I'm building a new PC with the Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120SE cooler, and I'm trying to figure out the best way to set up the fans. I have two main options: I could install a mid-mounted intake fan positioned between the heatsinks with a rear-mounted exhaust fan, or I could go for a front-mounted intake fan that I would elevate slightly to make sure it doesn't interfere with the RAM, along with a rear exhaust. Which setup do you think would work better? Are there any performance concerns with RAM clearance that I should be aware of?
5 Answers
I use three fans in my setup: one in the front, one in the middle, and one at the back. It gives me the best cooling, but it’s a bit of overkill for most builds.
Honestly, mid mount works just fine; I think you're overthinking things a bit. Your CPU doesn't care about how 'pretty' the RAM looks. Focus on cooling efficiency.
I’d recommend going for the front mounted intake and just moving it up a bit to clear the RAM. That should give you good airflow without any clearance problems.
You can definitely shift the front fan higher up the heatsink to avoid any RAM issues—most cases have enough room for that. Honestly, testing both setups might help you see any differences in temperatures, but the most common setup is having one fan in the middle and one at the front, both pushing air towards the rear of the case.
All setups should work fine! I've tried several combinations myself, and I found the temperature differences were really minimal. Just keep in mind that with a middle and rear configuration, it might be a bit noisier, but it's usually not a big deal when you're at a distance.
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