Hey all, I just recently completed my first build in my S4 mini. It works well and I love how tiny it is, but the one thing that bothers me is how loud the stock GPU cooler is. The particular card I have is an MSI RX 580 V1. I'm not sure whether this is normal for this model, but at idle there is a very noticeable hum from the stock fan, and so I'm looking for alternative ways to get air flow to the GPU.
With my previous graphics card I was able to use some 92mm fans with a sky bracket, but with this model the heatsink is so tall that they won't fit inside the case. I considered mounting them on the outside using some washers with the existing ventilation holes. This would work in theory, and it would be a nice unique touch, but I've got another idea - installing 40mm fans behind the front bezel and blowing air front-to-back.
This seems doable; I do have enough space to fit two or three 40x10s, the GPU fins are oriented horizontally, and it's possible to mod the front bezel to add some ventilation holes and mounting. My biggest concern is the thermals. I'm not an expert in this by any means, but from looking at the numbers in Noctua's listings, these fans have a significantly lower flow rate (NF-A9x14 : 50.5 m3/h, versus NF-A4x10: 8.9 m3/h). I'd also have to consider the impact of the fan's orientation - from the side the airflow will be mostly unimpeded, while from above the air is forced to make a 90-degree turn. I have no clue how much of a difference that makes. If there's anyone with more experience here, some insight would be greatly appreciated!
With my previous graphics card I was able to use some 92mm fans with a sky bracket, but with this model the heatsink is so tall that they won't fit inside the case. I considered mounting them on the outside using some washers with the existing ventilation holes. This would work in theory, and it would be a nice unique touch, but I've got another idea - installing 40mm fans behind the front bezel and blowing air front-to-back.
This seems doable; I do have enough space to fit two or three 40x10s, the GPU fins are oriented horizontally, and it's possible to mod the front bezel to add some ventilation holes and mounting. My biggest concern is the thermals. I'm not an expert in this by any means, but from looking at the numbers in Noctua's listings, these fans have a significantly lower flow rate (NF-A9x14 : 50.5 m3/h, versus NF-A4x10: 8.9 m3/h). I'd also have to consider the impact of the fan's orientation - from the side the airflow will be mostly unimpeded, while from above the air is forced to make a 90-degree turn. I have no clue how much of a difference that makes. If there's anyone with more experience here, some insight would be greatly appreciated!