Poll: GPU Cooling in the NCASE M1

[Maniac]

I wanted to make a poll to see what type of cooling people prefer in their Ncase M1. And maybe get all GPU-cooling specific discussion in one topic. Now that the improved v6 is coming just around the corner, this might not be an issue.

In my build (https://pcpartpicker.com/b/zGD2FT) the bottom exhaust fans are the ones making the most noise, even tho the temps are quite good and acceptable. Was kind of wondering how I could improve the noise level. Most people don't care about the noise since they wear headphones. But I do, especially when thinking about others in the house .

Now there are folks out there that are not impressed with the bottom case vents of the case (v1-v5). I'm no expert so I wouldn't know. Visually for me it looks good. But the question is, are the vents "bad" in a way that it affects cooling or that the fans just make more noise when pressed up against them (turbulence)?

We all know that the "ultimate gpu cooling" is the Accelero III. But for a lot of folks (me included) this might not be an option. I don't change GPUs that often (my last gpu GTX 670 lasted me over 6 years), and maybe one day I would like to use it in another case, perhaps vertically mounted. Also the prices on the new RTX cards is insane, and modifying such an expensive card would be an enormous risk. And I'm not sure how much quieter it would be?

My recently purchased (used) GTX 1080 Ti Strix has only the fans & shroud removed, and added two 120mm Noctuas at the bottom as exhaust. I have even elevated the case with custom feet. Happy with the cooling here (max 73 C on high load), but the noise does get loud sometimes.

I'm starting to think that the noise might be due to the bottom vents? Wondering if it would be wise to dremel out some of them, to get more airflow and reduce turbulence? I cannot press the fans up against the gpu grill, since the grill has some parts that are sticking out and could damage the fans.
Or if I should perhaps turn the fans as intake (since I have AIO mounted at the top as exhaust).

Anyways, here is the poll (forum does not allow us to create one here):

 

[Exal]

Since you have a gap between Fan and Heatsink, you could try to put plastic sheats on each side to seal the gap and augment the airflow that go trough the heatsink. Like @Nord1ing did here.
An Accelero iii would be nicer looking and would allow you to have lower speed fan for better perf while being quieter
About the modifying, i'd say if you just dremel here and there you risk more turbulence. So unless you plan on cutting 2 120mm holes at the bottom, don't do it.
But i wonder, as anyone done that here ?

 

[Boil]

What...? No love for the Raijintek Morpheus II GPU heatsinks...?!?

 

[Dynamite]

I'm starting to think that the noise might be due to the bottom vents? Wondering if it would be wise to dremel out some of them, to get more airflow and reduce turbulence? I cannot press the fans up against the gpu grill, since the grill has some parts that are sticking out and could damage the fans.
Or if I should perhaps turn the fans as intake (since I have AIO mounted at the top as exhaust).

I have a unshrouded Strix 1080ti with Phanteks F120MP fans mounted to exhaust and a delidded 7600k@4.8 with NF-A9s on a U9S in push-pull and vented side panel. I find my GPU temps to be excellent and the CPU cooler is quite a bit louder under load than the GPU fans. I also have some feet that raise the case about 10mm over stock. I did bend some of those tabs on the Strix heatsink a little bit to bring the fans a few mm closer and to clear the fan blades, but otherwise a very similar GPU setup to yours. I don't notice any turbulence noise from the bottom panel and I game without headphones most of the time.

Without a vented side panel or top panel for passive intake and both CPU and GPU coolers set as exhaust, my guess is that the 92mm rear fan is not bringing in enough fresh air for your setup. I would switch the AIO to intake with fans pushing through the radiator. When M1AF on [H]ardforums tested cooling in the NCase, he found that with an AIO, intake fans pushing though the radiator resulted in cooler CPU and GPU temps when using an Accelero III and exhaust fans for the GPU.

I've used an Accelero and a Morpheus in the past and they are very easy to mount. I've used them on 6 or 7 GPUs before without ever having an issue. I would consider an Accelero if you're still unsatisfied as it is a much denser fin stack than the Strix and is smooth underneath so there's no interference with the fans. It is also an excuse to reapply thermal paste, which might bring even lower temps/slower fan speeds.

 

[Maniac]

Just read your post @Dynamite. Thanks, a lot of useful info here. Perhaps I don't know enough about AIOs in general. But wouldn't a push through radiator cause the case to be filled with hot air from the rad? Or am I mistaken here? Just worried that the hot air will hit the gpu side.

But if I do this, then I could mount the rear fan as exhaust, to get the hot air out as fast as possible.

 

[Dynamite]

Just read your post @Dynamite. Thanks, a lot of useful info here. Perhaps I don't know enough about AIOs in general. But wouldn't a push through radiator cause the case to be filled with hot air from the rad? Or am I mistaken here? Just worried that the hot air will hit the gpu side.

But if I do this, then I could mount the rear fan as exhaust, to get the hot air out as fast as possible.

I have been looking closely at all of the testing on that [H]areware post I linked. It seems like the GPU is recycling hot air with the powerful 120mm fans below it unless it is getting a lot of fresh air pulled in from above. The temperature of the air exhausted by the AIO radiator might be cooler than the recirculated GPU air. For example, if you look at the setups with air being brought in through the side vent (AIO or C14/S with intake fans) the GPU is almost always cooler even if the CPU is a little hotter.

In my case, I just upgraded my monitor from 1440P@60Hz to ultrawide@120Hz. With the increase in pixels and summer ambient temps, my 1080ti is working a lot harder. I'm going to be switching from U9S to an AIO to see if my CPU and GPU temps improve. If I can't get my GPU temps down, I'll use an Accelero next.