Is My PC Fan Layout Optimized for Heavy Rendering and LLM Workloads?
Asked by
MellowCedar42
I'm running a Ryzen 9 7900X and an RTX 4060 Ti 16GB. My system has three side intake fans, one rear exhaust fan connected to the AIO, and three top exhaust fans. Temperatures are generally fine, but they climb significantly during LLM workloads, Unreal Engine 5 rendering, and Blender projects. Since I currently have four exhaust fans and three intake fans, I'm wondering whether the airflow would be better balanced by changing one of the top fans to intake. Would that improve cooling or reduce dust buildup?
Answers
The layout sounds generally fine, and the best arrangement depends on the case design and radiator placement. Changing the front top fan to intake is worth testing, but don’t expect a dramatic difference. Compare CPU and GPU temperatures under the same workload before and after the change, and make sure the intake fans have dust filters.
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With four exhaust fans and three intakes, the case is running slightly negative pressure, which can pull dust in through unfiltered gaps. I’d try flipping the front-most top fan to intake, giving you four intakes and three exhausts. That may provide cooler air to the CPU area, although the improvement could be fairly small if your temperatures are already reasonable.
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MellowCedar42: That makes sense. I changed one of the fans, so I’m now running four intake fans and three exhaust fans.