I just installed a 5090 graphics card (which is massive!) in my Fractal North case and I'm concerned about airflow since there's only a few centimeters of clearance by the front fan brackets. The current 2x 140mm fans don't seem great, and I'm thinking about switching them out for 3x Noctua NF-A12x25 G2 PWM 120mm fans. Noctua claims that these will significantly improve both airflow and noise levels, but at $140, I'm unsure if it's worth the investment. I already have two exhaust fans—a 120mm at the top and a 100mm at the back. I've run a stress test for the GPU, and it peaked around 71-72°C, with fan noise being minimal during normal use but a bit louder under full load. Do you think my system is thermally limited, and would replacing the front fans make a noticeable difference? Also, I can provide sensor data from hwinfo64 if that helps anyone make a more informed suggestion!
1 Answer
Honestly, your temperatures seem perfectly fine, and you've mentioned that the noise isn't bothersome. It looks like you're trying to fix an issue that doesn’t really exist at this point. No need to stress about the front fans unless you start noticing actual thermal throttling.
Got it, thanks! I wasn't sure if my system was at risk of overheating or if lower temps could still be better for component longevity.