Node 202 Blower vs. Downdraft GPU

Mr. Monday

Cable Smoosher
Original poster
Oct 3, 2018
11
2
In general I prefer downdraft cooled GPUs but most people seem to think that the Node 202 needs a blower card. However I have seen that a few people have had success with powerful downdraft cards when used with case fans like @LocoMoto who is running an MSI 1080ti (https://smallformfactor.net/forum/threads/node-202-lm-v-1.906/). I will be using a 1080 rather than a 1080ti but I can't decide whether I should get the founders edition or the EVGA SC. What are your thoughts?
 

Thehack

Spatial Philosopher
Creator
Mar 6, 2016
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Get a long 2.5 slot GPU, remove the stock fans and shroud, use 2x 120mm in exhaust. I hear the Strix version is really good for this.

Doesn't get better than that.

The blower card in Node 202 makes heat management easy, but you get high GPU temps and a blower fan.
 

Ericlkelly

Case Bender
Oct 16, 2018
2
0
In the case I would go with a blower due to the size of the case and the amount of airflow. To small to dump hot air back into it.
 

NateDawg72

Master of Cramming
Aug 11, 2016
398
302
I didn't have good luck with down draft in my node 202, it was always pretty hot and noisier than it should be. Even with a raijintek morpheous II and two slim 120mm fans
 

Thehack

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Creator
Mar 6, 2016
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I didn't have good luck with down draft in my node 202, it was always pretty hot and noisier than it should be. Even with a raijintek morpheous II and two slim 120mm fans

Did you run it as exhaust? The morpheous II in exhaust should destroy any other cooling methods, short of the accelero III. Maybe it was defective?

Also orientation makes a big difference.

The Node 202 does have exhausting issue, which complicates when you have an open cooler. But IMO, the trade off is pretty even, usually you get better temps on down draft but a lot of heat gets dumped into the CPU area.
 

NateDawg72

Master of Cramming
Aug 11, 2016
398
302
@Thehack
I tried intake, exhaust, one intake + one exhaust, all configurations were markedly worse and needed higher fan speeds than running it with the top panel off. This is with a 1080

My morpheous did have issues with mounting and base flatness, but that didn't really change the relative difference between inside the node 202 and with the panel off. I've mostly resolved the flatness issue now but I am no longer using the node 202.

Edit: fwiw I did a build for a friend in a node 202 with a 1050 that worked very well. With my own 202 I was never happy with the noise & heat from my GPU.
 

Thehack

Spatial Philosopher
Creator
Mar 6, 2016
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Very unfortunate that happened. I would say the Node 202 is one of the hold out for recommending a blower card. I still think it is a tie between a blower and an open cooler for Node 202 based on my experience. Dancase, Louqe, Ncase... the newer designs are well tailored for open cooling.

Though, Accelero III has in exhaust has been reported as the best for this case, but I have no personal experience with it.
 

ken

Efficiency Noob
Oct 18, 2018
7
0
My node 202 has a Evga 1080ti FTW with 2X120 fans blowing on the fan side. Its slightly loud but tops out at around 65C.