I'm building my first system in four years, but I've hit a snag: my RAM is too tall for the front fan of my CPU cooler setup. The cooler is a dual-fan configuration with one fan between the fins and another that should go at the front, but there's not enough clearance. I've tried moving the RAM to different slots, but that didn't help. Here are some options I'm considering:
1. Mount the front fan partially so it only covers three-fourths of the cooler.
2. Securely mount the fan further out, leaving a bit of space for the RAM. I'm not sure how this would affect cooling, though.
3. Shift the outer fan to the back, giving it enough space.
4. If the fan is at the back, it would suck air out instead of blowing it in, but could still align with optimal airflow.
5. Remove the covers from the RAM, but I'm hesitant as I don't want to damage their functionality.
My components are an MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk motherboard, a Phantom Spirit 120 SE cooler, two sticks of Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB DDR5 RAM, and a Ryzen 9 9950X3D CPU. Looking for some suggestions on the best way to proceed!
1 Answer
Both of your first two options for mounting the fan are good to try out. But seriously, don't take apart your Dominator RAM; that cooler serves a purpose and they’re pricey for a reason. Consider returning it for a low-profile option if you're really faced with clearance issues. You could save some cash too!
That's a great point! Maybe I should just return it and get a better fit. Thanks for the heads-up!