I'm looking for advice on the best airflow setup for my gaming PC. The system uses an NZXT H5 Flow, an Asus Prime Z690-P WiFi D4 motherboard, an Intel Core i5-12400, an RTX 3060, and a Lian Li Galahad 240mm AIO with two 120mm fans. Currently, the radiator is mounted at the front as intake, while one 120mm case fan at the rear and another at the top are configured as exhaust. My concern is that the radiator warms the air before it reaches the GPU. Since gaming is my main use, would moving the radiator to the top as exhaust help lower the RTX 3060's temperatures? The GPU can reach around 85°C during gaming. If I move the radiator, I could add front intake fans. Should I change the layout, and what fan configuration would you recommend?
1 Answer
At 85°C, moving the radiator to the top could help the RTX 3060 somewhat by letting it receive cooler air directly from the front. Still, don’t expect a major performance gain with this hardware. The most balanced layout would be the 240mm radiator exhausting through the top, one or two front fans as intake, and the rear fan as exhaust. If adding fans, prioritize a front intake fan before buying anything else. Also check GPU fan curves, dust filters, cable obstruction, and room temperature, since those can affect GPU temperatures more than the radiator’s location.
So you’d favor top exhaust mainly for the GPU airflow, but only if I’m willing to add a proper front intake fan?