My CPU fan is covers my ram slots, what is my best solution?
Posted by Cute-Diet-8630@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 13 comments
I'm trying to upgrade my 1yr old computer by adding a 3rd and 4th stick of ram but my CPU fan is just barely short of my ram slots and would likely press against any ram I try to put in. The options I see are,
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Just go for it and try to fit it in (not sure if it will fit/break)
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Put my CPU fan on the opposite side of the radiator (It will likely fit but I've heard its better to have CPU fans push air through the radiator instead of pull )
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Buy 2 new sticks of higher capacity ram (feels bad to just give up 2 slots of ram to nothing)
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Buy a new CPU cooling system, either a new radiator or maybe AIO (I don't really want to replace the cooling system on my 1yr old PC )
Any advice on what I should to?
Siliconfrustration@reddit
Just raise the fan slightly.
Psyko_sissy23@reddit
It depends on your cpu and motherboard. Some work better with 2 sticks of ram, and others work better with 4 sticks of ram.
If you do go for 4 sticks of ram, make sure you go with the same brand and model of ram you currently have, or buy a bundle of 4 sticks so you make sure they are all the same. It can cause issues if you buy different ram than the ones you already have.
Carnildo@reddit
Look for low-profile memory. It's designed to fit underneath oversized CPU heatsinks.
mountaingoatgod@reddit
Adjust the fan higher
gloomndoom@reddit
Is the fan adjustable? I have a similar issue and I just mounted the fan above the RAM. Aesthetically it’s gross but it work.
Cute-Diet-8630@reddit (OP)
The fan clips onto the radiator. It's not exactly 'adjustable' but I can switch what side of the radiator it's on/ the direction it faces.
IggyHitokage@reddit
What cooler is it? Most use a metal bracket that can be simply pinched to release and repositioned higher.
If you're not sure, take a picture and link it here.
Cute-Diet-8630@reddit (OP)
Per my new egg receipts I have a , Noctua NH-U14S, Premium CPU Cooler with NF-A15 140mm Fan.
IggyHitokage@reddit
You can reposition the fan higher by gently pulling those metal tabs out from the heatsink, then letting them resettle higher. If your case isn't deep enough, that'll prevent that.
Cute-Diet-8630@reddit (OP)
Oh, I get what you mean by adjusting now. I think it would fit, I'll try it when I have some free time, hopefully it doesn't affect cooling too much. Thank you
gloomndoom@reddit
Same with my PCs. You can clip the fan slightly higher. It’ll be offset from the top of the cooler but will be fine.
Cute-Diet-8630@reddit (OP)
Yes, I can clip the fan on the front or back of the radiator, or even add a second.
ShacObama@reddit
If it were me I'd go with buying 2 new sticks with more memory, but that's just because when I added 2 extra in my current PC it was a pain in the ass to reorganize my cpu cooling to make it fit, so I'm not big on dealing with that again.