CLC 360 in Fractal R6 Case

[Cezar]

Hello.

Recently upgraded my cooling from 212 hyper evo to EVGA CLC 360. I put the radiator at the top for better cooling(correct me if I am wrong). However now realized that I now have 4 fans out and 2 fans in, which will make a "dust fest" from the inside of my case. R6 comes with three stock fans. Should I reposition radiator to the front and swap two front fans on top for 3 in three out? Or should I get two or three more fans and put them blowing out at the bottom? Which one is more optimal?

Also, on the side note. The backplate of my EVGA 1080ti FTW gets really hot when I touch it. Is that normal? The backplate temp feels/perceived hotter than 50 C that are shown on the screen.

 

[Blaylock]

The optimal airflow for the R6 will be intake from the front and bottom (5x120) and exhaust throught the top and rear (4x120).

 

[ehume]

If your 4 exhaust fans exceed your 2 intake fans, you will have a bagless vacuum cleaner. I did that in 2009, quickly stopped because I live in a dusty environment. Low-front intake with high-rear exhaust was perfect early on, but with later CPUs the motherboard became the main heat-adder. Recent Intel CPUs, though, are very hot. Your choice of cooling will depend on your setup. Think it through, though.

 

[EarthDog]

The optimal airflow for the R6 will be intake from the front and bottom (5x120) and exhaust throught the top and rear (4x120).

This.

Front/sides = intake, top/rear = exhaust. Don't overthink it. The difference in swapping things around typically is only a couple of C anyway...that and if something becomes cooler, likely something else warms up.

If you get the coolest air to the radiator and it blows into the case, the internals will be a couple of C warmer. If you have the radiator up top using the internal case air (typically a couple/few C warmer than ambient), then the CPU will run a couple of C warmer but the internals will likely be cooler. Unless you are chasing after every degree C for whatever reasons, K.I.S.S.

which will make a "dust fest"

Does it though? Those pesky tiny cracks in the case? I'd leave it as is. I've always run more exhaust than intake... so long as your intakes are filtered, it won't really suck in that much more dust.

 

[Blaylock]

I would say if you're not happy with your temps or are noticing too much dust in your case then pick up a 2 or 3 pack of case fans when they go on sale and add them to the front and bottom as intakes. I wouldn't switch it either.

 

[trents]

It depends on what components need cooling the worst. If the critical temp is the CPU then position the radiator and orient it's fans such that cool air is being brought from the outside through the radiator. But as others have said, that arrangement will cause other components, such as VRM, storage drives and video cards to run a little hotter because the air passing through the rad into the case will now be warmed. This would suggest a front panel mount for the rad.

But if CPU temps are well controlled but either GPU, VRM or storage temps are your major concern then arranging the rad and it's fans to pull warmed case air through the rad to the outside of the case will be preferrable. This would suggest placing the rad in the top of the case.

 

[Cezar]

It seems like GPU is major concern as far as temps go. In M&B Bannerlord high settings at 1440p it would go to 70C, which is a bit too much? The GPU automatically boosts its clock to 1900+ in the game, which I am not sure why.

As far a cracks in the case, the case has them, especially on the top around the perimeter of the removed metal lead that was there before I put radiator on the top.

 

[EarthDog]

It seems like GPU is major concern as far as temps go. In M&B Bannerlord high settings at 1440p it would go to 70C, which is a bit too much? The GPU automatically boosts its clock to 1900+ in the game, which I am not sure why.

As far a cracks in the case, the case has them, especially on the top around the perimeter of the removed metal lead that was there before I put radiator on the top.

Cezar, I swear, friend, you spend more time worrying about the minutia of your setup than you do using it.

1. 70C is a GREAT temperature for that GPU... They are good into the low 80s.
1a. The boost clock is normal. Perhaps you need to search how these/your GPUs work.
https://www.anandtech.com/show/10325/the-nvidia-geforce-gtx-1080-and-1070-founders-edition-review/15

2. Of course your case has them, lol... what are you saying here?

 

[trents]

Cracks in the case? What are you picking up on Cezar? Did I miss something?

As ED said, 70c is a great GPU temp. I wouldn't worry about GPU temp until you reach 80-85c.