 120mm fans?
Very interested in this! But still don't understand if in the Ncase it is better to have between the Noctua U9s 2xFan and C14S bottom fan:
1- Noctua C14 In exhaust, rear fan Intake (front right fan as exhaust??)
2- Noctua C14 in Intake, rear fan exhaust (front right fan as intake??)
3- U9s dual fan Intake, front right fan exhaust
4- U9s dual fan exhaust front right fan intake
Thinking to move my next build from a Dan in the Ncase under air!
1- Noctua C14 In exhaust, rear fan Intake (front right fan as exhaust??)
2- Noctua C14 in Intake, rear fan exhaust (front right fan as intake??)
3- U9s dual fan Intake, front right fan exhaust
4- U9s dual fan exhaust front right fan intake
Thinking to move my next build from a Dan in the Ncase under air!
The original 'Big Air' build was the Noctua NH-C14, dual 120x25mm fans intaking on the side bracket, an Accelero III heat sink on the GPU, & dual 120x25mm fans exhausting on the bottom of the chassis...
Since the C14 has been discontinued, the U9S has become a sort of go to for a lot of folks building in the M1; usually configured for vertical airflow, a second A9 fan is ganged with the stock A9 (both on same CPU Fan Header), with the second A9 mounted to the rear 92mm fan mount & set to exhaust... The front slot on the side bracket would have a 120x25mm fan set to intake...
I am curious what a 'Big & Slim Air' build can do...
Slim, because 120x15mm fans are used...
This would be an all AMD build, with the C14S & the SFX PSU in the standard position, thereby requiring slim fans on the side bracket...
As for the GPU, since we are talking all AMD, the go to replacement heat sink on the GPU would be the Raijintek Morpheus II Vega Edition, which would also require slim fans to fit...
With either the 'Big Air' (for those lucky bastards that have access to the OG C14) or the 'Slim Air' builds, there is the option of hanging an A9 off the rear 92mm fan mount for extra cool air intake...
Since the C14 has been discontinued, the U9S has become a sort of go to for a lot of folks building in the M1; usually configured for vertical airflow, a second A9 fan is ganged with the stock A9 (both on same CPU Fan Header), with the second A9 mounted to the rear 92mm fan mount & set to exhaust... The front slot on the side bracket would have a 120x25mm fan set to intake...
I am curious what a 'Big & Slim Air' build can do...
Slim, because 120x15mm fans are used...
This would be an all AMD build, with the C14S & the SFX PSU in the standard position, thereby requiring slim fans on the side bracket...
As for the GPU, since we are talking all AMD, the go to replacement heat sink on the GPU would be the Raijintek Morpheus II Vega Edition, which would also require slim fans to fit...
With either the 'Big Air' (for those lucky bastards that have access to the OG C14) or the 'Slim Air' builds, there is the option of hanging an A9 off the rear 92mm fan mount for extra cool air intake...
I gathered the results of 3 heatsinks, that I used on my ncase:
NH-D9L and NH-U9S configs are a bit quieter and the temperature of the motherboard is ~ 4-5 degrees lower than that of NH-L12S.
In addition, I removed the stock fans Strix 1070 and left only two NF-A12x25 as an exhaust. As a result, the temperature dropped by 7 degrees (in firestrike, as well as in AC: odyssey) and PC became much quieter during the game sessions.
I put an aluminium-foil "heatsink" between the M.2 drive and the side panel (with thermal pads). Now the maximum temperature top ups to 50 degrees instead of 56
Final config looks like this:
NH-D9L and NH-U9S configs are a bit quieter and the temperature of the motherboard is ~ 4-5 degrees lower than that of NH-L12S.
In addition, I removed the stock fans Strix 1070 and left only two NF-A12x25 as an exhaust. As a result, the temperature dropped by 7 degrees (in firestrike, as well as in AC: odyssey) and PC became much quieter during the game sessions.
I put an aluminium-foil "heatsink" between the M.2 drive and the side panel (with thermal pads). Now the maximum temperature top ups to 50 degrees instead of 56
Final config looks like this:
Thanks a lot man!
So your suggestion for the 9900k is to go with an U9s and 2 fans?
Maybe I will try both the cooler and I will let you know!
Thanks!I gathered the results of 3 heatsinks, that I used on my ncase:
NH-D9L and NH-U9S configs are a bit quieter and the temperature of the motherboard is ~ 4-5 degrees lower than that of NH-L12S.
In addition, I removed the stock fans Strix 1070 and left only two NF-A12x25 as an exhaust. As a result, the temperature dropped by 7 degrees (in firestrike, as well as in AC: odyssey) and PC became much quieter during the game sessions.
I put an aluminium-foil "heatsink" between the M.2 drive and the side panel (with thermal pads). Now the maximum temperature top ups to 50 degrees instead of 56
Final config looks like this:
BTW, which CPU did you use?
Guy over on [H] reports temps on his 9900K of 76 degrees Celsius while running AIDA64 CPU stress test using the U9S...
I didn’t get a chance to read that post on [H]... did he also post his power limit? With Intel stock fail safe, and no MCE, the chip stays at 95w, and stays very cool.
Good info!I gathered the results of 3 heatsinks, that I used on my ncase:
NH-D9L and NH-U9S configs are a bit quieter and the temperature of the motherboard is ~ 4-5 degrees lower than that of NH-L12S.
In addition, I removed the stock fans Strix 1070 and left only two NF-A12x25 as an exhaust. As a result, the temperature dropped by 7 degrees (in firestrike, as well as in AC: odyssey) and PC became much quieter during the game sessions.
I put an aluminium-foil "heatsink" between the M.2 drive and the side panel (with thermal pads). Now the maximum temperature top ups to 50 degrees instead of 56
Final config looks like this:
May I ask:-
a) With the 2 bottom fans exhausting for the 'de-fanned' Strix 1070, are the 2 fans for NH-U9S also exhausting through the case rear? And, which Noctua fan is the side intaking fan?
b) What is the 2nd pic supposed to show?
Thanks.
a) Yes, both, bottom and u9s are exhaust fans.
The intake fan on the side is also nf-a12x25.
I have a tophat printed with 2 intake fans, but I wait for a fan regulator to mount and test that config.
b) The u9s fan is ducted directly to rear panel (green).
Does this 7C drop refer to the Strix 1070 temperature or the CPU's?
And, how are your two NF-A12x25 fans powered? Connected to a motherboard fan header or to the display card's?
7C on GPU temperature
They are powered via motherboard and I use argus monitor soft to control them (as that program can control system fans using gpu and cpu sensors).
I wait actually for 5pin to 4 pin connector to test them with gpu header.
And I don't use 4 pin gpu fan headers because ASUS GPU Tweak II is... awful: main .exe crush at windows start-up and need to be restarted manually.
I would like to see a picture/video of the 1070 without fans and 120mm as exhaust (also all your GPU testing in detail if u have it posted somewhere) pls. since your post mainly focus on CPU.
Are your GPU temps at 75c while gaming cause mine are at 67ish with the stock and 120mm fans as intake?
Im asking cause I also performed the same test with an EVGA 1080ti and got completely different results.
- Withouth the gpu fans, 120mm fans as exhaust i easily hit 80c after 30 mins of gaming (even at 2500rpm), not to mention I spent several days trying several configs, fans and thermal past and it all yield negative results.
- Using gpu stock fans plus 120mm fans as intake im around 67c 1600rmp 32db (give or take) gpu is OC at 1900mhz, when I performed my testing all of my setting were left stock.
(picture shows stock gpu fans removed and corsair 120mm fans as exhaust)
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That gap between heat sink & fans (caused by the "shroud" that is still on the GPU) is probably causing you higher temps when set to exhaust...
You need to get the GPU heat sink & fans right up on each other, and use a 4-pin>VGA adapter to control the fans from the GPU...
You need to get the GPU heat sink & fans right up on each other, and use a 4-pin>VGA adapter to control the fans from the GPU...
I already tested all of that HOWEVER (-:
1- U would need something to make the fans rise up and get a right up in the heatsink and honestly it looks horrible but mailny it didnt make a difference compared to leaving the fans on so aesthetics wise it didn't make sense to do that. if you buy the acceleron and get a bigger heatsink THAT makes sense. (i should mention it goes for stact pressure and air flow fans)
2-Nord1ing is stating that he ALSO HAS THAT GAP and getting reduced temps.
I would like to see a picture/video of the 1070 without fans and 120mm as exhaust (also all your GPU testing in detail if u have it posted somewhere) pls. since your post mainly focus on CPU.
Are your GPU temps at 75c while gaming cause mine are at 67ish with the stock and 120mm fans as intake?
Im asking cause I also performed the same test with an EVGA 1080ti and got completely different results.
- Withouth the gpu fans, 120mm fans as exhaust i easily hit 80c after 30 mins of gaming (even at 2500rpm), not to mention I spent several days trying several configs, fans and thermal past and it all yield negative results.
- Using gpu stock fans plus 120mm fans as intake im around 67c 1600rmp 32db (give or take) gpu is OC at 1900mhz, when I performed my testing all of my setting were left stock.
(picture shows stock gpu fans removed and corsair 120mm fans as exhaust)
I don't posted anywhere test results, but there is 3dmark result file (fire strike extreme stress test), or you can find a screenshot below: https://www.dropbox.com/s/83pad8szhpmm5yu/nh-u9s.3dmark-result?dl=0
Edit: The room temperature is around 23C
Yes, I think you need to make a custom air duct, so the 120mm fans extract trough gpu heatsink.
I used a plastic cover to make the air duct all around the heatsink, between case's bottom and heatsink's bottom, so almost all exhaust air go trough gpu.
What is behind:
"Air duct":
Fire strike extreme screen:
Fan speeds (SYSFan - GPU exhaust, AUX - case intake)
And at that speed fans are very quiet
