I'm working with a Lian Li A3 case that has a wooden front panel and a glass side panel. I currently have two Noctua A14x25 G2 fans and one Noctua A12x25 G2. I realized that since the side panel is glass, mounting fans there isn't an option. I'm considering using the A12 as a rear exhaust and both A14s as bottom intake fans. I'm also wondering if it would help to add a fourth fan for the top as an exhaust. My build includes a 2070 Super and an I7-14700F processor. Here's the link to my full build for reference: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/4bKr9C. I later found out that 140mm fans can only be installed at the top, so I'm leaning toward having two 120mm bottom intakes, one 120mm rear exhaust, and two 140mm top exhausts. Thoughts?
4 Answers
What cooler are you using for the I7-14700F? If it's a 240mm or 360mm AIO cooler at the top, additional fans might not even be necessary. You can add fans in the bottom below the GPU if there's space. If you're using a tower cooler, some users reverse the CPU cooler and rear fan to be intakes, which can improve CPU temps but might increase the dust buildup. Alternatively, keep the rear as an exhaust and try adding a single top exhaust fan behind the CPU cooler, plus an intake in the lower front by the PSU. Just be careful about airflow since extra bottom fans could actually heat up CPU if they pull air away from the cooler!
The 140mm fans won’t fit at the bottom; there's only space for 120mm. I've seen builds where the rear fan is an intake for the CPU cooler, and that often helps with CPU temps. You just need to flip the fan direction on your cooler and you could add a 140mm exhaust fan at the top in front of the CPU cooler. This setup can work well. Check out this build as an example: [https://pcpartpicker.com/b/8Wcbt6](https://pcpartpicker.com/b/8Wcbt6).
Are the 140mm fans actually going to fit at the bottom? I think only 120mm will work there. Your GPU should pull air from the bottom, so I don't think that would create any problems. You might even consider two intakes at the top instead!
Oh no, you're right! So, would two bottom intakes, two top exhausts, and one rear exhaust be too much? That balance still sounds feasible.
I think that should work, as long as you've got a good airflow balance!
I have the same case, but with a mesh side panel, and I don't use a side-mounted fan either. My setup has two bottom intakes, two exhausts at the top, and one in the back—all 120mm. This setup keeps my temps in an excellent range.
I'm using a Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE ARGB, which is 155mm tall. What do you think about that design?