I've noticed my CPU temperature shoots over 100 degrees Celsius while gaming. I'm suspecting that my AIO cooler might be faulty, so I'm planning on ordering a new air cooler. While I'm at it, I'm considering adding more fans to my case, which has spots for 2 front, 2 top, 1 rear, and 1 bottom fan. I'm definitely adding 2 front intake fans and 1 rear exhaust fan. Here are my questions:
1) Should I also add a bottom intake fan, especially since I have wood flooring?
2) Should I install one or two top exhaust fans? Can there be too much exhaust if it speeds up air removal before it has the chance to cool everything, or is more exhaust always better? Thanks for the help!
4 Answers
I would suggest starting with front intakes and a rear exhaust. You can always add more fans later if you're not happy with the cooling effect. It’s usually best to start simple and adjust as needed.
With an AIO, if you suddenly start seeing high temps after a period of normal function, it usually means the pump has failed or there's a blockage in the loop. A single-fan AIO typically doesn't perform well compared to a tower air cooler, and you might want to consider getting a dual tower air cooler instead.
The airflow in your case doesn’t matter as much with an AIO cooler. If the CPU temps are fine when idle, it probably indicates that the AIO isn't dead. You can add case fans, but they probably won’t do much to help CPU temps under load. Have you checked if this issue started recently? How old is your system? A reapplication of thermal paste could help, and make sure the sticker was removed from the pump's cold plate when it was installed.
Try booting into the BIOS and checking your CPU temperatures. If they are stable there, then your AIO may not be dead but just struggling with the heat from your setup. If the temps rise steadily, then yes, your AIO might be shot.
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