I've recently upgraded my PC, and while it runs at a comfortable 45°C when idle, the temperature skyrockets to 100°C when I'm gaming. I suspect my case airflow might be the issue. My case design is a fish tank style with one fan at the back, three at the bottom, and two on the sides. I've added an M240 AIO with two fans mounted on top. As far as I can tell, only two of the bottom fans are set to intake, while the others are exhaust. Can anyone confirm this based on the fan's 'X' bracket for airflow direction? If I'm correct, should I change the other bottom fan (the one above the PSU) and both side fans to intake to improve airflow? Would this help lower my gaming temperature? Here are my specs: motherboard: gigabyte z390 UD, GPU: Nvidia 5060, CPU: i7 9700K, RAM: 16GB DDR4, and CPU cooler: ALSEYE M240 AIO liquid cooler. I suspect my RAM may also be a bottleneck, but that's a different issue. Thanks in advance for your help!
4 Answers
Your side fans might actually be reverse blade, which could mess up your airflow. Consider making the radiator an intake, while keeping side and rear fans as exhaust. If you can't move the radiator, at least ensure the bottom fans are set to intake and adjust the top to exhaust for better cooling.
I found the solution! I changed my fan orientation to follow the common advice: side and bottom fans as intake, top and back ones as exhaust. I also realized I forgot to remove the protective film on the CPU cooler, which was a rookie mistake! Temperature has improved significantly since making these adjustments.
Did this heating issue start right after your upgrade? Make sure your AIO pump is plugged in and running at full speed. Feeling fluid in the tubes is also a good sign. Your fan setup isn't ideal, as you typically want the bottom and front/side fans to be intake and the rest to exhaust. The 'X' bracket should indicate intake direction unless you have reverse blade fans.
Did you happen to move your CPU cooler during your upgrade? Sometimes that can affect thermal paste application.
I did disconnect it when switching cases. I reapplied thermal paste after the final setup, just to be safe.