I'm looking for advice on how to set up fans in my Montech XR PC case. I recently built my first PC that features double side fans, a rear exhaust fan, and a single tower CPU cooler. Temperature-wise, it's been decent, but the Ryzen 7600x runs quite hot—94°C on Cinebench, but I've managed to lower it to 84°C with undervolting.
I'm curious if adding more fans would improve cooling and how to arrange them effectively. Some suggest a chimney-style airflow with multiple intakes at the bottom and exhausts at the top, while I've seen Noctua recommend a mix of top right intake and top left exhaust for optimal airflow. Given this case has plenty of space and I'm using a dual 9060xt GPU, I'm concerned about the fans often ramping up. Would it be worth it to add 4-5 extra fans, or would that just lead to diminishing returns?
4 Answers
Before making any changes, think about your typical temperatures during gaming rather than just under stress tests like Cinebench. Those temps matter more in regular usage.
With your case, I'd recommend adding bottom intake fans. This could help you achieve better temperatures without ramping up the noise too much or requiring additional fans. You might consider looking into a double tower cooler like the Phantom Spirit to improve cooling further as well.
If you're not using Cinebench all the time, don't worry too much about those maximum temps. As long as your CPU stays below 90°C during gaming, you should be good. Also, while Noctua typically has solid products, their fan placement guidelines aren't one-size-fits-all. Different components can yield different results. The Montech XR case can run hot, and while more fans might help, adding 4-5 could also just increase noise without significant benefits. You might want to think about putting one exhaust fan at the top left above the CPU cooler to help with airflow instead of adding lots of fans.
Remember, exhaust fans are key! Focus on getting hot air out of the case quickly. As a rule of thumb, design your airflow to prioritize exhaust; there's no need to stress too much about intake since fresh air will find its way in. Just make sure to position everything right to support this.
Fair point, it does depend on the setup! Just keep in mind that a proper exhaust helps keep everything cooler overall.
That's a bit too generalized! Each setup can vary a lot. For instance, an exhaust fan placed incorrectly can actually raise CPU temps with certain air coolers. You need to consider the specifics of your build!