I'm building my PC in a Jonsbo Z20 case (mATX) and I'm trying to figure out the best fan setup. There's space for two 120mm fans at the bottom and one 120mm fan at the back for intake. I also have room for two fans on top. Would it be beneficial to install 140mm fans there, or should I aim for a positive airflow setup with three fans bringing air in and two fans pushing it out? I have some 120mm Scythe Kaze Flex IIs and 140mm Be Quiet Silent Wings HS' available for this build.
5 Answers
Why are you considering the back fan as an intake? Typically, that's not the norm!
You're right, the back is commonly used for exhaust and the product images reflect that. I'd suggest finishing your build as it is. Adding top fans can be helpful if you notice hot air not escaping unless you crank the fans to really loud RPMs. If your CPU is overheating, it’s likely the cooler that's at fault, not the fans.
Thanks for the input! I thought I'd use the back as exhaust since that's how it's usually done in traditional ATX cases, but with the PSU blocking front fans and the bottom fans directing air at the GPU, I was uncertain.
Traditionally, the rear fan serves as the exhaust, but it can depend on your setup. If you’re using bottom intakes and your CPU cooler blows air bottom-to-top rather than side-to-side, you can totally have the top fans serve as exhaust. Just ensure you maintain a good airflow path throughout the case.
Usually, the back fan is set up as an exhaust. Any fan configuration you go with should work just fine, and remember that you can achieve positive pressure by tweaking the fan curves as needed.
It made sense to do it since I don’t have front fans and the bottom fans blow directly onto the GPU.