Advice for upgrading my setup!
Posted by thombelv@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 10 comments
Hi!
Looking for advice on upgrading my setup to improve thermals and reduce noises. Current performance is pretty poor temperature-wise, so I'm prioritizing function over form.
I'm on casual gaming, music production and not that soon, some photo/video editing as a hobby and my social media.
Current specs:
- MoBo: ASUS ROG Strix B650E-E Gaming WIFI
- CPU: Ryzen 7 7800X3D
- RAM: 32GB Corsair Vengeance DDR5
- Cooler: Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360mm
- GPU: RTX 5070Ti PNY OC (got it for 590.00€ brand new - couldn't pass it up! but idle fans spin which means temps are higher than i expect, maybe)
- Case: Phanteks Evolv ATX TG
- PSU: be quiet! Power Zone 2 1000W
- Storage: 2TB Samsung 980 Pro NVMe + 2TB & 1TB WD Blue HDDs (planning to replace the HDDs for speed, reliability and noise)
- Fans: Stock Phanteks 2x 140mm + stock Arctic 3x 120mm fans from AIO
What I'm looking to improve:
- Case upgrade - current thermals are terrible
- Better fans and fan configuration for improved airflow
- Sleeved cables for cleaner look
- Some lighting to brighten things up, i would set a low light for some ambient, nothing RGB master race stuff which I don't care about.
Priority: Thermals & noise reduction >>> aesthetics
Questions:
- Any case recommendations for better airflow with this setup? I would like to keep the tempered glass at least on the side panel obv and wouldn't like to get a smaller case than the Evolv.
- Best fan configuration for the new case?
- Worth upgrading the stock fans? Which ones should I get?
Thanks in advance for any advice!
no7_ebola@reddit
We don't even know what temps you're getting tho?
You have one of the best AIOs on the market, realistically the only way from there is water cooling which ignoring the difficulty and potential dangers is the only way you can get better cooling.
You can also try undervolting or underclocking, since you'd be consuming less electricity it will produce less heat.
For the questions below: 1. Again what temps are you getting? Case upgrades; unless it's horrendous, would be marginal. You're talking about less than 5 degrees cooler in most cases
You have 140mm fans, as long as your case has neutral or positive pressure it's already configured properly.
Noctua fans are generally considered the best but phanteks already make good fans
thombelv@reddit (OP)
Based on HWMonitor info, at this current moment the CPU is running at 49°C (package), cores around 38°C, SoC 44°C (3% utilization). The GPU is around 48°C, memory around 60°C with 3% and 16% utilization respectively. All the system fans are running at 60% though, which in this case seems kinda noisy. I made a custom fan curve with Fan Control to avoid running too hot.
What would be a good reference test I could run to see the actual load temps besides during gaming sessions?
I'm definitely not going for custom water cooling, I don't want that kind of stress of maintaining it periodically lol.
I'm probably going for better fans, also having better airflow would bring my system to be quieter, I guess(?) Lower temps -> calmer fan curves -> quieter system?
no7_ebola@reddit
hwmonitor is known to display the wrong info, what are your results on hwinfo64? also those are completely normal temps assuming that hwmonitor is showing the correct temps?
thombelv@reddit (OP)
GPU avg temps: 52°C
GPU memory avg: 61°C
running at 0 RPM
CPU Tctl/Tdie: 48°C
CPU: 46°C
VRM: 50°C
These are the ones on HW Info, you think these are normal temps? My point is to get the system a bit quiter if these are normal..
no7_ebola@reddit
0 RPM but still loud? Seems to me like your rpm sensor might be faulty or just not detected properly. Check where your AIO is plugged into, it should be the pump header, and check your BIOS for any fan profiles.
Do you use headphones or speakers? Also what is loud exactly, the AIO Or the GPU, if it's the GPU there's not much you can do, aside from fan curves.
thombelv@reddit (OP)
AIO pump’s connected to the right header, I thought the system fans’ speed should be lower than 60-65% when idle, this is what i consider “loud”, the Gpu ones stay still at 0% until it reaches 55/60°C (which normally should be under load). I use both headphones and speakers for mixing and producing music, my point is that i’ve compared my pc to others’, I don’t know if it’s because of the fans or what but other pcs seem 100% silent compared to this😂
no7_ebola@reddit
yep that's definitely loud sorry but I'm at a loss now. hard to diagnose without looking at the pc itself. could be the sticker, bad or no thermal paste
No-Entertainer-6182@reddit
They are completely normal(great even) temps. Probaby the noise is from your case fans which you can switch to quiter ones. I haven't looked into fans for a long time though so I hope someone else gives good recommendations!
xX_zEnUs_Xx@reddit
The current configuration is well established; however, the case may restrict airflow. Consider the Fractal Meshify 2 or Lian Li Lancool 216, which offer excellent airflow, a sleek aesthetic, and a side glass panel. Transition to Noctua or Arctic P14s fans for a quiet and high-airflow solution. Implement a front intake combined with top and rear exhaust. Remove the HDDs, as they generate excessive heat and noise.You’re on the right track!
thombelv@reddit (OP)
I'm also considering the Fractal Meshify 3/3 XL - would that be a good option? I've been looking at the Fractal North XL and Phanteks NV5/NV7 as well, which have a really clean aesthetic. My goal is to improve airflow while keeping the build looking somewhat "stealth".
For fans, should I go with 140mm or 120mm Noctuas? I've also seen some good things about the Phanteks T30s.
And yeah, I'm definitely planning to add another NVMe drive and possibly a SATA SSD... those HDDs are painfully slow by today's standards lmao.