Any 6 Case Fans Setup Possibilities Like the Corsair 570X But Taller?

[dragonvalor1]

Hello,

This is basically what I am trying to achieve:



And for that purpose I have been looking for a few days for a case that would allow for such a setup, but they have all fallen short in one way or another, the closest one I found so far would be the Corsair 570X, as you can see here:



I don't care for the fancy stuff though (RGB, tempered glass etc), I just want a dust filter on the front, top and behind without anything else in the way as to allow the most airflow for the fans to work with.

The issue with it is that for my build the 570X is too short, because as a CPU cooler I will be using the Noctua NH-D15S with a 2 fans configuration AND I will be using a Corsair Dominator Platinum 16 Go (x2 8Gb) and it just wouldn't fit with the fans on top and on the left, at least based on the video reviews I have seen on youtube.

Here are my chosen components:

OS: Windows 10 Home 64-Bit

GPU: MSI GeForce GTX 1080 Ti GAMING X 11G

CPU: Intel Core i7-7700

Motherboard: ASUS ROG STRIX H270F GAMING

CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D15S 2 Fans

RAM: Corsair Dominator Platinum 16 Gb (x2 8 Gb) DDR4 2400 MHz

Storage: Samsung SSD 850 EVO 1 Tb

PSU: Seasonic PRIME 1000 W Titanium

 

[Blaylock]

The Noctua NH-D15S will fit inside the Corsair 570X without issue. To add a second fan (which is not really necessary) you may need to add it to the back of the cooler or go with a 120mm fan at the front to clear the ram. Similar to the Noctua NH-D14.

Can I ask why you require dust filters at the top and rear of the case? Generally you only need to filter the intakes. Filtering the exhaust will only keep dust inside the case.

 

[dragonvalor1]

The Noctua NH-D15S will fit inside the Corsair 570X without issue.

You sure? Because I watched a video review from here:

The guy couldn't fit fans and he is not even using a big cooler like the D15S.

Can I ask why you require dust filters at the top and rear of the case? Generally you only need to filter the intakes. Filtering the exhaust will only keep dust inside the case.

The keep the inside of the computer "sealed" as much as to allow the least possible amount of particles. I mean the 570X come with a front, top and I think back filter too, so they are made for that no? I just don't like having glass/plastic in front of them that will diminish the airflow intake/outake.

 

[Blaylock]

That video you linked shows him trying to mount a fan on a radiator, not an air cooler like the NH-D15S. You will have no issues mounting the NH-D15S as it is 160mm tall and the case allows for 170mm tall coolers. The only issue you might come across is adding a second fan as I mentioned earlier.

Hmmm, "sealed"? LOL Let me play devil's advocate for a minute. Would you ever put an exhaust filter on your car? I apologize for the car analogy, they become very cliche here. But in this instance I feel it will help show my logic. If your exhaust fans are running air and dust should not enter the case from those openings, only prevent it from getting out of the case. If you maintain a positive case pressure (more CFM in than out) then even the unfiltered vent holes will not allow dust in as air will be forced out. This is why most cases do not have filters at the rear and many times the top. You will find cases with filters at the top because many users like to intake from the top and front and exhaust out the rear only.

 

[dragonvalor1]

That video you linked shows him trying to mount a fan on a radiator, not an air cooler like the NH-D15S.

I may be wrong, but wasn't he trying to place a fan in one of the two top side receptacle made for it, but couldn't because the Corsair Vengeance RAM sticks were in the way?

This is what he says in the video starting at the 6:14 mark:

"There isn't enough clearance for a set of fans at the top with a radiator, with anything other than low-profile RAM. And I had to remove the Vengeance LED memory which isn't all that tall in the first place and it's confusing why Corsair haven't thought about this compatibility."

For info, I am trying to get 3 fans on the front (which the 570X already comes equipped with), 1 fan on the back and 2 fans on the top.

You will have no issues mounting the NH-D15S as it is 160mm tall and the case allows for 170mm tall coolers. The only issue you might come across is adding a second fan as I mentioned earlier.

But what about adding two fans that goes right on top the case? In the video he managed to do it because he used a Liquid CPU Cooler. See screenshot:



Bear in mind that my Motherboard is an ASUS ROG STRIX H270F GAMING, so I dunno how it might end up being inside this case compared to his setup.

Hmmm, "sealed"? LOL Let me play devil's advocate for a minute. Would you ever put an exhaust filter on your car? I apologize for the car analogy, they become very cliche here. But in this instance I feel it will help show my logic. If your exhaust fans are running air and dust should not enter the case from those openings, only prevent it from getting out of the case. If you maintain a positive case pressure (more CFM in than out) then even the unfiltered vent holes will not allow dust in as air will be forced out. This is why most cases do not have filters at the rear and many times the top. You will find cases with filters at the top because many users like to intake from the top and front and exhaust out the rear only.

I see, that make sense. I noticed in a a lot of these youtube case/fans review videos that the more expensive cases came with filters for all these sides (front, top and back), so I assumed they were to be used on all these sides to minimize as much as possible dust infiltration.

Thanks for all the help so far.

 

[Blaylock]

"There isn't enough clearance for a set of fans at the top with a radiator..." He is water cooling. You wont have a radiator, only the fans and that will net you apx 35-40mm more clearance for your top fans.

Your motherboard is ATX and the case is designed for up to an ATX board so it's made to fit. Should be no issue there.

You're very welcome. I enjoy helping where I can.

EDIT: For the record there are other great choices for cases if you're willing to forego the rear filter. That's probably the one giving you the hardest time locating. Have a look at the link in my sig.

 

[dragonvalor1]

"There isn't enough clearance for a set of fans at the top with a radiator..." He is water cooling. You wont have a radiator, only the fans and that will net you apx 35-40mm more clearance for your top fans.

Oh I see, I never water cooled so I didn't catch what he meant properly, thank you for correcting me.

EDIT: For the record there are other great choices for cases if you're willing to forego the rear filter. That's probably the one giving you the hardest time locating. Have a look at the link in my sig.

Wow thanks, that's a whole lot of case selection. Unfortunately the online stores I was thinking of buying from don't have most of these such as the Anidees AI Crystal.

I was looking for something that offered a similar fan configuration setup scheme to the 570X. 3 front fan, 1 back and 2 on top, is that the best fan configuration setup for an airflow build or are there some better ones out there?

 

[Blaylock]

That config would be fine. If you can find a case with 1 or 2 bottom intake fans that would be a little better. More intake than exhaust that way.

 

[dragonvalor1]

That config would be fine. If you can find a case with 1 or 2 bottom intake fans that would be a little better. More intake than exhaust that way.

So more than 6 fans? Wouldn't that be a little bit overkill considering that this is not an overclocking build?

And adding more intake, that would result in "positive air pressure", I was trying to go for a "neutral air pressure" build by adding an equal amount of fans of the same size and model, but are you saying that "positive air pressure" is better than "neutral air pressure"?

Also, in terms of airflow and such, which would be the easiest to keep cooler and which might become more easily hotter, a full tower or a mid tower?

 

[Blaylock]

I wouldn't consider it overkill. You can generally slow the fans down in the BIOS and many quality cases come with fan controllers. The 570X has one that can control up to 6 RGB fans.

Case pressure is a heavily debated subject here, at least as far as temps are concerned. Some say positive is best some say neutral and others say negative is better. But that's all about temps and in reality we're arguing over quite literally 2°C so not a big difference. What is less debated though is the dust factor. A positive pressure in the case with filtered intakes will help reduce dust. It will not eliminate it, but it will reduce it. The only way to completely eliminate dust is to run your computer inside Intel's Clean room. lol

Mid towers, full towers, and cube cases will all cool about the same so long as there is adequate airflow. Sometimes design plays a factor with hot spots and the like but these are fairly rare these days. The only exception to this are the small form factor cases like the mITX and BTX cases. Those are so small and compact it's very difficult to get proper airflow. It can be done, it's just a bigger challenge.

 

[||Console||]

I love my define s . I have a 3x120 in the front and 2x120 on the top ( I could fit a 3x120 with some work ) filters on all intakes (front bottom and psu)

 

[dragonvalor1]

I wouldn't consider it overkill. You can generally slow the fans down in the BIOS and many quality cases come with fan controllers. The 570X has one that can control up to 6 RGB fans.

I see, so a an additional slight positive pressure should be good to add with an additional bottom fan, the 570X does not allow for any bottom fans though. So all in all 7 fans, 4 doe intakes and 3 for exhaust.

What is less debated though is the dust factor. A positive pressure in the case with filtered intakes will help reduce dust. It will not eliminate it, but it will reduce it. The only way to completely eliminate dust is to run your computer inside Intel's Clean room. lol

I can confirm that negative pressure is definitely a dust magnet, the PC I am currently using right now only has 1 exhaust fan (negative pressure) on the back and it really drags in dust toward all the dust filter on the front and right side.

Mid towers, full towers, and cube cases will all cool about the same so long as there is adequate airflow. Sometimes design plays a factor with hot spots and the like but these are fairly rare these days. The only exception to this are the small form factor cases like the mITX and BTX cases. Those are so small and compact it's very difficult to get proper airflow. It can be done, it's just a bigger challenge.

So for my use which would be better? Full or mid?

I love my define s . I have a 3x120 in the front and 2x120 on the top ( I could fit a 3x120 with some work ) filters on all intakes (front bottom and psu)

Thanks I like it, but no dust filter on the top? Can you buy one stand-alone as an option?

 

[Blaylock]

For your use either will he fine. It just depends on big you want the case to be. The Define S is a very good case. You can get aftermarket magnetic filters for any steel case. I'm not positive but I think the define is steel. I really love my Phanteks Luxe. It's by far the best case I've owned or built in.