Optimal fan layout for Corsair Frame 4000D case?
Posted by wLeZeL@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 13 comments
Ladies and Gents,
I'm currently ordering parts for a new build inside a Corsair Frame 4000D - What is the most optimal fan layout for this case?
Option 1: Intake 3x 120mm in front, 140mm in rear as exhaust and 360mm Corsair Titan AIO on top as exhaust. This would be 3 intakes, 4 exhausts which I suppose creates negative pressure? Would having more exhaust than intake be an issue here?
Option 2: Intake 3x 120mm in front, 140mm in rear as exhaust, 3x 120mm top exhaust, 360mm Corsair Titan AIO mounted on back side of case as intake pull config with reverse fans. This would be 6 intakes, 4 exhaust.
Any ideas on what would be most optimal folks? If it's something different than my options above, please suggest! Just wanted to get a few opinions from different people before I pull the trigger. Excited for the build and I'll post pics when it's done!
BaronB@reddit
None of the above.
Optimal setup is the 360 AIO in the front as intake, and a single 140 exhaust in the rear.
Second best would be 3 120 in the front, rear 140 exhaust, and AIO in the top, but you'd want to make sure you keep the AIO fans running at slightly slower speeds than the front intake fans to avoid negative pressure, and thus dust ingress.
The other setups are more an aesthetic choice than having any benefit for cooling or noise.
Side fan intake setups w/o front fans always end up performing a little worse than front intakes due to the airflow not having a nice straight shot through the case. Side fan intake setups with front fans, as seems to be required for the Frame 4000D as there's no option to block the front, tend to perform thermally only about as well as just having the AIO in the front, but ends up louder. The two sets of fans blowing air into each other like that don't seem to have any significant benefits for GPU cooling vs a front AIO intake alone. Though it should help produce a positive pressure setup if you plan on going with top exhaust fans.
ThrowerAyy@reddit
I know your comment is old haha, but in case youre still about could answer:
I have 4000D Frame:
Phantom Spirit 120 Evo (double CPU fan) on 9800x3D
3 x 120mm front intake 1 x 140mm be quiet rear exhaust
Directed towards a quiet build (but the 3 x stock intake fans) - is this good for a long lasting build? 🤘
BaronB@reddit
If you're getting the Corsair Frame 4000D RS or RS ARGB, and plan on using the RS120 fans that are included, I'd personally just get a RS140 / ARGB fan for the rear. The only reason to go with a beQuiet fan for the rear exhaust is if you're going to replace all of the fans in the system. The front 3 are going to be contributing far more noise than a single rear fan, both because there's three of them, and because they're the ones in the front that are the easiest to hear.
Riversilk@reddit
Sorry for the necroposting (AGAIN), but if you're still around...
I have the exact setup of the poster above - 4000D frame (no builtin fans) - TR Phantom Spirit 120SE on a 9800X3d - Gigabyte GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER GAMING OC
My plan is having good SILENT airflow. I don't plan on OCing CPU/GPU much (if anything, i'll undervolt them a little). I am no fan (ah ah pun) of AIOs, so i would stick to air cooling.
I already have: 1x Noctua NF-S12A PWM 2x Noctua NF-P14s redux-1200 PWM
But can also buy all fans from scratch no problem (can use these in other builds i have)
What would be the BEST fan setup i could make, keeping in mind good airflow+silent.
(i was thinking 3x120 front intake, 1x140 back exhaust, 1x140 back-top exhaust but maybe i'm ALL wrong, not expert on this)
Thanks in advance!
BaronB@reddit
Probably two NF-A20 PWM for the front intakes, and a single NF-A14 or NF-P12 Redux for the rear exhaust. You can maybe throw a second NF-A14/P12 in the top rear. But 3x NF-A12x25 are also excellent options for front intakes.
Riversilk@reddit
Hey man thanks for replying, i'll check the 200mm Noctua for the front, i think you need to do some bricolage to be able to fit those in.
BaronB@reddit
If you have the FRAME 4000D, you just need to move the front Infinirail fan mounts to their furthest apart positions, and remove the extra mounting brackets for smaller fans.
https://www.corsair.com/us/en/p/pc-cases/cc-9011290-ww/frame-4000d-modular-mid-tower-pc-case-cc-9011290-ww
If you have a 4000D Airflow, and you were just using the term "frame" as a synonym for "chassis" or "case", then that's a completely different case that maxes out at 3x120 or 3x140mm fans in the front.
https://www.corsair.com/us/en/p/pc-cases/cc-9011200-ww/4000d-airflow-tempered-glass-mid-tower-atx-case-black-cc-9011200-ww
And if that's what you meant, then go with three NF-A12x25 or two NF-A14x25 G2. Note the original NF-A14 PWM aren't quite as good as the NF-A12x25 or NF-A14x25 G2 if your goal is being as quiet as possible, but will still work fine as an exhaust. Just run the exhaust at a lower speed than the front intake.
Spookyhaunted7734@reddit
Lol I am almost ready to do this exact setup, except with a 120 on the rear. Just for the time being, until I figure out which fans I actually want. If you're possibly still around, how did this setup go for you?
namad@reddit
I just bought this case aio and fans myself. Do you really need to worry about the top exhaust aio causing the wrong pressure? I've felt it and the radiator VASTLY reduces the airflow I feel with my hand. So in theory 3 120mm intake, 360mm top radiator exhaust, and 140mm rear exhaust should still have more air coming in than out because it'll be 360mm in, minus 140mm out minus a 360mm radiator at let's say half airflow due to the thick radiator constricting airflow? maybe? I hope? I was about to do what I just wrote until I read your comment and now I'm worried it'll backfire.... I guess I should just add two 120mm bottom intakes that'd fix it? maybe that's optimal? 360mm intake front, top aio 360mm exhaust, rear 140mm exhaust, bottom 240mm intake?
BaronB@reddit
It’ll all depend on the thickness and density of the fins of the radiator, and what fans it’s using. Som AIOs will come with quite high speed fans, like over 2000 RPM, and others will come with ones that top out around 1300. Some will have strong motors that’ll spin at nearly the same speed and push nearly the same CFM even when installed on a radiator vs in open air, others will struggle to do half their target RPM.
And sometimes the front air filter on a case will restrict the airflow almost as much as an AIO radiator.
I’d try holding your hand near the back below the GPU while running some heavy GPU and CPU tasks and seeing if you can feel any airflow there. If it’s blowing air out or pulling air in. If it’s pulling air in, you might need to still lower the AIO fan speeds.
namad@reddit
Actually good point the AIO fans by default are set at a higher rpm than the front fans, which seems unwise, but is easy to adjust as you say.
PeerlessOG@reddit
What about 3x AIO Front 360mm and 3x120mm top and 1x140mm rear
wLeZeL@reddit (OP)
Appreciate the elaborate explanation. Very helpful!